Boca de Pascuales
Boca de Pascuales is a Pacific coast beach town in the southern state of Colima. It is most popular among surfers who come for the consistently tasty waves and the town's mellow vibe. Few tourists travel to Colima, so the beaches around Pascuales are lightly populated and can be a great place to catch a tan while enjoying some cheap, ice-cold Mexican cervezas.
Understand
[edit]Pascuales is most popular as a surfer's beach and is often compared to Puerto Escondido. It is known for high, fast beach-breaking barrels. A river emptying into the ocean on the north end of the beach helps keep the sandbars high and Pascuales boasts rideable waves every day throughout the spring and summer seasons. Early morning offers the best waves.
Get in
[edit]The closest airport to Pascuales is in Colima (CLQ IATA), it is served by daily flights from Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX IATA). From Colima, take a bus or taxi to Boca de Pascuales.
By bus
[edit]Buses from Colima headed towards Manzanillo stop in Tecomán. From Tecoman, it is a short taxi ride to Boca de Pascuales.
Get around
[edit]The beach community is easily navigated by foot, though the town is fairly remote so you may want a rental car. It's a small town and you're unlikely to get lost once you've walked around it for a few minutes. Locals don't use street addresses with house numbers, so if you want to know where someplace can be found, just ask.
Surfers coming from other locations will find free parking on the main beach road.
See
[edit]Do
[edit]- Surf
- Lay on the beach
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- 1 Las Hamacas del Mayor, n/a (on the main drag closest to the beach). 10:30 - 18:00. Very popular palapa style beach restaurant with frosty margaritas and fresh seafood dishes, prepared however you'd like. The grilled lobster tails are excellent and quite inexpensive. And yes, they really do have hammocks where you can just lie in the shade all day as the waiters bring you an endless parade of frozen margaritas or cold beer.
- 2 La Aldea Bruja, n/a (on the beach, about 100 meters from Las Hamacas del Mayor), ☏ +52 313 148 8407. 09:00 - 18:00. Classic Mexican beachside palapa restaurant with plastic resin chairs that always seem to sink a foot into the sand when you sit down, but you don't care because you're a few meters from the sea, the beers are icy cold and dirt cheap, and the seafood is always fresh and tasty. This place is known for their coconut shrimp. Oh yeah, they also have hammocks.
- 3 Palapa de Chuyita, n/a (on the beach, or if you're walking on the main drag, near the turnabout as you approach the river). 09:00 - 18:00. Cheap eats for the surfers and beach bums on a budget, but cool atmosphere with typical palapa for shade and resin chairs and tables. Open early, but no eggs, breads or breakfast fare....just a single seafood menu all day. Some interesting items though, including a deviled octopus that's to die for. Cold beer served in big bomber bottles.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Hotel Real de Pascuales, n/a (about 50 meters into town as you get off MEX-200), ☏ +52 313 102 3501. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Low-key inexpensive hotel that caters to the surfing crowd. On-site ding repair service to tune up your board after a tough day in the waves. On-site bar and casual light food on the main level. Camping available if the rooms are too expensive for your budget. Swimming pool available. 5-minute walk to the waves.
- 2 Pascuales Villas (On the main road, about 100 meters into town from MEX-200). Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Spacious, modern suites, sleep up to 6, clean and comfortable. Cold air conditioning, hammocks available. Friendly staff. Pets allowed.
- 3 Hotel Estrella del Mar, n/a (On the main road, about 250 meters into town from MEX-200), ☏ +52 332 275 9423. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Barebones budget rooms.
Connect
[edit]5G service has not yet reached Boca de Pascuales. As of 2023, 3G service is fairly reliable in town and along the beach but you won't step up to 4G until you get close to Tecoman.