Chacala: Discover Cultural Traces and Landscapes

Chacala sparks interest with distinctive cultural traces and a route where you can experience three ecosystems: oak forests, tropical forest, and beach. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between Chacala itself and the wider surroundings of the Indigenous Community of Chacala. The “Chacala” Taberna is in the town; traditional houses, cultural traces, and natural sites are located in the wider surroundings. This can help you decide whether cultural history, landscapes, or both should be the focus of your trip before you choose a vacation rental.

Architecture: Water Distribution and Houses

The “Chacala” Taberna had an aqueduct system made of reed channels. This makes water distribution a specific detail of the town’s history. In the Indigenous Community of Chacala, in the wider regional surroundings, there are traditional houses in the vernacular “pajarete” or “chinami” styles. They were built with local materials and have thermal properties; some surviving homes date back to the late 19th century. Two distinct aspects of the region’s architecture stand out here: the Taberna’s water distribution and the thermal properties of houses made with local materials. If you plan to visit either place, check its current state of preservation and access locally.

Cultural Traces in the Wider Surroundings

The brown clay object called “Sello,” measuring about 6 × 8 cm, was found in the Indigenous Community of Chacala in the wider surroundings. Its engraving depicted an animal face resembling representations of a jaguar in other cultures. The circular engraving “Gran Patolli” was also found there: it measures 3 × 2 m and is associated with a sacred game. Engravings were found on the upper surface and one end of “La Iguana”; the engraved area measured 2.10 × 1.40 m. The shapes and sizes differ considerably. When preparing a trip with children, this offers a vivid way to illustrate the contrast between a small clay object and large engravings.

Water, Agave, and the Route to Yelapa

The natural “Salto Agua Caliente” waterfall in the Indigenous Community of Chacala is about 3 m high. Cold water from a tributary of the Río Tuito mixes there with hot spring water. Another water site on the Río Tuito is “Venero Agua Caliente”: the spring flows warm water into the river, making it lukewarm. Because local residents visit the site, water was channeled into a pool, altering the spring. If you plan to visit either natural site, check current access locally.

The Chacala community in the municipality of Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, has agave plantations for making raicilla. During fieldwork in August 2023, young agave plants were examined and traps were used to control agave weevils. The connection to raicilla is made tangible here through cultivation and fieldwork.

The route from Chacala to Yelapa passes through three ecosystems—oak forests, tropical forest, and beach—and also features numerous coyule palms. It follows an unpaved road that may be used by motorcycles and off-road vehicles. If you include the route in your plans, take the road surface into account and check current conditions beforehand.

When choosing a vacation rental in Chacala, you can use your travel priorities as a guide: should your stay focus more on the town’s cultural traces, or include topics in the wider surroundings and the route to Yelapa?

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Tomatlán, Zapopan, La Manzanilla, Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, Terreros, Ajijic, Coyula

For the main travel overview: Jalisco.