Chamela is a small town in the state of Jalisco

Jalisco

Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...

, on the west coast of Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

. The town of Chamela sits on the south end of a bay called the Bahía de Chamela, or "Chamela Bay", on Federal Highway 200

Mexican Federal Highway

Mexican Federal Highways, are roads maintained and built by the federal government of Mexico, through the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation ....

. San Mateo and Punta Pérula are the two other towns on the bay. It is 8 miles north of the better known resort of Careyes.

Chamela was a port during Spanish colonial times, often visited by galleon

Galleon

A galleon was a large, multi-decked sailing ship used primarily by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries. Whether used for war or commerce, they were generally armed with the demi-culverin type of cannon.-Etymology:...

s. Ruins of a colonial era fortification, named after Alonso de Avalos, still remain.

Also known as Island Bay, Chamela's islands were declared a protected nature sanctuary by the Mexican government on April 9, 2001. It is a mostly undeveloped tourism

Tourism

Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...

 destination, although several companies have announced plans to develop resorts on the bay.

A project to develop a marina on the bay's north point (Punta Perula) has been superseded by Roberto Hernandez Ramirez

Roberto Hernández Ramírez

Roberto Hernández Ramírez is a Mexican businessman. He is a former CEO of Banco Nacional de México , Mexico's second largest bank, just after BBVA Bancomer, from Spain. He is currently a member of the administration board of Citigroup.Chairman of the Board, Banco Nacional de Mexico, S.A...

 plan to develop a marina in Careyes, approximately 8 miles to the south.

External links

• Airstrip 19°31.8′N 105°4.4′W
• Marine entry point 19°32′N 105°07′W