San Blas
A Spanish colonial Pacific port town, with the La Contaduría fortress on the hilltop overlooking the river mouth. It is known for birdwatching and surfing.
San Blas was the 18th-century Spanish naval port on the Pacific coast and the base for fleets sailing to California and the Philippines. In town you can see the old customs house, an old church and the main square. On La Contaduría hill at the edge of town, the fort's gun emplacements and church ruins remain, a good spot to watch the sunset over the river mouth and bay. It is one of Mexico's best-known birdwatching destinations, with hundreds of bird species in the mangroves, and the nearby Las Islas bay has long-wave surf breaks. It is about 150 km by road from Sayulita and is usually combined with a boat trip through the La Tovara mangroves as a day trip. Expect sand flies at dusk, so bring insect repellent.
Opening hours
Open all day (fortress approx. 09:00–18:00)
Nearby sights
- La Tovara
- Chacala
- Altavista Petroglyphs
- Rincón de Guayabitos
- Lo de Marcos
- San Pancho (San Francisco)
- Sayulita
- Bucerías