Barra de Navidad

Barra de Navidad on the map of Jalisco

Barra de Navidad is a small town on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Jalisco in the municipality of Cihuatlán with about 4,000 permanent residents. To season the inhabitants of the resort increases significantly.

Geography, botany, wildlife

Southeast of town extends the tide exposed extensive Laguna de Barra de Navidad, drained the river Marabasco into the sea by the. The south bank of the lagoon belongs partly to the State of Colima already.

Besides bathing, there is a rich nature in the place. It grow tamarind, kapok trees, Jacarandas, mangroves and palm trees. The bird life provides capercaillie, toucans, blackbirds, nightingales and curlews, the marine fauna includes marlin, Salminus, subjects and tuna.

In his last years, the former German world-class swimmer and coach Gerhard Hetz operation ( † 2012) with his family in Barra de Navidad hotel on the lagoon side.

History

A certain role was played by the place of the Discoveries and seafaring history.:

• Ruy López de Villalobos was launched on November 1, 1542, an expedition to the East Indies in the port of Barra de Navidad.
• The Portuguese João Rodrigues Cabrilho reached Navidad on 14 April 1543.
• Miguel López de Legazpi laid from 1546 with 500 soldiers, also on the way to the Philippines.
• Andrés de Urdaneta, one of the early explorers, in the footsteps of Magellan, the place from the west reached in 1565.