Guaymas San Carlos, Mexico: Vacations and travel info

Guaymas

Guaymas is a port city located on the exotic coast of the Sea of Cortez in Mexico's second biggest state, Sonora. It is also the second most important port in western Mexico, and fishing is the area's leading source of income. The city has dozens of docks (83% of the docks in Sonora) and a fleet of more than 1300 vessels. Livestock farming, aerospace assembly and tourism are also important industries in Guaymas.

The port is located 73 miles south of Hermosillo, the capital city of Sonora, and just a few miles from the destination city of San Carlos. Guaymas has an arid, warm climate, experiencing hot summers and cool winters.

This colonial city, founded in 1769, is framed by the Sea of Cortez, mountain ranges, valleys and coastal plains. Guaymas has been blessed with beautiful natural surroundings from the bottom of the sea to the top of its mountain peaks.

San Carlos

San Carlos is considered the true tourist destination of the Guaymas region, situated just nine miles west of Guaymas port. On September 28, 1963, San Carlos Bay was officially founded. This area has many hotels, two marinas with a capacity for over 500 boats, a golf course, a dolphinarium and a wide strip of gorgeous beaches. Today, San Carlos is known as the jewel of the Sea of Cortez.

Origins

Just over 300 years ago, Jesuit missionaries arrived at these shores, which were originally populated by Guaymas, Seris and Yaquis. Juan Maria Salvatierra was the founder of the first mission on the Guayman coast, San Jose de la Laguna, a site located just north of modern day Guaymas. Due to the constant attacks on the Seri tribe, however, this settlement eventually had to be abandoned. Finally, in 1769, the town of San Jose de Guaymas was officially founded, situated just east of the bay.

The population of San Jose de Guaymas began to grow at the beginning of the nineteenth century with the arrival of various groups of farmers. Boats came to Guaymas Bay from different parts of Mexico as well as from other countries. At this time, most inhabitants were living in San Jose de Guaymas, while the port area of San Fernando de Guaymas was nearly deserted. Little by little, the port began to gain recognition as the state leader in imports. So, on March 26, 1814, marine traffic in Guaymas was approved by the Spanish courts, and in November of 1837, it was officially declared as an entrance port.

By 1825, it was decided that San Jose de Guaymas and San Fernando de Guaymas would combine to become one municipality. In 1859, Guaymas was declared a city. Three of Mexico's ex-presidents, Adolfo de la Huerta, Plutarco Elias Calles and Abelardo Lujan Rodriguez, were born here.

Today Guaymas is a well known community recognized for its nautical and commercial facilities and for the biological diversity of the Sea of Cortez, which was declared the "world's aquarium" by Jacques-Yves Cousteau. In past decades Guaymas San Carlos has become popular among destinations in northern Mexico and is visited mainly by American and Canadian tourists.

The Ideal Coast

The coast of Guaymas San Carlos is ideal for vacationing and sightseeing. The region's rugged terrain offers amazing scenery and diverse ecosystems in the arid Sonoran atmosphere. The area is made up of many different landscapes, such as the Sea of Cortez, amazing beaches with golden sand (like Playa de los Algodones), numerous islands (like Isla San Pedro Nolasco), canyons (Nacapule and Barakitas), estuaries (like El Soldado), and bays (Guaymas, San Carlos and Bacochibampo), along with beautiful mountain ranges, valleys and riverside areas. This wide range of natural environs and diverse species are defining elements of Guaymas San Carlos.