Playa Chacala’s oft-gentle surf is good for close-in bodysurfing, boogie boarding, swimming, and beginning-to-intermediate surfing. Furthermore, the water is generally clear enough for snorkeling off the rocks on either side of the beach. If you bring your equipment, kayaking, sailboarding, and sailing are possible. The sheltered north-end cove is nearly always tranquil and safe, even for tiny tots. Fishing is so good many local people make their living at it. Chacala Bay is so rich and clean that tourists sometimes eat oysters right off the rocks.

Boatmen on the beach, or at the dock at the bay’s far north end, offer excursions (figure about $20 per hour) to nearby secluded beaches, such as Playa la Caleta for surfing and Playa las Cuevas (the Caves) for picnicking, swimming, and snorkeling. Be prepared with your own drinks, food, and equipment, however.

Horseback rides along local jungle trails are also available from providers at the beach. Concha, owner of Casa Concha (tel. 327/219-4019, conchaguanahani_234 [at] hotmail [dot] com), offers bird- and wildlife-watching hikes.