From Náayeri traditions in the Sierra Madre and candlelit streets in Jala to Catrina parades in Sayulita and beachfront celebrations at Riviera Nayarit resorts, Mexico’s Pacific state offers travelers many ways to experience Día de Muertos.
NAYARIT, Mexico — September 8, 2026 — Every fall, marigolds, candles, music and the aromas of traditional foods signal the arrival of one of Mexico’s most meaningful celebrations. In Nayarit, however, Día de Muertos is not experienced in just one way.
From Indigenous communities in the Sierra Madre Occidental and historic Pueblos Mágicos to surf towns along the Pacific and luxury resorts in Riviera Nayarit, the traditions surrounding Nov. 1 and 2 reveal the cultural diversity of a state increasingly inviting travelers to look beyond the beach.
For visitors, the season provides an opportunity to experience Nayarit through community celebrations, altars and processions, traditional foods, art, music and contemporary interpretations of customs centered on remembrance and the enduring connection between the living and those who came before.
Ancient traditions in the Sierra
Among Nayarit’s most distinctive Día de Muertos traditions are those found among the Náayeri, or Cora, people in the mountainous municipality of Del Nayar.
In Jesús María, the night connecting Nov. 1 and 2 has traditionally included a ritual in which figures representing the dead move from home to home requesting offerings. The offerings eventually make their way to the church, with food shared among the community while a portion is symbolically reserved for the deceased.
For travelers, traditions such as these provide a reminder that Día de Muertos is more than the familiar imagery of painted Catrinas and elaborate altars. Across Mexico, the holiday incorporates traditions that vary significantly among regions and Indigenous communities.
Visitors interested in experiencing Indigenous traditions should do so respectfully and through locally organized or community-led experiences, recognizing that these ceremonies are first and foremost expressions of living culture rather than performances created for tourism.
Sayulita and San Pancho celebrate by the sea
Along the Riviera Nayarit coast, Sayulita and San Pancho bring Día de Muertos into public plazas, streets and community spaces.
Recent celebrations in Bahía de Banderas have included several days of programming beginning Oct. 31, with Catrina parades, traditional dance, artistic performances and cultural activities in both communities.
In Sayulita, the combination is particularly distinctive. The Pueblo Mágico’s surf culture, colorful streets, galleries and restaurants become a backdrop for altars, flowers and Día de Muertos imagery, offering visitors an opportunity to combine the celebration with one of Nayarit’s best-known coastal communities.
Nearby San Pancho provides a more intimate counterpoint, with its strong arts and community identity creating another way to experience the holiday along the Pacific.
Together, the two towns demonstrate how Día de Muertos continues to evolve as a living tradition — rooted in remembrance while expressed through contemporary art, music, food and community life.
Día de Muertos in the Pueblo Mágico of Jala
Travel inland and the atmosphere changes again.
Set beneath the Ceboruco volcano, Jala is one of Nayarit’s nine Pueblos Mágicos and one of the state’s most atmospheric settings for Día de Muertos.
Around Nov. 2, streets, homes, schools and public spaces traditionally display altars decorated with photographs, candles, papel picado, food and cempasúchil. Visitors can encounter family and community ofrendas while sampling seasonal foods including pan de muerto, tamales, atole and regional sweets.
Processions, music and community activities bring the historic center to life after dark, while the town’s colonial architecture and surrounding volcanic landscape add another dimension to the experience.
Jala also makes it possible to extend a Día de Muertos journey into Nayarit’s emerging interior tourism offerings, including local gastronomy, the Ceboruco volcano and Meseta del Cielo, the state’s first vineyard.
Riviera Nayarit resorts create their own celebrations
Travelers who prefer to experience Día de Muertos from the coast can also find special programming at many of Riviera Nayarit’s resorts, where chefs, artisans and cultural programming reinterpret the holiday through food, art and ceremony.
At Conrad Punta de Mita, Día de Muertos programming is scheduled from Oct. 31 through Nov. 2, 2026. The three-day celebration will include an altar unveiling, Catrina face painting, local artisan pop-ups featuring Wixárika art, alebrijes and regional sweets, family activities, a Catrina procession and evening ceremonies on the beach. Culinary and cocktail experiences also form part of the resort’s seasonal programming.
At Susurros del Corazón, Auberge Collection, the holiday has become part of the resort’s fall cultural calendar. Its Día de Muertos programming celebrates remembrance through experiences such as Catrina face painting, handcrafted cocktails, sunset processions and special beachfront dining, bringing Mexican traditions into the resort’s relaxed Pacific setting.
The wider Mandarina destination has also incorporated Día de Muertos into its cultural programming. Previous celebrations at its organic farm, El Huerto, have explored the symbolism and creation of altars, pre-Hispanic dance and menus prepared with locally grown ingredients, connecting the holiday with the land and culinary traditions of Mexico.
At One&Only Mandarina, recent Día de Muertos programming has included a Catrina parade and altar display followed by a culinary celebration at Alma, where Mexican flavors, heritage and memory become part of the evening experience.
The newly opened Rosewood Mandarina is also embracing the season through programming centered on craftsmanship, food, music, storytelling and family traditions, including activities such as papel picado workshops.
W Punta de Mita: Rooted in Celebration
At W Punta de Mita, Día de Muertos will mark the debut of Rooted in Celebration, a new destination-focused series designed to connect travelers more deeply with Mexico through culture, storytelling and hospitality.
From Oct. 31 through Nov. 3, the resort will host an exclusive Día de los Muertos x Marriott Bonvoy Moments experience built around a three-night journey through the traditions, flavors and rituals of the holiday.
The program will begin with a welcome reception and continue with wellness rituals, a guided cultural excursion and live entertainment. Gastronomy will also play a central role through an intimate multi-course dinner showcasing regional cuisine paired with Mexican spirits, before the experience concludes with a farewell gathering.
The celebration adds another dimension to Día de Muertos in Nayarit, giving travelers the opportunity to experience contemporary luxury hospitality alongside traditions and storytelling rooted in Mexican culture.
For visitors, it also creates the possibility of combining the resort experience with community celebrations elsewhere in the state — from the colorful streets of Sayulita and San Pancho to the Pueblo Mágico of Jala and the traditions of the Náayeri communities in the Sierra.
A journey through living traditions
What makes Día de Muertos particularly compelling in Nayarit is not one single event, but the opportunity to see how a shared Mexican tradition takes different forms across the state.
A traveler can begin beside the Pacific among Catrinas and candlelit altars, continue through the art-filled streets of Sayulita and San Pancho, travel inland to Jala beneath the Ceboruco volcano and discover traditions in the Sierra that long predate modern tourism.
The journey also opens the door to a broader Nayarit: its nine Pueblos Mágicos, Indigenous communities, artisans, traditional cooks, farmers, fishermen and landscapes stretching from the Pacific Ocean into the mountains.
For travelers seeking cultural experiences with a deeper connection to place, Día de Muertos offers an especially meaningful time to discover that Nayarit is much more than a beach destination.
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About Nayarit
Located on Mexico’s Pacific coast, Nayarit brings together more than 200 miles of coastline with mountains, volcanoes, islands, historic communities and nine Pueblos Mágicos. Beyond the beaches of Riviera Nayarit, visitors can discover Indigenous cultures, community-based tourism, gastronomy, surfing, birding, adventure, wellness, artisans and agricultural traditions that connect travelers with the people and landscapes of the state.
About ENroute Communications
ENroute Communications is an award-winning travel and tourism communications agency specializing in public relations, destination marketing, travel trade representation and strategic partnerships throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America. ENroute represents destinations, hotels and tourism organizations through integrated campaigns connecting clients with leading media, travel advisors, tour operators and industry partners while developing stories and experiences designed to inspire travel.
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