After three years of work, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador inaugurated the tourist destination on the island of María Madre, in the Islas Marías archipelago, located 71 miles from the Port of San Blas, in Nayarit.
The once notorious prison has been transformed into a tourist destination accessible to visitors of Puerto Vallarta and Nayarit with a ferry ride across some of the most beautiful waters off the Mexican coast.
Accompanied by his wife, the historian Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller, the president recalled that, from 1905 to 2019, the Islas Marías was a prison, created in the time of former president Porfirio Díaz and in which characters like the writer José Revueltas were imprisoned, but that as of today seeks to become one of the main destinations in the state, as well as a cultural, recreation and environmental protection center.
“Here we are going to rest, imagine the enormous joy of resting, sleeping, waking up in this paradise that before became like hell, but now, once again, it is glory”
He explained that among the works that were carried out to transform the place is the repair of houses, the improvement of the infrastructure, and the renovation of the Administration of the island, which is now in charge of the Secretary of the Navy ( Semar ), and is headed by Rear Admiral Juan Manuel Muñoz Gómez.
In addition, he pointed out that two modern ferries were acquired and one more was remodeled in the Semar shipyards.
He announced that the first commercial ferry trip from Mazatlán, Sinaloa, to Puerto Balleto, on La Isla María Madre, will be on December 21, so that tourists can carry out activities such as a tour on the Pacific Ocean, bird watching, buy handicrafts and enjoy the Nayarit coast.
Likewise, he said that they will be able to visit the Muros de Agua Museum, in honor of the work of the writer José Revueltas, where they will learn about the history of the archipelago.
López Obrador indicated that they did not accept the offer that cruise ships would arrive at the place and build a modern, five-star, or grand tourism hotels, since he said that the objective was not that, but to ensure that the majority of Mexicans can visit the new center -which he described as a paradise- together with their families at affordable costs.
It’s estimated that for two or three days, a visitor would spend between five and eight thousand pesos, or $300 – $400 dollars.
The state governor, Miguel Ángel Navarro Quintero, stressed that with this inauguration, local development is given way, in addition to the opportunity for national and foreign tourism to remain interested.
“In little more than four hours of travel on the route, we will have to bridge a chasm of centuries between the dark past and the bright future of this archipelago, which will open up to tourism from Mexico and the world”
He explained that work is also underway on the construction of a dock with a naval base and a hotel in Boca de Chila, a beach in Nayarit, which he described as one of the most beautiful in the entity.
The Secretary of Tourism (Sectur), Miguel Torruco, assured that the new center is located at the level of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was confined, from Alcatraz Island, where Al Capone was confined, and from Devil’s Island, where Henri Charrière, alias “Papillon”, was being held.
He recalled that after housing prisons, these places currently receive guided tours.
Finally, the head of Semar, José Rafael Ojeda, indicated that the new center also has a visitor service center and a hostel, in addition to the fact that visitors will be able to board a ferry, enter the former penal colony and tour the installations.
He pointed out that the naval sector also has a naval search, rescue, and maritime surveillance station, as well as a Marian Infantry in order to maintain security on the island.
“Las Islas Marías is now an environmental, history, culture and low-impact hiking symbol, where nature tourism is promoted, ” he said.
The once notorious prison has been transformed into a tourist destination accessible to visitors of Puerto Vallarta and Nayarit with a ferry ride across some . . .
