Around half an hour north of Melaque lies a little beach with creamy dark brown sand in a gorgeous, curving bay praised for its clear waters and abundant sea life.

Tenacatita, which means "colored rocks", lies approximately 9 kilometers from the highway, and was so named because of a ridge of reddish rock rising out of the south end of the b

Related Links Mangroves: Ecology in danger Under the Sea...

ay. Locals say centuries ago, the Aztecs who populated this sunny bay used pieces of the fiery stone in building their homes.

Today, the fine golden sand and gentle surf form an ideal setting for relaxed family fun. Several modest beachside palapa restaurants serving fresh seafood and plenty of cold cervesa and coconuts dot the north end of the bay where the waters are so clean and aquamarine you can see right down to the bottom. A group of jagged, weather-beaten rocks rise out of the sea, forming a natural habitat for an amazing array of sea creatures.

On a cloudless day in September, a SNORKELING trip through the shallow reefs revealed a multitude of multi-hued fish swimming in schools, a cranky moray eel, several two-foot long, snake-like irridescent fish, and a shy, yellow clown fish that closely resembled a papaya with fins. The water is completely clear like bath water, and you can see straight down to where the gentle tides have cut ripples in the sandy bottom.

A short hike up a rocky peak leads visiters to prime snorkeling grounds in a smaller, more shallow bay and a clear view of the sparkling blue ocean which glints in the fading rays of the spectacular Pacific sunsets. You can still find remnants of old Indian pottery and figurines in the foothills, especially after a hard rain storm washed away sediments that have hidden them from view.

Life revolves around the water here, where boogie boarding, diving, and lancha tours through the twisting mangroves are popular.