Understand
The ecosystem is subtropical desert with lots of cactus and thorny, acacia-like trees, but remains fresh due to the constant sea breeze and seasonal rains. June to November is hurricane season in the eastern pacific hurricane region. The last one to hit nearby, did so in 2002, and rearranged the sand in one of the beaches, creating an inner lagoon.
It's inhabitants are mainly first or second generation Nahuatl immigrants that came from the nearby towns in the dry sierra, but it's mostly the old people that remain bilingual, speaking both Nahuatl & Spanish, as the young people speak almost exclusively Spanish.
The main economic activities are fishing and agriculture, but over the past few years, backpack tourism has increased as an income source for many families.
Maruata is a major nesting beach for the pacific green sea turtle as well as ridleys and the occasional leatherback. A small contingent of marines is based here, for the protection of the nesting turtles and the volunteers who collect the turtle eggs and operate the hatchery.
