Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve, Protected wetland and biosphere reserve on Pacific coast, Mexico.

Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve protects tropical dry forest, hills and alluvial plains between the Cuitzmala River and the Chamela arroyo in La Huerta Municipality, Jalisco, about 120 km north of Manzanillo. Federal Highway 200, the Melaque–Puerto Vallarta road, divides the area in two and gives access to it. The reserve covers 131.42 km², with a 63.23 km² core zone managed as a strict nature reserve.

A research station was set up in this region in the 1970s to study the tropical dry forest, one of the least documented ecosystems in Mexico at that time. The data gathered over the following decades built the scientific case that led to the area receiving its official biosphere reserve status in 1993.

The reserve's name joins Chamela, the village and bay on its southern edge, with the Cuixmala (Cuitzmala) River, which forms its northern boundary. The ejido Rincón de Ixtán holds about 12% of the land, a portion the sources describe as still in its virgin state. UNAM's biology station, built in 1971, hosts researchers and science communication work.

Access to different parts of the reserve can vary depending on the season and current conditions, so it is worth checking with local conservation offices or authorities in nearby towns before heading out. Going with a local guide is the most reliable way to move safely through the different habitats without missing the less visible spots.

Tropical dry forests are among the rarest forest types in the world, and this reserve holds one of the best-remaining stretches of this ecosystem along the Pacific coast of Mexico. Unlike rainforests, this forest sheds most of its leaves during the dry season, giving the landscape an open, bare look that surprises many first-time visitors.