Sayulita is eclectic and colorful Surfing Town just north of Puerto Vallarta in Nayarit Mexico. These days, Sayulita doesn't seem to get as much notice when compared to places like Tulum or Cabo but this charming town is worth putting on your list for your next Mexican Beach holiday! Don't get me wrong, the word is definitely out on this spot! It is and international destination for expats, surfers and tourists alike but still feels more off the beaten track compared to the bigger Mexican coastal cities.

It is small, safe, colorful, has amazing food and tons of activities and sights to see! Many places were closed or had inconsistent hours because we traveled in the off season (June-November). With that being said, I loved travelling in the off season. There are still many tourists in the summer but Sayulita is such a small town that the low season still makes it feel packed!

TRAVEL

Sayulita is incredibly easy to travel too. The closest airport is Purto Vallarta. From there you can easily hire a cab or take the Bus to Sayulita. Cabs and Uber are available but can cost up to 100 USD. We chose to go by Bus! It is by far the most economic option not to mention it is safe and easy!

Once you go through cutoms and baggage claim and exit the airport, make an immediate left. Look for the pedestrian bridge over the main road and there will be an buss stop just across the street and directly outside the exit of the pedestrian bridge. Wait there for a Bus that will have 'SAYULITA' written on the front. The bus is about $46 Peosos or about $2.30 USD. I only had to wait 2 minutes before the bus arrived. I think they run every 15-30 minutes though. It takes about an hour with stops to get to Sayulita. Once in Sayulita, they drop you off in a bus depot and no matter where your hotel/casita/hostel is, its only a 5-7 minute walk. EASY PEASY!

STAY

There is NO shortage of accommodations in Sayulita. The entire town runs on tourism and you can tell for such a tiny town, it has a huge international destination for tourists. Whether you want the Surf Hostel, the luxury Casita, or the homey vacation rental experience, you will find it.

We stayed at La Esquina. A hotel, vacation condominium hybrid. Each unit has a kitchenette and all rooms have beachfront views. We were so happy at our location. The hotel is located just 2 blocks from the city center which is enough to remain in a quieter region. Check in was incredibly easy even though there is no main front desk and the views were so wonderful to fall asleep and wake up too. There is an infinity pool outside with direct access to the beach.

Some other hotels that are popular are:

DO

Sayulita is great destination for people who like active holidays. Its nestled in between the oceans and mountainous jungle and has world-renown surfing beaches. Whether you want to surf, paddle board, mountain bike, zip line, or take boat or catamaran tours, you got it!

Surfing

The best surfing spots are in Punta Mita, specifically at a beach called La Lancha. La Lancha breaks most of the time because the coast line has rocks and reefs below. (Look at me, I'm talking surf lingo!) having grown up in Southern California, I have tried surfing before but it had been decades and I never really took to it. I decided to commit and sign up for lessons with Wildmex. (The company is great. We used them for every active rental or tour.) Surfing in La Lancha has certainly changed my opinion on the sport. The waves are soft and easy and ideal for long boarding which is how I was learning and even in the challenging times, it was rewarding getting up!

Stand Up Paddle

Sayulitas main beach is perfect for SUPing. The water was pretty calm and easy and the the bays are so relaxed to travel around.

Marietas Islands

There is a range of islands off the coast of Punta Mita called the Marietas Islands. You may know of the famous hidden beach from Pinterest. Its truly unlike anything I have ever seen which is why I had to visit. This was the highlight of my trip. about 50 years ago, the Islands were a bombing testing sight which is how many of the open air caverns were created. The Islands are now a protected National Park and due to the popularity and they only permit a certain amount of people in everyday. You typically have to book a tour to visit Hidden Beach as it requires you to swim into it. We booked our tour through Wildmex. For the tour, we swam into Hidden Beach, went snorkeling around a reef , and were boated to another coastal beach to swim around and relax out in the sun.

Mountain Biking & Zip lining Tours. We didn't budget the time in for any of the jungle tours (we are self proclaimed water babies), but there are many tourism companies that will guide you through on bikes or zip line routes.

SEE

The numerous colorful banner lined streets of Sayulita. This town is exploding with color. Mercado Del Pueblo is the main road to capture your whimsical photo

Sayulita Main Beach

The gold flecked sandy beach of Sayulita's main beach is worth the trip itself. The sand looks black because of all the sediment that gets kicked up but if you look closer the gold flecks sparkle in the sun.

Playa De Los Muertos

a great swimming beach that gets its name sake from the cemetery you pass along the way to the ocean

Playa Malpaso

For as busy as main beach and Playa De Los Muertos gets- a beautiful 20 minute walk up north takes you to a white sandy almost empty beach line with palm trees.

EAT

Sayulita is an international surfing destination so it caters to lots of international food options which are all GOOD. I did find myself surprised at first about how amazing every meal was. So many expats have settled and started business' in Sayulita that its not surprising at all that the food is so good and diverse! It is also very friendly to vegetarians like myself :)

Here are all the many eats that I can attest too:

Burrito Revolution

The owner hails from San Francisco and has brought her take of the mission style burrito to Sayulita. This was my favorite meal here. The burrito is grilled on both sides and comes with delicious sauces on the side. We came back multiple times.

I love their Vibe

Chicken Burrito

Veggie Burrito

Absolutely amazing sauces

El Itacate

Have you ever had a burrito where they replaced the tortilla which a slab of fried cheese? THEN COME HERE AND TRY THAT GENIUS CONCOCTION! They call the dish the Itacate and we had to come here twice because the first time, I didn't know thats what this place is known for. Their tacos are also bomb! They are bigger tacos than you might think so don't over order. I got the mushroom and the poblano peppers. I kept flip-flopping between which was my favorite after each bite I would take.

Fried Cheese Burrito

Il Itacate Tacos

Poblano Tacos

Chocobanana

It originated as the original chocolate dipped bananas joint in town and claims to still be the best as no one can rival their B-A-N-A-N-A-S! This is such a solid choice for every meal or snack of the day. They do a full killer brunch which they serve all day every day. Their lunch menu also hits home when you just want any of your classic favorite Mexican dishes and they also have some of the best coffee drinks in town. Their Chocobanana Frappe breathed life back into my soul after many a hot and energy depleting days.

Frozen Choco Banana

Chocobana Frappe that was LIFE

La Rustica

Anyone and everyone who has visited Sayulita will talk about how great La Rustica is. Considered one of the best sit down Wood Fired Kitchen Restaurants in Sayulita. This restaurant is one that could compete and thrive in Los Angeles. Their pastas are amazing and their wood fire pizzas do not suffer in quality. The restaurant has an open patio that sits on one of the busier streets. So you are treated to dancers and live music at night.

My Spicy Margarita

Trufa with Homemade Spaghetti Pasta

La Sayulita Pizza

El Conejo

A Tequila Bar/Restaurant thats super hip and has a great upstairs patio. The kitchen takes inspiration from all the most famous surfing spots around the world so you will find an asian, Californian, Mexican fusion of amazingness. I had a hibiscus flower veggie sushi roll and tahini roasted cauliflower. It was the most interesting meal I tried. They offer Tequila tastings at the bar by Suerte Tequila (translated as Luck Tequila). We didn't get to try it because we went back on a night they were closed :(

The upstairs Patio

Miscelanea Sayulita

Fantastic brunch spot. I had amazing chilaquiles. This place tucked away through an alley off one of the main streets that we almost didn't find it. They have craft juices and smoothie bowls and a solid brunch.

My Immunity Shot

Chilaquiles

Shakshuka

Organi-K

Açaí Bowls extraordinaire. All made completely fresh and all hits the spot!!! I would have eaten here every morning had there not been AMAZING food everywhere!

Falafel & Friends

EVEN THEIR FALAFEL PLACE IS DELICIOUS! We stopped to split falafels and hummus as a snack and it killed. Even the falafels were amazing in Sayulita! I did think it was odd that they served BBQ sauce with the falafels but hey if thats your jam then they are doing it right.

SOOOOO GOOOD

Wa kika Heladería

PALETAS ARE LIFE! Paletas are popsicles but made from fresh fruit and juice. During the hot summer months these are the best things in the world. They also serve ice cream and dairy paletas. Passionfruit became my go-to flavor everyday.

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