SAYULITA, MX
Sayulita is a small village on the West Coast of Mexico. Located just North of Puerto Vallarta in the State of Nayarit. There is mountainous jungle at your back and ocean out in front. It's a stunningly beautiful part of Mexico. Not to sugarcoat anything, it is a popular tourist destination for Americans and Canadians, especially during the holidays and winter months. So it is relatively 'Americanized' as they say. It's just getting more built up by the day as well. As with a lot of towns in the post-covid tourism day, I heard a lot of, "you shoulda seen this place 10 years ago"'s. The town is known for surfing. It is a haven for long boarders but if you are on a quest for empty, perfect Mexican waves, you won't find that here in Sayulita. The breaks are crowded, the waves typically small, and at times a safety hazard between the local talent, the capable tourists and the beginners out there in lessons or on foamies. The town is however, vibrant and quaint. The cobblestone streets, surf shops, street tacos, an international restaurant scene and picturesque beaches are what attracts people in the thousands to Sayulita. There's great food, the nightlife is a blast, it's usually full of travelers and backpackers, and if you know where to look you can find some beautiful beaches and hidden spots away from the chaos you'll find out front at Sayulita main beach.
LOCATION
Sayulita is located on the central coast of Mexico just North of Puerto Vallarta (45 mins or so by car).
Flying into Puerto Vallarta (PVR) would be your best bet if coming by plane. I heard that it's actually the cheapest flight to any other country in the world from Canada so get ready to be around a lot of Canadians escaping the cold.
Otherwise, there are buses that will get you to Sayulita from really anywhere in Mexico.
La Redonda is, in my opinion the best hostel in Sayulita. I may be biased considering I worked there for a month but I guess that's also exactly why I worked there. It's about a 40-50 bed hostel with basic dorms. You won't find AC in the room which can get tough in the summer months but most of the year it's fine.
It's a bustling spot for the younger backpacker. There is a bar open each night, free breakfast and from my experience was usually full of great people. This spot will be more on the party side, but the price is right and the atmosphere great.
HOSTELS, CAMPING, AND HOTELS (IF ANY)
Sayulita has a large number of hospitality options. It is a developed and well traveled place, sustained through tourism, travelers, and tourists. There is also a great hostel scene. With options from relaxed and chill to party and bustling.
That being said there are airbnbs — luxury and budget throughout the city; as well as no shortage of hotels across the price and comfort spectrum. That I will not get into here.
A highlight of hostels in town is below. In no real order.
My Sister's House is for the ladies out there. I have never set foot in there; well, because I am not a lady. But I heard absolutely lovely things about this place from the girls around town. It's a welcoming, safe, and open environment for traveling women.
From my understanding it's not cheap, but it's a very nice environment if this is what you might be looking for. Relaxed and mellow would be the vibe here.
I will never recommend a Selina on this page. To me they are the kiss of death to what I find to be one of the most beautiful things around: Hostel Life. But I will point out where one exists if you are a traveler who likes the Selina universe. There is one here.
Viajero is a large hostel. I'm not sure how many beds, but probably in the 200+ range. It's composed of 4-5 story buildings and you'll find a party vibe here but it's not inescapable or overbearingly so. Viajero is a hostel chain that has multiple locations in the country. It is done well though.
The dorms are very nice and there is air conditioning. You will find a lot of backpackers here obviously, but the price point is a bit higher here so it will be those who can afford a bit more. They have a kick-ass rooftop pool; guest or not.
This is the budget budget option in town. I never went there myself but some good friends of mine who were on the cheap stayed here. Not much of anything going on as it relates to a vibe or atmosphere, but if you're looking to save money, and have a bed, this could be your place.
After looking online it looks as though they have done some improvements since I was there. So what do I know.
The food in Mexico is just amazing. In general. If you have read any of this guide you are aware that I am a fan.
Sayulita is no exception. The food options are vast and will make budget travelers and restaurant people alike happy.
There is a a wide selection of local Mexican cuisine that fits a budget but at the same time tons of western style restaurants with food from all over the world if you have had your fill of tacos.
Below are some of my favorites.
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There is a lovely campground right on the beach in Sayulita. If you are traveling by bike or have a tent or hammock, this could be a good option for you. It's dirt cheap and you're certainly going to meet some great people.
EATS
Street Food
The street tacos in Sayulita compare favorably to those found in Mexico City, or outside of Tijuana. Which is saying A LOT. The best tacos in town are found out front of Don Pato, at Talivan (pictured above). Go with the Al Pastor tacos, more than you think you want, at 15-20 pesos a pop it's not going to break the bank and you won't forget them soon. If you're hungry, get yourself a torta as well. They're huge, and you won't go hungry. Do yourself a favor and double up on the meat.
I'm not sure if this place has a name, I certainly never knew it if it did, I only ever referred to it as the burger from the park. I'm not exactly sure what this lady puts in these burgers; — crack maybe, but they are out of this world. Messy, cheesy, and above all, delicious. Her cart will be set up most nights in the main square in front of Chocobanana. This one isn't to be missed; for 50 pesos you'll be full and happy. I dare you to only go back once.
Street Drinks
There are a few drink trucks in the Sayulita area. One notably called A-K Los Cantaritos. They are serving up awesome 'to-go' cocktails at a good price, for a walk on the beach, or around town.
Fruit and Juice Vendors
There are fresh fruit and juice vendors throughout town selling cheap, fresh fruit; precut or whole. Not only a great way to support the local vendors but delicious, cheap and healthy.
Hands down the best Mexican food restaurant in town. Just amazing. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner here. Shrimp tacos will compete with anywhere in the world.
Really nice Thai restaurant in town if you are in the mood for something different. Certainly not cheap.
Great burritos. Easy take-away as well. Not the cheapest thing in the world, but it's not bad, and the quality is really good. Was a go-to of mine.
Restaurants
Great breakfast spot. Frequently saw people working here, so if that's your thing — nice spot to get something done and eat.
Very solid spot for delicious breakfast and smoothies. They have smoothie bowls, avocado toast, everything to make your inner white girl happy.
Another nice spot for breakfast and lunch. Not the cheapest thing in the world.
Great tacos. — Not super cheap, but the portions are large.
Good food in a fancy type environment. It's expensive, but the food and pizza are solid.
— Expensive but tasty spot on the water. Sushi and higher-end options.
and many more...
Go explore. There are restaurants all over the place. I'm sure many new ones since I was there. Eating your way through a city can be one of the best places to figure it out anyways.
NIGHTLIFE
One of the main reasons that people come to Sayulita, and for that matter stay in Sayulita, is for the nightlife. The town is on 7 nights a week, 365 days a year. With new groups of people coming in daily, there's never really a night off here if that's what you are looking for. If you want to find it, you will find it from a party perspective.
With all that being said, the selection of places to actually go out in Sayulita is somewhat limited. There's a few places that you will find yourself at over and over again, especially if you're going to be at it late. The nightlife here is fun, if not a little repetitive if you stay for a long time. But there's no shortage of smaller bars and places to get a drink or two outside of the main attractions to keep you interested.
But to be honest, one of the best ways to go out in Sayulita, in my opinion, is just grab a few beers, sit on the side of the street or sit on the beach and hang out with your new friends, and make some new ones. It's a relaxed place; anything goes really so just be easy and have fun.
Below I have outlined a few of the larger, more popular places that are typically full of people as well as some smaller spots that I enjoyed.
Bars and Clubs
Probably, if not certainly, the mainstay of Sayulita nightlife. It is a sprawling 3 story club that will be going until 4 in the morning 7 nights a week. Be prepared for a reggaeton heavy soundtrack and more of a local presence than some of the other places on this list. — One of the best places to go out in Sayulita. Things start to get going around 11 or 12.
Very fun place. One of my favorites Next to Don Pato and is very common to just hop back and forth. Or start at one and go to the other. The crowd spills out onto the street, and everyone is drinking beers and hanging on the street out front. They brew their own beers as well, and have 2 for 1 Tuesdays; which is what it sounds like. Open late.
— Was one of my favorite spots to start a night. It's a grungy designed bar and cocktail spot, on one of the main streets. There's always live music, and tables on the streets and stuff like that. Great place to get started before heading to the late-night spots.
Probably the best cocktail bar in sayulita. Not cheap, but it's a cozy and fun place to have a few really nice craft cocktails, in an intimate environment.
Just up the road from Pato and Yambak. It is open late and more mellow than the other two. Great option to go out if you're looking for something more chill. Place to sit, good drinks, have a conversation but still be out late.
Awesome spot down the street from Yambak. From my experience, the local expats were at this place all the time. It's a small little spot, but had some of the best vibes in town. Open Late.
Beach club that frequently has nice DJ sets on the weekends that run late. Right on the water, and the dance floor is on the sand. Good fun.
Small little spot on the north side of the river to get some drinks; with a nice patio. Lots of stuff on that side of the river to explore as well, away from the main drag.
One of my favorite spots in town. A Caribbean, beachy vibe kind of divey bar on the beach. It's a mellow environment, but was the best place to grab some drinks during the day on the beach.
I would be amiss not to include the bar I worked at for a month. It's inside the hostel La Redonda and really is a great way to start a night with other backpackers. Mellow, and fun. It's usually pretty full and closes at midnight. After which everyone heads out.
Nice spot to grab a few beers or cocktails just up from the beach. A few tables on the street. Mellow and easy.
...many more.
As always, many more. There's places to get drinks, or drunk all over. Stumble around and get lost.
SIGHTS
The area surrounding Sayulita is beautiful. There are loads of things to see, from beaches to jungle. Being 45 minutes from Puerto Vallarta there is also a lot of resort activity in the area. To find some beautiful, undiscovered places in these areas can be a little tough especially considering the resorts have, and continue to disrupt the natural beauty of the area. Especially in places like Punta Mita which is home to one of the best surf spots in the area, that just happens to be located on private four seasons land. This part of the region is also home to some of the most luxury resorts in the whole country. A real shame.
To be brutally honest, the beach in front of Sayulita, in my opinion, is one of the worst in all of Mexico. The beach is extremely crowded, littered with tourists, vendors selling all things from donuts in the middle of the day to bags of nuts, lounge chairs, massage tents, surf lessons etc. You can get the picture. Not only this but it is dirty. Very dirty. Ranked one of the dirtiest beaches in Mexico and I believe it. There is a river, called the Sayulita River which flows directly into the water on main beach. The river is, let's just leave it at this; unsanitary. With runoff from the entire town. A town that was in no way prepared to handle the number of people that visit and live in it. So the beach is dirty, crowded, and for me not a place I wanted to spend time.
All this being said, do not lose hope. The area has loads to offer. There are stunning beaches, walks, viewpoints etc., all over the place. You just have to know where to look. There are other towns as well where you will find slightly more untouched areas. I will get to those in other guides.
Below I have outlined a few of the things that I enjoyed doing while I was there. As always, a small selection but here were some highlights.
As I mentioned above, the main beach in Sayulita was not my favorite place. I hardly spent any time here and I think I only went in the water out front once or twice in my whole month there. But tons of tourists spend their whole vacation here. So here it is.
This was one of my favorite things to do in Sayulita. In order to get here you have to walk North, up the beach as far as you can. You then continue around the rocks when you feel you have reached the end of the beach, and you'll find a small cave that you can walk through, kind of while bending down; then it will eventually open up to a beautiful (and usually empty) white sand beach. It's a small little beach in a bay surrounded by rocks, but a great way to spend the day; away from the crowds.
Remember to come and go at low tide, or you may get stuck.
This is a beautiful beach not a far hike from Sayulita. It's usually pretty empty, and has the best sunsets in the area. It's a very common place for people to have bonfires at sunset, drink beers, and enjoy this beautiful spot as the sun goes down, and the fire goes in front of you.
Malpaso is stunning; as you can tell from the photo. It's called 'Malpaso', because the passageway to get there, is bad. But that's not to say you shouldn't do it. It's a bit of a hike from Sayulita, but you will be rewarded with an empty, stunning white sand beach, and you will all but forget that the crowds of Sayulita main beach even exist.
This beach gets its name from the very nearby cemetery. It's nothing more than a 10-minute walk from downtown Sayulita, but on the way you will pass a cemetery. A beautiful cemetery in its own right. With colorful headstones, and an ocean view at points.
But once you reach the beach it is nice. It's a nice spot, but not undiscovered. There are vendors, and chairs, and usually a lot of people. But still beats main beach.
La Lancha is not close. It's actually all the way out past Punta Mita, so you will need to take a car, a bus, or hitchhike to get there. This is also a very popular surf spot, and will be mentioned again in that section.
It's a beautiful white sand beach that you arrive at after walking for about 10 minutes through the jungle; over wood boards that flank swampy parts of the wooded path. But the walk is worth it when it opens up to the ocean and that white sand and blue water.
SURFING
Surfing in Sayulita. It is famous. The local long boarders are some of the most impressive long boarders that I have seen anywhere in my life. They are stylish, smooth, dancing on water, and they all seem to have been doing it since they walked from the womb. It is a beautiful sight to see. I was unfortunately not there for it, but if I could go back to Sayulita at any point, it would be for the annual Mexilog fest that's held frequently in Sayulita. However, not every year. It's a congregation of the world's best long boarders, for a week of competition and fun. One of those rare moments where Sayulita is full of the best type of tourist.
From my perspective, the Sayulita area wasn't my favorite place to surf. The surf is usually small. It's crowded almost always, and the locals were some of the only people I saw getting any good waves in the sea of beginners and lessons at the crowded spots. But there are some short board spots, and if you love to longboard, or are trying to improve your surfing, Sayulita could be the perfect destination.
There are a bunch of really great, always manageable, and small surf spots that lend themselves very well for just starting to surf — or trying to get up to that next level. So if that's what you're looking for, Sayulita could be a perfect spot. If you are looking for more technical surfing, barrels, big drops, big waves, steep turns and the likes, I would recommend you look in other places. Mexico has much better to offer in those categories.
A few of the well known surf spots that I enjoyed are below. As always, nothing off the beaten path, or considered secret in any way will be featured on this website.
