Sayulita 101: your guide to this magical little town and pics from our trip
Sunsets in Sayulita from the North end.
As I am sitting here looking out the window seeing a dark, gray and rainy Helsinki, I can’t help but to miss the vibrance of Sayulita. To ease that longing, I decided to make a little guide on the town as I receive lots of questions on what to do, where to eat and so forth. As many of you might know, I spent nearly 7 years residing in this little beach town, which is probably why I get direct messaged with these questions a lot. I’ve actually already written a few blog posts about Sayulita in the past; one on cute shops, one on where to eat and one on where to stay. However, for the simplicity of it all, I decided to gather everything under one post, that will hopefully serve as a guide from here on (feel free to share with anyone asking the same questions). Another reason I made this post, is because the town has changed a lot in the past few years and I felt the need to update my previous lists a little, so that you can have a more fresh input on things in its current state.
To have your heart in two distinct places is not always the easiest thing, but at the same time, I am extremely grateful to be calling two places home. I love hosting retreats in Sayulita and our recent trip there was absolutely magical. In lack of better words, I simply couldn’t have asked for more. We had such an amazing group of people and there were these new connections made on a way deeper level I couldn’t even have imagined. I also want to extend a special thank you to my friend, colleague, fellow yogi and co-host Jonna, whom it was a pleasure working with. If you’re interested in joining us next year, make sure to shoot me a message as we will soon be publishing our new dates. But in the meantime, if you’re planning a trip to Sayulita or need some inspiration for a trip, read through this simple Q&A formatted guide:
WHERE IS SAYULITA AND WHAT IS IT LIKE?
Sayulita is located on the Pacific coast of Mexico, just an hour north of Puerto Vallarta in the state of Nayarit. From Finland the travel is easiest either through LA or Mexico city, which after you hop on a short flight to PVR. There used to be a direct flight from Helsinki to PV, but unfortunately they decided to discontinue it. If you’re traveling from the states, lucky you, as there are numerous direct flights to Puerto Vallarta on a daily basis. Sayulita is a relatively small beach town (population about 5000), most known for its surfing, its vibrant colourful boho vibe along with it being a popular wedding destination. In its early days, Sayulita was considered to be a quaint fishing village, however those days are (unfortunately?) long gone, because just like any other popular tourist destination, also Sayulita has grown, a lot. Especially in the past few years. Today Sayulita is still mostly known for its surf, beaches and laid back & relaxed vibe, however there’s also a big growing underbelly of a party town happening as many decide to throw either their bachelor/bachelorette or wedding parties there. Sayulita is also known as a cultural melting pot with lots of expats from all over the world, even though the majority of all expats are still either Americans and Canadians. For some odd reason there’s also lots of Argentinians, Italians and a few Finnish people (known as the Finnish mafia).
IS SAYULITA SAFE?
Many people refer to Sayulita as the safe little bubble of Nayarit as Sayulita is considered to be a cocoon of safety compared to the rest of the state. As Sayulita is a tourist spot, it’s in everyones interest to keep it safe and keep the tourism thriving. That being said, Sayulita is no Helsinki Finland and there’s certainly more crime than in our Scandinavian neck of the woods. If you’re smart and don’t roam around at 4am in the night, you’ll be fine. In a nutshell: be wise about where you move, with whom and at what time. My recommendation is to always use the buddy system and never walk alone at night or at dark. You’ll be fine by using some common sense; don’t leave your things out of sight while swimming etc.
Cotton candy skies.
WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE?
Mostly sunny and warm throughout the year. There’s basically only two seasons: summer and winter. From June to October, is the period when it’s considered to be rainy season, however this is changing a little bit as in the past few years the rains have started a little later on and continued on for a little past October. The summer is basically just hot as hell and if you’re anything like me, you have to walk around with a cloth and continuously wipe the sweat off your face. Weather wise I personally enjoy Nov-May the most, when the nights are a little cooler and you don’t have to continuously seek shade during the day.
ANY TIPS ON WHERE TO STAY?
Sayulita has a broad variety of different accommodation possibilities and it all depends on how much you are willing to spend since you can literally find everything from a low budget hostel to a extravagant villa with jaw dropping views overlooking the entire bay. You can still use this previous post as a guide, but there are a couple new places that I want to add: Don Bonito Hotel and the airbnb listing: Casita with a view. Don Bonito Hotel is a new & hip boutique Hotel located on the North end of town. The Rooms are clean and the pool area is cute and fresh and the location is perfect for those not wanting to listen to the hustle and bustle of town. Casita with a view is located on Gringo Hill and has a stunning view over the ocean along with a super cute rooftop palapa, this spot only sleeps two people and is best fit for either couples or solo travelers.
WHAT TO DO IN SAYULITA?
Obviously surf. Whether you’re a Kelly in practice (just kidding) or a complete beginner, Sayulita has the perfect setting for both. There are three different surf spots in Sayulita; the beginner spot on the far left with a sandy bottom and mellow white waters, the right hand point break in the center and then a left hand point past the river on the North end of the beach. If you’re looking for less crowded beaches, make sure to ask the friendly surf guides at Lunazul to take you to a nearby surf spot, one in particular worth seeing would be La Lancha or el Anclote (when it works).
Beachcombing. In all honesty, the main beach of Sayulita is not my favorite. There’s a shit ton (sorry language) of beach vendors and unless you want to listen to “donuts donuuuuuuts, donuts very good” or “bracelet amiga” all day long, my suggestion is you explore the more tranquil nearby beaches. Make sure to check out: Malpasos or Carricitos along with Playa los Muertos and the colorful cemetery next to it. As Malpasos and Carricitos are a little trickier to find than Playa Los Muertos, my recommendation is to hit up Mexitreks that will take you there. PS. Make sure to also ask them about Monkey Mountain, which is an amazing hike overlooking the entire bay, but a little outside of Sayulita. Definitely worth the sweat.
Turtle releases. Yes, yes and yes! Check in with the local organization Campamento Tortuguero Sayulita and go watch these little fellas crawl out to sea. Make sure to donate to support this non profit organization so that they can continue their valuable work!
Farmers market or Mercado del Pueblo. You don’t want to miss out on this one. Farmers market happens every Friday during high season from 11am until 2pm. Sayulita’s Farmer’s market brings together local farmers, artisans, jewelers and artists offering their fresh produce, craftsmanship, consumable goods, art and so much more in this colourful happening on the North end of town. My personal favorite is the older gentleman selling his essential oils just by the entrance.
Colorful everywhere you turn.
Salsa night. I mean, you’re in Mexico, so you might as well get your groove on and move your bootie to some latin rhythms. Make sure to check out the most legendary and iconic salsa night happening every Monday night at Don Pedro’s restaurant. This is not for the shy tho and don’t think that you can hide and just watch the show as the odds are you will be asked to dance.
Marietas Islands. The Marietas Islands is probably still one of the most sought after tourist attractions in the Banderas Bay area. These uninhabited group of islands are breathtakingly beautiful and located about 24 km outside of Sayulita. This popular spot is famous for its colourful marine life and its “secret beach”, however depending on the time of the year, there might be lots of other tourists seeking the same experience.
Yoga. The Rose Room Yoga at Hotelito de Los Suenos is your spot baby. Look no further. These gorgeous open air palapas are not only the most beautiful studios in town, but they also have the best teachers. Say hi from me.
Go out and about. Well, it is Sayulita after all and you might as well try out them margs. The best spot for delicious mouth watering drinks in town is hands down Le Zoave De Hafa and Eder’s margaritas. Make sure to check out the trendy, semi-new and cool place El Conejo while you’re out as the ambiance there is pretty cool as well.
WHERE TO EAT IN SAYULITA?
My old list is still pretty accurate and my absolute favorite still remains Itacate, but I would like to add a few more newcomers and an old one I forgot to include in my last post:
Organik: smoothies and acai bowls along with their poke bowls. Yum.
Miscelanea: try their matcha, chilaquiles or avocado toast.
Mary’s tacos: this is an old place I simply forgot to include in my previous list. Try their Sayulita Taco or Olea.
Zatar: Mediterranean cuisine that is simply clean and delicious.
Barracuda. Try their tuna tostada.
In general the food is delicious and pretty cheap in most of the places in town. That being said, even tho I listed Leda in my previous post and I still think the food is yummy there, I would like to emphasize that it’s probably one of the most expensive restaurants in Sayulita. Make sure to especially check out the prize for their wine bottles (just a friendly suggestion).
Please let me know if you think I’m missing out on something else you think is key for me to add onto this list and keep in mind these are only my opinions and takes on Sayulita.
xx,
Eva