View of Sayulita from our Airbnb living room
At the beginning of last year, Alex and I decided that it was about time we took a vacation where we planted ourselves on a beach and relaxed the whole time. We generally favor “city vacations”, where we take in historical sights, eat at amazing restaurants, and enjoy other activities that are all within walking distance of one another. But after booking our third trip to Portland, Maine within two years, we knew we needed to switch things up and partake in a beach vacation.
Living in California, the most obvious destination choices are between Hawaii and Mexico, and even though I’d never been to Hawaii before (am I the last Californian who hasn’t?), I definitely knew I wanted to go to Mexico. Mexico is a country that I’m deeply in love with due to its people, culture and beauty, and because I majored in Anthropology, where I took classes like Mesoamerican Archaeology and various Latin American socio-cultural-focused courses, I am pretty knowledgeable of the country. After a bit of research and ruling out places that were resort-heavy or too trendy, like Tulum, we settled on the picturesque sleepy beach town of Sayulita. Now that our trip has come and gone, I can strongly say that we made the perfect decision.
The famous flags on a little street leading to the beach in Sayulita
Sayulita is located in the western Mexican state of Nayarit and about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta. Although the town is located on the beach, it is nestled between beautiful, overgrown mountains and thick jungle, which makes for stunning and diverse views. Because of this, there are many activities for one to do whether you find yourself in the ocean snorkeling or zip-lining through the jungle canopy.
The streets of Sayulita are small and cobblestoned and beaming with vibrant color from the buildings and restaurants as well from the flags strung across the streets. Sayulita is well-known for its surf and attracts many surfers from around the world; this is mostly why the vibe in town is very laidback. Although a small town, there’s a plethora of restaurants, bars and shops to choose from and all are within walking distance of one another. It’s a completely safe town filled with people who are just generally happy to be there and mostly everyone speaks English. Sayulita hasn’t exactly been tainted by tourism just yet, so the prices for food and drinks are incredibly low, but don’t forget to tip your servers.
Side note: We also traveled to San Sebastián, Jalisco for one night and if you’re looking for info on that, keep scrolling!
One of the many dogs of Sayulita - this is “Golf Cart Rental pup”
Some basic tips for your trip:
Sayulita is a tropical climate which means the best time to visit is during winter, or November-April. This is the busier season but the weather is much more agreeable and not humid and rainy. We went at the beginning of December and it was 80°F every day with the water temperature at about 70°F.
I strongly recommend using pesos when you’re in Sayulita. The best way to get them is from the ATM when you land at the airport in Puerto Vallarta. We obviously ran out of pesos during our trip - many times - and had to use the ATMs in Sayulita, which you can find in numerous spots around town. And if worse comes to worst, you can always use your credit card but of course there’ll be a fee.
Get ready to pet approximately 100 adorable dogs while you’re in Sayulita. Sayulita is a very dog-friendly town and you’ll come across them whether you’re at the beach or sitting at a bar. Don’t be sad though - they all have owners and just are free to roam around as they please. Most of my pictures from the trip were of the dogs actually.
Bring bug spray! We dropped the ball on this because I figured that since Sayulita is on the Pacific coast that bugs wouldn’t be an issue, but I was wrong. So wrong. It’s been a month since we returned from our trip and I still have marks on my legs.
MEGA, the huge grocery store on the way to Sayulita, in all its glory
How to get there: The best way to get to Sayulita is by flying into Puerto Vallarta (an international airport), and then taking a simple 60-min route north on a main highway. The best ways to get there are by either renting a car (this is what we did because of our plans for San Sebastián) or reserving a private driver. The airport in Puerto Vallarta has the basic car rental companies like Enterprise and Hertz, so renting a car isn’t that much of a hassle. I would just recommend doing some reading on what kind of insurance you want to have for your duration of the trip (we got the mandatory basic insurance which was just fine). Whether you’re driving or being driven to Sayulita, you MUST stop at Mega, a HUGE Costco-like store filled with everything from groceries including fresh, local fruit to medicine to kitchen appliances. Since we stayed at an Airbnb for the week, we stocked up on water, alcohol, snacks, breakfast pastries, and fruit. They also have a bunch of ATMs to choose from. The first half of the drive to Sayulita is essentially getting you out of the populated and bustling Puerto Vallarta area while the second half is driving through jungle-y mountains with tiny villages selling fruits and other goods on the side of the highway. The views are absolutely beautiful and if anything, it gets you excited for seeing what Sayulita looks like.
Where to stay: The beauty of Sayulita is that it’s not filled with all-inclusive resorts but actually beautiful and reasonably-priced boutique hotels and Airbnbs. We chose to stay in an Airbnb because the prices were great, there were many options, and almost every single one of them was either gorgeous and/or had an insane view of the ocean. The top picture in this post is the view from our living room and it was the best part of our rental. If you opt to stay in an Airbnb, I actually suggest finding one higher up in the hills so you’ll not only get the same view, but also get away from the noise of the nightlife. Side note: Sayulita is very hilly, so if you’re not up to walking everywhere, golf carts are available to rent in town.
Sunset at the main beach in Sayulita
Things to Do
Beaches - The most obvious activity in Sayulita is hanging out at the beach whether you’re laying on the sand, swimming in the water, surfing or paddleboarding. The waves in Sayulita are kind of intense if you’re not a skilled swimmer (this is why surfers love visiting) but you can easily wade in the water to cool off. There are a couple of beaches to choose from:
South view from Playa Los Muertos
Playa Las Cuevas and the Playa Las Malpasos (the larger beach)
Playa Sayulita, the main and largest beach in town, is steps away from the city center and where most people go to enjoy the water including the surfers. It’s bustling with bars and restaurants, vendors walking up and down the shore selling various goods, and beach clubs where you can rent a chair for the day with full service. If you want to find a less crowded spot to plant yourself, just simply walk further north on the strand away from the crowd.
A popular swimming beach south of the main beach is called Playa Los Muertos (translated to “the dead”) and this is due to the cemetery that you pass on the walk there. It’s located in a small cove and feels much more private. There’s also food and drinks for purchase.
Playa Las Cuevas and Malpaso - The only way (that I know of) to get to these beaches is by walking north on the main beach until you hit the rocks, climbing over those, and then hiking through a jungle for about 15 minutes. There’s a clear path to follow so don’t worry about getting lost, and you don’t necessarily need to wear hiking gear: Alex and I were wearing sandals and it was fine. You’ll hit Las Cuevas first which is a much smaller beach cove, but if you keep going on the pathway, you’ll eventually find wooden stairs that lead you down to paradise aka Malpaso. When we went, there were only three other people on the entire strand so it felt like we had discovered our own private, stunning beach. Bring snacks and water if you want to stay for a while.
View from one of the beaches on Marietas Islands - that’s really the color of the water
Snorkeling/Scuba diving - We booked a snorkeling trip through Sayulita Entourage and it turned out to be one of our favorite experiences on the trip. The boat leaves from Punta Mita harbor (a van will drive you there from the dive shop located in Sayulita) and takes you out to snorkel/dive at Marietas Islands. Our snorkeling guide was Manny and he honestly was the reason we had such a great time. At one point he took us to shore at one of the beaches on the islands and we just sat there and talked about life and Mexico. The best part was that we had the whole island to ourselves. Sayulita Entourage also offers whale watching, which is available from December to March. Be warned: the boat that they take you out on is very small which makes for a bumpier ride. So if you’re prone to sea-sickness, definitely take Dramamine before.
Zip-lining - Like mentioned above, Sayulita is surrounded by beautiful jungle-y mountains which makes for a perfect zip-lining canopy course. Alex and I had plans to go on our last full day, but changed our minds the night before mostly because we wanted to save the money (you need to make reservations ahead of time, but don’t need to pay until the morning of). I don’t really regret not doing it, but if you’re into that, the reviews were great.
Other outdoor activities - Horseback riding, ATV tours, hiking tours - we didn’t do any of these, but I just wanted to let you know that these options were available.
A random Sayulita pup strolling back home from the beach
Shopping - In addition to typical souvenir shops shilling out Mexican products, Sayulita has a ton of beautifully curated shops that sell local goods ranging from ceramics to handmade clothing. My favorite shop was Evoke the Spirit where they sold beautiful ceramics, “yarn-painted” skulls, and jewelry made with Huichol beads. It’s pricey, but you’re paying for handmade quality goods. Nakawé had beautiful handmade textiles (blankets, hand towels, clutch purses, etc.) as well as jewelry and clothing. Another shop that we liked but didn’t buy anything from was Manyana, which reminded me of LA’s General Store. There was also the Sayulita Hippie Market, which was basically a swap meet with tons of stalls filled with local goods. It’s open every day. Lastly, there’s a farmers market that takes place near the river, but sadly we missed this because we were on our way to San Sebastián that day.
Day Trips - If you’re like me and try to take advantage of exploring the area you’re visiting as much as possible, definitely consider renting a car and checking out nearby towns. To the north, there’s San Pancho and Chacala - two other beach towns that are beautiful as well. To the south, there’s the more resort-heavy towns of Punta Mita and Puerto Vallarta, the latter being a huge tourist destination. If you head inland, you can experience Mexican culture away from the touristy beach towns, like San Sebastián (more on that below) or Guadalajara.
Courtyard at Miscelánea, our favorite coffee shop
Restaurants
The best seats at most of the restaurants in Sayulita are the ones outside on the street. Sitting there makes the dining experience so much more fun since you’re in the middle of the action, so if you need to, definitely wait until there’s a table outside to sit at. Also, I know many people get sick when they eat in Mexico, but Alex (who has a very sensitive stomach) and I had no problems whatsoever with that, and we ate just about everything (fresh produce, meat, fish, etc.).
Breakfast/Coffee
ChocoBanana - A popular breakfast/lunch spot that’s been around since 1991. They have a huge array of dishes to choose from but we loved their iced coffee which had the ice cubes made out of espresso. Definitely buy a bag of their coffee beans/grinds to take home… we’ve been enjoying it since we’ve been back.
Miscelánea - This was our favorite coffee shop that we went to 3 or 4 times during our trip. It has an adorable and peaceful courtyard to sit in and really good coffee drinks and food. Their almond milk latte (they also had coconut milk) was my go-to order along with an amazing almond croissant. Alex ordered their chilaquiles one day and it was not only beautifully presented, but delicious. They also have ceramics and other goods to buy that are made by local artists.
Organi-K - This organic and healthy cafe was a saving grace to Alex and I when we needed a break from tacos, burritos, etc. Their smoothies were some of the best I had ever tasted (my favorite was Bagus) and I seriously miss drinking them. They also sell açaí and poke bowls, as well as juice shots and coffee.
Yah-Yah Café - Alex and I passed this breakfast/lunch spot every time we walked into town, but we didn’t actually try it until our last day (since Miscelánea was our favorite spot) which turned out to be a mistake! They had an amazing food menu to choose from and delicious coffee with great service.
The fixings that comes with your meal at El Itacate
Lunch/Dinner
El Itacate - This restaurant was on my must-visit list prior to the trip and my expectations were definitely met. The food was incredible: I ordered the “quesadillas jamaica” which was a quesadilla stuffed with hibiscus flowers (a Mexican specialty) while Alex ordered a shrimp taco and a mahi mahi taco. The best part of the meal was the assortment of “fixings” that was brought out to the table after we ordered, which included various salsas, two types of onions (caramelized and raw) and fresh lime. Other restaurants in Sayulita served the salsa tray as well, like Yeikame and Mary’s, but El Itacate’s was the best. Their margaritas were great as well!
Yeikame - Literally right next to El Itacate, Yeikame was another solid dinner choice. We ate here on our last night and I think it was my favorite meal just because our server was so fun and the meal was amazing. They’re known for their blue corn tortillas which was what my potato quesadilla was made with - it was so good that I recreated it the moment I got home with a little guidance from this recipe.
Alex’s meal of fish tacos at Mary’s
Mary’s - This restaurant was recommended to me by a couple of friends and it was also fantastic. They’re known for fish tacos, which Alex ordered and loved while I got the best veggie burrito I’ve ever had - it was filled with bell peppers, spinach, mushrooms, etc. and I completely devoured it. It’s also a popular spot for breakfast.
Al pastor tacos from Tacos el Ivan
Tacos el Ivan - A street vendor that sells AMAZING tacos, the most popular being al pastor. Alex and I ordered three of them to go, inhaled them, and went back to order three more. I believe each taco was about 13 pesos each (less than a dollar), so order a lot especially since they’re small. They stay open late each night (past midnight) so it’s definitely a good place to go after a night out.
Tacos Gaby
Other Street Taco Vendors - On the same day we ate at Tacos el Ivan, we decided to try the various other street taco spots around town. One was called Tacos Gaby, a spot that served fish and shrimp tacos which were made in a “kitchen” the size of a closet (see above picture). I don’t eat fish, but Alex got a shrimp taco and really enjoyed it. There was another street vendor that didn’t even have a name but was located south of the bridge in town. There wasn’t even a menu to look at and all that they were serving that day was fried beef tacos… and oh my goodness, they were probably my favorite tacos from the trip. I believe it was only open for breakfast and lunch.
The insanely delicious beef tacos from an unnamed street vendor in Sayulita
Mamma Mia - I didn’t expect to visit Sayulita and have some of the best Italian food but I did! Our Airbnb host suggested this restaurant, stating it was a local favorite and we’re so happy we listened to him. The pastas are homemade, the wine list is extensive and the food overall was incredible. We split the bruschetta, caesar salad and the bolognese with fettuccine. The best part is that they actually split up each dish onto separate plates for us and the portions were still perfect.
Outside of Le Zouave de Hafa
Bars
Le Zouave de Hafa - This was hands down our favorite bar in Sayulita. It’s connected to the hotel Petit Hotel Hafa and is just a really cool and beautifully designed bar with the best margaritas I’ve ever had, especially since the juice was hand squeezed to order. My go-to margarita was the grapefruit habanero while Alex’s was the cucumber serrano. We became friends with the bar manager after he noticed that we kept coming back each night and helped us pick out an amazing bottle of mezcal to buy for my brother-in-law. They also offer mezcal tastings for a decent price, but we ended up doing one at CAVA.
Happy hour palomas and the best seats at CAVA
CAVA - A few doors down from Le Zouave de Hafa, CAVA was another favorite spot of ours to get drinks. They have a really great happy hour deal - 2 for 1 palomas or margaritas, so the total for two of the most delicious palomas ever was 95 pesos or 5 bucks. Once again, the drinks were made to order with freshly squeezed fruit juice, even during happy hour (places in OC and LA don’t even do this). The bartenders were super nice and knowledgeable when we did a mezcal tasting here on our last night.
The bar seating situation at Atico
Atico - We loved this bar for its spicy margaritas, the friendly service and the swing chairs that were against the outdoor bar (see picture above). Also a hookah lounge. Bonus points if you see the bartender’s dog, Daisy, a big old white dog with blue eyes who strolls around town saying hi to everyone.
A Mini Guide to San Sebastián
Beautiful cobblestone-lined streets and recognizable red and white buildings in San Sebastián
A couple of months before our trip to Sayulita, I looked up the most popular day trips to take in the area and fortunately came across San Sebastián, an old mining town founded in 1605. Located in the Sierra Madre mountains of Jalisco, the neighboring state to Nayarit, San Sebastián is essentially a town frozen in time, and is one of Mexico’s “Pueblas Mágicos” - a town promoted by the Mexican government for its historical significance and untouched beauty. The architecture is gorgeous with its centuries-old haciendas and red and white colored buildings, and the streets are very narrow and made of cobblestone. It seriously feels like you’re traveling to the past since nothing seems new.
The drive from Sayulita to San Sebastián takes about two hours: you’ll need to drive back down to Puerto Vallarta and then drive east about 45 miles on a major highway. A big chunk of the drive will take you through winding roads in the mountains and the views are breathtaking; no pictures could do it justice.
Progresso Bridge on the way to San Sebastián
You’ll know you’re close to San Sebastián once you reach Progresso Bridge, but before you drive across, you NEED to make a stop on the right at Carmen’s Panadería. Carmen herself will be there to serve you delicious cinnamon-spiced coffee and fresh pastries like sweet or savory filled empanadas, conchas, cakes and other various baked goods. I chose the empanada with vanilla crème while Alex got the empanada with chorizo, which we enjoyed with coffee while sitting in the courtyard. They were SO good that we bought three more empanadas (the ham and jalapeño was insanely good) to take on the road with us. Don’t skip on this hidden gem.
Daily selection of empanadas at Carmen’s Panadería
The main building at Hotel Las Galeritas (note the hotel’s cat in the bottom right)
Where to stay - We noticed that most tourists who were in San Sebastián only came for the day and were shuttled off (probably back to Puerto Vallarta) before nightfall. But I strongly recommend spending the night at Hotel Las Galeritas de San Sebastián - an ecolodge bed and breakfast located on the edge of town. This peaceful hotel has only 3 private cabins available (so book in advance) and each one is gorgeous and rustic, with a beautiful fireplace in the center of the room and a private patio. I’m serious when I say that staying here was the highlight of the entire trip and will probably go down as one of the most special places I’ve ever stayed at. In the morning, they serve an authentic Mexican hot breakfast which changes daily, along with coffee, juice, yogurt and other continental breakfast options. It was amazing. I cannot recommend this place enough.
Cheese enchiladas at Fonda Eva María
Where to eat - Although it’s such a small town, San Sebastián has a good amount of restaurants to choose from, but pay attention to the hours since most close early, like 7pm. For lunch, we ate at Fonda Eva María, which felt like we were sitting in the dining room of someone’s house, which was so cool. We had a couple of Mexican beers and ordered the cheese enchiladas and quesadilla - both were amazing.
For dinner, we ate at a newer and fancier restaurant called Jardín Nebulosa, mostly because I read it was not to be missed while in town. The seasonal menu focuses on authentic Mexican dishes but executed in a modern way. We had the tortilla soup, fresh blue corn tortillas served with different salsas, an appetizer of different insects (Alex ate this, not me) and a pork stuffed pepper with a mole sauce, all of which were fantastic. They also brew their own beer and have cocktails made with raicilla, a type of spirit made from an agave plant that grows wild in the area. The decor and service was impeccable as well, so overall, it was an unforgettable dining experience
One of two entrances to Jardín Nebulosa
What to do - Probably the most popular activity to do while in San Sebastián is to either hike, hire a driver or rent an ATV to get to La Bufa, the top of a nearby mountain. The views are supposed to be gorgeous and on a clear day, you can see as far as the ocean. Unfortunately, we ran out of time and weren’t able to do it, which is the only regret I have. Next time!
Another activity to do is to hike or rent an ATV to go see the mines in town. We did this before heading back to Sayulita and it was such a cool experience walking through beautiful, lush mountains in the middle of Mexico, since it looked like we were back home in California. We were able to find one mine, but unfortunately it was flooded from an earlier rain. The path we were on was beautiful nonetheless and it was nice to get some exercise in.
**I hope my travel guides will help you in planning your future trips to either Sayulita, San Sebastián, or both! If you couldn’t tell, our trip was phenomenal and I’ll cherish it forever.
Some more pictures from Sayulita and San Sebastián…
Red and white theme found in Sayulita as well
One of the many vendors in Sayulita selling street tacos at night
A random taqueria in Sayulita lit up at night
A nerdy tourist posing in front of Le Zouave de Hafa holding a grapefruit habanero margarita.
Another shot of San Sebastián’s beautiful streets
Our favorite dog in San Sebastián, whom we named ‘Isabella’
Lunch view at Fonda Eva María in San Sebastián
A christmas tree set up outside someone’s house in San Sebastián
Mezcal tasting at CAVA in Sayulita
Our guest while eating breakfast at Yah-Yah
