Travel
Sayulita, Mexico
Sayulita is a small surfing and fishing village. Sayulita’s cultural blend of beaches, shops, restaurants, activities and smiling people make it the perfect destination for an "off-the-beaten-path" Mexican vacation. This picturesque fishing village is nestled in a gentle palm tree-lined bay offering visitors and residents incredible beaches, lush jungle, year-round surf .
While Sayulita is super charming, it does not offer the resort experience typically associated with Mexican vacations. We want to ensure that everyone's expectations are appropriate. Come with an adventurous spirit and prepare to fall in love with this town!
Safety
Violent crime is virtually non-existent in Sayulita, but as with any tourist destination, take necessary precautions: use the safes provided and keep a general eye on your belongings.
Health
As with most Mexican cities, do not drink the water. That includes when you wash your toothbrush off, you must use bottled water. Many Airbnbs provide jugs of fresh water directly next to the sink for this reason. Virtually all accommodations provide jugs of potable water. The restaurants and bars in Sayulita use purified water for drinking, washing produce, and the ice is made from purified water as well, so no need to be nervous about an ice cold margarita. When eating street tacos, you may want to avoid the cilantro, onion, and raw toppings. We ate everything and we were fine, but you can use your own judgement!
Weather
January is absolutely the best time to visit Sayulita. The days are perfect with highs in the low to mid 80s. The nights are cool and in the mid 60s. Bring a light jacket! If you are a warm blooded person like Ale, make sure there is AC in your accommodations. If you are like Leah, the ceiling fans are fantastic and there is absolutely no need for AC with the cool nights!
Flights
Directions
Sayulita is a short 40 minute drive from Puerto Vallarta (PVR.) See our transpo page for directions on arranging your private driver from the airports!
From the US: There are frequent flights that make connections in Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Mexico City, Houston, and Dallas. You can expect to spend $400-600 RT. If you are lucky, you may be able to score a deal for $350.
From Europe: There are many flight options from London to PVR with connections in the US or Mexico City. Prices vary starting from $600.
From Venezuela: Copa Airlines flies to and from Caracas to PVR with a connection in Panama City. We’ve been trying to track these costs, but they keep changing!
Lodging
Airbnbs & Hotels
There are so many beautiful places to stay in Sayulita!
There are many places to stay in Sayulita, and there's truly something for everyone's budget. Everyone is probably wondering, when should I book a place to stay? As soon as you can. January is peak season and places are already booking up. That being said, you can def find a place last minute, you just wont have as many options.
Sayulita is divided into four areas: Town Center, North End, South End and Gringo Hill. Given that the town is less than 2 miles long, and very walk-able, any location you choose will be great. You can walk from one end of town to the other in about 20 min, or rent a golf cart and drive from each end of town within 8 minutes! Golf carts are the best mode of transportation. Do not rent a car.
Our Recommendation
We are staying on the North End. Leah’s parents are also staying on the North End. This is the more tranquil part of town, but a quick golf cart ride or 10-15 minute walk into all the action. Personally, we love this part of town. They have some of the best restaurants steps away. The only con is that the North beach is not the best place to swim. It is a gorgeous place to come with a towel and lay, but some days the waves are very big. However, you can still take a short stroll down the beach to the more swimmable beach.
If you wish to be on the swimmable beach, then we recommend staying on the south end. Don’t worry- if you stay here you will still be able to walk to the Welcome Party and to our rental. Everything is very close!
Pro Tip: Sayulita has huge hills. If it has a fantastic view, you can bet that it is a very steep trek. If they say you need a golf cart, you do! Even the most athletic of our friends and family will find these hills extremely difficult.
We recommend you avoid the Town Center near the plaza. It’s crowded and loud.
Our picks!
Airbnbs
We love the airbnbs. There are so many options at all different kinds of price points! For condos, we’ve bookmarked a few places at the Pajaro De Fuego complex. It has many types of units and is directly next to our place! There are also some 3-4 bedroom houses that range in the $300-400 per night price point. If you look on the south end, be careful not to stay too close to the plaza.
Hotels
On the map you will see our recommendations for hotels: On the North end we recommend Hotelito Los Suenos & Don Bonito. On the South End we recommend Hotel Oz. There are a few other noteworthy hotels with some caveats!
Pro tip: Ysuri Hotel may come up in your search. It is beautiful and has a great location, but the beds are as hard as a rock! Do not book.
Don Bonito Hotel ($) is on the north end. It is surfer chic, but the rooms are small. A great place to stay for those coming in 3 nights. Prices range $100-150. No fridge, which is a bummer. Splurge for the bigger rooms if you can.
Hotelito Los Suenos ($) is also no the north end. We love this place. Rooms range from $115-$150 per night. There is also an apartment suite available. Free yoga classes on the palapa roof top and breakfast is included! All rooms have mini fridges, some have kitchenettes.
Casablanca ($$) is beachfront and right across from Leah’s parents. However, they are very strict about no visitors. You must be staying on property to come on to property. No guests are allowed. If you are making this a romantic couples trip, this would be a good option!
Hotel Oz ($$) is on the South end, a bit back from the beach. We love the modern rooms and the rooftop pool. This hotel also has an elevator! This is close to the action, but far enough from the noise.
Villa Amor ($$$) Is one of the oldest properties in Sayulita and absolutely gorgeous! Comprised of privately owned condos, studio- 3 bedrooms. Some with their own pools overlooking the bay. You will feel like you are staying in the jungle! There are lots of stairs, not ideal for anyone with mobility issues.
Sayulita Life
Another great resource is Sayulitalife.com. The prices you see are what you pay. All taxes and fees are included. There are many options here that are not listed on Airbnb.
What to Do
Activities in Sayulita
There are so many exciting things to do in Sayulita.
We recommend booking activities through Mi Chaparita. This company is owned and operated by the same company that is providing all transportation. It’s a one-stop-shop!
SURFING
Sayulita is known for their incredible surf break. Remember the swimmable beach? It’s a perfect place to take a beginner surf lesson.
ZIPLINING
Just 10 minutes from town is a great ziplining course. We had so much! Who knew Ale would be so amazing at ziplining? Book via Mi Chaparrita.
BEACH TIME
There are many umbrellas and chairs for rent or with a food/drink minimum on the beachfront bars and restaurants. Compared to resort prices, this is so affordable! Our favorite spot is right next to the fisherman beach.