After visiting Sayulita, Mexico I can assure you that this Pueblo Magico (Magic Town) has earned a top spot on my “best vacations” list for many reasons.
Playa Sayulita
The main beach in Sayulita, Playa Sayulita, is a great spot to reveal in the tropical climate, catch some waves, and just relax. Sayulita is a HUGE surfing town thanks to its perfect location for consistent, high swells. Watching surfers soon became my favorite beach activity.
You see the seasoned surfers get some amazing air, while also seeing tourist take their first surfing attempts and also get some air; well, their boards do at least. Local vendors walk up and down the beach all day selling items like fresh fruit, candy, handcrafted goods, and even massage services. You can also rent umbrellas with chairs and have someone snag drinks and food for you while you relax. You don’t ever have to leave your spot.
Las Playas Secretos (The Secret Beaches)
In addition to the main beach, there are a couple other beaches you can access after hiking a bit. There is Playa De Los Muertos and Playa Carricitos (my favorite). We didn’t stay long at Playa De Los Muertos, which gets its name from the graveyard nearby, but it looked like a nice beach with a bit less traffic than the main beach. Playa Carricitos involved a bit longer of a hike to get to (follow Google Maps) but it was worth it. This beach was not swimmable (don’t even try it), but boy was it captivating. The wave swells were consistently around 1-2 stories high and would crash along the towering coastline which was piled high with big, dark boulders. On this beach, and much like on the entire trip, I felt like I was in a dream.
While at Playa Carricitos we set up camp underneath the shade of a sprawling palm tree. We listened to the waves, explored the surrounding area a bit, and soaked in all the beauty that this glistening gem of a beach had to offer.
Sailing With Chica Locca
One “out of the box” bucket list item I wanted to check off this year was to see a whale. Did I really think I would accomplish this goal, no. It wasn’t until two days before the trip that I discovered that Sayulita is the PERFECT location to see whales, specifically humpback whales. I was shaken. Could I actually achieve this fantasy bucket list idea of mine? I sure did.
My friends and I decided to rent a sailboat for the day through Chica Locca which was the best decision ever. They offer a number of excursions you can choose to embark on all while having an all-inclusive drink and food experience. We considered venturing to the Marietas Islands but we were told the swells would be dastardly. Going there and back would take over our entire trip, leaving little time to visit. But, we could not have had better, bad luck in this case.
Las Ballenas (The Whales)
Instead of venturing to the Marietas Islands, we headed out to sea and went WHALE WATCHING! AH!. I hadn’t been this giddy in a while. Within 20 minutes, one whale, then two, then 3, 4, 5 678! I think we ended up seeing 20-30 whales both up close and far away. We found ourselves chanting TAIL, TAIL, TAIL in hopes that these giant, gentle creatures would flash us a flap from their magnificent tails after coming up for a breath of sweet, crisp ocean air. The remainder of the afternoon involved munching on lime-soaked, salty chips, swimming and hanging out on a private island only accessible by boat, sitting down (on the bow) for a classic Mexican lunch, and drifting off to daydream land (and dreamland for some in our group) as they let the sails down and let the wind carry us home.
La Puebla Y La Plaza (The City & The Plaza)
In the center of this beautiful town is the plaza where everyone tends to gather each night to eat, drink and be merry. Going into this trip, I expected us to be visiting a quaint city with maybe a single strip of shops and a couple of restaurants. That could not have been further from the truth. The town was bustling with energy each night offering countless street stands and restaurants to eat at, multiple bars, and SO MANY local shops to peruse.
The look and feel of the Plaza brought me back to my visits to Time Square in New York City with lights hung to create warm, bright and welcoming vibes, cars and bikes zooming past me, and people gathering to create memories that I’m sure will last a lifetime.
La Casa (The House)
In addition to the city and surrounding area being magical, so was our AirBnB . I cannot recommend staying at Casa Buena Onda enough. The host was great and the space could not have been more perfect. I mean look at it.
If you’re staying in one of the bedrooms by the kitchen, be aware that your bathroom and shower will be outdoors which ended up being my favorite feature of the place. Who doesn’t dream of shampooing your hair while gazing out tropical trees and vibrant murals while the morning sun greets your weary eyes for the day? The kitchen was fully stocked with things like cutting boards and knives which allowed us to make guacamole and the rooftop offered some AMAZING scenic views. I spent many hours up on the roof gazing out over the town, reading books, and taking in all the beauty.
The casa was also very close to a local coffee shop (Yah-Yahs) and the plaza which made it that much more perfect. TIP: Bring earplugs if you’re a light sleeper. The tropical bird chirps and rooster calls start pretty early in the morning.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Visting Sayulita was great, but we wanted to spice our trip up a bit with a visit to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Although we only spent one full day in the city, we made the most of it. If I could describe how Puerto Vallarta is different than Sayulita I would say that Sayulita is more nature-filled and rustic (with a lot of good energy). Puerto Vallarta is more upscale and urban with some beautiful, but smaller, beaches. We started our day off at the beach and then enjoyed one of the best dinners of my life at El Dorado. We then ended the night by getting some more ice cream (dairy-free for myself) and danced a bit at Mr. Flamingos. The dinner was really the highlight of our visit because it was unlike anything I’ve ever done.
Overall, this trip made my top-vacations list hands down. I felt like I was in a dream the entire time and it provided exactly what I was craving in my life. Something nature-packed, something tropical, and something filled with wonder that would have me in awe.
Considerations When Visiting Sayulita, Mexico
As great as Mexico was to us, a couple people in my group ended up having some nasty digestive issues while on the tip. You can be proactive to avoid these issues by asking if things like ice were made with “agua pura” (pure water) and not water from the tap. Most places said they used pure water but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Electrolit and Pepto Bismol can both help with symptoms of digestive issues and both are available at pharmacies. Some may know these issues by the name of Montezuma’s revenge.
The locals were super friendly and helpful, but it would be helpful to learn some Spanish before traveling to Sayulita. I would say there were a couple of situations where knowing basic Spanish words and phrases was necessary.
Visiting Sayulita, Mexico felt a bit like camping where you’re always outside. Just something to note in case you are someone who is not so outdoorsy.
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