Sayulita is one of my favorite places on the west coast of Mexico. Most people who travel to Puerto Vallarta decide to come here for a day or weekend. It only takes about an hour to get here by car, so you can easily do a day trip to Sayulita. Compared to Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita is more like a small, hip surf town surrounded by countless beautiful beaches. It’s also a fantastic spot to go surfing! In the town you will find unique shops, amazing street food, a local market, lots of great restaurants, bars and clubs.
Even though it’s a small town there are lots of fun activities you can do here like sunset cruises on sailing boats, yoga sessions, whale watching tours, horseback riding tours and hikes through the jungle. In this post I will show you the best things to do and where to stay. This guide has everything you need to know before going to Sayulita.
„Traveling tends to magnify all human emotions.”
– Peter Hoeg
TOP 7 Things to do in Sayulita
Go surfing at the Main Beach
After arriving in Sayulita you should see the most popular spot, the main beach. It’s probably one of the most idyllic beaches in Nayarit, Mexico. There are lots of beach chairs where you can relax, get a fresh coconut and enjoy the sun. The water is perfect for swimming, because the waves aren’t too high and the surfers are not right at the beach. People from around the world come to Sayulita to go surfing. You will find several surf schools and rentals along the beach. If you want to save money, try to rent a board next to the Selina Hostel in town, from there it’s only a short walk to the beach. There you will also find an amazing surf teacher who offers surf lessons and surf trips from Sayulita.
Along the beach you will also find a lot of nice beach bars where you can get a drink, before heading into the town to enjoy the nightlife.
Go shopping & Buy handmade clothes
In my opinion, Sayulita is the best spot to go shopping. You will see so many unique boutiques with handmade clothes from local designers. All the clothes, accessories and jewelry are in boho style. I think I could have filled my whole suitcase with clothes from Sayulita, because they are so beautiful.
You will find most of the boutiques in the town center, close to the beach. The easiest way to find the best boutiques is to just walk around and explore. The town center is pretty small, so you can’t really get lost.
See the Painted Stairs
One of the most popular photography spots are the painted stairs. Most people actually don’t see them when they travel to Sayulita, because they are a bit hidden. You will find them when you walk the street Jose Mariscol and turn right next to El Zarquito and walk until the end of the street. Because of the fact that most people don’t know this spot you will most likely not meet any people there. I think it’s one of the best photography spots in Sayulita!
Explore the local market
One place you have to see in Sayulita is the local market. This one is also a bit hidden, which is the reason why many people don’t even see it when traveling to Sayulita. You will find it right behind the river on the north side of the town. It’s literally the best place to buy souvenirs and in my opinion the best market you will find in the area. You will find everything here from pom-poms, clothes, bags, jewelry, mugs, bowls and toys to leashes for dogs. Make sure to bring cash, because most sellers won’t accept cards as a payment method.
What I love about Mexican souvenirs is that everything is so colorful. And let’s be honest, even though it’s very cheap here you can easily spend a lot of money here. I decided to get some earrings for my best friend and a leash for my parents dog in Germany. Even if you don’t need anything or don’t end up buying anything it’s still worth it to visit the market.
Try the street food
If you walk away from the main streets you will find the best street food in town. Here you will only pay a few dollars for your meal. You just have to walk to Calle Playa Azul, right behind the local market and you will find a few different food trucks. One thing you definitely have to try are Mexican tacos. I ended up finding this cute Taco stall with literally the best tacos I’ve ever had! The same people who own the Taco truck also have a coffee truck right next to it. Here you get fresh barista coffee and French pancakes. The couple who own the food trucks are super friendly and everything they served was super delicious. I know for sure that when I come back this will be the first place I am visiting.
This is also the place where the locals eat. It’s always better to eat where the locals eat, because they know the best spots in town. There are lots of restaurants in town which are very chic and modern, but also more touristy. If you’re looking for the best pasta in town, try the truffle pasta at L’Ulivo.
Do a Yoga hike
Doing a yoga hike is a really fun activity you can book on AirBnB in Sayulita. There are countless hikes that lead to different beaches and viewpoints. If you do the yoga hike, you will get a great view on the main beach and you will see Playa Malpaso, where you will have the Yoga session. What you will love about this hike is the lush green forest with countless palm trees. It’s the perfect place to recharge if you want to escape the busy streets of Sayulita. Once you get to the beach you will recognise that it’s almost empty! I think the fact that you can’t drive here keeps most tourists away.
Before the Yoga session starts you can walk to the south end of the beach and explore a little cave that leads you to another outstanding beach, surrounded by cliffs. The Yoga session is a Vinyasa flow with a certified teacher. You will stretch your body and listen to the sound of nature while the last rays of sun fall on the landscape. This experience is the perfect way to recharge and relax after exploring Sayulita.
Do a horseback riding tour
One last activity I can highly recommend to you is a horseback riding tour at sunset. You can book this at Rancho Manuel, right next to the river in Sayulita. It’s a family owned business and the owners are super friendly. With a small group of people you will ride through the lush green jungle and then along the beach at sunset. It’s the same beach as you will see during the Yoga hike, Playa Malpaso. I think that’s the perfect spot for a horseback riding tour, because this beach is always empty. They will even let you galopp along the beach if you want! I did this tour on my birthday and they even had a birthday cake for me! If you have never tried tres leches, you have to put it on your bucket list. Also they offered everyone a beer and moonshine (raicilla) at the end of the tour.
Overall I can say that it’s an incredibly beautiful experience. I personally have never done horseback riding before and I loved it.
Watch it on YouTube:
I hope this guide will help you to make the most out of your time in Sayulita. It’s a really cute town with its own character. I think I could have stayed here for months. If you have any questions about Sayulita, just let me know in the comments down below!
