Where to eat, stay and play in Sayulita - Mexico
Sayulita, Mexico
Bronzed dudes and dudettes march their surfboards across town, colorful boutiques are dotted along the cobblestone streets and cold margaritas are always just an arms reach away. Sayulita might not be as under the radar anymore as we’d wished, but this laid-back dustbowl town sure knows how to charm. Read on for our favorite addresses in Sayulita, Mexico.
Whether it’s surfing, partying, all day pool-lingering or early morning yoga - the Mexican seaside town of Sayulita has something for all. Less touristy than nearby Puerto Vallarta and without the poshness (and price tag) of Punta de Mita, but who cares when you have unspoiled Pacific beaches at your doorstep, friendly vibes all around and cosy boutique hotels to sleep at? We tried, we tested and we rounded up our favorite places to eat, sleep and play in Sayulita Mexico.
Distrito 88 Hotel
Where to eat
From chic al fresco ocean front to stripped back plastic chair situations on cobblestone streets - Sayulita feeds every appetite. An institution in town is La Rustica, just off of Sayulita’s main square. This open air eatery opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dinnertime is our favorite with wood oven pizza’s, tasty pasta’s and an extensive cocktail menu. Reserve a table out front and you might get treated on a street performance. For something more authentic we recommend the traditional taqueria Aaleya’s, our daily after-beach pitstop for taco’s and a cold bottle of Pacifico. For breakfast and lunch head either to Organi-K (yes to their poke bowls!) or Don Bonito Cafe, with most arguably the healthiest menu in town. Expect fresh juices and smoothies, acai bowls and good coffees.
Where to sleep
When it comes to sweet places to sleep Sayulita has got you covered. Options range from fun-loving hostels like Selina to romantic hilltop retreats overlooking the Pacific. Our favorite address in town is Distrito 88. This dreamy six room adults-only hotel is located up a hill and offers sublime ocean views. The place feels more like staying at a Mexican villa with lush tropical gardens, large guest rooms and ditto patios and friendly staff. There’s a small restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and drinks, which taste best close to one of their two pools. A new kid in town is La Bohème, a small bohemian retreat dressed in soft earthy tones. The 8 rooms are on the small side, but the beautiful decors and the outdoor pool with jacuzzi make up for it all. Location-wise you’re just a 10 minute walk from Sayulita beach and the main square - perfect if you, like us, don’t want to be right in the action. Amor Boutique Hotel is the romantic one: a collection of 30 charming villa’s and studios nestled on the southern shores of Sayulita Bay. The villa’s range from 60m2 standard villas to nearly 300m2 two-bedroom villas complete with outdoor kitchen and a private plunge pool overlooking the Pacific. The location higher up and its gorgeous views also mean quite a few stairs to get to your villa, so be warned.
Amor Boutique Hotel
where to shop & beach
Sayulita’s colorful center with it’s cobblestone streets is home to several gorgeous stores and galleriers. We particularly like PaLu gallery with its tropical, beach-themed wall art, posters and prints, carefully curated by the owners Pauline and Ana. For stylish beach clothing and contemporary Mexican home goods head to Manyana. This Sayulita-based brand focuses on high quality, modern tropical lifestyle goods. From sunglasses and linen shirts to Palo Santo incense sticks and ceramics from Olivia Ceramica - you’ll end up wanting to buy the whole store. Right next door you’ll find Evoke the Spirit, another gorgeous little store showcasing art, ceramics, cow skulls, textiles and jewelry - all from local artisans.
PaLu Gallery
Whenever you’re done shopping, head out to Sayulita’s wild pacific beaches. The downtown beaches of Playa Sayulita and nearby Playa de los Muertos might be the most accessible ones, they are also the most crowded ones. For a more remote experience, take a 30 mins beach walk north to the beach of Playa Malpaso. Playa Malpaso is an unspoiled Pacific beach, located somewhat halfway between Sayulita and San Francisco (San Pancho). To get to the beach you’ll end up with a short 1,3 km hike through the jungle which opens up to several beautiful viewing points overlooking the beach and the dense rainforest right behind it. Be aware that there are no facilities (so bring whatever you need) and the beaches are not always good for swimming: the waves can be rough and the undertow strong. The same goes for Playa Carricitos. Another beautiful, unspoiled beach. The beach is about 25 minutes walking (part of it an uphill hike) or 10 minutes by car, west from Sayulita town. As for Playa Malpaso also Playa Carricitos offers a more isolated experience, but beware there are no facilities and the waves can be rough. That said, pack in a few cervezas some food and enjoy your very own Mexican slice of paradise.
Playa Malpaso
getting there
The closest international airport to Sayulita is Puerto Vallarta in the state of Jalisco. From there it’s a 50-60 min. drive to get to Sayulita. There are daily direct flights from Mexico City and Guadalajara. In addition several US cities like Houston, Denver and Los Angeles offer direct flights to Puerto Vallarta.