Best Beaches in Sayulita, Mexico
Sayulita may have once been a tiny fishing village, but today the Mexican seaside town buzzes with surfers, beach-goers and vacationing gringos.
Located in Nayarit, just one hour north of Puerta Vallarta, the pleasant beachfront town maintains a relaxed hippie vibe despite its rapidly increasing popularity. It is artsy and colorful and oozing with chill.
The beautiful beaches in Sayulita are home to pounding surf and golden sands.
Overhead, colorful tropical birds flit amongst the dense greenery of Mexico’s Pacific Coast.
Visiting Sayulita Mexico
Prior to boarding our Puerta Vallarta bound flight, I wasn’t sure of the best things to do in Sayulita Mexico.
We visited Sayulita on a whim, after a chaotic day of standby travel. We had originally intended to fly to the Caribbean for a week, but two missed flights had us scrambling for a plan B (traveling standby with an 18 month old is not always for the faint of heart).
And so—just two months after our weekend getaway to Mexico City and Teotihuacan—I found myself heading back to Mexico with Dan and Elio.
Sayulita ended up being an ideal getaway destination. Its chill vibe, beautiful beaches and tasty food immediately won us over.
Best Beaches in Sayulita
Sayulita is surrounded by a string of sandy shores.
During our stay in the area, we visited many of the top beaches in Sayulita.
Sayulita’s beaches are ideal for surfing and subpar for swimming. Strong currents make the Pacific shores pretty dangerous. We certainly weren’t going to risk cooling off in the water with our two year old son.
Nonetheless, Dan and I reveled in the sun and scenery, while Elio thoroughly enjoyed digging in the sand and pouring it on his head.
Sayulita Beach
When visiting the hippie surfer town on Mexico’s left coast, it’s pretty hard to miss Sayulita Beach. A long stretch of sand adjacent to town, the bustling beach attracts local families, foreign tourists, and surfers from around the world.
Playa Sayulita can get pretty crowded compared to the other beaches in the area. Along its shoreline, you’ll find umbrellas and sunbeds and some vendors selling food and drinks.
It will take you about 30 minutes to walk the entire length of Playa Sayulita. At the north end of the beach, you’ll find a jungle trail that leads over the headland to the beautiful beaches of Malpaso and las Cuevas.
Playa Malpaso
Playa Malpaso is a mile-long beach that stretches from Sayulita’s north end to the southern edge of San Pancho. It lies adjacent to Playa las Cuevas and can be accessed via a trail that cuts through the jungle at Sayulita’s north end.
Malpaso Beach is largely undeveloped and still somewhat wild. Dense arid jungle lines its golden crescent of sand. There are no hotels or resorts or beachside restaurants on Playa Malpaso. Nor will you find rows of sunbeds or hawkers selling tourist trinkets.
The pristine stretch of sand is heaven for solitude-seekers. During our visit to the beach, we sat in the shade of a few large trees and let Elio play in the sand for a couple hours. We only encountered one other tourist.
It was blissful.
Because the beach is fully exposed to the rip currents of the Pacific coastline, swimming at Malpaso can be dangerous.
Playa Las Cuevas
At low tide, Playa Malpaso and Playa las Cuevas connect to each other via a passageway in the rocks.
We found Playa las Cuevas to be the most visually stunning beach in Sayulita. A little gem, the wild and isolated beach lies hidden between rock formations and studded with weathered boulders.
As with Playa Malpaso, Dan and I didn’t see anyone else at the beach when we visited Playa las Cuevas. And considering the beautiful beach’s proximity to Sayulita’s main stretch of sand, I found the solitude to be quite surprising.
The shore break at Playa las Cuevas can be intense, so the beach is not recommended for swimming.
Carricitos Beach
With crashing waves, a dazzling crescent of golden sand, and Cerro Mono in the distance, Playa Carricitos is certainly among the most picturesque beaches in Sayulita. Backed with greenery and isolated from the crowds, it still feels somewhat untouched. There are some large homes position behind Playa Carricitos, but most are well hidden in the verdant hills above the water.
To reach Carricitos Beach, we walked from downtown Sayulita, along Avenida Niños Heroes. The trip took us roughly half an hour on foot.
As with Playa Malpaso and Playa las Cuevas, the extra hike from town seemed to ward off other tourists—making the already manageable jungle trek all the more worthwhile.
Playa Carricitos was empty when we visited. Save for a brown Pelican that was sunning itself on the rocks and diving for fish, we found ourselves completely alone amongst the beach’s sand and surf.
Use extreme caution swimming at Playa Carricitos, as its waves can be quite powerful.
Playa de los Muertos, Sayulita
A short ten minute walk to the south of Sayulita’s main Beach, Playa de los Muertos is one of Nayarit’s most popular swimming areas. At the beach, you’ll find umbrellas to rent, a small bar, and beach vendors.
Playa de los Muertos is popular with Mexican families. Huge rocks protect the waters of Playa de los Muertos on both sides and shield it from rough waves. Compared to the other beaches in Sayulita, it is considered safe for swimming.
Despite its haunting name, Playa de los Muertos (Beach of the dead in English) is not particularly dangerous. There is a cemetery adjacent to the beach’s parking area, which is how Playa de los Muertos gets its name.
San Pancho Beach near Sayulita
San Pancho Beach is a lively option along the Nayarit Riviera. While not as crowded as the main beach in Sayulita, it boasts a similar number of amenities. San Pancho attracts tourists that are looking for a quieter and more relaxed atmosphere. It is a magnet for artists, photographers, yogis, and surfers.
Between June and November, the San Pancho Turtle Rescue and Nursery releases turtle hatchlings on San Pancho Beach. When I first read about the release of turtles, I tried to squeeze it into our Sayulita itinerary. I’d seen baby turtles scamper toward the water in San Juan del Sur Nicaragua and wanted Elio to witness the spectacle.
But unfortunately, we visited San Pancho too early in the season.
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Beyond the Beach in San Pancho
I read somewhere that the small Nayarit beach town of San Pancho resembles the Sayulita of ten years ago.
And I can certainly see why.
The beachside fishing village has plenty of hotels and tourist amenities, but it still feels relaxed. Today, it is touristy without being overrun, laidback without being too sleepy. There are still lots of gringos, but the main beach is a bit quieter than that of Sayulita.
San Pancho is growing day by day, however. I fully expect it to turn into an expat hotspot in the coming years.
You can reach the beach in San Pancho via taxi or bus from Sayulita. We only visited the village as a day trip, though I immediately wished we could have stayed longer.
If you’re staying overnight in San Pancho, accommodations range from boutique guesthouses to lavish resorts. These include the Casa Cora (budget), Casa San Pancho (midrange) and the Agua de Luna Boutique Hotel (high end).
For a small town of around 3,000, San Pancho has some wonderful eateries too. We had delicious tuna tacos at Barracuda and Roman-style pizza at Pizza el Punto.
Aside from eating and beach-lounging, we enjoyed walking down the town’s colorful festive streets.
Lo De Marcos Beach
If San Pancho is the Sayulita of ten years ago, then Lo de Marcos is probably next in line for a makeover. I imagine that, as the tendrils of development spread northward from Puerto Vallarta, the sleepy fishing village will start to resemble San Pancho.
But—at least for now—Lo de Marcos and its wonderful golden beach are still able to bask in the beauty of relative anonymity.
The large sandy beach of Lo de Marcos has a few scattered developments and restaurants, but it retains a quiet charm. Verdant jungle backs much of the beach, giving it a lush and picturesque setting.
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Lo de Marcos Beyond the Beach
Lo de Marcos is a sleepy Mexican pueblito with a laid back vibe. The town is popular with expats and tourists, but it still manages to stay largely under the radar. Especially when compared to the more renowned destinations of Sayulita and Puerta Vallarta to the south.
Outside of its wide sandy beach, the streets of Lo de Marcos are mostly quiet. There aren’t many large glitzy hotels in the area, but you’ll find a few small guesthouses and B&Bs like the Casa del Sol and Casa Juanita.
For honeymoon magic, the the One & Only Mandarina looks like a dream.
Puerta Vallarta Beach
If you’re traveling by airplane, you’ll likely be landing in Puerta Vallarta—a lively and colorful beachfront city in the state of Xalisco.
Its frenetic and crowded beachfront offers a juxtaposition to the lonely stretches of sand near Sayulita.
The main beach in Puerta Vallarta is called Playa de los Muertos (not to be confused with a similarly named Sayulita beach). A boardwalk runs along the length of the beach and makes for a pleasant stroll.
We saw a lot of people swimming in the water at Playa de los Muertos, despite its ominous name.
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Beyond the Beach in Puerta Vallarta
Puerta Vallarta pleasantly surprised me. I’d imagined it to resemble the built up strips of Cancun and Cabo San Lucas. I thought I’d see rows and rows of all-inclusive resorts that cordon themselves off from the local population.
And while I’m sure that there are plenty of lavish all-inclusives in town, I was struck by the fact that Puerta Vallarta retains much of its character and charm.
We stayed at the Garlands del Rio in downtown Puerta Vallarta for one night during our visit to the area. The accommodation was clean, centrally located, and wonderfully artsy.
Where to Stay in Sayulita
During our week in Sayulita, we stayed at the Villas Chulavista. Our accommodation had two bedrooms, adjoined by a common area. The room setup allowed me and Dan to enjoy the evenings on our balcony after Elio fell asleep. We were very specific about our room preferences, which diminished our lodging options. But nonetheless, Villas Chulavista was wonderful. We enjoyed the small pool, the open-air living room, and views over the surrounding mountains. The hotel also came with a place to park our rental car (not something that is always easy to find in Sayulita).
Since our accommodation requirements were so specific, we discounted a lot of other places to stay in Sayulita. However, there are a number of other hotel and guesthouse options that could be more suitable for your own personal needs.
At the cheaper end of the spectrum, you’ll find Viajero Sayulita Hostel. Midrange options include Nuiya Hoteles Centro and the Mar y Sueños Suites.
Hotel Ysuri Sayulita and Hotel La Esquina both sit adjacent to Sayulita Beach, with easy access to the town’s amenities. These high end options each have a pool, large clean rooms, exceptional ratings, and ocean views.
Sayulita with a Toddler
Though it wasn’t initially on our radar, we found Sayulita to be a fantastic destination for kids. The town felt safe and walkable. The food was good and varied. And the easy access to beautiful sandy beaches meant that Elio was endlessly entertained.
We brought our backpack carrier so that we could more easily bring Elio to some of the farther beaches and nap him on the go. We found little use for a travel stroller in town, since the hilly streets are covered in cobblestones.
When to Visit Sayulita
Sayulita’s mild climate makes it a year-round travel destination.
Generally, however, the best time to visit Sayulita is between November and March. During these winter months, you’ll likely experience plenty of sunshine and low humidity.
If you want to avoid the crowds, you may want to consider traveling to Sayulita in the off-season.
We visited in May. And while the weather was indeed hot and sticky, we didn’t mind. The empty beaches and lower prices more than made up for the elevated temperatures.
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We might not have originally intended to visit Sayulita, but you won’t hear me complaining that it’s where we ended up.
The hippie gringo town has a tranquil vibe and sunny disposition. It manages to attract expats and digital nomads, while eschewing overdevelopment and mass tourism.
We spent a glorious week in Sayulita, digging our toes in the sand and hiking to unspoiled beaches. It was the perfect place to travel with a toddler.
In my book, our wonderful trip was all proof that—even though we originally intended for something different —we ended up right where we were meant to be.
