Sayulita Travel Guide
This trip to Sayulita marked my fourth time going to Mexico. I love traveling and vacationing in Mexico. I have previously visited Playa Del Carmen and Cabo (2x). Each region that I’ve visited is unique and has such a special place in my heart. Sayulita is an hour away from Puerto Vallarta and is located on the Riviera Nayarit. I like to describe Sayulita as a colorful little surf town. It is smaller than Cabo but has so much character. I went to Sayulita on a yoga retreat with Colibri Retreats so my experience and recommendations might be a little different than most but see below for my recommendations on where to stay, where to eat, and what to do.
Where to Stay
Although staying at the Haramara Retreat was an absolutely beautiful experience, I have to put a big disclaimer here that if you have a fear of bugs and insects, this is probably not the place for you. The resort is situated right in the middle of the jungle on 12 acres of private land and the owners have done their best to not disrupt the natural ecosystem. This is why the rooms are open huts, with no wifi or electricity. It is definitely a place to connect back with nature and get out of your comfort zone! lol
The food was absolutely incredible. For breakfast, we always had a buffet option of fresh-cut fruits, granola, yogurt, and fresh juice. Then, if you wanted more you can order an egg dish. They offered a different type each day and my two favorites were the chilaquiles and huevos rancheros. During lunch and dinner, we were served three courses - an appetizer, main dish, and dessert. All of the food was as local, fresh, and whole as possible with little to no added sugars or preservatives. The staff was so kind, sweet, and helpful! I couldn’t speak more highly of them and their service.
As far as the resort, the main areas such as the dining area, yoga shala, pool, and bar lounge are located at the top of the property. All of the rooms are located throughout the property. There is a trail that you can walk down which will ultimately lead you to the spa/wellness area and the private beach. Check out more here.
Photo Source: Sayulinda Hotel
If I didn’t go to Sayulita on a yoga retreat, I would’ve definitely stayed at the Sayulinda Hotel. I was thinking of staying in Sayulita a few days longer than initially planned, so while I was walking through town, I popped my head into this hotel and looked around. It looked so beautiful. I asked about the rates and was told it was around ~$150 per night. The first picture is the only one I took and the others are from the website, and it looks even more beautiful than I thought. Check out more of this property here.
Photo Credit: Selina Sayulita Hostel
If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly stay, the Selina Sayulita is a hostel that was recommended to us by the owners at Haramara Retreat. I also walked by to check it out and took a few photos. The hostel looks adorable! It has an outdoor pool, movie room, shared kitchen, co-working space, and bar. They even offer yoga classes each day! You can book your own room, shared room, or shared dorm. For the shared dorm, the price was around ~$50 per night. Check out more here!
Where to Eat
For the best drinks in town, go to El Patio! It is a bar/restaurant serving cocktails and tapas. It is located right on the beach. I went with a group of people from my retreat. We ordered several of the passion fruit margaritas - I say several because they were so good! We also ordered some chips and guac, ceviche, and shrimp empanadas which were also delicious. The staff was kind enough to accommodate us even though they were about to close and took great care of us! Check out the restaurant here.
Although I kept wanting Mexican food while in Sayulita (I can never get tired of it lol), we got a lot of recommendations from the Haramara team to try some other restaurants. After going to El Patio and walking around town a bit we decided to stop and get some more drinks lol! We went to La Rustica which is a delicious, modern Italian restaurant. I ordered some more passion fruit margaritas and although they were beautifully presented, they weren’t as good as El Patio’s. We also decided to nibble on some pizza and I’m glad we did because it was delish! We ordered the El Rey (meat pizza) and the Funghi (mushroom pizza) and the Funghi was amazing! I looked at the restaurant’s website while writing this post and it looks like there is so much more delicious food that I would love to try especially Pastel Don Bonito (chocolate cake) dessert. See more for yourself here.
I didn’t get a chance to go Don Pedro’s myself, but I am including it on the list because it was highly recommended as well. It is a restaurant & bar located right on the beach in Sayulita. They serve a mixture of seafood, oysters, and pasta. I read a little bit about their origin story and the restaurant has been around for over 20 years. The owners believe in improving the quality of life to the locals who live in the area and have contributed to help develop the towns infrastructure. They also have employed at least one member of every founding family of the village! Read more here.
Yambak is I believe the only brewery in Sayulita. I walked by it during my visit into town but didn’t get to go in and try out the beer. It looks like I will have to make another trip to Sayulita! This place was also recommended to me and it looks like it has a great night life scene. Check out more here.
Go Surfing
Sayulita is known as a surf town, so the first activity I would recommend you to do is go surfing! This place is perfect for beginners because (at least when I went) the waves were more gentle and the water is warm. There are plenty of places in town that will give you lessons and rent you a surfboard. Our group booked with our resort directly.
Go Snorkeling
Normally if I’m traveling, I love to go scuba diving but it wasn’t an option for our resort so I went snorkeling instead. From the Sayulita beach we took a 30-minute boat ride towards Puerto Vallarta and then docked at a beautiful private beach where the water was so clear and warm. This might have been my first time snorkeling and I loved it so much. I never realized how calming and relaxing it could be. The company we went with was through our resort so I didn’t get the name of it, but there are plenty of companies to book your excursion through.
Photo Source: Kirsten Moore Creative
Hang at the Beach
There are so many beautiful beaches in Sayulita! The main beach that I went to was the beach on the Haramara Retreat property (first picture). Some of the resorts have private beaches which are so nice. So depending on your resort, you can try that option. There is also the main beach in town (pictured right) that you can go to. It usually has a lot of people so a great place if you want a higher energy place and to have some drinks on the beach. The last beach I would suggest is Playa De Los Muertos. It is known to be a calmer beach. There is a bar at the entrance to order drinks and they also have chairs and tables available for rent.
Go Shopping in Town Square
There are so many beautiful beaches in Sayulita! The main beach that I went to was the beach on the Haramara Retreat property (first picture). Some of the resorts have private beaches which are so nice. So depending on your resort, you can try that option. There is also the main beach in town (pictured right) that you can go to. It usually has a lot of people so a great place if you want a higher energy place and to have some drinks on the beach. The last beach I would suggest is Playa De Los Muertos. It is known to be a calmer beach. There is a bar at the entrance to order drinks and they also have chairs and tables available for rent.