Is Sayulita worth visiting? Here are 15 reasons why you should visit
Through storytelling on my personal blog, I have been known to speak highly of this small town that I once called home so if youโre looking for reasons to visit Sayulita, youโve come to the right place.
I moved to Sayulita in 2018 with the idea of just visiting for a week and 2 years later, I found myself renting a house and rescuing 2 dogs!
The quality of life in Sayulita is superb, and it was just what I was looking for. Itโs always different when you live there versus visiting so in this reasons to visit Sayulita article, I will only focus on the tourism side but give you little previews of what life was like when I lived there.
Here are the top reasons to visit Sayulita. I hope you wonโt think twice to visit โ I promise it will be a lot of fun!
More Sayulita Travel Guides:
- Use this Sayulita itinerary for 3, 5, 7 days trip!
- Donโt know where to start with your Sayulita travel planning? Read this!
- A complete list of what to pack for Sayulita, Mexico
Plan your trip to Mexico with us! Get expert travel advice and customized trip-planning itinerary from our local experts on the ground.
๐ Is Sayulita worth visiting?
Sayulita, a small town located on the Pacific coast of Mexico in the state of Nayarit, is definitely worth visiting for many reasons. The charming town has become increasingly popular with tourists over the years, but still maintains its authentic Mexican atmosphere.
In this post, we gave 15 reasons to visit Sayulita and if you have additional questions, we lived in this small town for 2 years so hit us up!
โจ Top reasons to visit Sayulita, Mexico
1. Sayulita is for everyone
Iโve never seen a town or destination that caters to everyone. Sayulita is visited by couples, retirees, families with kids, and even people who travel with pets!
There isnโt another destination I know in Mexico that caters to all types of travelers. There is something to do in Sayulita for everybody!
2. Close-knit community
Before I decided to live in Sayulita, I was a tourist first. From only a week of being there, I already knew almost half of the town!
People are super-friendly and youโll all be going to the same bars and restaurants anyway โ Sayulita is a very small place.
I really feel like this is a place for solo travelers since itโs so easy to connect and make friends here! Youโll never be alone!
But this close-knit community is also one of the reasons I left Sayulita after two years. My world has become smaller and I lost my privacy along the way.
Either way, I donโt regret staying there for a while and making new friends (and family). Itโs one of the best years of my life!
3. Itโs not Tulum (yet)
Tulum is a more popular destination in Mexico although they are always compared with each other.
First off, Sayulita is not as expensive as Tulum. When I first visited Tulum, I was shocked by how high the prices were (i.e. a burger in Tulum is about $20 while in Sayulita, you can get a good one for $12).
Tulum and Sayulita have different beaches but whatโs advantageous for Sayulita is that we have mountains!
You can never really compare both but know that Tulum is more crowded than Sayulita. Both have the same type of travelers but I feel like you can still see a lot of Mexican culture in Sayulita.
4. The beaches of Sayulita!
Just within walking distance, there are already 5 beaches in Sayulita. Whatโs really cool is that you can drive to the next towns like San Pancho, Punta de Mita, and Bucerias to see all types of beaches.
Itโs also just an hour away from Puerto Vallarta so you can do that as a day trip, too!
The beaches in Sayulita are also quite unique as they are located in the jungle. Youโll go through canopy walks to get to them and these paths are adventurous and relaxing!
5. Wide variety of food choices
For a small town, the number of restaurants in Sayulita is quite impressive. And not only that โ the quality of food is really good, too!
There is a big culture of vegetarian/vegans so youโll see these options in almost all restaurants. There will be food for everybody!
Sayulitaโs street food scene is also something to explore. Churros, burgers, tacos โ the street carts here are safe and some of them are gourmet-style!
6. Gorgeous vacation homes
One of the reasons to visit Sayulita is because of its gorgeous vacation rental homes with ocean views and private pools.
Family vacations of up to 25 people can be hosted in one villa in Sayulita. All villas are equipped with a kitchen, living room, common spaces, comfortable bedrooms, and balconies overlooking the ocean!
Whether you are celebrating a birthday, holding a bachelorette party, or even a wedding, Sayulita is a good destination for all occasions.
7. Vibrant nightlife
In the state of Nayarit, Sayulitaโs nightlife has a good reputation. Many locals living in nearby towns come here for a weekend to party!
Sayulita may be loud until the wee hours of the morning but you will only hear it if your accommodation is in the center (plaza area).
Better consider this when you reserve your hotel especially if youโre not really the partying type. Just check it on Google maps if itโs around the plaza.
As for the young traveler, this party scene is definitely a plus. For a small town, the parties in Sayulita are quite impressive โ there is always something happening everywhere at any time of the day!
8. Too many outdoor activities
When I visited Quintana Roo, I saw more clearly its difference from the coast. We have so many mountains here in Sayulita that you can hike and I didnโt see that a lot in the south.
Monkey Mountain is one of the most popular hikes but I am surprised that not a lot of people do it. I feel like not everyone knows about it so I always encourage clients to do this hike.
Some other active things to do in Sayulita include ATV rides, horseriding, fishing, and many other water activities you can think of!
If you want to participate in our Support Local project, you may check out our super local Sayulita tours handpicked by our Editors who interviewed these locals one by one.
9. Sayulita is kid-friendly
You will see many children playing at the plaza by midnight while adults drink at the bar next door.
If you are traveling with kids, they will never get bored here as they will always see local kids around. The kids in Sayulita are also very friendly and are used to tourists.
Bring your children to the SayuParke if you are looking for things to do for them. They will definitely meet many other children in this park (especially if they like skateboards).
10. Sayulita is pet-friendly
Dogs on the streets and on the beach are unleashed. They are free to roam around town with their owners (or even on their own).
When I went to Cancun, some beaches donโt allow dogs, so I felt like traveling with my dogs there was a hassle. Itโs also one of the reasons I did not move to Cancun.
Today, because of the free spay and neuter efforts of Sayulita Animals, we do not have any street dogs! Everyone has been rescued and has owners!
If you are traveling with pets, Sayulita has many pet-friendly hotels that you can stay in. Your dogs can also make friends with other dogs easily!
11. Sayulita is a surfing town
Sayulita is visited by many surfers from all over the world but the Sayulita main beach is known to be a learning beach because of its surfable but friendly waves.
There are many surf beaches in Sayulita that are for the pros but you have to drive out of town (about 20-30 minutes).
However, if you are a hobbyist surfer or a beginner, you can stay at the main beach all day. Itโs really the best training ground for newbies!
You can also take surfing lessons in Sayulita with a local. I have many friends there that I can recommend and will give you a special price. Just get in touch!
12. Sayulita is environmentally conscious
2 years ago, a hotel wanted to privatize Los Muertos Beach in Sayulita. The town rallied and camped there every night because Los Muertos is our beach โ a new resort shouldnโt be allowed to take that away from the community.
We won this case through the help of a lawyer in Nayarit and Los Muertos Beach remained public. Everyone can still go!
Every time things like this happen (mostly illegal buildings in Sayulita), members of the community come together to fight for what is ours.
Apart from active crusades, we also have the biggest recycling center in Nayarit, the turtle sanctuary, and the bird rescue mission.
Please be as environmentally conscious as possible when you visit Sayulita. You can simply participate by disposing of your waste properly as Sayulita has a big garbage problem because of tourism.
13. Sayulita is flocked by holistic healing practitioners
Yogis, holistic healers, physical therapists, chiropractors โ Sayulita has a big community of healers and health practitioners.
If you are in this industry, you will definitely thrive here as a nomad. Being health conscious is part of Sayulitaโs culture thatโs why our environmental crusades are also taken very seriously.
14. We have the Marietas Islands!
One of the top reasons to visit Sayulita is the Marietas Islands, a group of islands located in Punta de Mita (about 20 minutes from Sayulita).
The Marietas Islands are one of a kind because of the hidden beach and the sea animals that live here. It is sometimes referred to as the Galapagos of Mexico.
16. Itโs a golf cart area and everything is walkable
These days, traffic has become horrible in the center of town because of the influx of tourists but what I love about Sayulita is that you can walk everywhere!
The streets are safe and cars are always very respectful to pedestrians. Children can go play on the streets and they will never be harmed.
Youโll never have to worry about fast cars or bustling traffic. Imagine a vacation where you donโt have to take taxis and youโll just walk everywhere! I really feel this is a big plus!
๐ถ๏ธ Spicy Deal: All-inclusive Sayulita vacation package
Immerse yourself in the beauty and charm of Sayulita, with accommodations, meals, and a wide range of activities all covered.
Seriously..place overpriced smelly overrun by tourists. At least be a little honest before you write this crap.
@Eddie malik, So right! Place is the worst place to visit in Mexico
Love sayulita!!
How do you get to the marietas islands from sayulita? Would really enjoy seeing them
Hola, Heidi! Thanks for reading the blog! You can book the Marietas Islands tour here. If you have any questions, just send us an e-mail and our office will help you book the tour. Please note that this is non-refundable since Marietas is a federal-protected area so better be sure with your dates before booking. I hope you have fun in my former home!