Sayulita, Mexico Travel Tips for First-Time Visitors

Sayulita is one of the most popular destinations in Mexico. It’s located on the Pacific coast of Nayarit State. Discover everything you need to know about visiting Sayulita!

Sayulita, Mexico Travel Tips for First-Time Visitors
Sayulita is a picturesque town with a cosmopolitan air due to the diversity of its visitors. Photo by Isaac E. Quezada / Unsplash

Sayulita is a small town that has become a major tourist destination for people looking for an authentic Mexican experience. The town is known for its beautiful beaches, friendly locals, and delicious food.

Things to Do

In Sayulita, you will find small stores with delicious local dishes as well as elegant beachside restaurants. Its pleasant plaza is surrounded by cobblestone streets where you will find several galleries with interesting works of art and beautiful Cora and Huichol handicrafts since art is an important component in the life of the town.

Where to Stay

Sayulita offers a wide variety of lodging options, with nice boutique hotels, bed & breakfasts, luxury villas, and bungalows, and is also an excellent option for camping. There is a resort dedicated to yoga, which has been rated by Yoga Journal as one of the top ten yoga retreats in the world. Internationally recognized as an important surfing destination, Sayulita hosts several international competitions with its characteristic relaxed and bohemian atmosphere.

Los Muertos Beach in Sayulita

Mexicans are known for laughing at death. Proof of this is the Day of the Dead festivities with which the world is surprised by the colorful customs and culture. This fascination with death is carried to a beach, the famous "Playa de los Muertos" in Sayulita.  Here you can swim and sunbathe next to people who are in their eternal rest.

Playa de los Muertos is located behind the cemetery of Sayulita, one of the two magical towns of the Riviera Nayarit. To enter this small bay, you must cross the cemetery. It is on top of a small hill by the sea. Access is free to the public, some people cross it on foot, by ATV, golf cart, horseback, or all-terrain vehicles.

The idea that one has when arriving at this beach is that of entering paradise. After crossing the pantheon, here the sea is tame. You can snorkel and hundreds of colorful fish live in the water, undoubtedly a secluded place where you can relax. It is amazing how when you leave the slope that leaves behind the pantheon, you can appreciate a practically private beach due to the rock formations in the area.

If you are traveling as a couple, you can walk to the right side of the coast. You will find a huge boulder that hides another small beach. Lovers climb the cliff with great caution to get some privacy.

A scene with tombstones and surfboards

The road to the beach of the dead is the perfect setting for those travelers who love photographs. Imagine a swimsuit photo with tombstones all around you. There are also ornamental surfboards in place of vases. Many visitors to Sayulita hear stories about these natural wonders from the locals. However, out of fear of crossing the graves, or out of respect for them, they prefer to remain unaware of this beach. But those who manage to overcome their fears enjoy the privacy of the sand and sea for swimming, snorkeling, surfing, and tanning.

It is a very safe beach

Despite being an isolated beach, it has a lifeguard tower. There are also elements of municipal public security, which guard visitors and the graves. Sayulita is a town located in Banderas Bay on the southern coast of the State of Nayarit. Since the 1960s it has been receiving tourists from different parts of the world who come to Puerto Vallarta.

Very close by is the Pizzeria Rustica. This place has all varieties but the specialty is the "sea pizza". A restaurant that has been visited by Matt Damon and Michael Douglas. Don't miss a visit to the Gallery and Buddha Spa Sayulita. A place where you can dip your feet in a pond of Garra Rufa fish that remove dead skin cells. Plus get a massage that will leave you wanting to come back. For surfing, bring your board or practice with a rented one, there are instructors here.