Sayulita & Riviera Nayarit: FREE GUIDE
Sayulita & Riviera Nayarit: FREE GUIDE
MAGGIE | ONWARDS TRAVEL
Available for hire
Sayulita is a long-loved beach town on Mexico’s Pacific coast famously known for its consistent and welcoming surf. The once sleepy town has exploded in popularity over the past 5 years, which means it can skew a little expensive by Mexico standards. Nonetheless, with cheap, direct flights to Puerto Vallarta, it still makes an ideal destination for a lively weekend getaway with your friends, or a laidback, health-focused escape — choose your own adventure! Just don’t forget to explore outside the center of town. This area has a lot to offer.
Thinking about traveling to Sayulita? As a Fora Travel Advisor, when you book your trip with me, you’ll enjoy FREE PERKS as listed under the hotel section. Schedule a free consultation call to learn more — and let’s make your dream trip a reality.
ONWARDS!
FOR MORE FREE GUIDES: https://www.foratravel.com/travel-guides-itineraries-and-trip-reports?advisor=maggie-pecorino
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WHERE TO STAY
Casa Pepe Hostel Boutique Sayulita
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My Sayulita home away from home. Newly opened (October 2023) with modern, clean amenities, comfy beds, and strong AC. Centrally located but not too crazy hectic.
Ideal for the remote worker — lovely coworking space, never loud past 11. Beautiful rooftop pool/bar. Daily activities and tours. Social but not a party. (Only con is the small kitchen. There’s currently no sink — but hopefully they fix this soon.)
Don’t miss POWER HOUR every day from 8-9 PM: 100 pesos all you can drink beer or cantaritos.
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My Sister's House
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Female-only hostel! Super chill space. Daily events (great yoga!) open to the public.
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Viajero Sayulita
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Great rooftop. Yummy food. More social vibes a la your typical Viajero — think pool parties, DJs, etc..
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HOTELS
Thinking about traveling to Punta Mita? As a certified Fora Travel Advisor, booking a hotel with me means you’re eligible to receive FREE VIP PERKS such as:
- Daily breakfast for 2
- Resort credit (value dependent on property)
- Room upgrades (subject to availability)
- Early check-in / Late check-out (subject to availability)
Visit my page to schedule a free consultation call and learn more!
Susurros del Corazón, Auberge Resorts Collection
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Gorgeous property. Stylish and refined, yet relaxed. Highlight: their stretch of beach is unmatched in the area.
Delicious food. Three tiered, temperature-controlled pools.
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W Punta de Mita
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Colorful & chic surf-themed spot featuring six dining venues — most notably the exclusive Mesa 1, located on a private lake island with only 12 seats.
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The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort
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Newly renovated in 2024. Luxury on luxury.
St. Regis properties are renowned for their infamous Butler Service. They offer everything from a coffee service wake up call to unpacking your luggage — and so much more.
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WHAT TO DO
Playa Malpaso
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45 minute moderate hike through the jungle to a beautifully empty stretch of beach. Follow Sayulita main beach north until you reach the end and find a path into the trees. It’s intuitive.
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Selina Sayulita
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Wednesday Salsa! Super fun event. All levels welcome.
Beginner lessons begin 8/9, followed by a live band until later.
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Surf and Tacos Sayulita
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There are a ton of surf shops in Sayulita — but these are my boys. Go support!
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The Rose Room
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Lovely open-air yoga studio. Free community classes Sundays at 12PM.
Nice cafe downstairs as well.
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Playa Carricitos
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Best beach for sunset in the area. 25 minute walk (some uphill) from the center.
Bring beers and keep an eye out for the whales during migration season!
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The Embers
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This inconspicuous restaurant hosts DJ events on weekends in their cozy backyard space — check their Instagram for updates while you’re in town! Melodic, Tulum-y vibes. Chill.
(Never ate there myself, though heard the food was a win, a bit pricy.)
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Terrenal Organic Food Store
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Craving a yogurt that isn’t insanely sweet? Same. You can find natural Greek yogurt, along with a nice selection of other organic products here.
Pro tip: they carry Dr. Bronner’s. Because we all need it at some point on our travels.
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Monkey Mountain
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Beautiful hike ending with panoramic views of Punta Mita & the mountains. Easy start ends in a steep, boulder scramble finish. 2.5-3 hours roundtrip from Higuera Blanca (take the bus from Sayulita, grab a cab, or get lucky with an Uber.)
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WildMex Surf School & Adventure Center, La Lancha, Punta Mita
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La Lancha (25 minutes from Sayulita) is the area’s ideal beginner surf break. Perfect for lessons.
Take a shuttle from Sayulita (see Surf & Tacos above), or find your way on your own and rent from WildMex.
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WHAT TO EAT
BREAKFAST/CAFES
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Paninos Express Sayulita
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To-go coffee & pastries. One of the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had. Please get one.
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YAH-YAH Sayulita Café
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New Yorker-approved bagel breakfast sandwiches. Honestly… surprisingly good. And their honey mustard slaps.
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Anchor Cafe
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The focaccia sandwiches — yes. Pastries are also banging. Nice space to bring your computer for some emails, or whatever it is you’re trying to do.
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Cafetería Northswell Sabor Natural
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Lowkey cafe on the north side with a full breakfast menu. Yummy chilaquiles.
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ChocoBanana
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It’s giving American diner brunch — and I’m all for it. Huge, diverse menu. Super popular on weekends. Expect a short wait.
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TACOS
Naty's Kitchen
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If you go to Sayulita for one reason, it should be Naty’s chicken mole tacos. Outrageously good.
So many options — veggie, too!
Tip: only open through lunchtime.
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La Niña
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Well-priced, sit-down restaurant tacos if you feel like switching up your stand routine.
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Birria "Patty" Sayulita
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Daytime stand next to the bridge serving up fresh birria all day long.
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DINNER
El Itacate
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Get the El Itacate burrito: it’s covered in melted cheese and you can choose your cut of steak (sirloin, ribeye, etc..) Yummy salsas as well.
A bit pricy, but worth it.
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Hidden point
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“Punto Escondido” is just that: hidden away from the fray. Such a cute little place. Fresh sushi. Big, juicy burgers. Fun cocktails.
Great for a dinner treat.
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La Rustica Sayulita
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For when you’re craving pizza, because it will happen eventually. Solid, wood-fired crust. Lots of topping options.
Can’t personally attest for the rest of the menu, but friends loved the octopus.
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DESSERT
Gelatoos
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Natural, sugar-free gelato. Soooooo good & refreshing & tasty. Great selection of flavors.
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Sayu Swirls
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Freshly made froyo: choose your fruit and have it blended into the yogurt base upon ordering.
Or, rolled ice cream tacos in a waffle cone shell. (Tip: spend the 15 extra pesos and dip it in chocolate.)
You can’t go wrong either way,
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WHERE TO DRINK
Coco's Bar
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Laidback, often with live music. Karaoke nights. Cheap beers. Unpretentious. The perfect dive-y hang.
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Escondido Bar
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Craft cocktails right off the plaza. A bit more upscale, good for cozy date night vibes.
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YamBak Sayulita
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You’ll end up at Yambak at some point during your time in Sayulita whether you plan to or not. It’s where everyone seems to end up by the end of the night.
Beer-centric spot (though they didn’t have much stocked while I was in town).
DJs some nights. Can get very crowded, but fun.
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Barrilito Sayulita
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Thursday night DJs across the street from Yambak. Just wander back and forth between the two and you’ll find your place.
Or, like me, just stand in the middle of the road.
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SAN PANCHO
15 minutes north lies a smaller and quieter town, with a far nicer beach. This is what Sayulita used to be. It’s quite lovely, and definitely worth a day trip or two. (The Compostela bus runs frequently from the station.)
mercado san pancho nayarit
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Awesome Tuesday farmer’s market. Don’t miss.
Fresh food, produce, local products, jewelry, clothing, art — has it all.
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Café Paraíso
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Pastries for your beach picnic.
I got zucchini bread and then went back later for an oatmeal cookie. Both really good.
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Arigato Bake & Brew
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Brewery with deliciously fresh sushi. Hand rolls only. Try the carrot cake.
Adore this place. Wish I could have ordered everything on the menu.
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Taller Comunitario de Bicicletas La Rustina
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San Pancho’s ommunity center featuring locally-made goods, a library, and art. Sweet place to support the community.
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FOR MORE TROPICAL INSPO…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MAGGIE | ONWARDS TRAVEL
Available for hire
I’m Maggie: lover of the ocean, craft beer, and Google Maps.
I am a certified travel advisor with the amazing company Fora, where custom itinerary building and destination research is my specialty. I hope to use Thatch to reach likeminded travelers and share my knowledge in a fun, accessible format. My passion lies in people and human connection — this is why I travel.
My goal: make travel available to everyone in a way that transcends your Instagram discover page. While social media can be a wonderful tool for education and research, it is impersonal. I aim to use my interpersonal skills developed over years working as an actor to create truly unique travel memories that will surpass anything AI or search engine generated.
Schedule your free consultation, shoot me an email, or DM me @maggiedanielli on Instagram — and let’s plan that next trip together.
ONWARDS,
— Maggie
✈️ FREE GUIDES: https://www.foratravel.com/travel-guides-itineraries-and-trip-reports?advisor=maggie-pecorino
📣 TESTIMONIALS
“Working with Maggie was a dream! Her recommendations were exactly what we needed and planning our honeymoon with her was a breeze. She was very professional and handled everything quickly and efficiently. We will definitely be booking our future travel through her!” — Peter M.
“Maggie was fantastic with offering multiple suggestions, various price levels and locations, with detailed reasons for all the lodging she had gathered for me. She was extremely helpful and flexible with tailoring all the wants and activities I wanted my vacation to be from sightseeing, playing golf, grabbing a refreshing drink, relaxing poolside, and seeing friends and family. Maggie was always timely with a response and really did a fantastic job in planning my trip. I know that Maggie is the quintessential traveler, and it shows in her ability to help plan and achieve the vision that people have when they find a great travel advisor to maximize their journeys.” — Pat N.
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