Sayulita is easy to get to from Punta Mita. Right after you leave El Anclote, you will see a well developed road with a center median that heads to the north. This is the new road to Sayulita. It only takes about 15 to 20 minutes to drive it and the drive itself is quite interesting, as you pass by the new Fonatur development of super luxury hotels, condos, estates and golf courses, through a beautiful jungle (right by a zip line and horse rentals spot) and into Sayulita. When you see a cobbled street that takes off to the left after a speed bump, that is the back entrance to Sayulita.

If you do not have a rental car and want to take surfboards there is always a taxi van in El Anclote that will take you to Sayulita for 250 pesos (about $25.00) each way. I like taking the bus. While there is a bus that runs between the junction of the road to Sayulita and the road to Punta mIta, I prefer to simply take the bus into Bucerias and grab the bus to Sayulita. It cost 10 pesos (about $1.00) to Bucerias and then another 10 pesos to Sayulita. Buses run frequently and are very comfortable. The Punta Mita buses always have "ATM" on their sides while the Sayulita buses have the word "Compostella" on their sides.

When you arrive by bus in Sayulita simply walk over the bridge to you right and you are entering downtown Sayulita. The beach is to your right and the town square about 3 blocks ahead of you. It is extremely easy to find your way around in Sayulita.

A Small Peek at Sayulita's Fabulous Beaches

When we first started coming to Sayulita years ago, its pristine beaches, excellent surf, wonderful palapa restaurants and friendly people mesmerized us. We found it hard to imagine how there could be a more ideal spot on Earth. Somehow the setting was almost surreal with the jungle meeting the ocean with perfect surf spots and a backdrop of palapa restaurants and a quaint Mexican fishing village. I doubt that anywhere could have captured the magic of Mexico's personality better.

That is when some travel magazine named Sayulita as one of the world's 10 best beaches. Overnight, Sayulita gained favor with tourists and everything that comes with the tourist trade. Today, Sayulita is fun to visit, not because of it idyllic and pristine setting, but because of its shopping, restaurants and beach activity.

A Word About Surfing in Sayulita

Sayulita Surf Lessons

Everywhere you look on Sayulita's beach there are surf shops, surf schools, surfboard rentals and everything else one could associate with surfing available. The surf in Sayulita has become as crowded and the main break of Canoes in Waikiki. I suspect that it is the same people in Sayulita that you would find in Waikiki too. While some of the locals still rip the break, they are confronted with people on soft top long boards paddling their hardest to drop in on them. I admire the locals for not becoming angrier than they have. So, I thought I would share some basic surfing tips if you are going to Sayulita to learn how to surf. If you follow these tips, you will have a wonderful time.

Tip Number One (and the Most Important One): If you are riding the main peak in town (a right peak followed by a right wall) DO NOT TRY TO TAKE OFF ON THE WAVE IF THERE IS SOMEONE ALREADY ON THE WAVE TO YOUR LEFT!!!! They have priority on the wave and it is his or her wave. If you do take off be prepared to get vibed (vibed means that you will get yelled at, threatened in severe cases and if you collide with the surfer because you do not know how to surf, punched in the worse case scenario). If you are riding the left at the river mouth, do not take off if there is someone already on the wave to your right for the same reason. If you are riding the beach break in front of Don Pedros, stay away from the complete beginners (unless you are one) and try to find a spot where no one else is. Surfing is not a group sport.

Tip Number Two: Reread tip number one!

Just One of the Many Surf Schools on the Beach

I think I made my point. You can have a wonderful time learning to surf in Saulita if you simply pay attention to tip number one. Some of Mexico's top surfers live in Sayulita and rip the right apart. They are fun to watch and you can learn a lot from them. So, if you are on the peak and you see a guy on a short thruster smashing the lips of the wave, doing huge bottom turns and potentially an aerial or two, take my advice and do not try to take off in front of (snake) him or her.

Sayulita's Church on the Town Square

Like most Mexican fishing villages, Sayulita has a colorful central square and church. This is the epicenter of Sayulita and you will see restaurants along all of the streets that face the square. You cannot go wrong with any of these. The main beach is just one block to the west and the streets in all directions are lined with shops and boutiques.

A Typical Sayulita Street Scene

As you look around from the square, you start to get a feeling that you are somewhere very special.

Looking Up One of the Main Shopping Streets

On the way from the bridge to the town square you will pass numerous sops, boutiques and specialty stores. Many of these shops carry fine gifts from Mexico.

A Sample of the Good s Sold in Sayulita

Look for fine ceramics, linens, wood carvings, blankets, and other art objects in the better stores. There are also a good number of surf and beach shops selling clothing, sandals, swim suits, jewelry and everything else imaginable. Of course, you will also find all of the Mexican souvenirs in abundance.

Sayulita's Interesting Architecture

One of the really memorable things about Sayulita is its interesting architecture. As you explore Sayulita you become aware of just how cool this place really is.

An Overview of Sayulita

While you will probably spend the day in one of Sayulita's palapa restaurants, on the beach or in the water, visiting Sayulita is definitely worth a day of your vacation.

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