Summary

The author describes Sayulita as a laidback surfer town on Mexico's West Coast, offering a unique blend of tranquility by day and vibrant nightlife, which is particularly recommended for younger travelers seeking authentic experiences over tourist hotspots.

Abstract

The article recounts the author's experience in Sayulita, a small town in Nayarit, Mexico, which they found to be a refreshing change from the touristy and expensive Puerto Vallarta. Sayulita is portrayed as an idyllic and affordable destination with a strong surfer and hippie culture, surrounded by jungle landscapes and beautiful beaches. The town is noted for its cheaper prices, especially for local delicacies like fish tacos, and its growing popularity among expats and digital nomads due to its bilingual school and internet cafes. The author highlights the stark contrast between the town's calm daytime atmosphere and its lively nightlife, suggesting it's an ideal spot for those who enjoy a balance of relaxation and festivity. The author's personal enjoyment of Sayulita led to an extended stay and a strong recommendation for fellow travelers, especially the younger crowd, while also acknowledging it might not be the best choice for those seeking quiet nights.

Opinions

The author found Puerto Vallarta too touristy and expensive.
Sayulita is preferred for its authenticity and lower prices.
Fish tacos in Sayulita are both delicious and reasonably priced.
The town's hippie culture and street art are appealing to certain travelers.
Sayulita is becoming a hub for expats and digital nomads.
The nightlife in Sayulita is vibrant and a key attraction for younger visitors.
The author suggests that Sayulita may not suit older travelers or those looking for peace at night.
An extended stay in Sayulita is recommended for those who appreciate a mix of tranquility and celebration.

Sayulita, Paradise on Mexico’s West Coast

When visiting the Mexican West Coast this winter, I spent a few days in the small town of Sayulita, which combines the most laidback vibe during the day with the most vibrant at night!

The main square of Sayulita, Nayarit, on a sunny day in December, Photo by author

I arrived on the Mexican West Coast at the beginning of December 2022, arriving from the concrete jungle of Mexico City in the much calmer beach town of Puerto Vallarta, in the Jalisco State.

After spending 8 days in the hustle and bustle of Mexico’s enormous and never sleeping capital, the move to the Pacific coast was initially a welcome change of surroundings.

But, long story short, I didn’t really enjoy the already very popular Coastal City of Puerto Vallarta for long, as after my first two days there, I realized that it was far too touristy and expensive for my liking. Also, don’t get me wrong, I know that I’m a tourist myself, but I really don’t like going to tourist hotspots where you only bump into fellow tourists and families with kids, for the sheer reason that these places quite rapidly lose all of their authentic flair and see a fast and huge spike in prices the more popular they get.

Sunset in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Photo by author

Anyway, Puerto Vallarta, as beautiful as the Sunsets there might have been, was a bit too expensive and touristy for me personally, and thus, after 3 days there, I decided to head further North up the Coast to a town that quite a few Mexicans on my journey had already told me about: Sayulita, in the small State of Nayarit.

First of all, there are only 2 ways to get to Sayulita: by car or by bus. If you don’t happen to rent a car then you can take hourly buses there from the City of Guadalajara or from Puerto Vallarta, where I came from. From Puerto Vallarta, the bus journey took a bit under 2 hours and cost me about 4 USD, and the journey on the bus itself was magnificent as it was passing mainly through the jungle.

The landscapes surrounding Sayulita are absolutely idyllic and awesome at the same time, you feel like being in the middle of the jungle but you’ve also got one of Mexico’s most beautiful beaches and coastlines just around the corner!

The first main difference with Puerto Vallarta that I noticed upon my arrival in Sayulita was the cheaper prices and the less touristy vibe. While Puerto Vallarta is a tourist hotspot that is very popular among families, Sayulita is rather known as a small surfer town with a very very young and laidback vibe.

Regarding prices, I’ll give you my best possible example: when you’re on the Mexican Coast, you absolutely have to try Fish Tacos, it’s a must as they only exist Seaside!

So, compared to Puerto Vallarta, where I also tried some and where they were very expensive (I obviously thought this was normal at first because fish usually is more expensive than meat), they were much more delicious and cheaper in Sayulita! Here, Fish Tacos literally cost the same price as Chicken Tacos in Mexico City, so not pricey at all!

Delicious Fish Tacos in Sayulita, Photo by author

The town is also known for its famous Hippie vibe, so if you’re into Reggae and Hippie culture, this magical place in the Mexican West Coast jungle is definitely heaven on earth for you!

Amazing Street Art in Sayulita, Photo by author

Very authentic Van on the streets of Sayulita, Photo by author

The small coastal town is also getting more and more popular among ex-pats from Canada, the US and other parts of Mexico. In fact, there’s even already an international bilingual school in this small town, which really surprised me!

It’s also becoming more and more of a paradise for digital nomads, as Sayulita has lots of cool Internet Cafes and Bars, offering free Wi-Fi and decent working spots, while the calm and laidback vibe during the day makes it the perfect place to work online without any distractions.

But one of the most astonishing facts about Sayulita, which makes it quite a unique place (and also not the best place to visit as an elder person), is that as calm, quiet and idyllic as it is during the day, as loud, vibrant and festive it gets during the night!

Sayulita is one of those places that sleep during the day but wakes up at night! The nightlife itself is one of the best I’ve witnessed in Mexico, mainly due to the fact that, as it is so tiny, there are not many places to go, there are only 3 to 4 different bars/clubs, but everyone goes to the same places which creates an amazing atmosphere!

If you decide to live in Sayulita, you’ll probably know the whole town after a few weeks, but the vibe is great, it literally feels as if the calmness of the whole daylight is transformed into a vibrant festive mood when the sun goes down!

I can personally say that I had a great time in Sayulita, I enjoyed both (and honestly more) the calm, relaxing days, but also the eventful, vibrant and often sleepless nights! When I arrived there, I initially booked my hostel for 2 nights, but ended up staying there for 5 nights before continuing my journey!

I would definitely recommend Sayulita to any person visiting the West Coast of Mexico, but especially to younger persons, as it’s not the best place to find much sleep at night!

So if you are out of the nightlife age, or if partying just isn’t your thing, then you shouldn’t spend a night in Sayulita, but you could then still go there for a day trip from Guadalajara or Puerto Vallarta to enjoy one of the most laidback vibes on earth on one of Mexico’s most beautiful beaches!