THE BEST ACTIVITIES IN SAYULITA, MEXICO

We reserved a full catamaran through Ally Cat Sailing, which included free drinks all day, a stop at Las Marietas islands for snorkeling, and whale watching along the way. This is the most ~bougie~ (as well as expensive) activity of the whole trip but it’s worth every penny. I lived on the coast of California for 16 years and never saw a whale breach until this tour! Plus, the amazing guides let you plug your phone into the aux so you can make the party whatever you want it to be.

For our group, a few of us were also scuba certified so we scheduled for them to do a dive tour of Las Marietas Islands with Sayulita Entourage. The six-hour tour includes two tanks for two dives in Las Marietas, which is a Mexican National Park, and only costs $150 USD for the gear, tanks, boat tour, and lunch. For those who aren’t certified, you can also obtain your scuba certification via Sayulita Entourage for about $400 USD, which my boyfriend did during our time in town.

Playa de Los Muertos is a much smaller and more relaxed beach to the left of Playa de Sayulita. To get there, you’ll simply walk to the end of the flag-lined block (but not all the way to the water), take a left, and then follow the road to the right until you hit a graveyard and eventually the beach. This beach has everything that Playa de Sayulita has except for the surfing (I believe…) and is a nice reprieve from the heavy crowds you might find at the main beach. I also found it to be even more beautiful with the rocks on both ends of the beach.

Mercado del Pueblo is a small open-air artisan market located across the bridge from the main square in Sayulita. Full of souvenirs and little tchotchkes, the market is a great place to stroll through after breakfast and pick up some gifts for back home.

an Pancho, formally known as San Francisco, is another beach town located about an hour and a half hike from Sayulita. You’ll start in the downtown of Sayulita and walk northwest of town, over the bridge, and at the fork in the road, head left. After a while, you’ll find yourself on a road with few outlets that will eventually lead to a trailhead that takes you through the forest to San Pancho. We decided to stop part way through the hike to enjoy a secluded beach nearby and then were on our way. Once you get to San Pancho, you’ll find that it’s essentially what Sayulita was like 15 years ago before it became the popular vacation destination that it is today. Spend the day at the beach and enjoy the restaurants before heading home for the night.

Who doesn’t love a little pampering? Head to Nirvanna Spa (above Barracuda restaurant in town) for a relaxing massage. You can contact the spa in advance to reserve the terrace where they’ll also provide you with complimentary sparkling wine and snacks while they pamper you with a wide variety of services. However, to be honest, the street below was so loud that I couldn’t fully enjoy the wonderful massage they were giving me. I did see that to the left and right ends of Playa de Sayulita there are a lot of massage parlors offering the same experience but on the beach, so I would recommend checking out the various options before you decide.

Playa Escondida, famously known as being the beach where the Bachelor in Paradise franchise is filmed each summer, is located only a 30-minute walk from downtown Sayulita! If you walk to the left of downtown you’ll find yourself briefly on a main road and then take the first right up a hill, which will lead you to the Playa Escondida Resort, which is where the franchise was filmed. Prior to the shows being filmed there, this beach was known as a secret enclave to locals but has recently grown in popularity for obvious reasons. If you’ve ever wondered why the cast never swims in the ocean on the show, it’s because the surf is famously rough there, so just expect to explore the beach and avoid the water while you’re there.

Sayulita has some great restaurants and amazing cuisine. Whether you’re looking for street tacos, or massive burritos, or even classic Italian food, there’s something for everyone. Check out my guide for The Best Restaurants in Sayulita.