Sayulita is the first town you will come across as you head north and pass Banderas Bay. It is set on the beautiful Riviera Nayarit just above Punta Mita, the peninsula that marks the northern edge of the bay. It remained a charming and picturesque fishing village even after it was discovered by surfers and hippies in the late 1960s. They began to travel to Sayulita Mexico in search of the perfect wave after Highway 200, the main north to south coastal road, was built. The town is still known for its excellent, consistent rolling waves and is the best surfing spot on this part of the coast. Part of the appeal of this part of the coast is the unusually large width and length of the beaches, due to the fact that the Sierra Madre Mountains sit back from the water’s edge. South of Puerto Vallarta, the mountains spill right into the ocean, creating smaller beaches.

In the 1990s, Sayulita Nayarit was again discovered—this time by snowbirds from the United States who found there were excellent Sayulita deals to be had on real estate in the sleepy little village. They built vacation homes, which they used as retreats from the North American winter. They were followed by developers who built Sayulita villas and condos to accommodate the influx of visitors. Today, there are excellent Sayulita deals to be had on vacation rentals, and several Sayulita hotels have sprung up, including cheap hotels and beach resorts. Nonetheless, the town remains small and quiet when compared to the busy beaches, boisterous nightlife, and row after row of hotels you will find in cosmopolitan Puerto Vallarta.

The town is located about 25 miles north of Puerto Vallarta, and when you travel to Sayulita Mexico you will probably fly into that city’s international airport. The most convenient form of transportation once you’ve arrived will be car rentals. These offer the added advantage of being able to explore on your own, and you find that a scenic drive further up the 75 miles of Nayarit coast can be quite rewarding. However, you can still get here without a car. You can get a taxi from the airport for a fairly reasonable price. If you’re looking for the cheapest possible Sayulita deals for transportation, there is frequent bus service, and that trip takes about an hour.

Puerto Vallarta Map

If you travel to Sayulita Mexico during the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn, do be aware that some of the businesses catering to tourists close from May to November. The best weather for this area is during the winter and into the early spring. Also, be aware of the time zone change between Jalisco state (location of Puerto Vallarta) and Nayarit state. The state line is north of the airport, just before Nuevo Vallarta. Nayarit is one hour behind Jalisco. Sayulita has some good restaurants and bars, other than those found in the hotels. Most of these are in the town center and along the beach. If you’ve booked vacation rentals, you will find some good food markets to stock up on supplies.