SPOTLIGHT ON SAYULITA | KALLE CARRANZA

Name: Kalle Carranza

Age: 33

Star sign: Libra

Hometown: Born in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. Living in Sayulita, Nayarit.

What brought you to Sayulita? And how long have you been here? Been here most of my life. My parents have always lived 20 minutes away in Bucerias, and I started surfing back in 1989, so I surfed most of the beaches in the area for years. My parents started bringing me to Sayulita when I was 6, and we used to get shrimp from the Sayulita river back then. I met the Cadena brothers (Tigre, Nando, Pato, Diego and Regis) around that time and started coming here very often during the Winter months (Nov-May) when Sayulita has waves. We surfed together all the time and improved by pushing each other. Sayulita to me is my home town.

What do you do here? My girlfriend, my parents and I run Lunazul Surf School and Sininen Surf Shop.

Describe yourself in 3 words or less: Traveler, friendly, surfer.

What gets you out of bed each day? My girlfriend, my work, Sayulita. I love the fact I get to teach people to surf. It's awesome to see their faces when they stand up on a wave for the first time.

We only have 24 hours in Sayulita, what should we do? Have a fresh coconut, learn to surf, walk the Cemetery and to the Los Muertos beach, have some ceviche at Costeños Restaurant on the beach, have an ice cream at Wakika and then go to the main Plaza after sunset.

Where should we surf? Of course I'm going to say Lunazul :) We make sure people are on the right equipment and have fun. We provide lockers, change rooms, free use of board for one hour after surf lesson, and we are right in front of the beginner waves that break over a sandy bottom. If you don't surf with us, make sure of 3 things:

1) That you have a good, capable instructor.

2) That the equipment you're on is safe and appropriate.

3) That they take you to a soft, easy wave where you can learn the basics before going off to a reef bottom break.

Best place to watch the sun go down: Not in Sayulita. Go to Carricitos Beach. A 25min walk from Sayulita's main beach.

Favorite taco spot: Bichos.

Best place for yoga: Hotelito de los Sueños. Best teachers: Jennifer, Vanessa and Eva. 

Any hidden secrets? Every season there's new restaurants, bars, coffee shops, etc. So every year there's something new.

Who is inspiring you right now? Sir Ken Robinson and Benjamin Zander. Watch their TED talks. 

And what is on your stereo? Mt Warning, Alt-J, Dan Croll, Kid Mac, Lana del Rey, Mr. Little Jeans.

Words you live by… Treat others the way you would like to be treated.

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