S A Y U L I T A
A modern beach bohemia on the Nayarit Peninsula, an hour north of Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita was once a picturesquely impoverished fishing village when the first American surfers appeared there in the early seventies. Amid dense jungle, scorpions and wild parrots, these brave adventurers basically had to hack their way to what would become known as one of Mexico’s most sensational boarding waves – 1000 feet long on a normal day, 1600 on a good one and with swells that top off at eight feet. Not so remote or hidden anymore, Sayulita still has a super chilled vibe (and good waves). Christmas and New Year are chaos, but outside of that week (as well as the first week of April for Mexican Spring Break, apparently), the beaches are clean and beautiful, and only lightly sprinkled with bronzing bodies. This low-key getaway lures all sorts of sun-seeking tourists from around the world, who gather here to recharge on vitamin d, yoga and surf. Cobblestone streets circle the central plaza – where tourists and locals gather – and Huichol Indian artists sell their handwoven crafts. You will pass taco carts, fresh-squeezed juice stands, bread and pastry sellers, churro stalls, and local musicians. Sayulita savors a slower pace. The streets here are dusty, exhausted and somewhat bedraggled…but we don’t mind this kind of scene. The locals are super friendly – they greet you before you greet them, but don’t harass or bother you in anyway. Beautiful sunsets are enjoyed daily by the fisherman, the fisherman’s wives, their children, the surfers, the beach bums, the retirees, the locals and tourists alike. It’s a fun little place to chill and recharge, or party, or both. The margaritas flow freely…and somehow, they are hangover-free. Just the way we like it.
To eat…
Although small, this town has a lot to offer in the way of food. Eating is oftentimes the focus when livin' la vida Mexicana, and Sayulita’s weekly organic farmer's market (held each Friday) was the highlight of our foodie-experience. We fell in love with Sandrita’s delicious and healthy baking (try her vegan slice, her blue corn and banana muffins, and her gluten-free chocolate brownies) – also available at her restaurant, Tacos on the Street. It is at the market that we also met (and instantly fell head over heels for!) Lucy – a beautiful Australian girl from Byron Bay – who moved to Sayulita with her Mexican husband to start La Esperanza, a delicious wholefoods café. They sell some of their healthy delights at the weekly market, including their unbelievable raw cacao balls…and incredible dhal and quinoa salads. Look out also for great breads, amazing falafel, fruit & veg, and organic kombuchas. Friday couldn’t come soon enough each week that we were there.
On to tacos…
There were 4 places that were absolute standouts in our mind:
{C}1. {C}For the best fish tacos…look no further than Miguel’s fish tacos (actual name?) (opposite Paninos). Miguel and his crew dish up fresh and healthy grilled mahi-mahi, snapper and shrimp tacos, day and night. Try one of Miguel’s delicious blended margaritas as well.
{C}2. {C}For the best vegetarian tacos…head to Naty’s Kitchen. There is always a big queue down the street, at this super clean and healthy taco joint. Get there early, as the fillings sell out and your options therefore diminish, the later you go. We love the pulled chicken (its not all vegetarian!).
{C}3. {C}For our favorite and most wholesome and delicious…try Lucy’s fish tacos at La Esperanza.
{C}4. {C}Finally, and for the most local experience, head north on Avenida Revolucion until you spot the tacos al pastor vendor selling his marinated pork on the vertical rotisseries outside Carniceria Trunco's. Before ordering, watch this grill master at work. Notice the piece of fresh pineapple on top of the meat? Its sweet juice drips over the meat, breaking down a protein and making it very tender. After you order, he'll thinly slice the crusty meat directly on a small, homemade corn tortilla and cover it with onion, cilantro, lime juice, salsa and a small slice of pineapple.
For breakfast…
La Esperanza again takes the cake, for their healthy spin on Mexican cuisine…with all sorts of deliciousness, including quinoa bowls with coconut yoghurt and fruit, or delicious buckwheat pancakes. Another favorite, is Yah Yah’s for their fruit salad, yoghurt and granola…(try this on a waffle as well!) …and great lattes (choose from rice, soy and almond milk). Just be careful of the bees!
For the best smoothie in town…
Go and say hi to our mate, Isaac, at Smoothies Mi Buen on the bridge. Isaac used to work in the hospitality industry, until opening his smoothie stand 3 years ago. He makes healthy and delicious concoctions that will fill you up perfectly and provide a nourishing start to your day. We were somewhat impartial to the “perfect breakfast” – banana, spinach, oats, coconut, almond milk and whey protein. So good!! He also plays the best tunes in town.
For lunch…
La Esperanza again is our favorite…for an ever-changing menu of home-made, wholesome goodness. Think home-made dahl, quinoa salad, Mexican slow-cooked beef, etc. Also, amazing juices (watermelon and mint, our favorite), and delightful sweets – we love their cacao balls (packed with dates and nuts). Be sure to visit the organic market on Friday mornings as well, where Lucy has a few of her offerings for sale.
For an afternoon coffee and snack…
Head to Taco’s on the Street (on avenida revolucion, across the street from the international school). Don’t be deceived by the name! Sandrita is known as Sayulita’s leading baking lady! Her vegan bar, her apple and blackberry crumble, and her blue corn, mango, coconut and banana muffins, are to die for. She also does a great coffee, and some killer smoothies. Wifi also on offer.
Always full with gringos, and known as Sayulita’s original coffee shop and café, Choco banana is good for a quick drink stop. A good people-watching spot right on the plaza, we kept going back for their Choco banana frappe: frozen coffee ice cubes, banana and chocolate – blended with milk. They also do a mean frozen banana dipped in chocolate!
Best sandwiches….
can be found at Paninos. They have a great range of fresh and homemade bread and pastries, and do some great baguettes – perfect if you plan on doing a day trip at another beach.
For dinner…our favorites include:
{C}1. {C}Green Grill: for a beautiful ambience (think fairy lights, open kitchen and bar, living green wall etc), and great, simple, healthy food. The grilled salmon and the filet mignon were standouts. Choose your sides (grilled veggies) and salads. All delicious. Great wines as well.
{C}2. {C}Pizza Venezia (byo) – be prepared to wait – but worth it, the wait shall be! The most authentic Italian-style pizza to be found in Sayulita. Decent pasta as well. We love this little strip – less touristy, more laid-back and friendly. Another great spot is the Argentinian grill across the road. Say hi to Nano, the hard-working Argentinian working the outside grill on the street!
{C}3. {C}Miro Vino: for home made pasta, decent pizzas and great fish dishes. Lovely outdoor setting, just steps up from the main square.
{C}4. {C}Don Pedro: on the main beach. This upscale restaurant (for Sayulita anyway) is where we spent our Christmas dinner. Beautiful views and a lovely ambience, the food here did not disappoint – the highlight being the whole snapper. More expensive than most, this makes for a beautiful (more fancy) night out.
Others that we tried, and liked:
Café Sayulita: located on the main street coming into town, half a block from the plaza – Café Sayulita does great beef fajitas, and fish dishes. The margaritas here are also memorable!
Don Juan: slightly out of town, but lovely setting. Quite romantic.
Mar Plata: in San Pancho 15 minutes from Sayulita, but amazing food and ambience.
To drink…
La Zouave de Hotel Hafa: right next to Le Petit Hafa, their cute adjoining bar is the perfect place to while away a night after dinner. They make a killer cucumber margarita!! Or try their delicious berry caiprinha.
Red bar on the square – not sure of name?
Bar on the corner (where we were on NYE) – not sure of name?
To sleep…
Petit Hotel d'Hafa
Owned by Christophe and his Spanish wife, Marina, unofficially the best-looking couple in Sayulita, the six-room Hafa is a winsome bit of Morocco in the middle of town just steps from the water, with barrel-vaulted ceilings, chartreuse polished-cement floors, and pierced-tin wall lights in the shape of angel wings. Straw mats are stenciled with hearts, crescents, and Pop art flowers, and hand-tempered copper jam basins do the job of bathroom sinks.
Casablanca: we liked the beach-side location of this white coloured resort. A great pool, that hugs the beach, the hotel is perfectly situated away from the hustle and bustle of the centre of town.
Villa Amor: sweeping ocean vistas from these hill-hugging suites, and a sexy room concept that does away with outside walls and invites you to see Sayulita through a rustling fringe of palm fronds.
Haramara: http://www.haramararetreat.com: a serenely stylish, magnificently groomed yoga-and-meditation compound that accepts nonpractitioners without making them feel like second-class guests. Sixteen palapas, scattered on a jungle bluff overlooking the Pacific a few minutes out of town, have no electricity, only kerosene lamps and candles.
If you are looking for something more budget-friendly, we highly recommend both Hostal Casa Amistad http://www.hostalcasaamistad.com and the Sayulita Trailer Park & Bungalows http://pacificbungalow.com/1153.html. The private rooms here are spacious, clean and accommodating. We had a great 2 bedroom apartment at the Sayulita Trailer Park, with sunroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room for USD80 per night.
Other options: check out a wide variety of Spanish-style vacation homes, apartments and villas—many complete with kitchens and pools— listed on www.sayulitalife.com. Photos and descriptions make choices easy.
To do…
1. Hire paddleboards/surfboards from Kalle at Lunazul Surf School. We loved nothing more than starting our day with an hour long paddleboard session out from the main beach…on our last morning just recently, we were completely blessed with the presence of two enormous and beautiful whales, playing in the waters just 100m in front of us. We named them Esperanza and Fortuna! Awe-inspiring creatures.
Kalle (half Mexican/half Finnish) and his team are super friendly and offer great advice on where best to surf and hang out. Kalle gave us a great tip off about a surf beach 20mins south of Sayulita – La Lancha. You can also get surf lessons here,
2. Do a day trip to La Lancha (700 peso return trip in a cab) – great surf spot 20mins south of Sayulita. The only catch is you have to have a board to enter this spot. The entrance is guarded by security, and they wont let you in unless you have a surfboard or boogie board. Grab one from Lalunazul Stop at KM5 (in Higuera Blanca) on the way home, for a beer and guacamole on the rooftop. Great tunes and views over the jungle.
3. Yoga, yoga and more yoga….we recommend the beautiful yoga shala up on the hill (with breathtaking views over the ocean) at Mexifit. We also loved Nara’s classes at Yoga Paraiso.
{C}5. {C}Massage: try a Thai massage with Nara at Yoga Paraiso (USD65), or any variety of massage at the more commercial Nirvana, in the centre of town, just one block from the square.
{C}6. {C}Weekly Organic Food Market: every Friday morning, at xxx
{C}7. {C}Arrange a private chef: Carlos Rojas works for catering company, ITAKATE. He is an excellent chef and extremely professional. Our tastebuds were treated to his amazing home made shrimp ravioli, fish, and other incredible dishes. For more information, email: ventas@casianospv.com
8. Rent a car / golf buggy / boat
9. Day trip to San Pancho
10. Walk and explore! Continue along the beachside road and on to visit the city's cemetery. On many of the graves you'll see decorations and flowers from the Day of the Dead, when local families go to visit their dead relatives. If you go to the cemetery, bring your bathing suit and walk through to the secluded beach called La Playa de Los Muertos. It's where local families like to go, and the surf is calm. Nice place for a picnic.
To shop…
1. Gypsy Gallery is our favorite store in town. Colorful, chaotic and jam-packed full of Mexican tiles, pareus, antique oriental rugs, textiles, leather bags, Day of the Dead papier-mâché figures, plates, tray, jewelry, and Frida Kahlo-inspired anything and everything.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gypsy-Gallery/98836699602
2. Pachamama: owned by gypset queen Nathalie Mignot, Pachamama on the main brick path is impossible to miss. Inside you’ll find more leather fringe than you can shake a tassle at, and Tahitian pearl jewelry that begs to be layered. You will also find terra-cotta bowls, beach towels and other beautiful homewares. Check out Sininen surf shop a few doors down for surf-friendly bikinis and souvenir T-shirts. http://www.pachamamasayulita.com.mx
3. El Revolution del Sueno for home goods embroidered in ultra neon colors – think, tees, hoodies, cards, posters, bags, beach towels, sarongs, jewelry and sunglasses. http://revoluciondelsueno.com
Things to note…
Getting there: From Puerto Vallarta, you can take a taxi for approx. 650 pesos one-way. Otherwise, walk over the pedestrian bridge outside the entrance and get the bus (for only 25 pesos, USD2). This only takes a little longer than a cab, and drops you off near the centre of town. Another option is to hire a shuttle service from Sayulita for about $130 round trip (http://www.sayulitalife.com/ramos-taxi.htm).
Money: There are several ATMs in Sayulita – but they often run out of cash! A bit of a problem, given Sayulita is almost entirely a cash economy. You can use U.S. dollars at some stores, but it's definitely better to use pesos. Try to grab pesos at the airport first if you can.
Weather: Winter normally sees clear skies, highs in the low to mid 80s, lows in the high 60s or low 70s. Swimsuits are appropriate dress everywhere, but take along a sweatshirt in case it gets cool after dark. Summer is the rainy and hotter season, still a paradise.
Tourist Cards: This applies for any trip to Mexico. Do not lose this card. You must have it to leave the country. You will get one on the plane going to Mexico and it will be stamped by Mexican immigration upon entry. Should you lose the card a new one will be issued at the airport but it will take time and cost money.
