An hour northwest of Puerto Vallarta on the west coast of Mexico, Sayulita is commonly referred to as pueblo magico, or, “magic city.” It’s a vigorous, hip seashore city stuffed with surfers and pleasant locals cruising round in golf carts.

Typically acknowledged for the colourful artwork strung above the streets, Sayulita is changing into an ever extra standard place to go to thanks to its laid-back ambiance, lovely pure setting, and abundance of cool issues to do. Listed here are some superior actions to attempt there:

Surf

Sayulita is a surfer’s paradise, and is nice for novices. Taking a surf lesson is simple and enjoyable, particularly with one of many respected firms in city. Lunazul Browsing, for instance, is among the finest in Sauylita for board leases, surf classes, and browsing excursions to different spots on the coast. The family-owned firm has been praised by publications like Journey + Leisure and Lonely Planet for friendliness, location, tools, lodging, and data. For a 1.5-hour lesson, costs vary from $45 to $65.

Yoga Retreat or Class

The chilliness, laid-back ambiance of Sayulita makes the world a terrific place for a yoga retreat. Whereas there are numerous retreats ranging in size throughout Sayulita, I adored Haramara, the place you’ll be able to select the size of your retreat, keep in beautiful cabañas, and revel in clear, entire meals ready for you each day. The Haramara property grounds are merely beautiful and would make the right setting for some much-need rejuvenation. Relying on if you go and the lodging you favor, costs vary from $215 to $390 per night time.

I attended a weeklong girls’s retreat there and whereas I assumed it was magical, it’s necessary to know that the villas don’t have partitions. You’re completely immersed in nature and can see many birds, butterflies, and even iguanas. There’s no electrical energy, both, and nights are lived by lamplight. I by no means felt unsafe and cherished the expertise – get out of your consolation zone a bit!

Or, in case you’re merely on the lookout for a couple of yoga lessons, take a look at Paraiso Yoga, which affords between one and 4 lessons per day in all totally different yoga types. The studio even has a cool on-line deal the place you should purchase seven days of limitless yoga lessons for simply $55, which might be excellent in case you’re taking a week-long journey to Sayulita!

Islas Marietas Tour

The Marietas Islands are small, uninhabited islands off the coast of Nayarit, the province of which Sayulita is part. Take a tour to the islands the place you’ll be able to discover clear waters, nice seashores, and coves. Some excursions embrace snorkeling and others embrace whale-watching, however most are half-day excursions departing from and returning to Sayulita. One nice tour firm is WildMex, which affords a couple of totally different tour choices to the islands.

Jungle Hike

WildMex affords one other cool exercise: a jungle hike. Climb Monkey Mountain for panoramic views from the summit, or hike by means of the jungle from Sayulita to the neighboring city of San Pancho. Both trek will permit you to get out into the gorgeous pure environment of the world and see some cool flora, fauna, and wildlife. Plus, all of the income of those excursions are used to create new trails and keep present ones! Guide a spot on a gaggle tour (the place you’ll meet another cool vacationers) for $65.

Horseback Experience

Hop on a trusty steed and journey by means of the jungle and alongside the seashore to discover much more of Sayulita. The horseback journey itself could be a ton of enjoyable, plus it’s a good way to get out and about! Rancho Mi Chaparrita affords each lengthy and quick rides at totally different occasions of the day, so you might go for a shady afternoon journey below the bushes or a even sundown journey alongside the shoreline. A brief tour lasting an hour and twenty minutes prices $50, whereas an extended tour of two hours and twenty minutes prices $90.

ATV

Should you’re actually feeling adventurous, additionally take one in every of Rancho Mi Chaparrita’s thrilling ATV excursions, the place you’ll be splashing, crashing, and cruising by means of the ocean, jungle, and Sayulita city on a four-wheeler. A single ATV prices $85 for a two-hour journey, full with fruit and drinks. Beware, you would possibly get muddy, but it surely’ll be one superior journey!

Zip Line

Amongst Rancho Mi Chaparrita’s different adventures is a jungle cover zipline tour. With 13 traces and 4 suspension bridges all through the jungle, you’ll spend two hours zipping by means of the treetops excessive above the bottom. Imagine it or not, Rancho Mi Chaparrita’s journey even comes with a free tequila tasting! This enjoyable tour prices $85 per particular person.

Store ‘Til You Drop

Again in city, Sayulita has a ton of nice buying choices. There are many shops throughout city with cute, distinctive clothes choices, although they are often expensive. For extra of a neighborhood really feel, looking markets could be a enjoyable exercise to get a way of the city, beginning with Sayulita’s riverside “hippie market” full of colourful, handmade items and crafts. Stroll by means of the rows of tables topped with enjoyable, distinctive gadgets and pick a pair of earrings or seashore blanket to keep in mind your journey by.

On Fridays, take a look at the Sayulita famers’ market, the place native distributors promote scrumptious baked items and different meals. Then, on Sundays, head over to the tianguis, one other open-air market with clothes, textiles, and native art work.

Artwork Peep

Among the finest issues about Sayulita is the artwork throughout city. From the streamers hanging over little roadways branching out from the city sq. to the murals by proficient artists, Sayulita is quirky and colourful.

I cherished strolling by means of city and discovering new murals and streamers each time I went out.

Benefit from the Seaside

Sayulita’s essential seashore, the place the surf waves are and loads of hawkers and bars, was not my favourite half. However you don’t have to go far to discover quiet locations to lay your towel down and go for a swim. I like to recommend turning proper and strolling up the seashore till you discover your excellent spot.

The water is a contact above lukewarm, and normally the waves aren’t too massive, both.

Escape to San Pancho

I admit, the very first thing I needed to do upon reaching Sayulita was go away. From what I’ve heard it has modified loads in the previous few years and morphed from a quiet, artsy hippie city to extra of a vacationer spot. It’s excellent for individuals who need to drive round golf carts and social gathering in bars, however that’s not me. In time I did discover the quieter, extra lovely components of the city and got here to benefit from the surrounding areas, however I nonetheless favored San Pancho seashore in San Francisco, only a 20 minute drive north, significantly better.

If you’d like peace and tranquility and are OK with skipping the bars, head to San Pancho. I adored it.

Discover Close by Seashores

There are a number of pretty seashores close by that you may take an extended, scorching stroll to, get fortunate with an Uber (there are a couple of round!), or cruise over with a golf cart:

• Playa Escondida/Carricitos – Beautiful for sundown.
• Los Muertos Seaside close to Punta Sayulita.
• Playa Malpasos close to San Pancho (will want a taxi).

Eat

Among the finest issues about touring in Mexico is the meals, amiright? It’s onerous to beat Mexican meals, even when evaluating it to the remainder of the world, not less than in my Southern Californian coronary heart. I adored the meals in Sayulita, notably the next:

• Yah-yah cafe: Should you’re on the lookout for natural and scrumptious breakfast meals and lunch bowls, plus superb espresso. Vegan choices obtainable.
• Organi-k: Acai and poke bowl heaven.
• Maria’s Fish Tacos: At all times packed however all the time scrumptious. Should you’re not feeling fish or there’s no area, there’s a taco place proper subsequent door to the suitable (when going through the restaurant) that’s only a counter to order from with some tables exterior and DELICIOUS.

Getting There and Round

Getting to Sayulita will be easy and easy, and doesn’t have to be costly. For most individuals, Puerto Vallarta airport is the place to begin.

• Personal automobile: The most costly possibility could be to take a non-public automobile or taxi from the airport to Sayulita, which takes about an hour, however why try this? For instance, the shuttle that Haramara affords value $90 one-way. There are higher methods.
• Bus: There’s a public bus that you may take, offered that you simply don’t have a lot baggage and might converse Spanish, for nearer to one greenback. If that’s out of your consolation zone, then I extremely advocate Uber.
• Uber: It solely value me about $24 to get into city utilizing Uber. So as to do that, you’re going to have to stroll throughout the bridge to the opposite facet of the freeway. It’s very simple to discover, very apparent, and it’s orange. You possibly can’t miss it in case you go searching for it after strolling exterior from the arrivals corridor. Hold in thoughts that after you cross the bridge you gained’t have the ability to use airport Wi-Fi anymore, so it will solely work if you’re utilizing an information plan, as a result of it may be a bit chaotic and also you would possibly want to talk together with your driver about a precise pickup spot. Nonetheless, it might be cheaper to activate your each day $10 information than to take the airport taxi or a non-public shuttle.

Although it took Sayulita a little bit of time to develop on me, I got here to benefit from the number of issues to do, the right location for a retreat, the plentiful butterflies, and wholesome meals choices. This a part of Mexico has a particular magic to it that’s price experiencing firsthand.

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