The Best Day Trip to Sayulita
Commonly recommended as a day trip when you’re staying in Puerto Vallarta, I decided to explore Sayulita. Sayulita is often referred to as a fishing village, but, based on conversations with locals, this probably stopped being accurate about 20 years ago. Today, it’s a popular beach town with a distinctly bohemian vibe. You’ll find yogis and surfers on the beach, hikers returning from jungle treks, and vibrant streets full of bustling markets during the day, and live music and dancing by night.
If you’re planning a day trip to Sayulita, read on!
How to get to Sayulita
There are a few different ways to get to Sayulita – Taxi, Uber, or bus.
From the Zona Romantica an Uber took about 50 minutes and cost $30 USD. Note that it is cheaper to get an Uber to Sayulita, and more expensive to order an Uber back to Puerto Vallarta, especially as the day goes on. If you don’t want to take public transportation, I would recommend an Uber over a taxi, as taxis were simply more expensive.
If you choose to take the bus, be aware that the bus stop for Sayulita is about a 30 minute walk from the center of town. The walk to the town is mostly on smooth sidewalks, but there are areas where you walk through the street or on dirt and gravel.
The bus line that runs between Sayulita and Puerto Vallarta is Compostela; there buses are typically white and green. They make a stop about every 20 minutes. When I went in 2025, the fare was 60 pesos (cash only), regardless of how far you planned to go.
I had a very hard time finding the bus stop when heading home and I’m not sure it was signposted! When you turn off the main freeway onto Avenida Revolucion, the main road that runs through Sayulita, there is an open complex with a gas station, health clinic, pharmacy, and an Oxxo. The bus pulls in at the side of the Oxxo, parallel to the freeway. Here is the address for the Oxxo: Carretera Sayulita, Carretera A Sayulita, Punta de Mita 5, PONIENTE, 63734 Sayulita, Nay., Mexico
Visit Mercado del Pueblo on Friday
Sayulita holds a Farmer’s Market – Mercado del Pueblo – every Friday from 10-2. It was a riot of color, activity, and aromas. The vendors sell everything from jewelry, art, and souvenirs to organic produce and homemade soap and granola.
You can find several food stalls – I noted BBQ ribs, empanadas, and Gorditas among other things. It was about lunch time when I got there (I’m not an early riser) and II opted for empanadas from one of the food stalls. I loved their ingenuity; I was fascinated to see that they were smoking their meats on grills in a shopping cart! The empanadas were excellent and I was able to sit and listen to some live music as I ate.
The artwork and jewelry here are beautiful, so if you’re looking for something beautiful to take home as a keepsake of your trip to Sayulita, this would be a good place to check out. Because my airbnb was a little stingy on my soap allotment, I picked up a small Jasmine and Vanilla scented soap from Yamanqui Cosmetica Natural https://www.facebook.com/Cosmeticanaturalyamanqui/ and some homemade granola to have with my breakfast for the next few days. The granola was delicious, so if you’re looking to save some money and eat a meal at home, this is a great option. It was about $3 for a decent sized packet that easily lasted me a few days.
Take in Downtown Sayulita
Take some time to wander the streets of downtown Sayulita and enjoy the colorful banners of traditional papel picado strung overhead. It’s fun to stroll around, ducking in and out of the clothing boutiques, art galleries, and souvenir shops and I consider this an essential part of your day trip to Sayulita.
Enjoy Mexican Cacao at Mexicolate
I stopped in at Mexicolate https://www.mexicolate.mx/, an artisanal chocolate shop directly across from Sayulita Plaza that sells products made with premium cacao. Inside, you can find handmade chocolates, raw cocoa beans, and pure cacao. You can also find Agua Mix https://www.mexicolate.mx/product/agua-mix/, one of their best-sellers, a chocolate powder mixed with cinnamon, cardamom, and coconut, that is blended with water (hot or cold) instead of milk. This drink dates back to the Mayans and Aztecs, who called the beverage xocoatl.
My purchase here, and I cannot recommend it enough, was a lip balm – Flor de Cacao https://www.mexicolate.mx/product/balsamo-de-labios-cosmetico/ – made with cocoa butter and beeswax. The woman working at the store gave me a sample to try and I knew I would buy it as soon as I put it on my lips. Nothing else has made them feel this soft. At 150 pesos, it worked out to about $8 USD. There is a little outdoor seating area here and, although I didn’t stay, I could see it would be lovely to stop here and enjoy a light snack while looking out over beautiful Sayulita Plaza.
Indulge your sweet tooth at Rollado
Rollado is hidden on a side street in Sayulita, so you might have to be intentional about finding it. I am always intentional about seeking out dessert, so this wasn’t a challenge for me. https://www.rollado.com/homehttps://www.rollado.com/home Here you can get rolled ice cream, served in a Mexican style waffle “taco.”
While I was enjoying a hand-rolled taco from Rollado, I chatted with a couple who were returning to Sayulita after vacationing here previously about 10 years ago. They shared their astonishment at how Sayulita has changed from a quiet, sleepy fishing town, to a bustling tourist center. They were staying at San Pancho, about 15 minutes North of Sayulita by bus. I didn’t have a chance to go, but they recommended that for a small-town feel and somewhere off-the-beaten path.
Go shopping at Pacha Mama Galeria & Boutique
PachaMama is an Earth Mother goddess from Inca mythology. It’s also the name of my favorite Bohemian style art gallery and boutique in Sayulita. Inside are hand-embroidered caftans, dream-catchers, pearl jewelry, and fashion-inspired art. Here, I found some beautiful prints I brought home to frame and add to my travel wall. Pachamama’s doesn’t have a website, so you’ll have to visit in person!
Spend some time relaxing at Sayulita Plaza
The Sayulita plaza is in the heart of the town, right near Mexicolate, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church, and an entrance to the beach. It’s a nice place to sit in the covered gazebo and watch the bright splash of colors and listen to the bird song. I was able to peek into Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church, a charming, Carnelian church with wooden, rustic pews and a humble, but beautiful interior.
Enjoy the views at the beach
No day trip to Sayulita is complete with heading to the beach. There were multiple places to get a massage under a shaded canopy on the beach. I didn’t get one, although I was tempted! Prices seemed to be about US$35-40 for an hour. You can also rent a beach chair, tent, and/or towel for around US$15 a day. The thought of lying out and reading for an hour while listening to the sound of the waves was tempting, but they won’t let you rent for less time and I ultimately felt I wanted to take this opportunity to look around more.
