Welcome to surf city. Sayulita has become the surf capital of the area and not without reason: there is plenty of surf year round, many surf shops that rent boards at good prices and cheap food to enjoy right on the beach. The surf vibe this small town boasts brings a consistent crowd of visitors each year, many of them beginners hoping to learn the basics of the sport of kings, and medium to advanced surfers who simply want to have fun in the sun.
Sayulita actually has two waves you can surf: a right that reels over the rounded rocky reef (this is the main break) and a faster, sometimes hollow left on the north side of it. The main wave breaks about 300 days/year and can hold waves up to 6 foot faces before they begin to close out, yet most of the time it is a 3-5 ft face wave ideal for beginners and fun for the rest.
The faster left is closer to the north end of the beach, and might not be a good wave for first timers when the tide is low. Contests are held here though and advanced surfers can expect a challenging yet fun ride when the conditions are good and a simply amusing session when the wave is small.
How to Get Here
Getting here is as simple as heading north from Puerto Vallarta and taking the well marked left exit to Sayulita about 45 minutes later. About 500 meters down this secondary road splits into two: take the one that goes to the right and follow it all the way into town- make sure you cross the small bridge before parking the car.
Dangers and Annoyances
Sayulita is a friendly and mellow village that has become very extremely popular in the past few years. Despite this growing tourism there is no danger out of the water while inside you’ll be fine as long as you pay attention to the rocky reef when the tide is low, and watch out for the wave hungry locals who often pull too deep or too late.