Sayulita is an old Mexican fishing village 45km north of Puerto Vallarta. To get there from the PV airport one has the option, presuming one is not renting a car, of throwing one’s business to one of the hundreds of cabbies camped out at the airport lying in wait (cost US$40) or, for the economically minded out there, to exit the airport, cross over the highway using the sky bridge and hop on a local bus headed to Sayulita, which come every 20 minutes until around 9:20pm (cost MX$25 or ~US$2). The bus drops you off in the center of Sayulita and takes around an hour.
In the last two decades Sayulita has been “discovered” by Americans and Canadians, meaning that there are a lot of snowbirds and retirees that have chosen it to be their second home or retirement destination. This has resulted in an abundance of homes and guest houses for rent on places like vrbo.com. It has also resulted in the town being so overrun with Americans and Canadians that the crowd at Yo Yo Mo’s for the US-Canada gold medal hockey match must have been at least 100 people. If you do not speak Spanish, have no fear. There is not a spot in town that will trouble you.
As far as the food goes, the place specializes in seafood, especially shrimp and mahi-mahi. There is no shortage of places around town willing to sell you things like delicious fish tacos or shrimp burritos. Breakfasts are also a town strong point with both Mexican and American style breakfasts available in numerous locations. One of the (many) downsides of the gringoization of the town is that more classic Mexican food is hard to find. The spiciness that Mexican food practically demands is rarely found and classics like enchiladas should probably be avoided. Only the street taco survives in something approaching its native form.
During the right season, one can choose a day trip to go whale watching. The humpback whales, wise creatures that they are, get the hell out of the Northwest during the winter and head to sunny Mexico. There they frolic and give birth before turning around and heading back north. To check out these large sunbathers, Double S and I contracted with a French expat we met to take us and a couple of other people out on his boat. My expectation of the whale watching tour was that we would sail around on the boat for a little bit, maybe see a couple of whales in the distance, snap a few photos and go home. If we were lucky, nobody would get seasick. I was completely mistaken.
Our whale watching trip turned into something out of National Geographic. We left early for our trip out of Punta Mita and, for the bulk of the morning, had the bay to ourselves. We would see some whales spouting in the distance and head over to check them out. After seeing a few whales swim by us before diving underwater, we found a mother and baby whale that were in a more playful mood. The younger whale, perhaps excited to show its mother what it could do, proceeded to dazzle us with a series of jumps and flips that reminded me of something out of my childhood at Marine World, but in a carefree rather than joyless, workmanlike manner. Not to be outdone, the mother joined in the action and demonstrated that she still had some hop. All this was going on around 200 feet from our boat. It was, frankly, spectacular.
Overall, for those looking for margaritas and beer on the beach or a good spot for surfing in a safe and beautiful environment, Sayulita is a great option. For those looking for interactions with Mexicans, well, Sayulita is a nice spot for margaritas and beer on the beach.
Sayulita Fish Taco – It is a local institution and has the reputation for having the best fish tacos in the world. I don’t know about that, but it is a cool spot with great fish tacos and excellent guacamole.
Burrito Revolution – Their grilled shrimp burrito is an excellent burrito. The onions and shrimp were grilled to perfection. The homemade salsas on the counter are also outstanding.
Rollie’s – A gringo breakfast institution. I ordered eggs mixed with shrimp, peppers and cheese, which was good but enough for two people. Rollie will probably treat you to a song and dance during your breakfast. This is a great place for people with kids and those looking for a large western style breakfast.
Whale Watching
Contact Stephane Panetta at: stephanepanetta@yahoo.com. Stephane speaks French, English and Spanish. The cost is US$80 for the RT taxi to and from Punta Mita and US$120 for 2 hours on the boat. The boat can seat up to six people, so bring your friends in order to split the cost.
Contact Stephane Panetta at: stephanepanetta@yahoo.com. Stephane speaks French, English and Spanish. The cost is US$80 for the RT taxi to and from Punta Mita and US$120 for 2 hours on the boat. The boat can seat up to six people, so bring your friends in order to split the cost.
Come to Sayulita and play with the whales!
Mama showing the kids how it is done.
Photos courtesy of Double S
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