I had sooo many travel goals for 2017, but because of my leg I barely got to leave Seattle for about 7 months. As soon as I felt confident in my ability to walk and stand for long periods of time, it was officially time to book a trip! So last month Sean and I booked a last-minute, 5 day long trip to Sayulita, Mexico and it was precisely what we needed. Sun, swimming, margaritas… I don’t really have the words to describe just how much this trip meant to me and how badly it was needed. Tons of you have reached out to me on Instagram asking for a Sayulita travel guide, so here we go!
Planning a Trip to Sayulita? Here’s What To See, Eat, and Do!
Sean had been to Sayulita before, but it was my first time in Mexico, let alone Sayulita. Right away I was absolutely blown away by the laidback vibe of the surf town. Everything was so rich in color, but with a patina that comes with a cool little beach town. After a super-chaotic year, the slow pace of Sayulita was exactly what we needed. We didn’t have a set schedule, didn’t have to set an alarm to wake up… and it was glorious. We literally woke up each day and wandered, eating when it sounded good, napping, and laughing SO much.
Where to stay in Sayulita
We stayed at Hotel Hafa and they were kind enough to comp our stay in exchange for coverage on the blog. I have to say… I absolutely adored this hotel. It was so beautifully designed that I wanted to photograph every inch of the place! It was also extremely comfortable, but my favorite part was the location. It was central to everything so we could walk anywhere we wanted. Or if we shopped and wanted to stop in the room to drop off something, it was really easy. I would highly recommend this hotel!
Where to eat and drink in Sayulita:
Food & drinks we loved:
- Organi-K — delicious smoothies and acai bowls
- Casa Gourmet — yummy pastries, including croissants
- Public House Sayulita — get the Hey Smokey (made of mezal, salted watermelon syrup, and muddled cucumber). They also have tons of beers on tap.
- Aelyah’s — we spent sooo much time here, hanging out with the owner and dancing. He serves his uncle’s homemade tequila which is so delicious and easy to drink. It’s also a super-affordable spot.
- ChocoBanana — for when you need a big breakfast to fix your hangover.
- Chillum Surf House — chill vibes, good music, great drinks.
- Burrito Revolution — the name says it all!
- Miro Vino — good Italian food
- La Rustica — yummy pizza
- The Anchor — great coffee
- Atico Bar — this bar has swings for seats!
- Le Zouave de Hafa — I loved the passionfruit margarita here.
- Tacos el Ivan — Sean loved their tacos el pastor (I’m allergic to pineapple, so I can’t attest!)
But my absolute FAVORITE spot was a random taco stand that we went to literally every single night. It didn’t matter how much we’d eaten, I HAD to have their tacos every day. The name of the stand is Little Cheo’s 2, but it doesn’t show up on the map. Basically, it’s across the street from Tacos el Ivan and shows up on google maps as “Maria’s fish tacos y tostadas.”
Recommended shopping in Sayulita
Some shops I loved:
Those lists are not complete by any means because I totally put down my phone at one point and just did NOT want to be on it anymore… I just wanted to be in the moment and enjoy our time as much as possible.
This trip was so emotional for me because the last time I traveled, I ended up in the hospital. It seems weird to admit, but I was nervous going into this trip that something similar could happen. But nothing did! If anything, I was finally able to relax and feel like myself for the first time since May of 2017. And it was the best my leg has felt since then, too. Being warm and swimming really helped my leg feel so normal. It gave me hope for the rest of my healing process, to be honest.
5 days was not long enough at all for Sayulita. If you’re planning a trip, I encourage you to book it for at least a week or 10 days. We are planning to go back and will definitely plan for a longer stay this time.
So… are you planning a trip to Sayulita yet??
