My husband and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary, along with my graduation from business school, in Sayulita, Mexico at the end of May 2023. So, this trip was extra special. I got to hang out with my favorite person without interruption, and we both got to decompress with no planned agenda other than to eat delicious food, drink yummy margaritas, shop for all the goodies, and explore this unique city.
We flew to Puerto Vallarta via Southwest Airlines from Nashville, and then our hotel booked our transportation from the airport to Sayulita, which is about 45 minutes away. William and I were fortunate enough to spend five days and five nights in this tropical gem. I've been to Cancun, Cozumel, and Playa del Carmen, but this was the first time I felt like I experienced a more authentic version of Mexico. Sayulita is a surfer’s refuge, and there are a lot of US and Canadian ex-patriots roaming around, along with all the beach dogs of Sayulita. Within this article, I’ll break down the following:
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Lodging
We stayed in a small boutique hotel called Siete Lunas located in Sayulita Bay between Punta de Mita and San Pancho. Siete Lunas offers spectacular ocean sunrise views nestled on a hillside in a corner of the bay surrounded by lush fauna and jungle. From what I could tell, there weren't any large corporate hotel chains in Sayulita.
Siete Lunas was very charming with its seven bungalows, all made with thatched roofs, but have no fear, all rooms have air conditioning. William and I stayed in the room, Luna Mar. To be honest, I was a little nervous on our first night because the hotel staff warned us about spiders and critters entering our room if the balcony doors stayed open too long, but after the first night, I became much more relaxed. Relaxation mode kicked in when William and I had a couples massage in our room the following morning. Plus, the bed was very comfy. One bit of advice is to close all the window shades before bed unless you like waking to the blazing sun. The sunrise is gorgeous, but it is also blinding. Plus, the shades help ensure your room stays cool in that fierce morning sun.
 Luna Mar room at Siete Lunas
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 Sunrise view in Luna Mar room at Siete Lunas
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Siete Lunas property amenities include a shared plunge pool overlooking the ocean on a top deck with surrounding lounge chairs and an onsite bar and restaurant. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful our entire stay.
I had a friend recommend Siete Lunas, and she helped me know what to expect in getting to the boutique hotel. The hotel is only about a mile from the city center of Sayulita, and once you leave the main city area, you will go through what I can only describe as a very festive cemetery with a muraled archway entrance and flowers adorning all the graves.
Within this cemetery was also our favorite, secluded beach spot, Playa de los Muertos. It is walking distance from Siete Lunas. Once passing the cemetery and beach, the road meanders through the jungle for maybe a quarter of a mile, and Siete Lunas property is secured by a large, solid gate.
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My friend also helped me understand that the hotel corresponds completely through WhatsApp. If you speak fluent Spanish, then, of course, you can use whatever form of communication you want to contact the hotel. Like I previously mentioned, we also worked with Siete Lunas staff to book transportation to and from the Puerto Vallarta airport. In addition to airport transportation, we also booked a golf cart to get around the city. Sayulita is very small, and everything is quite close. You can walk to most everything, but if you want to venture into town at night, I recommend a golf cart. Our golf cart rental was more expensive than I expected at $83 per day, but I felt it was worth it since we made multiple trips to and from town each day.
Dining
Sayulita is not short on incredible restaurants. We had several meals at Siete Lunas because, you know, we didn't want to leave the hotel. The food everywhere was spectacular, and here’s where we dined.
Breakfast Spots
If you’re an early riser, not much of anything opens before 9 a.m.
Anchor Café: We ate here on our second morning in Sayulita. This is a cute, small, artisanal style establishment with friendly staff. The latte and avocado toast sprinkled with cherry tomatoes on top were scrumptious.
| Café El Espresso: This was a breakfast hotspot with a diverse menu right across from the famous colorful Sayulita sign and plaza. The restaurant was open-air, adding to the excitement of being in the city center. We ate here on our last morning in Sayulita. |
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Lunch Spots
When in Sayulita, you’re not on any kind of real schedule. You just eat when you want and drink when you want. It’s a total vibe.
| The Dock: The Dock is a beachfront restaurant with a view. William and I loved this place with its easy atmosphere and out-of-this-world tacos. The staff was so friendly, and it was a plus for us that they spoke fluent English. This is a great hangout spot, and once you’re finished eating, you can set up on the beach and get drink service. |
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El Itacate: This restaurant is in the middle of town. The tacos were good, but the guacamole was incredible. If I’m being honest, the guacamole was killer everywhere we went.
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Dinner
I ate my weight and then some in tacos while in Sayulita. Dinners are usually late, but again, you eat when you want while there. Sayulita is known to be a bit of a party town with exciting nightlife. However, William and I never made it out into the wee hours of the morning.
Luna’s: This was our favorite restaurant of the trip! We tried to eat here a second night, but it was closed when we returned. The owner’s son was running this amazing place while his mom and his aunt were on their very first girls’ trip. William and I both had burritos, and I’m salivating just thinking about how delectable this meal was. Luna’s is located across from the large outdoor market in Sayulita. We were charmed by the authenticity of Luna’s.
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Mary’s: This is in the middle of town serving traditional Mexican cuisine with indoor and outdoor seating. We devoured tacos, and we even asked for chips and queso forgetting that’s not really a Mexican dish. We received a small skillet of melted cheese that was more substantive than what you receive in US Mexican restaurants with tortillas vs. chips. Our waiter was awesome! He spoke fluent English, and we learned that he taught at the local school in the mornings, surf lessons during the afternoon, and waited tables at night. This place was a treasure!
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| La Rustica: We ate here twice, once for lunch and another time for dinner. This restaurant is diagonally across the street from Mary’s in the middle of Sayulita serving pizzas. La Rustica is open-air and more modern than some of the other quaint, traditional Mexican cuisine establishments. We munched on Palomitas de Camarón as an appetizer during both lunch and dinner. For lunch, I had the shrimp tacos adorned with chipotle mayonnaise, pico de gallo, and purple cabbage. For dinner, I had the La Rustica pizza with pomodoro sauce, mozzarella cheese, chicken, pineapple, baked onion, crowned with tamarind BBQ sauce & cilantro. |
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| Tiburon: This felt like the nicest restaurant we dined at while in Sayulita. The main element that made this restaurant feel more upscale is that it was completely inside without having any exposure to those walking the street. Also, by this meal, I had eaten so much heavy food that I wanted something a tad lighter. Therefore, I chose a delicious, fresh fish to devour. |
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Shopping & Art
The local shops in Sayulita are an experience unto itself in addition to all the murals. Exploring the city through the markets, local stores, and simply following the art was a huge highlight of our trip. I found myself following paths and stopping in the middle of roads to admire the murals or even beautiful gates leading to someone’s home. I loved perusing the boutiques inspecting the artistry and craftsmanship of the locally made goods. I browsed so many stores, but here were some of my favorites:
| Sayulita Sol Jewelry: I bought several pieces of jewelry here for myself and family. |
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| La Hamaca Gallery: I purchased several souvenirs here. The store features colorful shirts from Sayulita Shirt Company, painted pottery, ceramic work, wood structures, and more. This is a great store to peruse for unique, one-of-a-kind gifts for yourself and others. |
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Tierra Huichol: Tierra Huichol showcases the artwork of Wixárika artists in its gallery. Huichol art relates to the Wixárika peoples’ religion and worldview with shapes and colors to create a unique aesthetic. The artwork found here is very colorful with intricate beadwork designs. These make memorable souvenirs.
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Other fun stores to shop and peruse are:
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Murals and Artwork Around Sayulita
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