SAYULITA

It’s rare that you travel somewhere and feel at home

A good friend apparently foresaw this happening when she insisted that Sayulita needed to be at the top of my travel bucket list. Coincidentally, my family got invited to stay at a timeshare in Puerto Vallarta just a few months later, so there was no question… I was going!  Located on the west coast of Mexico, Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita are only about an hour drive from each other. Aside from the pure serenity of Sayulita, this trip will always hold a special place in my heart- two days in, I found out I was pregnant with our first child.

This laid back, boho surf town is truly my personal version of heaven on earth. It’s unassuming nature creates the perfect destination for families, adventure-seekers, budget travelers, or even couples looking for a relaxing getaway.  It’s just happy.

The colorful streets are lined with family-owned shops and restaurants, but the party is down by the beach.  Grab some street tacos, rent a board, and spend the day in the surf.  These were the slowest and cleanest breaks I’ve surfed yet.  Unbeknownst to me, I was 5 weeks pregnant on this day!

Stay

If you are not renting a car, I highly recommend staying in the little town of Sayulita itself. There are plenty of rental properties & hotels along the windy roads, and there is something for every age group! If you are looking for more of a home base to have easy driving access to all major surfing spots, restaurants, & activities, Puerto Vallarta is ideal, but the Puerto Vallarta beach itself is nothing to write home about.

Do

Surfing, zip-lining, fishing, snorkeling, hiking… is there anything you can’t do on the west coast of Mexico?? I recommend renting your own car so you can explore all the little hideaway fishing villages along the coast. My personal favorite was Boca de Tomatlan.

Chico’s Paradise is a one-stop-shop for basically a full day of adventure. It is not only an outstanding restaurant, but they offer zip-lining tours of the jungle, cliff diving, and guided expeditions of the river (aka crawling through crazy caves & jumping off cliffs). The river tour guide is a local legend. He lives in a hut by a waterfall and spends his days performing crazy diving stunts for guest entertainment. WHAT. A. LIFE.

For surfing, The Cove, La Lancha, & Sayulita are musts.

Eat

I would 100% make a trip back out to the west coast of Mexico just for the food. If I had to name my top 5 favorite restaurants of all time, TWO of them would be located here. I don’t care where you are staying, MAKE THE DRIVE to these two places:

Le Kliff - Where do I even start? This restaurant is what my restaurant dreams are made of - a giant tiki hut built on a cliff overlooking the ocean. The food, atmosphere, & service are all just utterly outstanding. When our waiter found out that I was newly pregnant, he absolutely spoiled us from the beginning to the end of the night. I will be back here one day!

Sonora Prime Grill - Oh. my. goodness. What an experience. First off, each drink order automatically comes as a pair. The wait staff replaces your first drink the second you take your last sip. The steak is to die for. The ambiance is incredible. Did I already mention the service? Clearly that makes or breaks a restaurant experience for me... but enough about me, you just have to see it for yourself!

Being home to my favorite surfing spots & restaurants, Sayulita is a place I will come back to over & over again. Have you guys been yet??

-Kori