Sayulita is the little boho beach town that grew into one of Mexico’s favorite places to learn to surf. An hour north of Puerto Vallarta on the Riviera Nayarit, it pairs a slow, forgiving beach break right in front of the village with colorful streets, taco stands and a permanent holiday buzz. The main beach is pure beginner territory, and a short drive south around Punta Mita opens up longer, higher-quality waves, from the peeling left at La Lancha to the mellow right point at Anclote and, for the confident, the power of Punta Burros. Warm water, no wetsuit, waves for every level. This is a sunny stop on our guide to surfing in Mexico. Here’s every break, when to go, and how to set up your trip.
Quick surf guide to Sayulita
- Best season: summer (May to October) for the biggest S/SW groundswell; winter is smaller and gentler
- Best for beginners: Sayulita beach, La Lancha, El Anclote
- Best for advanced: Punta Burros, and San Pancho on size
- Wave type: a soft town beach break plus sand-and-reef points around Punta Mita
- Water temp: 21 to 31°C, no wetsuit, boardshorts year-round
- Crowds: high in town and at the Punta Mita points, especially at the schools
- Getting there: Puerto Vallarta (PVR), about 45 to 60 minutes north
- Budget: $50 to $120 a day
Where to surf in Sayulita
The town beach is the learners’ hub, with a run of better, longer waves a short drive south around the Punta Mita headland. Tap a marker to preview a break, then click its name to jump to my full rundown below.
In and around town
The beach in front of the village is the learn-to-surf wave, with a punchier option a few minutes north at San Pancho.
Sayulita Beach
The wave that makes Sayulita famous as a learn-to-surf town: a slow, forgiving beach break that peels both ways over sand right in front of the village, with a mellow right off the north point. It rarely gets above head-high, and the sandy bottom and gentle walls make it about as friendly a first wave as Mexico offers, which is why the surf schools and rental stands line the beach. It is a social, crowded playground rather than a performance wave, best surfed at glassy dawn before town wakes up.
San Pancho
A few minutes north, the quieter village of San Pancho (San Francisco) has a punchier, more shorebreak-heavy beach break that throws fast A-frames when the swell is up. Despite the sand, it is not a beginner wave: it is heavier and faster than Sayulita and can close out on size, which makes it fun for intermediates and bodyboarders looking for more bite. A mellower village vibe with a wave that packs a bit more punch.
The Punta Mita points
A short drive south around the headland lie the region’s longer, higher-quality waves, from gentle points to serious power.
La Lancha
The pick of the region for a clean, forgiving, high-quality wave: a jungle-backed left that peels long over sand and reef, mellow enough to learn on yet shapely enough to reward improvers, with a steeper wedge on the sets. Reached by a short walk through the trees, it is the go-to when you want more than the town beach, which is why the area’s surf schools shuttle here. Long, easy rides on a good day, and a genuine treat for longboards.
El Anclote
At the tip of Punta Mita, El Anclote is a soft, slow-rolling right point over a mostly sandy bottom that offers long, easy rides, the area’s other main beginner and longboard zone. It is consistent and gentle, with mellow walls perfect for cruising, and backed by a strip of restaurants and panga taxis. Watch for a few submerged rocks at very low tide, but otherwise one of the friendliest points on the coast.
Punta Burros
The region’s serious wave: a long, powerful right-hand point that peels smooth and fast over a rock reef, considerably heavier than mellow Anclote or La Lancha. Strong currents and the rocky bottom make it a spot for confident, experienced surfers, and it stands up to real size when a good N or S swell arrives. When it is on, the best performance wave in the area, and the reason to keep a shortboard in the quiver.
When to surf in Sayulita
Shoulder
Winter (smaller N swell, best for beginners)
The Mexican Pacific has two swell seasons. Summer, roughly May to October, brings S and SW groundswell from the Southern Ocean plus the occasional Pacific hurricane swell: this is when the surf is biggest and most powerful, when the points at Burros and La Lancha really come to life, and the prime window for improving and advanced surfers. June through September is the peak of the power.
Winter, roughly November to April, sees smaller N and NW swells: consistent but gentler, chest to head-high, which paradoxically makes it the ideal beginner season, with mellow waves on the town beach and warm, empty-ish mornings. The water is warm every month, so you never need a wetsuit, just boardshorts and maybe a rashguard on a cool winter dawn. Whatever the season, surf early before the onshore afternoon wind and the crowds fill in.
Surf camps, schools and where to stay in Sayulita
Sayulita is one of Mexico’s great learn-to-surf hubs, thick with surf schools, board rentals and camps working the town beach, and a natural place to base a first surf trip. Stay in the colorful village itself to walk to the beach and the taco stands, with everything from hostels to boutique hotels within a few blocks. Learn on the town beach, then get a shuttle or rent a car to score the longer waves at La Lancha and Anclote as you improve. It is busy and no longer cheap, but the consistency, warmth and vibe keep people coming back. For a wider trip, see our guide to surfing in Mexico.
Compare surf camps in Sayulita on BookSurfCamps
What to pack for Sayulita
Warm water, strong sun and a mix of sand and rocky points are what to plan for. My Sayulita checklist:
- Boardshorts and a rashguard, no wetsuit in 21 to 31 degree water, with a thin shorty only for a cool winter dawn
- The right board: a longboard or foamie for the town beach, Anclote and La Lancha, a shortboard for Burros and San Pancho; see our best beginner surfboards and check your board volume
- Reef-safe SPF and a surf hat for the strong tropical sun, plus booties for the rocky point at Burros
- A spare leash and fins, and some pesos for panga taxis to the Punta Mita points
Getting to Sayulita
Sayulita is about 40 kilometers north of Puerto Vallarta airport (PVR), a 45 to 60 minute drive by taxi, shuttle or the cheap local Compostela bus. It is an easy, well-trodden route, and once you are there the town is walkable, with the Punta Mita points, La Lancha, Anclote and Burros, a 20 to 35 minute drive or panga ride south. A rental car helps if you want to chase the points on your own schedule, but plenty of visitors get by on shuttles and taxis. If you’re planning a wider trip, pair this with surfing in Mexico.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sayulita good for beginner surfers?
Yes, it is one of the best places to learn in Mexico. The town beach is a soft, forgiving sandy beach break with a huge surf-school scene, and the nearby points at La Lancha and El Anclote offer long, gentle rides as you improve. Warm water and no wetsuit make it even friendlier.
When is the best time to surf in Sayulita?
Summer, May to October, brings the biggest, most powerful S and SW groundswell and lights up the points, ideal for improving and advanced surfers. Winter, November to April, is smaller and gentler, which makes it the best season for beginners. It is surfable year-round.
What is the best surf spot near Sayulita?
For quality, La Lancha, a long peeling left over sand and reef around Punta Mita, is the standout, with El Anclote a great mellow right point nearby. The town beach is best for learners, and Punta Burros is the powerful, advanced right for experienced surfers.
Do I need a wetsuit to surf in Sayulita?
No. The water is warm all year, around 21 to 31 degrees Celsius, so boardshorts and a rashguard are all you need. At most, a thin shorty or rashguard takes the edge off a cool winter dawn. Reef-safe sunscreen matters far more than rubber here.
Is surfing in Sayulita crowded?
Yes, the town beach and the Punta Mita points get busy, especially with surf schools and lessons through the day. The trick is to surf at glassy dawn before the crowds and the afternoon onshore wind arrive, or to spread out to quieter options like San Pancho.
Can you surf in Sayulita year-round?
Yes. Sayulita and the Punta Mita points pick up swell in every season: bigger and more powerful in the summer months from S/SW swells, smaller and gentler in winter from N/NW swells. There is nearly always a rideable wave somewhere along this stretch of coast.
Sayulita is Mexico at its most welcoming: a forgiving town beach to learn on, long quality points a short drive south, warm water, tacos on every corner and a wave for every level. Come in summer for power, winter for mellow learning, surf at dawn to beat the crowds, and enjoy one of the Pacific coast’s most enjoyable surf towns. See you in the lineup.
