Adios Sayulita! You sure were pretty. I generally blog about food and wellness, but in my opinion, vacations definitely fit under wellness — and I had a few requests for tips about my vaycay. So if you’re thinking about going — here's what we did and what I wish we’d have known in retrospect. Oh, and a packing list for the gals (in case you're like me and like to pack light).
We flew into Puerto Vallarta and rented a car, but because you are SOL if you crash, insurance is off the charts ($500 for full coverage plus rental). So if you’re thinking of just staying in town, I'd suggest not renting a car — just take a cab to your location because everything is walkable. And most of the destinations are via water — we never used our rental car.
The best exchange rates are at the banks in Puerto Vallarta, but they close at three. There are no banks in Sayulita, and the exchange you’ll get in town when using dollars is pretty steep. Not many places take credit cards, either. So make sure you have pesos by the time you're in Sayulita.
The center of town is where all the action is, so if you like quiet, stay on the edges. We stayed at Siete Lunas (loved this place), and even though we were way on the southwest side, we could still hear music from "downtown" Sayulita at night.
Siete Lunas didn’t have a kitchen, but it did have a small fridge, so we stopped at a grocery store on the way and picked up a case of 16 bottled waters for drinking and brushing teeth. We also grabbed mineral water and beer to keep on the cheap.
I also brought nuts, buffalo jerky, and a few protein bars from home for those times when we needed a little protein to stabilize blood sugar.
Siete Lunas offered complimentary breakfast in the am, which was a lifesaver. And they have a fantastic chef — some of the best food we ate while in Sayulita.
But, if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’d suggest getting a place with a kitchenette and purchasing groceries in Puerto Vallarta. Although part of the fun of a vacation in another country is checking out the local food — at least it is for me.
I like to eat vegan or vegetarian as often as I can, so we tried three places:
Veggie Land — a bit bland for my taste, but them menu is all vegetarian/vegan and very nice peeps.
Loro Café — my fave, but the cafe was on the street, so not a dine-in and not great service, either.
La Esperanza — had kombucha that was meh (but the only kombucha you’ll find) and the food was also below average.
Because we walked a lot during the day — we were ready to chill at night — so we had food delivered a few times and ate on our deck which was perfect. A handful of places in Sayulita deliver — we tried two:
La Barcina — maybe my fave meal; the seafood tostadas were A+.
La Rustica — pizza was good, but I wasn't impressed with the salad.
The night of the Sayulita film festival (the whole reason we went on this vacation — to see The Butterfly Trees), we dined at Don Pedro’s — it’s fancy-ish and on the beach. The service was fantastic, the food was flavorful, and it's a place to check out if you want a romantic night.
We were close to Playa los Muertos (it was less than a 10-minute walk from Siete Lunas), which is quaint and fairly quiet, and like the name alludes, is next to a Mexican cemetery which is just so enchanting. But there are several other beaches in town as well.
I like to get in exercise while on vaycay, and stuck to a place that was close to Siete Lunas and I loved that it was in a palapa overlooking the ocean. It's called Mexifit, the gal is an MD and a trainer and teaches TRX and yoga/Pilates on alternating days. She's a little gruff, but I definitely got good workouts in — she knows her stuff and will make sure you don’t get injured.
We were only in Sayulita for a short period — six days with travel days included — so we opted to chill. But if we had more time, the two things we would have done were: snorkeling in the coral reefs and exploring the Marieta Islands. It’s also a big place for surfing, if that's your jam. There’s also a farmers market called Mercado del Pueblo, which is only open on Friday — it’s my biggest regret to have missed this gem.
I always like to travel light, so I got away with a carry-on and a backpack. Jeff brought a full-sized suitcase, so we had extra space if needed, but I was still able to jam a few gifts in my carry-on.
We bought all of our gifts (except for a t-shirt for my dad) in the Hippy Market. You can haggle, but I say why? You find such beautiful treasures at 1/4 of the price you’d find them here, let the people make a fair wage.
There are a few weird things that I find satisfying in life, one of them in a perfectly packed bag — as in I use and wear everything I brought.
I like to keep this list in my iPhone in reminders as a list. Then I don’t freaking forget. Here it is if you find it hard to pack light:
CLOTHING
1 - shorts
3 - tanks
1 - dress
1 - jumper
1 - romper
2 - cover up
2 - yoga pants
1 - sweatshirt
2 - PJs
1 - jean jacket
2 - swimsuit
2 - sunglasses
TOILETRIES
extra contacts
contact case
saline
glasses
shampoo (dry and wet)
conditioner (dry and wet)
face lotion
undereye lotion
body lotion
body sunscreen
face sunscreen
aloe
makeup (mascara, eyeliner, lip balm)
xxoo — christine