Where locals go

Where locals actually go

“Local” in Sayulita is a mix — Mexican families who’ve been here for generations, and a big community of long-stay transplants. Both tend to avoid the busiest central blocks when they’re not working.

Eating away from the strip

The tortillerías, the little loncherías and the taco stands a few streets back from the beach are where residents eat — cheaper, better, and without the wait. The birria and pescado stands that locals line up at in the morning are worth more than any menu aimed at tourists. Follow the crowd of workers on their lunch break, not the crowd with cameras.

A day off

When residents want the beach without the crowd, they leave town. San Pancho (San Francisco), a few minutes north, is the quieter, more grown-up version of Sayulita and where a lot of locals go to breathe. The beaches south around Punta Mita and the smaller coves off the main road get the same treatment.

Drinking

Away from the loud beach bars, the neighborhood cantinas and the smaller mezcal spots off the main square are where you’ll find people who live here. Quieter, cheaper, and better for an actual conversation.

What a friend here would tell you: the good stuff in Sayulita is one street back and one town over.