History; Culture; and Tourism | Sayulita, Nayarit, México

The Magical Town of Sayulita is in the municipality of Bahía de Banderas on the southern side of the state of Nayarit, Mexico on the Pacific Ocean shores.


The Name of Sayulita comes from the Nahuatl Sayolin which means 'the Place of flies'. It is known that the name was given by Don Lauro González Guerra, who was a native of the town.

Prior to the Spanish colonial time It was inhabited by various ethnic groups, mainly Tecosquines. In the year 1524, the first Spaniard named Francisco Cortés de San Buenaventura made his appearance, who was a Captain and the conqueror Hernán Cortés´ nephew.


Coconut oil palms of the Attalea Cohune species was the produce of this Region; All the men in town worked on collecting and extracting the oil at the Jaltemba hacienda to then embark it on the ship "Salvatirra" which arrived every week at the small port of Sayulita.

It was in the 1940s when coconut production went down, which caused the inhabitants resort to agriculture and fishing as a means of livelihood.


The most common fish species are red snapper, snapper, horse mackerel, sierra, grouper, oyster, shrimp, and lobster.

In 1965, the Las Varas-Puerto Vallarta highway 200 was complited, putting the small town of Sayulita on the map, giving rise to national and international tourism.


In 2015, Sayulita was registered as a Magical Town, granting it a unique attribute since a Magical Town is characterized by being a place with history that on many occasions were the scene of transcendent events for Mexico, with a national identity represented in its attractions.

Sayulita is considered an excellent place to learn and practice surfing. The best season for surfing is from December to April. One of its festivities is the "Surf Open Sayulita", held on November 22, Competition of the Mexican Open Surf League.


Sayulita's climate is mostly subtropical. The best months of the year to visit with nice temperatures are from November to April with temperatures ranging from 18 to 25°C. The rainy season starts in June and ends in October.

Sayulita has these attractive places to visit:

- Tortoise protection Camp Sayulita
- Monkey mountain
- Hacienda Jaltemba
- The Sports Stadium
- Paisaje del Rey
- Sayulita Cemetery
- Beaches: Kestos, Malpaso, Muertos, y Patzcuarito
- Public Plaza
- Mountain biking trails
- Salón Ejidal
- Nesting sites (bird watching and whale watching)

Sayulita also has the following festivities:


- Sayulita Festival, January 30 to February 3. Short films, movies, drinks, gastronomy, physical activities, and the main music Concert; all this happening on the beach.
- Sayulita Shore Fishing Tournament, May 25-26. fishing party
- Day of the Dead, November 1 and 2. Exhibition of altars, pilgrimages, and night procession to the cemetery.
- Surf Open Sayulita, November 22. Competition of the Mexican Open Surf League.
- Religious patron saint festivities, celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe, from December 1 to 12.

Restaurants, Clubs, Bars: The town of Sayulita is characterized by having a very active nightlife with multiple parties and celebrations where tourists and locals can mingle and choose the best one for themselves. From cumbia, salsa, bachata, to rock, techno or electronica, you name it is here.

Hundreds of tourists visit this picturesque and striking destination for its tranquility and exotic environment surrounded by the retro hippie culture of the 70's.

Some foreigners make long stays in the town on many occasions to spend the winter there, since in their places of origin winter temperatures are usually very low.


There are different types of hotels and lodging adapted for each type of tourist, from luxurious and private places to bungalows and typical houses in the town which represent the rustic and tropical style of the place.