Sayulita Mexico Trip Report

 Climate and Weather:

Sayulita is located on the Mexican Pacific Coast at a Latitude of 20 degrees, just below the Tropic of Cancer.  It's roughly the same Latitude as Cancun and Punta Cana but it's a bit cooler because of the Pacific current.  It has a 2 season climate with hot and humid summers but winter is cool and dry.  

I was a little worried that it might be too cool.  I checked the forecast in January and found several days with high temps in the low 70s with a water temperature about the same as the air.  If it's sunny with calm winds, that's fine.  If it's overcast and windy, not so much.  The dry season runs from early November through the middle of May.  Though November would have been warmer, I opted for mid February because I can drive to North Florida for a November swim.  In February, I'd have to go as far as Palm Beach.  

It proved to be a good call.  Temps were in the upper 70s with a water temperature of 75.  It was perfectly comfortable to walk through town in shorts.  The water was pleasantly cool.  Chilly at first but only at first.  There were times of sun and clouds but even when it was overcast, it was still enjoyable.

Language:

It's a surf town that attracts a lot of American and Canadian tourists.  Almost everyone has a working knowledge of English.  I found that if I asked a basic question in Spanish, I usually got an answer in English.  If I continued speaking Spanish after that, they were very pleased.

Costs and Lodging:

Flight was a bit pricey but there was no rental car expense.  From the airport, I simply crossed a bridge to a bus stop.  The ride only cost me the equivalent of $4 each way.  There are no major hotel chains here, which made for a more authentic Mexican experience.  It was all boutique hotels that were either dirt cheap (less than $50) or pretty expensive ($200). Nothing in between.  For a 4 night stay, that's a difference of $600.  I opted for the cheap hotel.  No harm, no foul but that was kinda not smart. 

 

You get what you pay for, which is a bed, shower and toilet.  That's it, and I was okay with that. Unbeknownst to me when I booked it, there was no service at the front desk after 5 PM.  I wasn't taking any chances of getting locked out so I cut my afternoon surf sessions a little short.  

1/15-

I opted for a flight out of Birmingham with a connection in Dallas.  Atlanta does have a direct flight but it was no cheaper and I preferred not to spend a night and drive 2.5 hours each way.  As I feared, my first flight was delayed by 30 minutes and I barely made my connection.  That was nerve wracking.  No issues with Immigration but there was a lot of traffic on the bus ride.  I didn't get to my hotel until just after 4.  I took a walk through town and along the beach but didn't get deep into the water.

1/16-1/18-

Pretty much the same.  Full day in the surf, which was tons of fun.  Waves were in the 3-4 foot range.  They broke deep and you can ride them all the way to the shore.  As stated earlier, the water was comfortably cool and refreshing.   A fair comparison could be San Diego in August but this was a tad warmer.  Again, for February, that's a great deal.  

Water had a decent clarity too.  Not nearly as clear as the Caribbean but it had a nice light green shade.  Sand was light brown with plenty of tall coconut palms and mountains on the sides.  It reminded me a bit of Costa Rica in that respect.

I ate a wide variety of food including chicken, seafood, tacos, steak and BBQ.  Interestingly, I found the food to be more filling than in the US.  A half rack of ribs was plenty of food and other tourists felt the same.  I also went out for drinks at night and met several interesting characters including a guy from Australia and a nice Mexican girl named Andrea.  One drunk guy didn't believe that my teeth are real.  LOL.  I've heard that one before.  

  

1/19- Glorious morning surf session on a picture perfect day that left me wanting more.  Unfortunately, I had to check out and catch the bus back to the airport.  I had another hour delay on my first flight.  Immigration was painless but I had to go through security again in Dallas.  I made my connection to Birmingham only because of another delay.  I arrived home at 1 AM and awoke the next day to snow flurries.  

Excellent trip overall.  I could see myself going back.  I might try it in the Spring or Fall and will stay at a real hotel.