Day Trips from Sayulita: Lo de Marcos, Marietas, Monkey Mountain & More

The best day trips from Sayulita run in three directions along Highway 200 and the coast road: north to the quieter beach towns of San Pancho, Lo de Marcos, Rincón de Guayabitos and Chacala; south to Punta de Mita and the boats for the Islas Marietas; and up into the hills to climb Monkey Mountain (Cerro del Mono) above Higuera Blanca. None of them is more than about an hour and a half away, so you can be back in Sayulita for dinner.

Times are for normal daytime traffic and are approximate; add time on weekends and in the December–April high season. If you have not yet seen Sayulita itself, start with our list of things to do in Sayulita, then come back here for the trips out of town.

How to get around on a day trip from Sayulita

Sayulita sits just off Federal Highway 200, the two-lane road that links Puerto Vallarta with Tepic. Every town to the north is reached along it. To the south, a separate coast road runs from Sayulita through Higuera Blanca to Punta de Mita, which is quicker than going back round by the highway.

Buses and taxis

Second-class buses run along Highway 200 between Puerto Vallarta and the towns to the north. They are cheap, paid in cash pesos and fine for San Pancho, Lo de Marcos and Guayabitos, but some leave you at the turnoff on the highway rather than in town, and services thin out in the evening. Taxis wait near the plaza in Sayulita; agree the fare before you get in, and arrange the ride back if you are going somewhere quiet.

Car, driver or tour

A car gives you the most freedom for Chacala, Monkey Mountain or a string of beaches in one day. The highway north of Sayulita is winding and unlit, so drive it in daylight and watch for speed bumps (topes) in every village. A private driver for the day is the easy middle way, and for the Marietas a tour is not optional: only licensed boats can enter the park.

North of Sayulita: San Pancho, Lo de Marcos, Guayabitos and Chacala

The coast north of Sayulita gets quieter with every turnoff. The towns are smaller, more Mexican-family than surf-crowd, and the beaches tend to be longer and emptier.

San Pancho

San Francisco, always called San Pancho, is about 6 km north and the easiest trip of all: you can go for the afternoon and be back by dark. It has one long beach with powerful waves, better for watching and for experienced surfers than for a swim, a short main street of cafés and restaurants, and the community center Entreamigos. Come for the sunset, which is the town's main event.

Lo de Marcos

Lo de Marcos is a small working town about 20–25 minutes north, with a grid of quiet streets and a long, flat beach where the water is usually calmer than in Sayulita. That makes it the best of these trips for children and for a long, easy swim. Just south of the town, small coves such as Playa Los Venados are worth asking about locally. Weekdays are very quiet; Mexican holidays and Easter week fill it with families.

Rincón de Guayabitos and Chacala

About 45 minutes north, Rincón de Guayabitos sits on the sheltered Jaltemba Bay. Its beach is calm and busy, and from the sand boatmen run trips to Isla del Coral, a small island offshore with snorkeling. Further on, past Las Varas, a side road drops to Chacala, a fishing village on a small, palm-lined bay with gentle water and seafood restaurants on the sand. At well over an hour each way, Chacala is the longest of the northern trips, so leave early.

South of Sayulita: Punta de Mita and the Marietas Islands

The coast road south through Higuera Blanca reaches Punta de Mita, the northern tip of Banderas Bay, in about 25 minutes. It is the departure point for the shortest crossings to the Marietas, so the two fit naturally into one day.

Islas Marietas

The Islas Marietas are a national park, managed by Mexico's protected-areas agency CONANP, a short boat ride off Punta de Mita. They are known for nesting blue-footed boobies, snorkeling along the rocks and the Hidden Beach, a patch of sand inside a rock crater reached by swimming in through a passage. You can only go with a licensed operator, access to the Hidden Beach is capped and can be cancelled when the sea is rough, and the rules have changed several times. Our Marietas Islands tour guide explains how permits, slots and closures work before you pay. From December to March the crossing often doubles as whale watching.

Punta de Mita

The public village side of Punta de Mita, around the beach of El Anclote, has calm water, seafood restaurants on the sand and slow, gentle waves where surf schools take beginners. After a morning at the islands, a long lunch here is the classic way to finish. The gated resorts on the point are private, so stay on the public beaches.

Monkey Mountain (Cerro del Mono): the big hike

Monkey Mountain, Cerro del Mono in Spanish, is the steep, forested peak that rises behind the village of Higuera Blanca, between Sayulita and Punta de Mita. The climb is the most demanding day trip from Sayulita and also the one with the widest view: on a clear morning the summit looks over Banderas Bay, Punta de Mita and the Marietas Islands.

What the hike is like

Expect a long, steep climb through tropical dry forest, with loose ground in places and very little shade on parts of the route. Most hikers set aside half a day for the round trip, more if they are slow on steep descents. Paths are not well signposted, so many visitors go with a local guide or a guided hike that includes transport from Sayulita, and that is the sensible choice if you have not hiked here before.

Tips for Monkey Mountain

• Start at first light. Heat builds quickly, and the view is clearest in the morning.
• Go in the dry season. From about November to May the trail is drier and safer; summer storms make it slippery and muddy.
• Carry more water than you think you need, plus food, a hat and proper hiking shoes.
• Tell someone your plan and do not continue alone if you lose the path.

Which day trip from Sayulita should you choose?

• Half a day only: San Pancho for the sunset.
• Children and calm water: Lo de Marcos or Guayabitos.
• Wildlife: the Marietas, adding whales from December to March.
• A beach lunch and an easy wave: Punta de Mita.
• A real workout: Monkey Mountain, with a guide.
• Somewhere that feels far away: Chacala.
• The city: Puerto Vallarta, about an hour south, for the Malecón and the old town. Our guide to day trips from Puerto Vallarta covers the same coast from the other end of the bay.

Marietas boats, whale-watching trips and guided hikes can be compared and booked on our Sayulita tours page. If you would rather go on your own schedule without driving, book a car and driver for the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best day trip from Sayulita?

For most visitors it is the Islas Marietas from Punta de Mita, about 25 minutes away, followed by lunch on the beach at El Anclote. If you want something calmer and closer, San Pancho for the sunset takes only an afternoon.

Can you visit the Marietas Islands from Sayulita?

Yes. Most boats leave from Punta de Mita, and some tours include transport from Sayulita. The islands are a national park, so you must go with a licensed operator, and the Hidden Beach has its own limited, weather-dependent access.

Where is Monkey Mountain near Sayulita?

Monkey Mountain, or Cerro del Mono, rises behind Higuera Blanca, a village on the coast road between Sayulita and Punta de Mita. The hike is long and steep, so start early, carry plenty of water and consider a local guide.

Is Lo de Marcos worth a day trip from Sayulita?

Yes, especially with children. It is 20–25 minutes north, much quieter than Sayulita, and its long beach usually has calmer water for swimming.