Sayulita is the furthest north we go, past Punta Mita and out of Banderas Bay entirely. A surf town with colourful streets, umbrellas down the sand and jungle hills behind — and if you arrive by boat, a long, genuinely beautiful cruise up the Nayarit coast to get there.
A Boat Ride That Is the Point
You can drive to Sayulita. Plenty of people do, and they spend an hour or more in traffic on Highway 200 to get there. Arriving by boat is a different trip entirely: you run north from Marina Nuevo Vallarta along the whole Nayarit shoreline, round Punta Mita where the bay opens into the Pacific, and come at the town from the water.
Book this one as a full day. The distance is real, and it is worth doing without rushing.
What Is There
Sayulita is a proper town — surf shops, restaurants, bars, a beach with umbrellas and boards for rent, and a main street of colourful buildings and papel picado. The surf is beginner-friendly, the food is good, and it has an atmosphere that is completely different from Puerto Vallarta's hotel zone.
Building the Day
The run north gives you plenty to do on the way: troll lines on the way up (fishing), watch for dolphins and, in season, humpbacks (whale watching), and stop at La Lancha for a swim on the way there or back. Time it right and the ride home turns into a sunset cruise.
Which Boat
For a long run in open water, comfort matters. Steel n Time is the most comfortable option — air-conditioned salon, kitchen, two bathrooms, up to 22 guests. Guanatuna works well with full shade over the deck for up to 15. Peaceful Easy Feeling is fast, which on a run this long is worth something for a small group.
Good to Know
Bring cash, a dry bag and shoes you can walk in. There is no dock for a boat our size, so getting ashore means wading. And be realistic about the hours — a Sayulita charter that is not booked long enough turns into a boat ride with twenty minutes in town, which is nobody's idea of a good day.
