One place you should add to your travel bucket list is a wellness week in Sayulita, Mexico. I recently recharged my soul in this small seaside town with Salty Luxe Retreats. Sez, aka @saltyluxe on social media, is a luxury travel influencer who I have been following since she started her page. I have always been inspired by her gypsy soul and iconic travels. So, when I saw she was offering spots on a retreat full of iconic memories with other like minded travelers from around the world, I POUNCED. We did Sayulita the right way and I wanna pass along this destinations details with YOU! Here’s what you should add to your travel guide to Sayulita Mexico…

Sayulita, Mexico is on the west coast of Mexico backed by the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains. It is a quintessential surf town with a expat community. The draw to this area specifically is around its warm beaches and tropical rainforests in the mountains. Kinda reminded me of Costa Rica. It is best to visit in the months of November to January for the best weather and surf conditions. Click here for a live stream of the swells for yourself.

Where to Stay

Aftering arriving in the Puerto Vallarta airport, claim your bags and ignore the people outside baggage claim trying to stop you. They are people paid by local tourism companies to have you book things by offering you a beer or tequila shot on arrival. Just keep walking and find your driver. I had prearranged a driver with the tour company I booked with. He had a sign for me and everything making me feel like a superstar walking through haha.

La Joya Sayulita is around 30 minutes north of the airport and will be an adventure. You go from freeway to local paved towns, then down the coast as you approach the hotel is steep and minimally paved with cobblestones. Situated over the rocky coast of the Pacific are individual villas and title apartment style rooms with all the views. I booked a King Suite.

Perfect meals were served by a private chef with locally sourced ingredients all day long. As well as on demand cocktails (don’t even ask me how many passion fruit margs I ordered).

And fun fact, this hotel is located right next door to Playa Escondida, where they film Bachelor in Paradise. The producers actually stay at La Joya when filming the show next door.

Go Shopping

Y’all the SHOPPING HERE! There are so many great shops owned by locals and expats with bohemian beach wear, handmade accessories, and the tastiest textiles. I stocked up on little treasures, clothing and a couple home pieces that I loved from my room in the hotel. I can’t even give you the names of all the different individual stores cause they are so teeny and you won’t be able to miss them once you hit the ground running for the day.

Bonfire on the Beach

As a part of our retreat with Salty Luxe, she organized an evening on the beach with cocktails and limbo! We enjoyed chatting about the universe, our hopes and dreams, and then were treated to a fireworks show over the ocean to finish the night off. I love nights like these when you get to kick it with authentic travelers from all over the world doing cool s***!

Smoothie Bowls at Anchor Cafe

Anchor Cafe is located in the city of Sayulita and it is the perfect way to start a morning of exploring in town. There are acai bowls, smoothies, and other super healthy breakfast options. The cafe was full of other WFH travelers working on laptops and a good spot for AC and wifi. Try the Reef bowl :)

Day Trip to San Pancho

San Pancho is a small bohemian surf town located around 15 minutes north of Sayulita. We took a taxi that was arranged for us by the resort to the bottom of the street. We store hopped, had lunch at a local taco joint and spent time chillin on the beach. The water was still cold so no swimming for me but there were people surfing during sunset and all sorts of people just dancing and enjoying themselves.

Best tip for visiting San Pancho?! Don’t go past the soccer field on the left while walking into town. It can get sketchy and there really aren’t any restaurants or shops past that point. Only mota lol. Stay on the main strip and just explore! Make sure to check out Yasmina’s Mulidimensional Cafe for dinner. It is a family run, Itzalanyasayan restaurant with food inspired by the cosmos meant to heal the body. Super hippie and super yummy. I gotta learn to cook lol…

Check out this blog by Bucket List Bri to learn more about San Pancho, aka San Fransisco of Mexico.

Whale Watching Catamaran

Another excursion included in our Salty Luxe retreat was a boat day out of Punta Mita. This bay is located closer to Puerto Vallarta, about a 45 minute drive from La Joya. AllyCat tours took such good care of us this day. We took off just before lunch and were served cocktails and a small lunch with cocktails of course. We cruised along with dolphins and breaching humpback whales on the front net as island jams played. We stopped for a swim in a cove with the clearest water and ate tacos as we watched the sunset over the ocean. A magical experience and 10/10 recommend booking a day excursion with them during your stay in Sayulita or another local boat company.

PRO TIP: Travel to Mexico’s west coast during the winter months of December to April for whale birthing season. We saw them starting to come in during the first week of December and breaching from my balcony. So magical. Make sure to give them space, don’t go deep sea fishing during these times and only book a tour company concerned with the whales safety and well being of the calves/mamas.

This trip ended up being way more spiritual and good for the soul than I could have ever expected. I connected with so many like minded people and ended up making friendships with forever connected souls. If you have ever considered booking a trip with a retreat group without knowing a single person there before booking, here’s your sign to book it. I had a sign from the universe convince me to book it and here I am giving you yours.

10/10 try this one time in your life and push yourself to get our of your comfort zone. Don’t wait for your husband to be off work or to find a friend who can actually take time off work to go with you. It’ll be unforgettable and you’ll learn, have fun, and leave with memories that will last forever. Click her to check out the company I went with.

That is Morgo Goes travel guide to Sayulita! Thank you Sez and Chez for the most memorable week of wellness and connection! I’ll be booking another one for sure!