Surf trips in Nayarit

Nayarit's coast wraps around Banderas Bay and extends north into San Blas, delivering a split personality: winter fires on NW groundswell at refined point breaks like El Faro and La Lancha, while May through October opens a southern exposure that wakes sleeping reefs and beach peaks along the entire region.

The crown jewel is Stoners Point, a powerful right-hand point that barrels when surrounding waves are average, though most visitors base themselves in the mellow town of Sayulita or hunt quieter peaks further north. Skill spans beginner to expert depending on spot choice.

I'd recommend spending a minimum of ten days to catch both swell windows, base in or near Sayulita for town convenience, and rent a car to explore the 80 km stretch from Punta Mita south to San Blas. Water stays warm year-round (22-32°C), so boardies or a springsuit handles most sessions.

The honest trade-off: Sayulita gets crowded in winter, and many offshore points require panga access or lengthy walks.

Nayarit, the long version

Logistics

Nayarit's main entry is Puerto Vallarta International Airport, 45 minutes south of Sayulita by car. Direct flights land from the US and Canada year-round.

From the airport, rent a car or grab a colectivo (shared taxi) north to Sayulita, your regional hub. The road runs coastal and easy, passing through Punta Mita and dropping into town by early afternoon.

Once based, you'll need wheels to hunt breaks beyond Sayulita. A used beater car or scooter costs $25-50 per day. Most spots lie within 30-90 minutes of Sayulita.

El Faro and La Lancha require 20-minute walks or panga hire from El Anclote fishermen's cooperative ($15-30 per ride). San Blas is 80 km north, a ninety-minute drive on a decent highway, and suits a full day trip or overnight camp. Quimixto and Aticama are water-access only.

Book a panga from Boca de Tomatlan or the main beach.

Internet is solid in Sayulita and most tourist towns. Board repair shops exist in Sayulita and Puerto Vallarta, though spare parts ship slowly.

Bring backup boards if you're picky. Groceries, tacos, and espresso are abundant everywhere.

The region is tourist-friendly and English-speaking in beach towns.

Lineup Etiquette

Nayarit is not territorial compared to Indonesia or Southern California. Sayulita and Stoners attract mixed crowds, but locals and visiting pros share respect.

Don't drop in on the point-break gods at El Faro or Santa Cruz, and you'll get waves.

The unwritten rule: warm up on beach breaks before charging into point-break channels. Sit back and watch for ten minutes.

Read the waves, find your spot, and don't paddle straight to the peak. At Stoners, which is crowded and expert, respect the queue.

Wait your turn, don't hoard sets, and if a local is in rhythm, let them finish their wave.

Sayulita is forgiving. It's a town beach break with tourists, expats, and Mexican families.

Localism is mild. Beginners and longboarders coexist peacefully.

If you smile and buy tacos on the beach, you're golden.

At emptier spots like Aticama or Playa Novillero, you may have the beach to yourself. The vibe is pure.

Respect that by staying a while, picking fewer waves, and leaving it as empty as you found it.

What to Pack

Bring a shortboard in the 5'8 - 6'2 range for punchy reef and point work, especially if you plan Stoners or San Pancho. A longer single-fin or log (7'0 - 7'6) thrives on the mellow inside walls at Sayulita, San Blas, and Aticama.

If you're in May-October, a midlength funboard (6'2 - 6'6) is the Swiss Army knife for south swell.

Wetsuit: bring boardies only. Water is 22°C minimum in winter (January-February) and 28-32°C June-September.

If you run cold, pack a springsuit (2/1mm) for winter mornings, but most of us go no-suit or swim trunks. Reef booties are optional but smart for rocky points like Santa Cruz and El Faro.

Sun protection is mandatory. Bring reef-safe sunscreen (no oxybenzone), a UV rash guard, and a wide-brimmed hat.

The sun here is relentless and the reflection off sand doubles the damage. Wear sunglasses with polarized lenses to spot take-off zones on glassy mornings.

First-aid kit: antiseptic, tweezers (for sea urchin spines), antibiotic ointment, and band-aids. Reef cuts are common.

Urchins live in shallow water at some breaks. Salt water stings, so pack ibuprofen and hydrocortisone cream.

Bring a small dry bag for keys and cash. Sayulita has lockers at some breaks, but theft is rare.

One lightweight board bag or padded travel cover protects your stick on the flight and panga rides.

When to Go

November through April is the winter season. NW groundswell pulses down from storms in the North Pacific, hitting every point and reef. El Faro, La Lancha, and Sayulita fire daily.

Wind is light and offshore in the mornings (6am-9am), then the sea breeze fills in by 10am. Expect waist to 6ft most days, with occasional 8ft+ weeks in December and January. This is high season for tourism.

Sayulita and Puerto Vallarta are packed. Hotel rates double. Crowds in the water are real, especially 8am-noon.

May through October is the southern swell season. Tropical storms and hurricane swells push up the Pacific, hitting the south-facing coast. San Blas lights up.

Stoners fires. Aticama delivers consistent 3-8ft walls. Southern Nayarit wakes up while Punta Mita stays mushy.

Mornings are glassy, afternoons get choppy. Expect daily warmth (28-32°C water), afternoon rain showers (short bursts, not all day), and empty lineups. This is shoulder season.

Hotels are half the winter price. Crowds are light to nonexistent at most breaks.

September is the wildcard. Hurricane swells can pump 10ft+ faces with wind, rain, and danger.

Some years are flat, others are epic. If you chase big waves, book late September after tracking the hurricane season forecast.

I'd personally surf Nayarit in May-June (warm, consistent, shoulder-season prices) or March-April (still winter swell, fewer tourists, perfect water temp).

Where to Eat Post-Surf

Sayulita is a food town. After paddling out, rinse at the beach and hit Pitahayas for fresh fish tacos and fresh juice.

Their ceviche is cold, sharp, and perfect post-swell. Cost: $3-5 per plate.

For a slower sit-down meal, Fuego Brew Co serves breakfast all day, fresh coffee, and cold beer. Grab a table facing the beach, order chilaquiles with eggs and black beans, and watch the afternoon wind push kite surfers around.

Cost: $8-12.

If you venture to San Blas (80 km north), Garrobos is a local favorite for whole grilled snapper with rice and beans. The restaurant sits on the water.

Snapper costs $10-14. Arrive early.

They run out.

At Punta Mita, Casa Rana serves ceviches and cocteles de camarones (shrimp cocktails) right on the beach. Prices are tourist-inflated ($6-10), but the water is clean and the vibe is laid-back.

Hidden Alternatives

When Sayulita is shoulder-to-shoulder and the forecast calls for small NW swell, drive north to Playa Novillero, an 80 km stretch of empty sand near the Sinaloa border. It fires on summer south swell and winter groundswell, with virtually no one around.

The town is sparse, but the waves are pure and the silence is gold.

If Stoners is packed or too big, Punta Burros delivers a friendlier, softer right-hand reef break about forty minutes south toward Puerto Vallarta. It works year-round on smaller swell and hosts a mix of tourists and locals.

Less gnarly, more fun.

For a secret escape on a crowded winter day, paddle the river mouth at San Pancho at mid-tide. A left point works S to NW swell with punch and hollow sections, but it's overlooked because it looks slow from the beach.

Once you're in the lineup, the wave is fast and rewarding. Bring a 5'10 - 6'2 board.