How to get to Playa de Los Muertos Sayulita – The Complete Guide
If you are staying in Sayulita, Playa de Los Muertos is one beach that you must visit. It’s at a short walking distance from downtown, and it’s more swimmable than Sayulita Beach, sometimes.
I have been to Sayulita twice, and I just recently returned from my second trip.
I couldn’t miss a second visit to Playa de Los Muertos, and I was pleasantly surprised that they have added more facilities I am going to tell you all about it in this post.
How to Get to Playa de Los Muertos in Sayulita
Getting to Playa de Los Muertos in Sayulita is very easy. you have actually two roads that that you there.
The easiest one is from the beach. Not actually from the beach but there is a road that runs along the Sayulita beach on the left side (going south).
It’s pretty much flat and you will walk by beautiful beach houses and hotels until you reach the local cemetery which is exactly where the beach is located.
Well, not in the cemetery, but right around the corner from it.
The other way is from downtown, as you can see on the map, however, that road is much steeper.
What I did was go by the beach on the way to Playa Los Muertos and go back to town from the other road, which was basically all downhill.
Both roads are safe and very populated, but I wouldn’t use the internal road by night. I would just avoid going to such an isolated beach at night.
How Long it Will Take to Get There
It takes about 15 minutes to walk to playa Los Muertos from the beach road and 20 from the other road. However, time will change depending on how many stops you would make to take pictures.
Can I get to Playa de Los Muertos by car?
Yes, you can definitely get to Playa de Los Muertos by Car, but, unless you have any disabilities that prevent you from walking, it’s not necessary to take the car to get there.
Map to Playa de Los Muertos Sayulita
Beach Facilities
The beach is in a protected bay and quite narrow and yet with lots of space.
You can lay your towel anywhere you want but there are beach umbrellas and chairs for rent if you wish, there’s a bar and toilets for 10 pesos.
Here below is a list of the facilities and their prices.
- Beach chair and sun umbrellas – 300 Mxn (2 lounge chairs and 1 umbrella)
- Toilets (10 Mxn)
- Bar with beach service
- Parking
Where to Stay in Sayulita
If you continue walking south you can see a spectacular hotel on the beach with luxury cabañas scattered around the lush jungle. It’s called Siete Lunas.
Of course, there are many hotels and Airbnb options in Sayulita that you can find in my dedicated post.
Where to eat in Sayulita
During my last trip to Sayulita, I found an improved rich culinary scene. I wished I stayed longer to try more restaurants. The ones I tried are listed here below
🍥 Barracuda – delicious gourmet seafood restaurant
🌮 Taquerias Los Reyes – delicious affordable fish tacos and quesadillas
🍕 Rustica – for a great pizza
🥐 Casa gourmet – for delicious coffee and french pastries
🍦 Buonissimo Caffe y Gelato – for a great italian icecream
How to Get to Sayulita from Puerto Vallarta
The closest airport to Sayulita is Puerto Vallarta International Airport at only 45 minute’s drive (a really beautiful drive in the jungle).
My best recommendation is to rent a car in Puerto Vallarta and drive at your own pace so that you can visit other beaches and towns in the surrounding area.
Other Beaches in Sayulita in a nutshell
Besides Playa de Los Muertos here I am going to leave you with a few other lovely beaches to visit in Sayulita.
🏖️ Sayulita Beach
Sayulita beach is the official beach in Sayulita but it’s very crowded and it’s mainly for surfers. It used to have contamination issues but it seems like it is now cleaned and sort of swimmable.
However, keep in mind that it’s mainly a surf beach which means that it may be dangerous for swimmers because of undertow currents.
So if you just want to swim I would go to Playa de Los Muertos and La Lancha.
🏖️ Playa Carricito
Playa Carricito is a beautiful deserted beach at a few walking distances from Sayulita. Mind the walk it’s short but kind of steep.
Also, the beach is very secluded so if you are a solo female traveler I would avoid going there on my own. I went with a friend the first time I was in Sayulita.
🏖️ Playa La Lancha
To get to Playa la Lancha you will need a car, it’s located in Punta de Mita on the main road. The entrance is right in front of the Wild Mex surf shop and a delicious seafood restaurant (Makai).
If you book a surf class with Wild Mex they may provide transportation from Sayulita, but I am not 100% sure, you should check with them.
The beach is spectacular for surfers of all levels and swimmers as well. It’s not equipped with beach facilities but you will easily find shade below trees.
🏖️ San Pancho beach
San Pancho is a cute small town at 10 miles from Sayulita. I actually prefer staying in San Pancho as it’s less crowded and with a more chilled vibe but some people find it boring.
But each one, their own, right?
San Pancho beach is spectacular but definitely not swimmable. Even surfing in San Pancho is more for pros, as you won’t find those long sweet waves.
You can check out the surf experts for more details.
🏖️ Playa Malpaso (great mild hike)
Playa Malpaso is not a famous beach and it’s definitely not for swimming but I am including it here beaches I saw this beach during a beautiful hiking + yoga tour and I loved it so much that I wanted to share my experience so that you can do it too.
Diane and Jair are taking you on a short hike from Sayulita (45 minutes) which ends right on this beach.
Here you will have the time to chill and enjoy the views before your 45 minutes yoga class and then admire the beautiful sunset, that is if you do the afternoon hike.
Playa de Los Muertos Sayulita FAQ
Are the beaches in Sayulita swimmable?
Not all of them. The water is clean but Sayulita is mainly renowned for being a surfer’s town for a reason. If a beach is suitable for sure it means that swimming is not ideal because of undertow currents.
An exception is Playa La Lancha that I talk about in this article. There you can swim easily.
Why is Sayulita famous?
Sayulita is mainly famous for being surfers’ and party town but it’s now becoming popular among yogis and nature lovers in general.
Is Sayulita a party town?
Yes, Sayulita is definitely a party town but if you don’t like to party you can still have a relaxed vacation as the party scene revolves around the town center, by the plaza, and the main beach.
There are many hotels scattered around Sayulita that are at a walking distance to everything but far enough from the noise.
Is Los Muertos beach swimmable?
It is definitely more swimmable than playa Sayulita but still requires caution also because there is no beach guard.
Why is it called Playa de Los Muertos in Sayulita?
Playa de Los Muertos in Sayulita gets its name from the nearby cemetery, providing an interesting contrast between life and death.
If you get to Sayulita from the beach road you will also see a decorated arch
Does Sayulita have a sewage problem?
Sayulita used to have a sewage problem but it’s now gone. When I was there lately I have been talking with a few locals and they were happily sharing that the issue had been resolved.
Do you need pesos in Sayulita?
Yes, you do. Most of the restaurants and bars only accept cash and if you pay in USD they will give you a very bad exchange rate.
Also keep in mind that there are not local cash machines except for Intercam, located near the Sayulita bus station.
So make sure you exchange your USD into MXN before getting there, and keep them in a safe place.
How long should I stay in Sayulita?
Well, there are so many things to do in Sayulita that you would never get bored, but keep in mind that to see the town and the few beaches, two or three days may be enough.
However, if you want to join all the amazing tours and hikes you may want to plan a longer stay.
How to visit Playa de Los Muertos in Sayulita: final thoughts
I hope this post was helpful. To sum it up, make sure you check out this beautiful beach. You can get there on foot but you could also drive there.
It’s swimmable but still be careful, and you can purchase drinks and a beach umbrella on the beach.
It’s a great place to hang out for a few hours or all day. It’s safe but still, watch out and do not leave your belonging unattended.
Have fun!