Sayulita vs. San Pancho, Which is Higher in 2023?

Sayulita and San Pancho on the Riviera Nayarit in Mexico, whereas only a few miles away from one another, can really feel like two totally different worlds. Not less than, that’s the way it felt to me after I visited each i n 2019 and once more on the finish of 2022.

This space is quickly altering. What somebody skilled in Sayulita in 2013 is vastly totally different to how it’s now. In a nutshell, Sayulita is extra of a built-up celebration scene with much more eating places and issues to do, and San Pancho is the quiet neighbor, although it’s rising steadily, too.

Right here’s what to contemplate when selecting between the 2:

Measurement of Sayulita vs. San Pancho

Neither San Pancho nor Sayulita are massive cities by any means, with only a few thousand individuals every, you will note about half the quantity of individuals in San Pancho versus Sayulita. After we first visited in 2019, we stayed in San Pancho first after which made our solution to Sayulita after. I bear in mind being overwhelmed by how a lot busier Sayulita felt. There have been many extra golf carts, individuals on the seaside, trip leases, and other people partying. Nonetheless, neither city is wherever close to as massive and bustling as Puerto Vallarta, simply an hour south.

I discovered the distinction to be jarring, however I like smaller cities after I journey, and had come to understand the peace and quiet of San Pancho. On the time, there have been only a few different seaside homes within the space that we stayed, a couple of 20-minute stroll within the sand away from the principle city. After we returned a couple of weeks in the past, in December 2022, there had been much more development and San Pancho had grown.

Nonetheless, the seaside was comparatively quiet, the downtown didn’t have the golf carts zipping round, and the entire space is far, a lot smaller than Sayulita.

What to do in Sayulita vs. San Pancho

San Pancho has decidedly much less to do than Sayulita. Each time we go to, we go together with the specific intention of simply chilling out.

Each locations have good seashores, although the surf can get lots greater and wilder in San Pancho, notably on the north finish of the seaside. I normally love swimming within the ocean however didn’t go for it on our most up-to-date go to in San Pancho because of the swell.

Each locations are recognized for browsing as effectively, although you’ll have much less competitors for waves in San Pancho.

Each locations have yoga, pilates, and numerous aerial arts you may observe, however there’s way more selection in Sayulita. There’s one massive seaside membership in San Pancho, however there are various choices in Sayulita. There’s extra to discover in Sayulita when it comes to locations to eat, store, and excursions you may e-book from the world. Just about nothing picks up in San Pancho, so that you’ll be principally relegated to that space except you get fortunate and rating an Uber (or lease a automobile, or manage a taxi).

If all you care to do is chill and eat, like we do once we go to, then San Pancho is ideal. If you’d like extra actions, social alternatives, and celebration choices, positively head to Sayulita.

The place to Keep in Sayulita vs. San Pancho

Whereas there are seaside homes for lease and cute boutique accommodations in each Sayulita and San Pancho, there are various extra choices in Sayulita. I noticed extra homes with beachfront swimming pools that I imagined could be nice to lease with buddies for birthdays or massive celebrations in Sayulita than San Pancho, although the quantity within the former is rising. The Airbnb stayed in San Pancho was only a few months outdated, although that did imply the fixed sound of development round us, which was a bummer.

There are only a few well-rated boutique accommodations in San Pancho: Lodge Casa San Pancho, Marii Lodge Boutique, and PAL.MAR Lodge Tropical. In Sayulita, nevertheless, it’s a boutique resort haven.

Which is Higher?

Which city is greatest for you goes to return all the way down to your objectives to your trip. For our first worldwide journey as a household with our son, we knew that we needed to return to San Pancho as a result of it was so quiet and all we needed to do was loosen up. However usually, I wish to be a bit extra lively on holidays and swim, go on day journeys, and discover. If that had been my objective, Sayulita could be the higher alternative.

So the query to ask your self is, would you like peace and quiet in a bit seaside city, or would you like extra hustle and bustle?

Would you like a celebration scene or are you actively avoiding it?

Do you need to drive golf carts round and have heaps to discover, or would you reasonably maintain to your little nook of the seaside?

These are the large variations, and for somebody like me, the smaller place nearly all the time appeals extra, however for somebody such as you, it could be the other.

For the most effective of each worlds, take into account splitting time, as we’ve carried out. I like to recommend beginning in Sayulita for some liveliness and ending in San Pancho for some leisure.

Both approach, you may’t go mistaken. That’s the most effective half.

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