While the charming town of Bucerias and trendy Sayulita are popular day trip destinations from Puerto Vallarta, they’re actually great spots to stay and explore for a few days.
They’re quite different though and will appeal to different types of travelers or those looking for a specific vibe on their holiday.
This travel guide will provide an overview of the differences of each town and compare all the major deciding factors to help you choose: downtown atmosphere, accommodations, beaches, culinary scene and prices.
We’ve stayed in both Bucerias and Sayulita a few separate times and find they’re almost like comparing apples and oranges.
We love aspects of each, and choose to visit based on the type of holiday we’re after.
Both Sayulita and Bucerias are safe to visit right now, including the current public health situation and in regards to general safety.
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Quick Comparison of Bucerias vs. Sayulita
Bucerias has an authentic Mexican town feel with a large expat community and delicious food scene.
In a nutshell, Bucerias is generally more quiet and a popular spot for retirees and snowbirds. Many foreigners live here for several months a year or permanently.
It’s a slightly slower paced and a bit of an older crowd, but that certainly doesn’t mean fun isn’t had here.
From the Puerto Vallarta airport, it’s a 20 minute taxi ride (you can even take an Uber), or about 45 minutes on the bus from downtown Puerto Vallarta.
Sayulita on the other hand, is trendier, attracts a younger crowd and is much busier.
Without a doubt, it exudes a hippy, artsy and trendy party vibe.
That being said, it’s still very chill around town, and plenty of zen yoga retreats take place up in the hills!
It’s best known for its world-renowned surfing, and is one of the reasons why the town is so popular.
Sayulita can be reached in about 1 to 1.5 hours by bus from Puerto Vallarta, or 45 minutes by car.
Scenery, Downtown Atmosphere and Crowd
…in Bucerias
Since Bucerias is perfectly situated in the middle of Banderas Bay, the sunsets here are absolutely breathtaking. You get a free show almost every night.
As far as the town itself, it’s more of a traditional Mexican town feel.
Most tourists stay west of the main highway, but if you’re feeling a little adventurous, you can definitely find some delicious and cheap restaurants on the other side!
I find Bucerias very easy to navigate and get around.
One of the most popular streets is Lazaro Cardenas and it’s just one long street that takes you from one neighborhood in the south and across to the downtown to the north.
The main tourist areas are split into the golden zone (arts district) and the centro (downtown).
We prefer staying somewhere in the golden zone which tends to be a little quieter and has the best beach.
But there are more options for dining in the centro area – so you will do a little extra walking, bike riding or driving into centro.
Bucerias is a very popular spot for retirement, but honestly, Chris and I are in our 30s and love it!
For a more through dive into this town, read my destination guide to Bucerias.
…in Sayulita
As you drive into Sayulita from either Bucerias or Puerto Vallarta, you quickly realize you’re entering into more of a jungle setting, which is pretty cool.
You’ll immediately realize the town is almost purely tourist focused, which could be a good or a bad thing depending what you’re looking for.
It’s bright, it’s colorful and full of life here.
The small downtown in Sayulita is quite compact and easy to navigate, but outside of that, it’s a little more spread out and the terrain is considerably more hilly.
If you have trouble walking up hills or stairs, you might find getting around Sayulita a little exhausting by the end of the day.
For this reason, many people rent golf carts to get around!
The crowd in Sayulita is definitely younger or for those who are young at heart. The atmosphere is a little more upbeat, and loud but in a fun way.
Sayulita is very safe, especially walking around at night.
It’s such a busy area full of tourists that you don’t have to feel uneasy walking back to your hotel from any of the restaurants, bars or shops downtown.
Comparing Accommodation Options in Bucerias vs Sayulita
Accommodations in Bucerias
You will spend less money to stay in Bucerias compared to Sayulita, and even Puerto Vallarta.
There are a few small boutique hotels in town and many options for vacation home rentals and condo rentals.
I find many of the accommodation choices very reasonably priced here.
Bucerias does have one all-inclusive resort, the Royal Decameron.
If you’re looking for the cheapest all-inclusive resort in the Puerto Vallarta area and don’t mind that it’s 20 minutes from the city, the Royal Decameron is your best choice.
The resort is located on the edge of town, but has its own private beach.
Many guests will spend a day walking into Bucerias, enjoy the shops and restaurants and then take a sunset horseback ride down the beach back to the resort.
Just up the street is this condo complex that we love staying in when we’re in town.
It’s very reasonably priced, only a couple blocks from the beach and is in a quiet part of town.
The best part is that you usually have the pool all to yourselves.
If you want the best view from your patio, private pool and fast wifi, you’re going to love a room at the Refugio del Mar Boutique Hotel.
Accommodations in Sayulita
The accommodation options are one of my favorite parts about Sayulita.
There are tons of options to choose from like villas, jungle abodes, treehouses, quiet oasis retreats in the hills and trendy boutiques hotels on the beach.
If you’re someone like me who likes to choose destinations to visit based on the funky choices for places to stay, you will love Sayulita.
Favorite overall spot is Aurinko Bungalows.
Perfectly situated between downtown and the beach so you’re close to everything.
Private terraces with hammocks and immaculately kept, it’s one of the top rated hotels in Sayulita for a reason.
Hotel Vogue is our second choice If you can’t get into Aurinko. It’s a jungle oasis tucked away in the middle of downtown.
If you’re after a view from the hills and on a budget, choose Mar y Sueños Apartments. Breakfast is served on the rooftop terrace!
You can even find much cheaper accommodations on VRBO.
Like this private beachfront casita with pool and top notch views.
My full Sayulita accommodation guide breaks down the best places to stay based on budget, location, type of accommodation and best places to stay for couples.
Tip – use the map below to compare real-time prices and availability on both VRBO and Booking.com – my two favorite accommodations websites.
Beaches and Outdoor Activities
Sayulita Beach
The main beach in Sayulita has coarse sand, not too different from the sand you’ll find in Bucerias. But once you wade into the water, you’ll find the bottom is quite rocky.
This is why most people wear water shoes in Sayulita’s water.
You can swim in the water in Sayulita and not worry about getting sick.
If you’ve read old blog posts or forums (2017 and prior), there was a problem with the town’s sewage making the water un-swimmable.
This is not the case anymore as there have been major upgrades to fix this.
If you want really nice, soft and shallow beaches with crystal clear water, take a short hike to Playa de los Muertos.
We spent half a day lounging in a cove all to ourselves in water that made us feel like we were in the caribbean.
Surfing & Activities
Sayulita is one of the most popular spots to surf on the Pacific coast of Mexico. Upon arriving in town you’ll see surf shops and surfboard rentals everywhere.
Once you hit the beach, you’ll see surfers as far as the eye can see.
If you’ve never tried surfing before, not to worry, Sayulita is very welcoming to beginner surfers.
There are plenty of instructors and surf schools all along the beach to help you out.
If you’re visiting Sayulita with kids, there are surf lessons available for the young ones.
And if you don’t surf, there are tons of beach loungers to relax, grab a margarita and watch the pro surfers hit mad barrels!
The main beach in Sayulita isn’t actually that big, so it does fill up with people lounging, sunbathing and having picnics.
If you visit on a weekend or a holiday, it will be full of families and daytrippers playing music, games and cooking food!
If you like a busy atmosphere with lots going on, Sayulita is the ticket.
Because of the hilly terrain, there are so many great places to go hiking in and around Sayulita.
Monkey Mountain is one of the best hikes.
And being nestled in the jungle, it’s no surprise there are an abundance of yoga studios and yoga retreats in town.
Or combine them both and hike through the jungle to a private beach for yoga.
Read about more fun things to do in Sayulita whether you’re there for a day or a week.
The Beach in Bucerias & other activities
The long, wide and quiet beaches are part of the reason people fall in love with Bucerias.
You can walk for miles down the beach and never run into anyone else, as there’s so much space to spread out – perfect if you’re looking for a safe place in Mexico to distance from others.
Massages on the beach in Bucerias are super cheap and extremely relaxing!
You’ll find massage tents in a few different spots. Highly recommended.
If you have kids with you, don’t miss taking a short trip to Destiladeras beach, one of the nicest in the area, and especially perfect for the little ones due to the shallow and calm water.
In Bucerias, kiteboarding and windsurfing are very popular activities.
The beach is also a lot less rocky and therefore more forgiving for playing around on boogie boards and skimboards.
And when you get a calm morning, paddleboarders will be out in full force!
But best of all, eating and drinking your way through this authentic Mexican town is the best way to experience it.
You can even take a bike and food tour through town!
Culinary Scene and Restaurant Choices
Dining Options and Prices in Bucerias
Dining in Bucerias is very reasonably priced, and there are also many happy hours to be found all over town.
There’s a great mix of casual dining, authentic Mexican, sports bars and upscale but unpretentious restaurants.
Here are some favorites:
- The best beach restaurant is Karen’s Place, located in the zona dorada (or golden zone). The food, drinks and service is fabulous here – and the best happy hour in town. There’s also lots of vegetarian and some vegan options too.
- Tacos Lindas for the most authentic Mexican tacos. Very cheap and you can bring your own alcoholic drinks.
- La Postal – open-air and romantic and quaint, perfect italian-american food.
- Toscana Mia for the best Italian food and housemade limoncello.
- Sandrina’s for Mediterranean, Mexican and seafood. Another great spot with seating in a garden setting.
Dining Options and Prices in Sayulita
Dining and drinks are going to be overall more expensive than in Bucerias.
Meals and entrees are typically a few dollars more, but not by much. Tourist tax is alive and well here.
However, there are still great happy hours to be found. And the rooftop bars are everywhere!
Here are some favorite spots:
- El Barrilito for happy hour drinks overlooking the main town square.
- Don Pedro’s on the beach for great atmosphere – it gets loud here!
- Tacos el Tal Ivan for the best budget friendly tacos, seriously amazing.
If you’re vegan or vegetarian, you will find tons of options to eat in Sayulita. And of course the fresh seafood is abundant.
So, Which is Better, Bucerias or Sayulita?
If I had one week to spend and had to choose between Bucerias or Sayulita, I would choose to stay in Bucerias but plan to spend a full day trip up in Sayulita.
Many people love staying in Bucerias because it’s close enough to Puerto Vallarta that you can go back and forth (even on public transport) to see the sights. Being perfectly in the middle is a huge draw.
Whereas you’re limited to stay in Sayulita until you leave again (perhaps with a visit to San Pancho, the nearby town).
If you’re worried about crowds, I recommend sticking with Bucerias – there’s plenty of space to spread out and avoid others.
But if you need action and lots going on, Sayulita is where it’s at.
Either way, you’re going to have an unforgettable time in one of the best region’s on the planet!
Inside Tip – I’ve found it very useful to know some conversational Spanish when travelling through Mexico.
I’m using the online program called Rocket Languages, and it’s very easy to learn! You can try a 7-day free trial here.
More Puerto Vallarta-area posts:
14 Unique Day Trips from Puerto Vallarta with Itineraries (+ hidden gems and secret spots)
8 Waterfalls and Hot Springs to Visit Near Puerto Vallarta
Best Beaches in Puerto Vallarta: travel planning guide
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