Looking for a replacement for sayulita. Have gone the last 14 years as we have family there but the water issues and growth has us ready to branch out. Have two young kids age 6 and 8. They are good travellers. They’ve been all over to Bali, Central America and all over Mexico. But they do like a house with a pool.
We are limited this trip in time. Looking for a cute little surf town. Can only go ten days so flying to Central America is out I think due to losing a day each way. (We book budget flights). Want a cute spot bUt not too small. What we love
About sayulita is my kids can run and grab a smoothie or ice cream on their own. They can swim in the ocean and surf the small waves and we can surf some better waves. We love having some amenities and surf rental shops(way too pricey to fly boards these days) and love cute breakfast spots for coffee. Taco stands a must. But we don’t do all inclusive.
And go! Cheaper is good. House on beach is great. I know I’m asking a lot.

You can try San Agustinillo Oaxaca in Mexico

Shhhh

Or puerto Escondito

Phoebe
Puerto Esc9ndido has surf and lots to do. San Agusillo does not. You could always go to San Agustillo for a day trip and see how you like 8t for the future But not alot of kids.

Zihuatanejo; airbnb on the beach.

Which places on the beach do you recommend?

https://abnb.me/OOWPBH7DBR

Casa Bamboo

Barra de navidad is wonderful

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Rincon de guayabitos just north of Salulita

Shirl not really a surfing beach but a great family area, wouldn’t you say

Actually the surf is rather calm there, nice for swimming but not surfing

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Belize

Kristy Hartley

Puerto Escondido is what you’re looking for!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Peñita_de_Jaltemba

There are a series of smaller towns heading north from Sayulita that might be more what you want. San Pancho (Francisco), Lo de Marcos etc

Thanks we’ve been to most of them. San pancho isn’t great for swimming unfortunately. Just looking elsewhere

Steve Lo de Marcos would be my suggestion as well.

Chacala is probably my fav. in the area. Not a big fan of Sayulita anymore

I'd vote Puerto Escondido as well

Zipolite https://www.alongdustyroads.com/.../city-guides-zipolite...

Lo de Marcos

Kelly Pond
interjet flies YVR to Puerto Escondido via Mexico City. Puerto has few all inclusive, the beach is for the public for the most part, the ocean is warm and clean, no American stores, ie no Costco Walmart Starbucks...Nada!. It's safe, inexpensive and lots of transportation to take you to Zipolite Mazunte Dan Augustinio or north to the minealtepec lagoon for biolumunescence and bird watching at dawn. Surfing for various levels is available....delicious food...I'm a fan.

Do you just take a public bus from Huatulco?

Belize VRBO300805

Rincon de Guyabitos is just north of where you normally go. My kids loved it there.

San Pancho
. 20 min away from Sayulita. Super cute surf town.

Amy yes but definitely not for beginners surfing the waves can be rough there but the water quality is sooo much better for sure

Maribel it’s pretty crazy for kids. We’ve been all over the area in the last 14 years. Looking for elsewhere.

Julie yeah I know how you feel lol I try to learn surfing there and got too bad to the point that we were thinking to stop learning so we went to Sayulita and it’s definitely the best place to learn I think even know I don’t like the water quality either

Julie - oops sorry I skipped the part where your kids surf small waves. San Pancho definitely isn’t good for that!

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Fly into Huatulco or zihuataneo instead...if you want surf Puerto Escondido is the place...no crowds and cheap...old zihuataneo is great and calm swimming beach for kids

Puerto Escondido is great but the surf could be a bit big for kids. La Punta and Carazillio would be the best spots to try. Wouldn’t recommend San Pancho for children surfers, the undertow can be pretty strong. It’s verrrry quiet and not much happening in the town. Probably only one ice cream shop. Zihuatanejo doesn’t have much surf but the beaches are great for kids. Honestly, Sayulita is probably the best. Did you guys check out Punta de Mita and La Lancha at all? Those are close to Sayulita and surfable but Punta is mostly big all inclusive resorts.

Yes we’ve been to san pancho pre kids but not safe swimming for kids. We’ve surfed at la Lancha and punta just wondering if there is another treasure out there like sayulita

When you find it please let me know! Haha. I was the most happy in Sayulita and I have travelled around the Pacific in Mexico a few times. I have also heard great things about the Baja but it's a completely different landscape. Meant to be great surf and snorkeling,etc.

Sara yes we’ve searched high and low. Mal Pais in Costa Rica is amazing but a long way. It’s similar and worth trying.

Sara or go south 3 hours of PV there a lot of hidden gems with amazing water for the kids and surfing

Sara close to Manzanillo?

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SAN Pacho. Agreed!

Some neighbours of ours have just opened a place in SAN Pancho called “Belenos Inn” . Have not been there yet but maybe worth a try.

What's the best flight route to get to Puerto Escondido?

Multiple airlines fly straight to PE from Mexico City. I flew to MEX on delta and then VivaAerobus to PE. But interjet flies out of YVR now, so you can do YVR-MEX-PXM all on one airline. If it's cheaper, you can also fly into Huatulco and take the bus, it's about 2 hours away.

When we went last April, we did YVR to Mexico City in westjet (cheap) and spent a few days there, then flew to Puerto Escondido on I think it was interjet. I booked the CDMX to Puerto Flight with expedia Mexico. When I tried to book on the airline’s website it wouldn’t take my foreign credit card.
Great trip, we stayed at Punta Zicatela.

Tanya was the beach at zicatela swimable?

It had good beginner waves. And yes swimming. But PE can get big surf at times.

west jet flys direct from Vancouver to Huatulco during peak season.

following. What is wrong with the water in Sayulita? We are just planning a trip there.

it is one of the reasons we arent going back. The town sewage system cannot keep up withe the tourists and often it ends up in the ocean. We never get sick and the last few years have been SO sick. My daughter neded up in hospital for a week after she got ecoli form the beach. Its so sad.

I loooove sayulita but won’t go back as I got deathly sick for days from swimming in the ocean

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I’ve heard Nicaragua has fantastic surf towns and it’s the most price efficient Central American country. I am not sure about the kid part though

Ashley Moodie really ?? I was looking into it a few months back and didn’t see any advisories !

Ashley Moodie eeek ! I was pretty torn between that and Japan (how different I know
) and Managua is definitely a main place to be atleast for a little bit when passing through. Better safe than sorry glad you didn’t go !

Ashley Moodie jealous
how do you like it there ?

I'm actually going to Nicaragua next week. There are still protests but it's safe for tourism for the most part. I'm not spending any time in Managua though, just Granada and San Juan Del Sur before I cross the border into Costa Rica.

April too much unrest in that country.

We love it there for sure

Costa Rica!!

I just booked a trip to Kona, Hawaii. I ended up scoring a beautiful airbnb for just $2,000 for 9 nights split between 4 of us that are going. Flights appear to be around the $700 mark out of spokane. Not too bad all in.

Ali pricey

Maui, Hawaii! Short flight.. Awesome surfing... Lots of airbnbs that has pools.. Stayed in kehei for 11 nights ventured out to other areas of the island.. Short walks in kehei to get to food/ice cream stands etc.

Troncones, north of Ixtapa/Zihuatenejo. very small, safe,clean little town, with reasonable beachfront accom. I saw people surfing, great cheap food.

How far North; sounds lovely. I love the Ixtapa/ Zihu area.

We love Zihua & Troncones but I’d pass on Ixtapa. Zihua has a great, safe little town for wandering. Troncones is very small, great baby turtle release from Roberto’s & surfing but not too much else to do. Only a half hour apart.

FYI, air canada now flies DIRECT to Zihua. Currently showing at ~$750 RT, but look for sale prices at Black Friday / Cyber Monday.

Alaska used to fly direct for far less
. westjet flies to Zihua now, usually or a little less than AC but always thru Calgary.

La Paz, Mexico

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If you like the party touristy Sayulita is perfect! If you go in the ocean rinse off immediately! Go north to Lo De Marcos or Rincon de Quyabitos. If you love to surf head to Punta de Mita!
I have heard Troncones is beautiful

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Lo de Marcos, half an hour north

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Los Barilles

Kimberly Rose
Tronconnes

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Todos Santos

Terri David
Playa Los Cerritos. South of Todos Santos. Beautiful surf beach.

Lots of retirees there..nice beach, taco stand is about it for eateries or Jim's

Troncones. Check out Casa dos Palmas or Casa de Oro if you want the whole house to yourself or Casa Luna del Mar if you don’t mind sharing.

Bocas del Toro, Panama. Great deals with aeromexico (we paid $420 return incl. taxes). Left YVR at 11pm, quick layover in Mexico City and arrived Panama City at 10am. Flight with air panama to Bocas. We loved Sayulita but were disappointed in the sewage when we went.
such a fabulous little fun town with great food. Bocas has won our hearts now
great people, great food, lots to see and do!

Launie where do you usually stay in bocas? I have friends who go too but they stay in hostels and go for the partying

Tanya Bluff Beach Retreat or Oasis Bluff Beach. Oasis was featured on house hunters international and Wendy and Simon were incredible hosts with so much info on the area.

Launie thanks ill look into it. I really wanted to go back to Hawaii this year but the exchange for canadians is too high. I also love costa rica and Nicaragua so im sure ill love panama as well.

Not a single mention of Bacalar? Not good for surfing, but the best for anything else IMO. Worth staying there for a week or two. It’s a beautiful FRESH WATER lagoon.

recommend puerto Escondido - we are here now and loving it.

When are you back? Can we talk?

Maui is a good choice for food and hiking. Kauai for hiking the Na Pali coast trail (just know you'll likely have rain and mud on the trail).

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Guayabitos in Rincon de Nayarit...La Princeza Bungalows. Best beach in Mexico!

Carol Lee
Deborah . I agree. My parents wintered for many years in Rincon. Very family friendly.

Last year we took our family to Malaysia, East Coast to a little village called, Cherating. Stayed at a great backpacker place about 300 m from the beach. Awesome beach, great surfing at times. Perfect little village to wander in, kids could go and get coconut shakes by themselves. Prices were amazing from Vancouver to Malaysia about $485 return.
PS I’ve been to Sayulita. This place is about 1/10 the size, WAY less tourists and the beach is far superior in my humble opinion

Communal living area and kitchen at the Guesthouse

Street restaurant. Wonderful South African family who recommended this place to us, Bianca’s on the right.

How did you get to cherating from Kuala Lumpur?

Valerie We actually came from Thailand, but when we left Cherating, we took the bus to KL

You have me interested.

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Try San pancho

Waves are huge and undertow bad. Not for kids. Been there many time. Thx

ok, I was there last February and did not experience big waves, nothing like PV was. Well, good luck

Can you recommend a place to stay in Sayulita? It’s our first trip down there. We usually go to playa del Carmen area.. this will be a new adventure!

Check out sayulitalife.com we have rented several properties from the site.

i have. It just gets overwhelming... so many. And you can’t trust pics.

Jenny airbnb is probably your best bet

Thanks everyone for your tips. We booked puerto Escondido. Super excited.