Playa Patzcuarito
Best for. Walkers and surfers who want a wild, empty beach earned on foot, a quiet stretch of black and gold sand for a barefoot reset and a bare, uncrowded sunset.
Best spot. The late afternoon walk in through the jungle to an almost empty beach, the light dropping over the open Pacific with only a handful of others on the sand.
Know this. There is no road, no shade and no services, and the surf is strong with no lifeguard, so this is a beach to walk, watch and surf rather than to swim, and you carry everything in and out.
Sayulita is a small surf town that has grown loud and popular, its main beach busy with lessons, vendors and day trippers. Playa Patzcuarito is its opposite, a wild half mile of black, white and gold sand just north of town that most visitors never see because there is no road to it. You earn Patzcuarito on foot, by a jungle trail of about 25 to 30 minutes or a rock scramble from neighbouring Carricitos, and that short effort is exactly what keeps it empty. There is nothing here but sand, surf and jungle, and for a certain kind of traveller that is the whole reward.
This is a beach for walking, breathing and watching rather than a beach day in the usual sense. The sand runs long and often deserted, backed by green hills with no building in sight, and the northern end shows off the dark volcanic sand the beach is known for. In the dry months it is one of the best quiet sunset spots on this coast, the sky going to colour over an open Pacific horizon with only a scatter of surfers and walkers to share it. Come in the late afternoon, walk in slowly, and let the emptiness do the work, the kind of unhurried, screen free hour that resets a traveller far better than a crowded resort beach ever could.
Be honest about the trade offs, because they are real. The surf here is strong and the shore break can be heavy, there is no lifeguard and no easy help, so this is not a swimming beach and you should never enter the water alone or casually. There is no shade, no water and no services of any kind, so carry everything in and everything out, wear proper footwear for the trail, and give yourself daylight to walk back. Treated with respect, as a wild walk and a bare sunset rather than a swim, Patzcuarito is the most genuinely remote feeling beach within reach of Sayulita.
A wild beach, no club at all
Patzcuarito has jungle, surf and silence, not daybeds or bars. Sayulita's serviced scene is back in town on the main beach.
There is nothing built on Patzcuarito, no club, no bar and no lounger, and that is the entire point of walking in. It is a wild, unserviced beach for a walk, a surf and a sunset, and you carry everything you need. Sayulita's serviced beach life sits back in town on the main beach and at the beach clubs and restaurants there, where food, drink and shade are easy to come by. Many visitors pair a wild Patzcuarito afternoon with an easy meal in town afterwards. Our Sayulita beach clubs guide points you to where the serviced beach days actually are.
On foot through the jungle
Playa Patzcuarito lies just north of Sayulita, but there is no road to it. You reach it on foot by a marked jungle trail of about 25 to 30 minutes, which starts from the north side of town, or by scrambling over the rocks from neighbouring Carricitos beach when the tide allows. The walk is easy going but can be muddy after rain, so wear proper footwear rather than sandals.
Carry everything you need, since there is nothing here, water, sun cover, snacks and a bag for your rubbish, and give yourself enough daylight to walk back before dark. This is a wild beach with strong surf and no lifeguard, so treat it as a walking, surfing and sunset spot rather than a swim, and never go into the water alone. The dry season from November to April gives the driest trail and the best light.
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Patzcuarito is a wild walk in beach with no club on the sand, but tell us your dates and party size and we will help arrange a serviced beach day back in Sayulita. We reply by email.
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Common questions about Playa Patzcuarito
How do you get to Playa Patzcuarito?
There is no road to Patzcuarito. You reach it on foot by a marked jungle trail of about 25 to 30 minutes from the north side of Sayulita, or by scrambling over the rocks from neighbouring Carricitos beach when the tide allows. The path is easy going but can be muddy after rain, so wear proper footwear and give yourself daylight for the walk back.
Can you swim at Playa Patzcuarito?
Swimming is not recommended. This is an exposed Pacific beach with strong surf and a shore break that suits surfers, not casual swimmers, and there is no lifeguard and no quick help. Treat it as a walking, surfing and sunset beach, never swim alone, and read the sea carefully, since we describe typical conditions only and make no safety promise.
Are there any facilities at Patzcuarito?
None at all. There are no loungers, vendors, toilets, shade or water, which is part of why the beach stays so wild and quiet. Carry everything you need in with you, including water, sun cover and a bag to take your rubbish back out, and plan to be self sufficient for the whole visit.
Is Patzcuarito good for sunset?
Yes, in the dry season it is one of the best quiet sunset spots near Sayulita, with an open Pacific horizon and very few people. Walk in during the late afternoon so you can enjoy the light, but leave enough daylight to walk the jungle trail back to town safely, as there is no lighting on the path.
When is the best time to visit Playa Patzcuarito?
The dry season from about November to April brings the most settled weather, the best sunsets and the driest, easiest trail. The summer rains make the path muddy and the sea and sky less reliable. Late afternoon is the loveliest hour for the light, as long as you allow time to walk back before dark.