Is Sayulita Good for Beginner Surfers? An Honest Answer From Our Instructors
Yes, Sayulita is a good place to learn to surf. We’ve been teaching here since 2015, and most of the people we take out have never stood on a surfboard before. Some are nervous about the ocean. Some are travelling with small kids. Some just decided last night over tacos that this was the trip they’d finally try it.
Here’s what you should know before you go.
Why the beginner area works
Sayulita has a main break, where experienced surfers sit and wait for bigger waves, and a separate area where we teach beginners. That second spot is the one that matters for you.
The waves there are generally soft, the kind that push you forward instead of knocking you over. It has a sand bottom, so there are no rocks or reef under your feet. And the water usually comes up to about shoulder height, which means you can stand, reset, and walk your board back out after each wave. For a lot of people, simply knowing they can touch the bottom takes away half the nerves.
Timing makes a big difference
There are waves in Sayulita all year round, so there’s no wrong season to learn. What changes a lesson more is the tide and the time of day.
We prefer to teach around low tide. The waves run longer then, which gives you a few extra seconds to get to your feet and actually ride. Those seconds are a big deal when you’re learning.
Mornings are usually quieter in the water, too. Sayulita is a popular town, and by late morning the beginner area can get busy. Fewer people around means more space to fall, laugh, and try again.
Because the ocean changes daily, we set your lesson time the day before, once we’ve looked at the conditions. If you have a preference for morning or afternoon, tell us and we’ll do our best.
What if the waves aren’t right?
Some days the ocean just isn’t beginner-friendly. When that happens, we won’t send you out anyway. We’ll either move your lesson to another day, or, if you’d like, switch it to a lesson at La Lancha, a beach a short drive south that’s also great for beginners. You reach it with a short walk through the mangroves. La Lancha is a longer trip with transport included, so it costs a bit more, and we’ll always check with you first. Either way, you won’t be paying to struggle in conditions that aren’t right for learning.
Sayulita Main Break
“Will I actually stand up?”
This is the question we hear most. Often it comes with a second one, said half as a joke: will the ocean eat me?
It won’t. But you’ll probably fall a few times, and you’ll probably swallow a bit of salty water. That’s part of it.
What we can tell you is what we’ve seen over the years. Some people pop up on their second wave. Others need ten tries. In our experience, almost everyone stands up during their first lesson. Not because surfing is easy, but because a good beginner spot, the right board, and an instructor next to you make it a lot more doable than it looks.
The mistake most beginners make
People think surfing will be easy. They also tend to want a smaller board, because that’s what they’ve seen in photos and it looks cooler.
A bigger board is your best friend at the start. It’s more stable, it catches waves more easily, and it lets you actually feel what balance on a moving wave is like. Your first lessons are about the basics: paddling, the pop-up, finding your feet. Get those right on a big board and moving to a smaller one later comes naturally. Start too small and you’ll spend most of your session in the water instead of on top of it.
Beginner surf lessons in Sayulita
Is it good for families and kids?
Yes. We regularly teach families, including parents with young kids. Children can join from age five, as long as they know how to swim. The shallow, sand-bottom area helps a lot, and our instructors are used to working with kids who are excited one minute and unsure the next. When you book, let us know your kids’ ages so we can plan the right setup.
So, should you learn to surf in Sayulita?
If you’re a beginner, it’s a friendly place to start. You don’t need to be fit or sporty or fearless. You just need to be willing to fall a few times and try again.
Our lessons are 90 minutes in the beginner area, with all the gear you need. If you’d like, we can also pair you with a female instructor.
