Sayulita from the Puerto Vallarta cruise port

Town & walking45-60 minutes by taxi5-6 hours including travelFits a typical call

A surf town on the Riviera Nayarit coast about 40 km north of Puerto Vallarta, with a beach break, a small plaza, cafés and craft shops. Tourism there grew after the highway to Puerto Vallarta opened in 1965.

Getting there from the ship

From
Puerto Vallarta Maritime Terminal
Travel time
45-60 minutes by taxi
Allow about 20 minutes to get off the ship first. Puerto Vallarta taxi fares.
Cost
Free to wander. Compostela bus about 60 pesos each way (2026); taxi fare from the port not confirmed.
Time to allow
5-6 hours including travel

Will you be back for all aboard?

Yes. On a typical 8:00 am–4:30 pm Puerto Vallarta call you have up to 5 h 10 min at Sayulita, enough for a visit (allow 5-6 hours including travel), and you are back at the ship with at least an hour before all aboard.
  1. 1
    8:00 am · Ship docks
    Allow about 20 minutes to get off and through the terminal.
  2. 2
    9:20 am · At Sayulita
    45-60 minutes by taxi from Puerto Vallarta Maritime Terminal.
  3. 3
    2:30 pm · Leave Sayulita by
    That gets you back to the ship an hour before all aboard.
  4. 4
    4:30 pm · All aboard
    Typical for Puerto Vallarta; your ship's time may differ. Check ship time vs local time

Tip

Only attempt it on a long call. Highway traffic can stretch the 45-60 minute drive, and the bus is slower because it stops often. Green-and-white Compostela buses marked 'Sayulita' stop at Walmart across from the terminal. Sayulita is in Nayarit. Wikipedia's Sayulita page lists UTC-7, while Mexico's time rules put the Bahía de Banderas area on Puerto Vallarta's Central time, so check your phone clock against ship time.

Puerto Vallarta cruise port: Sayulita FAQ

How far is Sayulita from the Puerto Vallarta cruise port?

From Puerto Vallarta Maritime Terminal it is 45-60 minutes by taxi.

How much does it cost to visit Sayulita?

Free to wander. Compostela bus about 60 pesos each way (2026); taxi fare from the port not confirmed.

How much time do you need at Sayulita?

Allow 5-6 hours including travel. Yes. On a typical 8:00 am–4:30 pm Puerto Vallarta call you have up to 5 h 10 min at Sayulita, enough for a visit (allow 5-6 hours including travel), and you are back at the ship with at least an hour before all aboard.

Can you visit Sayulita on your own from a cruise ship?

Yes, it is easy to do on your own: it is 45-60 minutes by taxi from Puerto Vallarta Maritime Terminal. Only attempt it on a long call. Highway traffic can stretch the 45-60 minute drive, and the bus is slower because it stops often. Green-and-white Compostela buses marked 'Sayulita' stop at Walmart across from the terminal. Sayulita is in Nayarit. Wikipedia's Sayulita page lists UTC-7, while Mexico's time rules put the Bahía de Banderas area on Puerto Vallarta's Central time, so check your phone clock against ship time.

Tours that go to Sayulita

Checked against a typical 8:00 am–4:30 pm call with an hour's margin.

All tours

More things to do near Sayulita

All 12 places