6 Awesome Surf Camps in Sayulita for 2025
Surf camps in Sayulita now run the gamut from hippy yoga programs that promise Zen vibes and cruisy waves to more hardcore performance-orientated packages that are designed to get you improving. They’re some of the best in Mexico as a whole.
Sayulita is the most famous surf town in Mexico. There’s no debating that. The only real question is whether you love it or you REALLY love it.
We’re in the latter camp because it’s awesome. Yes, it’s busy. Yes, a few too many gringos now clog up the bars. But the line ups are fun, the vibe is good, and the surf camps….well…they’re truly special.
Mhmm, surf camps in Sayulita are a sure-fire way to catch waves. They are tailored really well to beginners and improvers, mainly because of the accessible nature of the spots around the town, particularly that very cruisy sandbar right out front.
On top of that, the surf camps here bring plenty of Mexicana Pacific charm, great extra-curricula events, and some very stylish places to stay into the mix.
Don’t look at the fact that the town hosts the highest number of surf camps as a bad thing. It’s kinda’ good because it means there’s plenty of compeition to be the best, and we’d say there are a select few options that manage that. And we don’t just mean the best in town, we mean arguably the best in the whole of Mexico!
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This is just one part of our complete overall guide to surfing in Mexico
This is also a part of our complete guide to surf camps
Quick-click links to our top surf camps in Sayulita for 2024
- WildMex Surf & Adventure – Best all-round surf camp in Sayulita for 2024
- Sayulita Cruz – A very cool all-round surf camp that’s great for complete beginners
- Variant Surf Co. – Fantastically focused surf teaching for ironing out bad habits
- Avex Surf Camp – Best for intermediate improvers
- ITH Sayulita Amazing Surf Hostel – Best budget surf stay in Sayulita
- Casa Pepe Hostel Boutique Sayulita – Best for solo travelers
WildMex Surf & Adventure
- Best all-round surf camp in Sayulita right now
The guys at WildMex Surf & Adventure have forged a rep for running some of the most adrenaline-pumping and action-packed tours this side of the Nepalese Himalaya.
Okay, so there’s some hyperbole there, but suffice to say you’ll break a sweat and earn your tacos on this week-long jaunt based in Sayulita. Don’t believe us? It’s not for nothing that the WildMex Surf & Adventure offering is rated as one of the leading surf camps in the whole of Mexico.
It’s basic stuff, done right. Guests get five surf lessons throughout the week. They take place either on the main break in Sayulita, or on the slightly-more-challenging beach peaks of La Lancha. Transport to the latter is included, as is all equipment and pro surf tuition.
What we really like about the WildMex Surf & Adventure camp is that it can be tailored to meet your specific luxury level wants and budget requirements. Either go for the cheap dorm beds to stay in the fun hostel accom, which means a shared pool and a climbing walls. Or drop some more dosh on private rooms that cater well to families and couples.
A note on why we partner with BookSurfCamps.com: Book Surf Camps are probably the biggest online aggregator of surf camps and surf-yoga packages in the world. We sounded out a quite a few potential partners before we affiliated with them. But, in the end, the abundance of choice for beginners, intermediates, and female-only surfing sealed it. We also love the simplicity of their booking system and the trusted brand name, along with the focus on connecting with homegrown local businesses on the ground.
Sayulita Cruz
- A very cool all-round surf camp that’s great for complete beginners
Sayulita Cruz are a local surf camp that are intimately connected with the vibe of this amazing Nayarit coast town. They’re all about showing guests the real side of the area and for that, we think they are among the top camps here for sure.
They do a few tiers of packages, some costing less and with fewer inclusions, some more with extra trips. We think the Ultimate is worth the tag of around $1,400 US because it really cranks up the amount of surfing you’ll do and means you get to explore some more waves.
The format is great. Your week will begin with a surf lesson in Sayulita itself. Learn and practice there and then you move on to 3x surf trips in the surrounding Punta Mita region. Often, they take place down on the white-sand strip of La Lancha, which is fantastic for progressing up to green waves.
The whole vibe is super easy-going, instructors are chill and very informative, and groups are generally quite small and intimate. It’s an everyone-gets-to-know-everyone sorta thing.
Guests can pick between shared hostel dorms to keep prices down or fork out a bit more for a private double. Either way, the accommodation is pretty lush, with access to a rooftop pool and a real chill bar that makes mean margs come the evening.
Then there are the extras: Participants can pick one activity on top of surfing, from a massage to guided hikes in the Sierra Madre forests. Pretty cool.
Variant Surf Co.
- Fantastically focused surf teaching for ironing out bad habits
Variant Surf Co. has cut its teeth offering very good surf tuition to both beginners and intermediate surfers. It would probably be our pick for improvers who really want to iron out any bad habits. There’s a few reasons behind that thinking…
First, the lessons are headed up by Texan-born Corey Whitely, a veteran of some of Sayulita’s best surf houses that continually gets plaudits for his relaxed but highly focused approach to surf guiding. Second, groups here are small, leaving lots of time for one-on-one tips and help.
Variant isn’t a classic surf camp in that it doesn’t have a specific lodge where everyone sleeps. Instead, they sort out self-catering accommodation somewhere in the center of Sayulita.
There are downsides to that but also upsides. Yes, it’s not as sociable but it does mean you can feel a bit more like a local and get plenty of independence between surf lessons to explore as you please.
Avex Surf Camp
- For focussing on improving
- Price: 5 days/4 nights starting at around $1,434 (£1,133) per person
The great thing about this one is that it’s a surf camp that comes from a surf school. That means you can really rely on the quality of the instruction, which is highly focused, objective based (you’ll set a learning target at the start of every session), and run by seasoned instructors who are part of a team run by seasoed surfer and Patagonia-born Gaston Baez.
The package is only four days long, making it a great choice for fitting into a larger Mexico travel itinerary. But don’t let the length fool you – there’s a heavy focus on in-water training here that means you’ll clock up over 10 hours during your stay and sometimes even more (that’s longer in the water than you get in many week-long camps!).
Accomodation is in a lovely, local Sayulita hotel. It’s perched up on a hillside with a rooftop terrace overlooking the surf breaks and a small pool in the garden. Healthy, filling continental breakfasts are included in the price, as are guided exercise and warm-up sessions to prep you for the waves.
ITH Sayulita Amazing Surf Hostel
- Best budget surf stay in town
A super-highly-rated hostel that offers the barebones of a surf trip to Sayulita without forcing your to fork out a gazillion pesos for the pleasure – that’s ITH Sayulita Amazing Surf Hostel in a nutshell.
For under $15/night – yes $15/night! – you can score yourself a dorm bed in one of their 10-person rooms and bag a spot that’s less than 10 minutes’ walking from door to surf break.
They also happen to have an on-site board rental and even partner with the OG’s of Sayulita surf lessons, WildMex, to offer surf packages on a pay-as-you-go basis. Easy. Simple. Perfect if you’re watching the budget a little.
We should also mention that just cos’ it’s cheap doesn’t mean it’s basic. The hostel here actually has some nice frills – think a mini swimming pool in the garden, some nice lazing areas for post-surf hangouts, and evening BBQ events where all guests get together to eat and sink some beers.
Check prices and availability at ITH Sayulita Amazing Surf Hostel
Casa Pepe Hostel Boutique Sayulita
- Best for solo travelers
Casa Pepe Hostel Boutique Sayulita
There’s a boutique edge – just as the name implies – the Casa Pepe. It’s a downtown Sayulita hostel with the feel of a more upscale hotel, though there are also superior double rooms on offer alongside the bargain dorms.
The point is, this is very much a posh-tel. It’s one for the flashpackers who can fork out a bit more for a bit more comfort. And hey, we’re still talking very affordable – in the $20-30 a night range for a pod bed in a dorm, which will come with your own electrical outlets, reading lights, and sliding curtains for added privacy.
The extras don’t stop there, either. The stay comes with its own pool, bar and sun lounger area. And they run daily events, from cultural workshops to – you guessed it – surf lessons. Again, this is a pay as you go setup, so book accommodation and then add on your surf classes before arriving at an extra cost.
Check prices and availability at Casa Pepe Hostel Boutique Sayulita
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
