Last year, Pura Vida and some of our favorite friends led a movement across the US with the debut of the Live Free Tour. If you haven’t had the chance to follow along just yet, the Live Free concept is all about embracing travel as a way that connects all of us while embracing all of the amazing explorations the earth has to offer. We’re excited to share that the legend of the Live Free Tour lives on in 2024 with one *big* change: we’re adding a few international destinations into the mix! 🌎
The 2023 tour spanned coast to coast with breathtaking stops along 12 different destinations in nine different states. The first stop of this year’s tour takes us south of the border for the first time with our weekend in Sayulita, Mexico. This stop is not your typical vacay in the beautiful and biodiverse region — we selected this quaint, small, seaside town with intention to allow for the most authentic experience possible while avoiding crowded tourist areas like Tulum and Puerto Vallarta.
Though tucked away, Sayulita sits just 57 minutes outside of Puerto Vallarta, making for a seamless and stress-free travel experience to a space of sandy solitude where you can truly unplug and recharge. If you’re looking for a new way to see Mexico or are hoping to visit for the first time, keep reading for a peek into each day’s itinerary and how we saved on both $$ and sanity with our choice. This time around, we were joined by our fast friends Amy Timmerman (@amy.timmerman) of @saveoursurf and Carolina Reyes (@carolinareyes_).
DAY 1: Yoga Flow and Fun at the Farmers Market
We eased into the first day of our trip with instructor Vane’s special ‘Church Yoga’ session at Hotelito Los Suenos before grabbing post-yoga coffees and familiarizing ourselves with the sights and sounds of Downtown Sayulita. We found ourselves fishing through the wide variety of delicious, in-season fruits the town is known for at the local farmers market to bring back to the Airbnb. During this time of year, Pineapple and Prickly Pear are starting to come into season in Mexico while year-round fruits like Avocado and Papaya hold amazing health benefits like promoting healthy and bright skin. 🥑
Once we made our selections, we took a beat to enjoy a poolside afternoon at the dreamy oasis we were staying in, nestled just blocks from the beach where we could hear the waves crash at night. After relaxing poolside, we headed to Sirena’s Beach Club for sunset before enjoying Achara Thai food for dinner - the Panang Curry is a renowned dish among the locals in Sayulita!
DAY 2: Hanging Out on Horseback
On our second day in Sayulita, we forged through a breathtaking jungle trail off Patzcuarito Beach on horseback, exploring the lesser-seen spaces of the town. We had so much fun on our ride getting to see the scenery from a new perspective with the help of our horses.
Once we said our goodbyes to our new majestic friends, we met up with Save Our Surf, an organization founded by our guest Amy Timmerman that works to create ethical products and host community events (like the beach cleanup we joined!) to foster connection, surf many waves, and work to help the plastic crisis. Giving back and showing genuine appreciation for the destinations we travel to is so important, which is why we’re so grateful to Save Our Surf for giving us the opportunity to help leave Sayulita a little bit better than we found it. 🌊
Following the cleanup, we got the chance to meet with other community members and celebrate our love for the ocean with the cutest film screening hosted by SOS. 🎬
DAY 3: Saying ‘So Long’ to Sayulita
What better way to wrap up a stunning trip spent showing our love for the sea than with the most scenic private surf sesh?! We woke up bright and early on day 3 to sneak in a quick breakfast before heading to the swell with Sayulita Surf Center. 🏄♀️
Once we chose our boards. we took off on our private boat charter toward a break called Bahia to catch some of the first waves of the day. Paddling in the morning light and taking in the beautiful morning was the perfect opportunity to reflect on a once-in-a-lifetime stay in Sayulita and the memories we made along the way. Ending the session with our boat captain, Juan’s fresh, famous ceviche made with the Spanish Macrel caught that morning didn’t hurt, either. 😉
We can’t wait to take you along to new corners of the world with this year’s Live Free journey and show how fun and fulfilling travel can be both amazing and accessible. Visit our channels to share your guess for where we’re headed next! ✈️
