Sayulita still runs on cash more than most visitors expect. Taco stands, market stalls, taxis and a good share of sit-down restaurants want pesos, and the town's ATMs can run dry on a busy weekend.
None of this is hard once you know the pattern: carry pesos, use machines inside a bank or a business, turn down the conversion offer on every screen, and tip in cash. Here's how it works on the ground.
Pay in pesos, not dollars
Prices are set in pesos, and that's what businesses want. Many will take US dollars if you run short, but they convert at their own rate, which is almost always worse than what your bank or an ATM would give you.
Plan on cash for the small stuff: tacos, fruit and coconut stands, the artisan stalls by the plaza, the Friday market, beach vendors and taxis. Keep a stack of small notes and coins, because a 500-peso note is hard to break at a stand selling tacos.
Mary's Traditional Mexican Cuisine
A town favorite for fish and shrimp tacos that takes cash only, so stop at an ATM first.
Barracuda Playa Sayulita
Beachfront ceviche and guacamole on loungers by the surf; cash only.
Punto Escondido
Cocktails, wings and sushi on the north side, where bringing cash saves trouble.
Pizza Venezia
Set-price build-your-own pizza; bring pesos in case the card machine is down.
Hippie Market
The row of craft stalls near the plaza. Stallholders work in cash and small notes.
Mercado del Pueblo
The Friday farmers' and artisan market in season; vendors expect pesos.
The bank and the ATMs in town
Sayulita's bank branch sits on Avenida Revolución as you drive into town, across from the police and fire station. It was Intercam until 2025, when Kapital Bank took over Intercam's branches, so you may see either name. It has a cash machine inside and can change US dollars, though not at a better rate than you'd get elsewhere.
The other machines people in town recommend are inside Don Pedro's, the beachfront restaurant, which has two ATMs that give pesos or dollars and is a safer bet for an evening withdrawal than a machine on the street. There's also an ATM on the plaza outside La Cubeta that locals use.
Every one of these can run out of cash or drop offline when the power or internet goes, and it happens most on long weekends, holidays and Monday mornings after a busy weekend. Take out what you need early in the day and early in the week. If town is dry, San Pancho and Bucerías both have bank machines, and Bucerías has branches of the big national banks.
Don Pedro's Restaurant & Bar
Beachfront restaurant with two ATMs inside, a staffed spot to withdraw even in the evening.
Sayulita Plaza
The central square, with an ATM outside La Cubeta that locals rely on.
Avoid bad rates and skimmers
Almost every ATM and card terminal will offer to charge you in your home currency. Say no. The screen may call it a conversion or a guaranteed rate; either way, choosing dollars lets the machine set the exchange rate, and that typically costs you several percent. Choose pesos and let your own bank convert. Declining doesn't cancel the withdrawal or the payment.
Use machines inside a bank or a business that locks up at night, not free-standing ATMs on the street. Sayulita has had problems with card skimming over the years, and local guides still advise against the stand-alone units. Cover the keypad when you type your PIN, and if a machine keeps your card or gives the wrong amount, go to the bank branch rather than trying again.
Casas de cambio (exchange windows) in town will swap dollars, Canadian dollars and euros for pesos, but their rates are poor compared with an ATM. The ATMs at Puerto Vallarta airport also tend to cost more than machines in town, so withdraw only what you need for the ride if you can.
Cards: who takes them, and the surcharge question
Most of the bigger restaurants, hotels, surf schools and shops take Visa and Mastercard. Small family places, taco stands and anything on the sand are more likely to be cash only, and a card machine that relies on patchy signal can fail at the worst moment.
Some places in Sayulita add a 3–5% fee when you pay by card. Mexico's consumer agency, Profeco, said again in 2025 that passing the terminal fee on to the customer isn't allowed and that the listed price should be the final price. In practice, ask before you order, pay cash where a fee applies, or take it up politely with the manager.
When the waiter brings the terminal to the table, pick pesos on the screen, and leave the tip in cash rather than adding it to the card, so it goes straight to the person who served you.
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Tai38
Upscale Thai with excellent curries that accepts cards.
Aloha Sayulita
Small two-storey bar near the beach with good sashimi; takes cards.
Northside Cafe
Breakfast institution on the north side; cards carry a 5% surcharge, so cash is cheaper.
Buonissimo Cafe and Gelato
Cheap gelato and crepes; pay in pesos to avoid a poor card exchange rate.
Tipping at restaurants and bars
Tipping is expected here, and for many waiters and bartenders it's a large part of what they earn. In 2026, 10–15% is the usual range at restaurants, with 20% for service that stood out. At a taco stand, leaving the small change is fine.
Read the bill before you add anything. Some places, especially with big groups, add a service charge or write 'propina' on the check. Under federal consumer law a tip is voluntary and can't be added without your agreement, so if one appears that you didn't agree to, you can ask for it to be removed. If it's there and you're happy with the service, don't tip twice.
Beach clubs often ask for a minimum spend or charge for loungers and umbrellas instead of a tip. Ask at the start what's included.
Ancla Sayulita
Loungers in front of the main break and a tuna tostada people return for; look over the bill before paying.
La Katrina Restaurant & Bar
Tequila bar with tastings and sports on TV; check your order and the total.
GOAT Beach Club Sayulita
Beachfront loungers where a minimum spend goes toward drinks; ask the amount first.
Tipping surf instructors, cleaners and drivers
Surf instructors: 10–20% of the lesson price, in cash, handed to the instructor who was in the water with you, not left at the desk. If one instructor took your whole group, tip with the group in mind.
Rental cleaners and hotel housekeeping: leave something each day or each clean rather than at the end, since the person may change. Sayulita guides suggest around 50–100 pesos per clean for a rental; a 2026 national guide puts hotel housekeeping at 20–50 pesos a night. Leave it with a note so it's clearly for them.
Taxis and golf-cart drivers: tipping isn't expected on a short ride, but rounding up or adding a few pesos is normal, and more if they help with bags or wait for you. For a private airport transfer, a tip for the driver is a kind gesture, especially after a late flight. Tour guides, boat crews and horseback guides are usually tipped in cash at the end of the trip.
Lunazul Surf School & Shop
Surf school near the break on Marlín offering 90-minute private lessons.
Surf'n Sayulita
Teaching since 2005 with ISA-certified instructors and a rash guard included.
Sayulita Surf School
Run by the González brothers, competitive longboarders who teach adults and kids.
Marea Surf School
Family-owned school capping groups at four students per local instructor.
Sayulita Luxury Transportation
Round-the-clock private transfers from Puerto Vallarta airport, with flight tracking.
Questions people ask
Do I need cash in Sayulita?
Yes. Taco stands, markets, taxis, beach vendors and many restaurants are cash only, and even places with card machines sometimes can't connect. Carry pesos in small notes.
Are there ATMs in Sayulita?
Yes. The bank branch on Avenida Revolución at the entrance to town (Kapital Bank, formerly Intercam) has one inside, and Don Pedro's on the beach has two. They can run out on busy weekends, so withdraw early.
Should I pay in dollars or pesos in Sayulita?
Pesos. Dollars are often accepted but at a worse rate, and when a card machine or ATM offers to charge you in dollars, decline and choose pesos.
How much do you tip in Sayulita?
About 10–15% at restaurants and up to 20% for great service, 10–20% for surf instructors, and something for cleaners each day. Tip in cash so it reaches the person directly.
Can a restaurant in Mexico charge extra for paying by card?
Profeco, Mexico's consumer agency, says businesses shouldn't pass card fees to customers and the listed price should be final. Some places in Sayulita still add 3–5%, so ask before you order.
Written by sayulita.co from our own research, checked against 14 sources. Nothing here is paid for. Photos: David Stanley, CC BY 2.0 (CC BY 2.0); David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada (CC BY 2.0). See something out of date? Tell us.
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