From June to October Sayulita turns green, quiet and hot, and it rains: not usually all day, but in heavy bursts that tend to come later in the day or at night. It's the season of turtle releases, warm sea and empty beaches, and also of muddy lanes, brown water after storms and some businesses closing for a few weeks in September.
This guide is for families at any time of year and for anyone here in the wet months. It covers the shape of a rainy-season day, what children love here, what to do when it pours, and the practical things worth knowing with kids in tow.
How the rainy season goes
The rains usually arrive in the second half of June, build through July and August and peak in September, when it rains on most days. Many days still start bright: the usual pattern is a clear, sticky morning, building cloud and a sharp storm in the afternoon or evening that clears in an hour or two. Some days stay dry; a few are grey from start to finish.
It's also hurricane season, from May 15 to November 30, with the most activity in September and October. Direct hits are uncommon; more often a storm passing offshore sends big surf, rips and heavy rain. Follow the US National Hurricane Center and Mexico's weather service, SMN, and do what Protección Civil says when a warning is up. Our Surf & weather page shows any storm within 1,500 km.
- JuneAbout 12 rainy days and 129 mm; the rains usually start in the second half.
- JulyAbout 20 rainy days and 174 mm; Mexican school holidays fill the weekends.
- AugustAbout 24 rainy days and 241 mm; turtle nesting peaks and the first hatchlings go to sea.
- SeptemberAbout 24 rainy days and 271 mm, the wettest month, with the warmest sea at around 31 °C; many businesses take a break.
- OctoberAbout 16 rainy days and 160 mm; the rain tapers off and the town reopens for Día de Muertos.
The sea in the morning: calm water and first waves
For small children the calmest water near town is Playa los Muertos, the sheltered cove 15 minutes' walk south, and the south end of the main beach; the middle is full of surfboards and the north end has stronger rips. There are no lifeguards, so stay close, and after heavy rain keep out of the water for a few days and away from the river mouth.
Sayulita is a good place for a child's first wave. Marea Surf School takes children from five if they can swim, with no more than four surfers per instructor and board and rash guard included; lessons were from 1,200 pesos a person. Surf'n Sayulita teaches all ages. Ask any school how they handle younger children and whether a parent should stay on the beach.
Playa los Muertos
A sheltered cove south of town, the calmest place to swim with children on small days.
Marea Surf School
Lessons for children from age five who can swim, four surfers at most per instructor.
Surf'n Sayulita
A surf school teaching all ages since 2005, with a beach briefing before the water.
Turtles at sunset
Olive ridley turtles nest on Sayulita's beach from about July to November, and the town's volunteer turtle camp moves the nests to a protected hatchery. When the eggs hatch, mostly from September to December, the hatchlings are released at sunset and children can watch them scramble down the sand to the sea. The camp protected 318 nests in the 2025–26 season.
Releases are free or by donation. Visitors can also join the nest patrols or adopt a nest for 1,000 pesos, which brings a photo of the nest and another at its release. Follow the volunteers' instructions: no touching the hatchlings and no flash.
Ask at the turtle camp in the afternoon whether there's a release tonight. It's the best free thing in town.
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Campamento Tortuguero Sayulita
The volunteer-run camp that guards the nests and releases hatchlings at sunset.
When it pours: a rainy-afternoon list
Rain here is warm, and plenty of children simply play in it. For the times you want a roof: a mosaic class at a family-run studio of Oaxacan roots, for all ages and by appointment; a long lunch in an air-conditioned café; an ice cream or a fruit paleta from Wakika; a Spanish lesson, which La Mexicana's teachers give to all ages; or a massage or a yoga class for the grown-ups while someone else is on duty.
Older children can come on the distillery tour at Cachasol, a farm just south of town on the Punta de Mita road: they do the tour without alcohol and make mocktails while the adults taste, and under-18s with their family go free at the bar's tasting. The canopy zip lines outside town run in all weathers, but check the age rules before you book.
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Mosaico Sayulita
Mosaic and stained-glass classes for all ages, priced per project, by appointment on WhatsApp.
Anchor Cafe
A cosy café with air conditioning and smoothie bowls, for waiting out a storm.
Julia's
An air-conditioned chocolate shop and café with doughnuts and bonbons.
La Mexicana Spanish School
Spanish lessons for all levels and ages, private or in groups.
Cachasol Farm Distillery
A farm distillery with a family-friendly tour; children make mocktails while adults taste.
Practical things with kids
Sayulita's streets are cobbled, uneven and mostly without pavements, and steep on the south and north sides, so a sturdy carrier beats a stroller. For childcare, Ola Nana, a bilingual preschool for children from six months to four years, can also put visitors in touch with babysitters who come to you. Ask your transfer company for child seats when you book, and don't count on one in a taxi.
Mosquitoes are worst in the wet season and bite by day, and dengue is present in Nayarit, so use repellent on everyone and keep screens shut. Heavy downpours can briefly flood streets and send the river and arroyos up fast: keep children well away from running water. For a fever, a fall or anything worrying, the Sayulita Health Clinic at the entrance to town handles emergencies, and the Punta Mita hospital, about ten minutes away, has paediatrics. In any emergency in Mexico, call 911.
- 911
- for any emergency in Mexico
- 10 min
- about the drive to the Punta Mita hospital
Ola Nana
A bilingual preschool and daycare that also refers visiting families to babysitters.
Sayulita Health Clinic
The clinic at the town entrance, linked to the Punta Mita hospital, for emergencies.
Farmacias del Pacifico
A pharmacy on the north side, open daily until 11pm.
Questions people ask
Does it rain all day in Sayulita in the rainy season?
Usually not. Most days bring a heavy shower or storm in the afternoon or evening, and mornings are often clear. September is the wettest month, with rain on most days.
Is Sayulita good for kids?
Yes: calm water at Los Muertos and the south end, surf lessons from about age five, turtle releases in the autumn and a lively plaza in the evening. Bring a carrier rather than a stroller for the cobbles.
When can you see baby turtles in Sayulita?
Releases happen at sunset, mostly from September to December. Ask at the turtle camp in the afternoon; releases are free or by donation.
What can you do in Sayulita when it rains?
A mosaic class, a long lunch in an air-conditioned café, a Spanish lesson, a massage or yoga, a distillery tour at Cachasol, or the zip lines, which run in all weathers.
Is hurricane season a problem in Sayulita?
It runs from May 15 to November 30, busiest in September and October. Direct hits are uncommon; passing storms bring big surf and heavy rain. Follow the National Hurricane Center, SMN and Protección Civil.
Written by sayulita.co from our own research, checked against 19 sources. Nothing here is paid for. Photos: ; ; Steve Jurvetson from Menlo Park, USA (CC BY 2.0); Eric Anderson aroc (CC0). See something out of date? Tell us.