Where is Playa Escondida?

From the Puerto Vallarta international airport, drive/bus north on the highway immediately in front of the airport. Leaving the airport you immediately take the underpass to turn left and head north on Puerto Vallarta's only highway (follow the signs for Compostela and Tepic).

In about twenty minutes you'll pass through the town of Bucerias. A couple miles past Bucerias is the turnoff to Punta Mita. Make sure to go straight ahead here. Then stay to your left and DO NOT take the turnoff for the toll highway to Guadalajara.

Shortly after the Guadalajara toll turnoff the highway changes to a two-lane road and heads up and over a small mountain in a winding and twisting manner with lots of curves. Watch for animals grazing along the road and slow moving vehicles. You will pass signs for several small villages

At the village of San Ignacio, a mile or so before the Sayulita turnoff, you'll find MANY speed bumps and fruit stands.

Continue another kilometer (to kilometer marker 123km) and to your left you'll see a gasoline station and the turnoff to Sayulita.

We can meet your flight, bring you here and take you back to the airport for a $165 USD fee. (pay cash either usd or pesos directly to driver)

The bus ride from Puerto Vallarta to Sayulita costs 55 pesos ($US 3.00) and stops in front of the airport.

If you are going to catch the bus from the airport, cross over the highway using the pedestrian bridge. Look for the name "Sayulita" on the bus. Buses normally arrive every 20 minutes. The 22-mile bus ride from Puerto Vallarta to Sayulita takes approximately 1 hour. The bus arrives at the Sayulita "bus station" where you'll need to take a $150 pesos ($7 Dollars) taxi to Playa Escondida.

A Puerto Vallarta airport Taxi will cost about $1000-1500 pesos (and will not find us without detailed instructions!).

If you carry your luggage across the pedestrian bridge to the other side of the highway a taxis will run about half of what they charge at the airport. These taxis don't have the security of an airport taxi and will have trouble finding us.

Taxis (car, suburban, or van) from Sayulita into Puerto Vallarta will cost between 1000-1500 pesos depending on the group size and amount of baggage (ie. surf boards).

Consider: limited parking, delays at the airport, traffic stress, unfamiliar roads, more delays in returning the car and the fact that we are very difficult to find, and anyway, if you decide to rent a car after you are here it is not difficult to have one delivered to the hotel from Sayulita.

Another alternative is the funky, Mexican bus that will give you a real taste of Mexican culture.

If you are determined to rent a car then please print out the driving directions or you are certain to get lost, even if you already know Sayulita.

It is a beautiful 3-4 hour drive from Guadalajara to Sayulita. From Guadalajara head west toward Nogales, then about 10 miles from Guadalajara take the "Cuota" (toll hwy) towards Tepic. This is a magnificent highway cut through a beautiful mountain landscape with almost no signs of human development.

1. The shortest route (3 hours): After passing Ixtlan del Rio (at Jala) take the toll road to Puerto Vallarta. You'll travel through gorgeous mountain scenery across the Sierra Madre then down to the Pacific coast where you will need to exit at Monteon and continue south another 30 minutes on Hwy 200. After the 122km marker you'll see a large gasoline station at the Sayulita turnoff.

2. An even more scenic route (4+ hours): Continue for approximately 2 hours, passing Ixtlan del Rio and driving up the side of the Ceboruco volcano, a geologist's dream. After cresting the mountain watch the kilometer marker posts carefully for the turnoff to Chapalilla/Puerto Vallarta at kilometer 130. Follow the winding road down the mountainside of sugar cane to the valley town of Chapalilla, then, just leaving Chapalilla, watch for the Pto Vallarta/Compostela turnoff. This toll road takes you on a beautiful 30 minute drive climbing another volcano with a large lake, then winding down past the mountain town of Compostela and ending at Highway 200, the Tepic-Puerto Vallarta highway. This is yet another beautiful, very windy road. It takes you up and around a mountain and then down to the Pacific coast at Las Varas. Pass all the fruit stands, smell the humid ocean air and drive on for another 45 minutes where, after the 122km marker, you'll see a large gasoline station at the Sayulita turnoff.

At about 200 meters from the gasoline station turnoff, at the fork, stay to your left on the Punta de Mita highway. After the 2km marker go another 400 meters and take the Punta Sayulita cobblestone road on your right. Continue 400 meters to the hotel security gate.A link, with even more specific instructions from Sayulita to Playa Escondida, will be sent to you when your reservation is confirmed.

If you get lost don't worry. Ask a LOCAL taxi driver (don't expect a local person to know where we are) or give us a call at 329 291-3641 from Mexican phones or +1 52 329 291-3641 from your U.S. cell phone (if you have international roaming activated). If you have an internet connection you can also reach us on chat from our home page. Once you get to Playa Escondida our staff will show you your room and give you a brief tour so you can feel at ease and be ready to relax and enjoy yourselves.