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adventure destinationSayulita, MexicoA post-season retreat!Mexico has many more well recognizednames for tourist destinations.Puerto Vallarta, Cancun andCozumel just to name a few. Wewould like to introduce you to alittle known location that might justchange your life forever.With the Sierra’s creating a spinedown the center of the country, youcan find yourself camped in thecrater of a volcano at 14,000 feetone evening and by lunch the nextday, you can be surfing along thecoast. Roads not shown on mapssometimes lead to the quaintestvillages and Sayulita is one suchvillage.Whether you are looking to mountainbike, hike, surf or relax, Sayulitahas something for everyone. Sayulitais a small surfing village on thePacific coast about an hour north ofPuerto Vallarta.Okay, so you have arrived inSayulita and are exhausted fromthe many miles that you have justtraveled to begin your ‘vacation’.First order of business is to stretchaway the stress from your job,travel or just life in general at OmYoga. This local studio is housedunder an expansive palapa roof andthey offer a morning class amidstthe jungle birds and local roosters.Now, you are ready for some localcuisine. Sayulita, manages to straddlethe cultural divide between localMexican culture and the gringotourists who find their way there.Try the street tacos at El Pastor (10pesos each) on the main road intotown, or the handcrafted margaritasand fresh fish dishes served up atTropical House, where owner/chefMichel Font will probably deliverlocal advice and a joke, along withyour tropical fish (110 pesos) or anynumber of creative brunch dishes.Dessert options range from thedessert lady selling flans and cakesat the main plaza to a local favorite,paletas (popsicles) in about 50different flavors (10 pesos).As you wander around town, youwill probably cross paths with alocal mountain bike team consistingof a father and son. Lorenzo, andhis son Adrian finance their mountainbike addiction by running afamily restaurant (serving chilerellenos) and showing the localtrails to tourists. They can guideyou through jungle trails, past ashort hike up to the top of 1,000foot Monkey Mountain (named forit’s Jurassic look and not the presenceof primates) and finally endingat a surf break called La Lancha.Adventure World Magazine June 2008 36