The verdict on Playa de los Muertos
- Who it suitsSwimmers, gentle snorkellers and anyone who wants Sayulita's calmest water and a pretty sheltered cove within an easy walk of town.
- Best spotThe left side of the cove near the rocks for the clearest snorkelling, early or late in the day when the little beach is at its quietest.
- One thing to knowIt is small and popular, so it fills at midday in high season, and the walk in through the painted cemetery is part of the experience.
Published 19 February 2026. Last reviewed 14 May 2026
Playa de los Muertos is the prettiest small idea in Sayulita, and getting there is half of it. From the south end of the village a short path leads through the town cemetery, its graves painted in whimsical bright colours and tended like little shrines, and then opens onto a compact cove of soft sand and remarkably calm water. To an eye that enjoys a framed composition it is a gift, a neat crescent of gold held between rocky headlands with jungle behind and a small band of shade at the back. The name sounds sombre but the beach is anything but, a bright, sheltered pocket that feels a world away from the surf of the main town beach around the point.
What you come for is the calm and the snorkelling. Tucked out of the swell, this is the most protected water in Sayulita, gentle enough for an easy swim and clear enough that the rocks on the left shelter schools of bright fish for beginner snorkelling and paddleboarding. It is the beach to choose when the main Sayulita break is too lively for a relaxed dip, and the walk in through the cemetery gives it a sense of arrival that the busier sand never has. Come early with a mask and you can have the cove close to yourself in the softest light of the day.
The honest notes are simple. This is a small natural cove, not a resort beach, so there is no formal beach club, at most a few seasonal vendors with drinks and snacks and the odd lounger to rent, and everything else is a short walk back in town. Because it is compact and deservedly popular, the middle of the day in high season can feel crowded for such a little beach, so timing matters more here than almost anywhere in Sayulita. There is no lifeguard, and while the cove is usually calm, conditions vary, so swim within your depth and keep an eye on children. Bring water, sun cover and reef safe products, and carry your rubbish back out.
Come to Playa de los Muertos for the calmest water in Sayulita, gentle snorkelling and one of the loveliest short walks on the coast. For the lively main beach and its surf go to Playa Sayulita, and for a quieter town and wider sand up the coast try San Pancho Beach. For the full picture start at the best beaches in Sayulita, for loungers and dining see the Sayulita beach clubs directory, and to plan your timing read when to go to Sayulita.
There is no beach club at Playa de los Muertos
This is a small natural cove, so there is no formal beach club on the sand and we will not invent one. At most you will find a few seasonal vendors with cold drinks and snacks. The full run of restaurants, bars and cafes is a short walk back in Sayulita town. Use the Sayulita beach clubs directory for the venues that do exist.
Photo: Kevin Travel via GoogleThe cove, not a club
The pleasure here is the walk through the painted cemetery and the calm little cove at the end of it, not a club on the sand. Bring your own water and shade, snorkel the rocks on the left, and save the long lunch and cocktail for the restaurants back in town. For venues that do exist, browse the Sayulita beach clubs directory.
Playa de los Muertos, Sayulita
Playa de los Muertos is on the south side of Sayulita on the Riviera Nayarit coast, reached on foot through the town cemetery from the south end of the village, about ten to fifteen minutes from the plaza. There is no road to the sand and no car park, so it is a walk in rather than a drive, and it sits in a small rocky cove around the headland from the main beach.
Because facilities on the sand are minimal, bring water, sun cover and reef safe products, and a mask if you want the snorkelling. Come early or late for space and the best light, swim within your depth as there is no lifeguard, and take all your rubbish back out. Conditions are typical rather than guaranteed.
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Playa de los Muertos FAQ
How do you get to Playa de los Muertos in Sayulita?
On foot from town. Playa de los Muertos sits just south of Sayulita, and the walk in passes through the colourful town cemetery, which is part of the charm, and takes only about ten to fifteen minutes from the plaza. There is no road right to the sand and no car park, so it is an easy stroll rather than a drive, and comfortable shoes help on the path.
Is Playa de los Muertos good for swimming and snorkelling?
Yes, it is the pick in Sayulita for both. Tucked in a protected rocky cove, it has some of the calmest, clearest water in the area, which makes for easy swimming, and the rocks on the left shelter schools of colourful fish for gentle beginner snorkelling. There is no lifeguard, so swim within your depth and treat the calm as typical rather than guaranteed.
Is there a beach club at Playa de los Muertos?
No formal beach club, and we will not invent one. This is a small natural cove with, at most, a few seasonal vendors selling drinks and snacks and the odd lounger to rent, rather than a built club. The full spread of restaurants, bars and cafes is a short walk back in Sayulita town, so plan to eat and drink there.
Is Playa de los Muertos crowded?
It is calmer than the main town beach but small, so it can fill. Because it is compact and popular for its sheltered water, the middle of the day in high season can feel busy for such a little cove. Come early or later in the afternoon for space and the softest light, and you will often have a quieter, prettier version of the same beach.
Where is Playa de los Muertos in Sayulita?
Playa de los Muertos is on the south side of Sayulita on the Riviera Nayarit coast, reached by walking through the town cemetery from the south end of the village. It sits in a small rocky cove around the headland from the main Sayulita beach, which is why it is so much calmer and more sheltered.