Playa Malpaso
Best for. Walkers and solitude seekers who want a wide, empty beach and the reward of a short jungle or clifftop hike, not swimmers or families after a safe, easy paddle.
Best spot. The long open sand itself, walked end to end in the cool of the early morning, when you are likely to have the whole beach to yourself before the heat builds.
Know this. Swimming here is not recommended. The Pacific brings strong undertows and riptides. Construction and private property have affected the trails, so access changes, and you should verify the route locally before you set out.
Sayulita has become a busy little surf town, its main beach lively and full, so the appeal of Playa Malpaso is straightforward, it is the wild, empty stretch just over the hill that almost nobody bothers to reach. A wide, long run of soft Pacific sand between Sayulita and San Pancho, it stays quiet precisely because you cannot drive to it. You earn it on foot, and that short walk is the whole point, filtering out the crowds and delivering you to a beach where you may well be the only person in sight. For a walker or a solitude seeker, it is one of the best few hours on this coast.
There are two ways in, and both are short. The inland route leaves the centre of Sayulita along Avenida del Palmar and follows a dirt track and jungle trail over the hill, while the beach route climbs over the rocks at the north end of the town beach and picks up a narrow path along the cliff edge down to the sand. Either way it is well under a couple of kilometres, an easy walk in cool conditions, and the arrival, cresting the trail to a wide empty beach and the open ocean, is genuinely special. Bring water, go early, and give yourself time to walk the length of it before the heat builds.
Now the honest heart of it, which is not a small print but the main thing to know. Malpaso is not a swimming beach. It faces the open Pacific with no shelter and is known for strong undertows and riptides, and there is no lifeguard and no help to call, so swimming here is genuinely dangerous and simply not recommended. Come to walk, to sit, to watch the surf and to have a beautiful beach to yourself, not to bathe, and keep children well back from the water. Access matters too, since construction and private property have affected the trails and the routes change, so verify the current path locally before you set out. Respect the sea and the walk, and Malpaso rewards you with the wildest, quietest beach near Sayulita. Ignore the water's warning and it is the wrong place to take the risk.
A wild beach, no clubs and no service
Malpaso has nothing built on it, no clubs, no vendors, no loungers. The comforts are back in Sayulita, a short walk away over the hill.
There is no beach club at Playa Malpaso and there never should be, since its whole value is that it is wild and empty. You walk in, you carry your own water and shade, and the reward is a beautiful beach with nothing on it but sand and surf. This is a place for a walk and a sit and the rare pleasure of solitude on the coast, not for service, so plan to be entirely self sufficient and keep the beach as clean as you found it.
When you want a lounger, a cold drink and a proper lunch, they are a short walk back over the hill in Sayulita, along with the beach clubs and restaurants of the town beach. Our Sayulita beach clubs guide is honest about where a paid beach day is worth it in and around town and where a free wild beach like this one gives you something money cannot buy. We can help you plan a day that pairs an early walk out to Malpaso with a relaxed afternoon back in Sayulita, so you get both the solitude and the comfort.
A short walk over the hill
Playa Malpaso lies just north of Sayulita, between the town and San Pancho, and there is no road to it, so you go on foot. The inland route leaves the centre of Sayulita along Avenida del Palmar, following a dirt track past a private residence and a horse trail over the hill, while the beach route climbs over the rocks at the north end of the town beach and picks up a narrow clifftop path down to the sand. Both are short, well under a couple of kilometres, and there is no dedicated parking, so leave the car in Sayulita and walk.
Come prepared for a wild beach with no shade and no facilities. Carry plenty of water, sun protection and sturdy footwear, start before eight in the morning to beat the fierce midday heat and UV, and tell someone your plan before you set off. The single most important thing is the water, which brings strong undertows and riptides, so do not swim, keep children well back from the shore break, and enjoy the beach from the sand. Because construction and private property have changed the trails, check the current route locally before you go, since access here shifts from season to season.
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Playa Malpaso is a wild public beach with no club and no swimming, but tell us your dates and party size and we will help arrange loungers or a beach club day back in Sayulita. We reply by email.
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Common questions about Playa Malpaso
Where is Playa Malpaso near Sayulita?
Playa Malpaso is just north of Sayulita, between the town and San Pancho on the Nayarit coast. There is no road to it, so you reach it only on foot, either by an inland jungle trail from the centre of Sayulita along Avenida del Palmar or by a clifftop path over the rocks at the north end of the town beach. Both walks are short, well under a couple of kilometres.
Can you swim at Playa Malpaso?
No, swimming is not recommended. Malpaso faces the open Pacific with no shelter and is known for strong undertows and riptides, and there is no lifeguard and no help to call. It is a beach to walk, sit and watch the surf from the sand, not to bathe. Keep children well back from the shore break and respect the sea as a genuine hazard here.
How do you get to Playa Malpaso?
On foot, by one of two short trails from Sayulita. The inland route follows a dirt track and jungle trail over the hill from Avenida del Palmar, and the beach route climbs over the rocks at the north end of the town beach onto a narrow clifftop path down to the sand. There is no dedicated parking, so leave the car in Sayulita, and start early before the heat builds.
Are there facilities at Playa Malpaso?
None at all. There are no toilets, no shade, no vendors and no water at Malpaso, so you carry in everything you need and carry out everything you bring, including plenty of water since the walk and the exposed sand are hot. The comforts, loungers, drinks and lunch, are back in Sayulita a short walk over the hill.
Is the trail to Playa Malpaso easy?
The walk is short and generally easy in cool conditions, well under a couple of kilometres either way, but there is no shade and the heat and UV peak hard by midday, so start before eight in the morning and carry water. Construction and private property have affected the routes in recent times, so access changes and you should verify the current path locally before you set out.
When is the best time to visit Playa Malpaso?
The dry season from November to April gives the best trail conditions and the most settled weather. Whatever the month, go early, before eight in the morning, for the coolest walk, the best light and the likeliest chance of having the beach to yourself. Avoid the middle of the day, when the exposed sand and trail offer no shade from the fierce sun.