The main beach is where Sayulita's day-to-day life plays out. A crescent of golden sand curves around the bay for about 700 metres, with the town clustered right up to its edge — you can walk from restaurant to beach towel in under two minutes. The water is warm year-round, typically between 25 and 29 degrees Celsius in the dry season.
The beach divides informally by use. The north end is calmer and better for swimming, with gentler waves and fewer people in the water. The south end catches the main surf break, where a cluster of rental outfits and surf schools set up along the sand each morning. Between them is a wide stretch of general beach life: umbrellas, vendors selling coconuts and elotes, and enough local families on weekends to give it a genuinely Mexican atmosphere rather than a tourist enclave.
Arrive before 9am to get a quiet patch. By midday in high season the beach is busy, and the south end near the break can get crowded enough that beginner lessons become a contact sport.