Nayarit is Mexico's rising Pacific-coast star, home to the glamorous Riviera Nayarit beach towns of Sayulita, Punta de Mita, and Nuevo Vallarta, the colonial surf port of San Blas, and the Wixárika (Huichol) heartland of the Sierra Madre Occidental. It blends barefoot-luxury resorts, world-class surf breaks, mangrove wildlife, and small-town Mexican culture within a couple of hours of Puerto Vallarta's international airport.
Nayarit's nightlife is low-key by Mexican-resort standards — Sayulita is the liveliest independent scene with bars and beach clubs open into the early hours, while Nuevo Vallarta and Punta de Mita nightlife centers on resort lounges and beach clubs rather than freestanding clubs. San Blas and Tepic have a handful of local bars but wind down earlier.
Casual and beach-town in Sayulita and San Pancho; polished resort lounges in Nuevo Vallarta and Punta de Mita; quiet after 10PM in San Blas and smaller towns.
At a glance
Nightlife districts
Where the action happens after dark.
Sayulita Centro
The liveliest nightlife hub in Nayarit — bars, live music, and beach clubs radiate from the plaza and main beach
Nuevo Vallarta Resort Corridor
Resort lobby bars, poolside DJs, and nightly entertainment programs within the all-inclusive properties
Punta de Mita
Upscale beach clubs and resort lounges, generally quieter and more refined than Sayulita
Bars & pubs
Where locals drink.
Ondaya Rooftop Bar
Known for: Sunset cocktails and rooftop views over Sayulita's rooftops to the Pacific
Marlin, Centro, 63734 Sayulita, Nayarit
Don Pato Sayulita
Known for: Late-night bar with live music and a laid-back beach-town crowd
Revolución, Centro, 63734 Sayulita, Nayarit
La Playita Nayarit (Bucerías)
Known for: Beachfront bar with live music several nights a week
Lázaro Cárdenas, Centro, 63732 Bucerías, Nayarit
Sky Bar Grand Velas
Known for: Upscale resort rooftop bar with panoramic bay views
Av. Cocoteros 98 Sur, Nuevo Vallarta, 63735 Nayarit
Cervecería San Blas
Known for: Small craft beer taproom near the San Blas plaza
Av. Juárez, Centro, 63740 San Blas, Nayarit
El Anclote Beach Club
Known for: Beach club with DJ sets on weekend afternoons and sunset happy hour
Playa El Anclote, Punta de Mita, 63734 Nayarit
La Cava Tepic
Known for: Wine and mezcal bar popular with Tepic's young professional crowd
Amado Nervo, Centro, 63000 Tepic, Nayarit
Botanika San Pancho
Known for: Garden bar with craft cocktails and occasional live acoustic sets
Av. Tercer Mundo, San Francisco, 63734 Nayarit
Clubs
For dancing into the early hours.
Nolita Sayulita
Hours: Fri-Sat 10PM-3AM
Live entertainment
Music, theatre, and performance venues.
Overview
Live music is common at beach bars in Sayulita and San Pancho, especially in high season; resorts run nightly entertainment programs including fire shows, mariachi, and DJ sets.
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Nightlife tips
Stay safe and have fun.
Sayulita bars are walkable — most nightlife is within a five-minute walk of the plaza
Book beach club tables in Punta de Mita in advance during December-January high season
Use Uber or a hotel-arranged taxi late at night rather than walking unlit roads between towns
San Blas and Tepic nightlife wraps up earlier (most bars close by midnight) compared to the Riviera Nayarit resort towns