Surfing in La Lancha, Nayarit: Ultimate Surf Guide
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La Lancha is the perfect place to go surfing in Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit. With nearly 200 miles of pristine coastline, sandy beaches, and good waves, surfing is one of the best things to do in the Riviera Nayarit. Not to mention, the jungle and mountain backdrops make for a nice view while you surf!
As for La Lancha, it’s where both surfing pros and beginners go to ride the waves for hours on end under the Nayarit sun. According to all our local friends, La Lancha is the best place for beginner surfers (like me!).
Unlike some of Nayarit’s other surf spots, La Lancha is rarely crowded, but you can always expect to see other surfers here. The beach is generally family-friendly as well, with silky-soft sand and gently crashing waves.
After living in this part of Mexico for two years, I can say with confidence that La Lancha is our favorite surfing destination in Nayarit.
Here’s everything you need to know about surfing in La Lancha!
La Lancha Surf Guide
Where Is Playa La Lancha & How to Get There?
La Lancha is the name of the beach which is located right outside Punta de Mita, a luxurious resort town on Nayarit’s southwestern tip.
How do you get there? To get to La Lancha from Puerto Vallarta, it a 45-minute drive. Take Highway 200 north and take the Punta de Mita exit.
- From Puerto Vallarta: 45 minutes
- From Sayulita: 25 minutes
- From Punta Mita: 10 minutes
Note: Driving is the fastest way to reach La Lancha. If you take the local bus, it might take longer. Look for the local green buses with the destination “Punta de Mita”. You can pop your head in and quickly ask the bus driver “La Lancha?” and they’ll either nod yes or say no and refer you to another bus or shuttle.
Accessing the trail to Playa La Lancha
There is no big sign on the highway that points to La Lancha. Still, it’s pretty easy to find. Just look for the WildMex surf shop and gas station right off the highway.
Park (it’s free) or hop off the bus and then carefully run across the highway directly in front of you. You’ll see the trailhead. Follow the walking path through the jungle (10-15 minute walk).
Beach Amenities
There are no amenities at La Lancha. That means you’ll need to carry out everything you carry in, including your trash! The locals and surfers here do a great job of keeping La Lancha fairly clean. Let’s keep it that way! 🙂
On another note, there’s not much shade at La Lancha, except for some bushes at the back. The last time we went, there were horrible black fuzzy worms that stung us and dropped from one tree. Some people bring a beach umbrella.
Theft normally isn’t a problem here, but just in case, be sure to secure any valuables in your bags and keep them in a visible location. Or leave them with a friend!
How to Rent a Surfboard for La Lancha
If you’re just in town for vacation, it’s unlikely you’ll have your own surfboard to take with you to La Lancha. But no worries! You can rent one at the WildMex surf shop just in front of the trail. You can’t miss it. These guys rent out all types of boards for both newbies and pros.
WildMex also has a board washing rack outside, a shower, and a spacious indoor shop with surf merch.
The handful of times we went surfing in La Lancha, we either borrowed a board from a friend or rented a soft board at WildMex. The prices are decent, and the boards are well-taken care of!
Tip: You can change into your surf gear inside the shop.
La Lancha Wave Report
From what I know from our experiences at La Lancha and the advice from our friend who goes basically every day, there are two main places to surf:
- Medium-bigger waves (main surf break) are front and center of the beach
- Smaller waves for beginners are a little more off to the right
If you’re not sure where to put your board in, just watch what others are doing. There can be some wave hogs on a crowded day, but mostly everyone is super friendly.
You can also take surf lessons through WildMex or hire a local surfer. Every time we go we see trainers and their surf students.
Typical surf conditions in La Lancha
- Mellow surf break
- Good for both short and longboards
- Light offshore wind
- Low tide exposes rocks
- Is warm but can get cold in winter
- Check the current surf report
La Lancha is a gorgeous spot to surf in Nayarit and has the most consistent swells.
Where to Get Food Near La Lancha
Hungry? Remember, there are no facilities on La Lancha Beach (no vendors, bathrooms, showers, etc). So make sure to pack a snack!
Otherwise, right next door to WildMex is the Makai seafood restaurant (Hours: 12-6 PM). We’ve eaten here once and it was super fresh and good! The prices are higher than local prices.
There’s also a Pemex gas station next to WildMex, where you have public restrooms and snacks/beverages.
Otherwise, if you have a car, use it to head toward the town of Sayulita. Along the way is the Kilometro 5 restaurant that is popular among locals and surfers. Everybody knows about it and loves it. They have awesome burgers and pizzas which can be enjoyed on their rooftop patio.
Have you ever been surfing in La Lancha in Nayarit, Mexico? Drop your questions below!
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Hola Bri!
This is Rodrigo from Wildmex Adventures over at Sayulita and Punta Mita, Mexico. We read your blog about La Lancha Beach and it’s fantastic! We are sure it will help lots of people to enjoy this wonderful beach and fall in love with its beauty.
At the same time, we would like to thank the Wildmex mention, our Surf and Adventure Company, which with effort has accomplished helping many people experience this incredible sport.
As a token of appreciation for your keeping us in mind while writing your Blog, we would like to invite you to our location at La Lancha and offer you a Complimentary surfboard rental for one day so that you can continue surfing and enjoying this beautiful beach. Also, the next time you decide to visit us, don’t hesitate to use our facilities such as a bathroom, shower, dressing room, and more.
Also, we noticed you are traveling on a van, if you are ever back here and needed, we would be happy to offer a spot behind our La Lancha shop, where we are building a Surf Camp, for you to park.
On behalf of the entire Wildmex team, we appreciate your words.
We hope to see you soon and share more waves together!
Best wishes
Wildmex Team
Hola Rodrigo! Thank you so very much for your comment and for reaching out!! Happy to mention you guys and support local! We’d also love to take you up on our offer whenever we get back to Nayarit with our van in the future! I’ll be in touch! x