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Voykit pocket guide · Mexico
San Blas
Go for 2 nights if you want mangroves, empty surf beaches and a slow plaza town; skip if you need resort comfort or hate sandflies.
San Blas is a Pacific port town of about 10,000 people in Nayarit, 64 km west of Tepic and roughly 160 km north of Puerto Vallarta. It is a Pueblo Mágico with a colonial fort, a working pier, mangrove boat tours and surf breaks along Matanchén Bay. It never became a resort: the beach has biting no-see-ums, so tourism stayed small-scale. Two nights covers the fort, La Tovara and one beach day.
- Country
- Mexico
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (dry season, cooler nights)
- Avoid
- Jul–Oct (rain, humidity, mosquitoes)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MXN
- Money
- Currency is the Mexican peso (MXN, $). Cards work in hotels, chains and many restaurants; markets, street food, small shops and colectivos are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget M$700–1,200 excl. bed · Mid M$1,200–2,200 excl. bed · High M$2,200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telcel has the widest coverage; AT&T and Movistar are cheaper in cities. SIMs sell at OXXO shops and phone stores; registration with an ID may be requested — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 911 · Tourist assistance 078
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 127 V · 60 Hz · US plugs fit; many older sockets have no earth pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10–15%; check the bill for an included 'servicio'.; Bars: MXN 10–20 per drink or 10%.; Petrol station attendants: MXN 10–20; more for windscreen and tyres.; Guides and drivers: 10% or MXN 200–400 a day.; Supermarket baggers (often older volunteers): MXN 5–10.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; garrafón (20-litre jugs) and filtered water in hotels.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places; public toilets charge MXN 5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | M$30–60 |
| Seafood plate at a palapa | M$150–300 |
| Beer: bottle at a palapa / six-pack at a shop | M$40–70 / M$100–150 |
| La Tovara boat tour | M$160+ (check) |
| Taxi in town | M$50–100 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | M$200–400 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TPQ · Tepic International Airport
- Closest airport, about 1 h by road; limited flights — check schedules
- PVR · Puerto Vallarta International Airport
- More flights; about 2.5–3 h by road via Tepic or the coast
Typical fares
- Bus San Blas → Tepic
- about M$100–150, 1.5 h (check)
- Taxi plaza → Playa las Islitas
- M$150–250 (check)
- La Tovara boat
- M$160+ per person (check)
Get around
The centre is walkable: plaza, pier, fort and beach are all within about 20 minutes on foot. Local buses run to beach towns along southern Nayarit, some as far as Puerto Vallarta. Taxis and pangas cover Matanchén Bay and Las Islitas. A car helps for early surf sessions and La Tovara.
See and do
Known for
- Fuerte de San Basilio
- La Tovara mangrove boat tours
- Matanchén Bay surf
- Birdwatching (200+ species)
- Pueblo Mágico plaza
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| La Tovara nature reserve | Taxi or car to the Matanchén bridge, then a guided boat | About 3–4 h round trip |
| Tepic | Bus from the Central Camionera on Sinaloa street, hourly | About 1.5 h each way |
| Sayulita | Bus or car south along the coast via Tepic or Las Varas | About 2–2.5 h each way |
| Islas Marías | Ferry from the muelle; book ahead on the official site | Full day or overnight |
Sleep
- Centro / Plaza
- Walk to the plaza, market stalls and most restaurants; 5–10 min walk to the beach.
- Playa el Borrego and Playa del Rey
- Beachfront palapas and cabinas; quieter at night, more insects.
- Playa las Islitas and Matanchén Bay
- Surf and seafood palapas, 15–25 min south by car; you need a vehicle or taxi.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpedees-KOOL-peh |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-syahs |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah |
| Where is the beach? | ¿Dónde está la playa?DON-deh es-TAH lah PLAH-yah |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorlah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; a kiss on the right cheek among friends; avoid: Skipping 'buenos días' when entering a shop
- Punctuality: Be on time for tours and buses; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
- Talking: Warm small talk, family, food, football; avoid: Jokes about cartels, the wall or migration
- Churches: Covered shoulders, quiet; avoid: Photos during mass
- Dining: Say 'provecho' to other diners when leaving; avoid: Rushing the waiter
Scams and watch-outs
- Sandflies (no-see-ums) bite on the beach, especially at dusk: bring repellent and cover up.
- Mosquitoes and crocodiles in the mangroves: stay in the boat except at the marked spring pool.
- Summer heat and rain from July to October; some beach businesses close.
- Surf breaks are reef and point breaks with strong currents: ask locally before paddling out.
- Bring cash; not every palapa or cabina takes cards.
San Blas is a small, low-crime town and the centre is fine on foot after dark. The real problems are insects, sun, surf currents and unlit beach roads: use repellent, keep valuables out of sight and take taxis at night.
One and two days
No timed day plan for San Blas yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fuerte de San Basilio
- La Tovara mangrove boat tours
- Matanchén Bay surf
- Birdwatching (200+ species)
- Pueblo Mágico plaza
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- La Tovara official site: www.latovara.com/
- Islas Marías official ferry site: visitaislasmarias.com
- Wikivoyage: San Blas (Mexico), revision 5290609 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5290609
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
San Blas
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in San Blas; the US, UK and Canadian consulates are in Puerto Vallarta, embassies in Mexico City — check addresses.
Cash is king in palapas and cabinas; withdraw in Tepic or use the town ATM if it is working.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/san-blas-mexico). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.