Welcome to Copa de Oro at Los Dolfines complex in Sayulita.
Please take the time to read these few pages, as they will help you best enjoy your vacation!
Where do I get keys and help? Go directly to your house when you arrive! Kerry and Enrique Jr. are the on-site managers and Janet and Enrique Sr. are the owners of a few of the houses, living in the complexes, so they are there to help you. They will see that your house is ready and door open on your arrival in the afternoon. Kerry is located in the Los Delfines office and Janet is in the Las Hamacas office (next door), and both have message board for you to leave a note if they not in. Or you can ask anyone in the complexes for them if you need help upon arrival or at any other time. Please be sensitive to the fact that they are not on duty 24 hours, so if you have a non-emergency need at night or early morning, or during their dinner, perhaps you could hold your questions for normal business hours, or times of mutual convenience. It will be much appreciated.
What if something breaks or the maid does not clean? If you have requests of the maid, first try to speak with her, but if not satisfied, ask Janet or Kerry. If anything is broken, please let Janet or Kerry know, and they will try to have it repaired as soon as possible.
Medical Emergency:There is a new pharmacy in the town square, and there is a doctor on call 24 hours a day. His office is very clean, and he is English spoken. He can help with most emergencies, however if you have a severe emergency, then there is a hospital in San Francisco (the town is called San Pancho by locals) just 4 miles north on Highway 200. Also, just past Bucerias on the way back to Puerto Vallarta is a 24 hour clinic. In Vallarta are many hospitals, including the American Hospital at the marina. It is on the right side of the road, at the second stop light past the airport. Turn right at the statue of Neptune.
There is also the Sayulita clinic (SALUD, you passed it on the road from the highway) is open most daytimes, with a pharmacy a couple doors down from the clinic, and another just past the river toward the town square (right hand side, short building in first block past the river) and some English is spoken in each.
Fresh Water: Five gallon jugs will be replaced as needed. Ask your maid for “agua”, or ask the caretaker you see caring for the yard and pool, or set an empty 5 gal jug by your door and it will be replaced.
Electric Current & Plug-ins: These are the same as in U.S. and Canada so your electric toothbrush will power up fine in Mexico. The kitchen of your house has all the appliances you need (coffee maker, large refridge, microwave, toaster, blender, etc) so no need to bring anything for that. A CD player is the only electronic entertainment in each house, so you need to bring a laptop and DVDs if you want to watch a movie.
Wireless Service: The main wireless for the complex is named “Delfines1” and the code is 2222222222 (10 number 2’s).
Laundry: Each house has a washer and dryer (Brisa & La Casita share) which you may use for personal wash, except please do not use on Saturdays or your final day, as maids need these in order to prepare for new guests.
Maids: Your maid should come each day except Sundays and holidays for an hour or two of making beds, washing dishes, sweeping, mopping, and washing towels and sheets as needed. Please rinse and stack dishes in the sink for her. Please ask her (or get Janet’s help) if you have requests, though please wash personal laundry yourself. If you are unhappy with the maid for any reason, please speak with Janet about that right away. A tip of 175 to 225 pesos per week is customary, given directly to the maid the day prior to or day of your departure. Please DO NOT leave the tip in the house. If necessary, you may leave it in an envelope with Janet.
Massage: There are 2 masseuses that come to your house, Caroline and Ulrike. Caroline has a sign up sheet on the door at the office, and Ulrike you can schedule through Kerry (she does more deep tissue massage).
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When they quote — they quote everything — taxes, insurance, etc – so there are no surprises and no time share pitch! Car rental agencies in Mexico are notorious for low-balling to get you in, then hitting you with the extra insurance charges when you get to the agency. Gecko picks you up at the airport and when you leave they take you back to the airport. Gecko is a Canadian family owned operation — no language barrier and they are very responsive. Pay in cash and get a 10% discount off their already competitive prices. |
Gecko Rent a CarTaxis: To arrange trips or if you need to go the airport, let Kerry know and she can help arrange it for you. Just write all of the information (time to pick up, how many people, destination, and what house you want to be picked up at).
Bus Service to PV picks people up at the bridge, across from the baseball field. It stops by Bucerias, the airport, Marina and as far as the Sheraton Hotel. If your destination is Old Town of PV, local buses (4 pesos) or taxi can take you the extra 5 minute ride. Service starts by 6am and returns as late as 10pm. Check local schedule in Sayulita.
Church Services: The catholic church is adjacent to town square, with regular services and holiday events. Hours vary, so please check in advance.
Telephone: Sayulita has gone from no public phones in 2002 to about a dozen in 2005. Others will likely follow. These require phone cards you can purchase in a number of the stores. Some Cell Phones work, but please check first with your provider. When calling the U.S. from Mexico (from most phones), dial 001 then area code & number. The Los Delfines office number is 001-52-329-29-13013, or you can call the office directly with our U.S. number 650-641-1352.
Internet: The town has several internet locations, which you will find near the plaza and on the main beach.
Post Office: Sayulita has no post office nor mail service. The closest are in Bucerias (toward PV) or La Peñita (north on highway 200), each about a 20 minute drive. The little store near the plaza called Mi Tiendita sometimes sells stamps and has a little basket where they collect letters and every few days when someone goes to Bucerias they take to the post office there.
Bothered by Bugs? The Pacific Coast of Mexico has its share of enjoyable little critters, including the butterflies (mariposas) you are likely to see. You also may occasionally see unwanted guests such as beetles or roaches (cucarachas) and small biting mosquitoes and bugs. These are much more prevalent on the hillsides and in the surrounding jungle than in the beachside complexes (and more so during the rainy season of July – Sept) so keep this in mind if hiking. If particularly susceptible to bug bites, you might bring insect spray. Cortisone and other creams are available in town. Though scorpions try hard to avoid people and occupied houses (I have seen one in the past five years), there is a possibility of an encounter. They are rarely dangerous (no more so than a bee sting), though anyone having an allergic reaction should visit the clinic in either Sayulita or neighboring San Francisco.
Need to Extend Your Stay? If we can’t accommodate, try the handful of “short-stay” places in town, including the closest hotel Casa Blanca and Villas Sayulita. Or on the South side of town, there is Villa Amor on the beach past Don Pedro, and Los Arbolitos bungalows opposite town square. Or speak to Avalos Realty via their website or their office across from the plaza.
Time Zones: Sayulita is on Mountain time, but Puerto Vallarta is on Central time, so leave an extra hour when returning to the airport.
Banks & Cash Machines: The newest addition to Sayulita! It is located across from the town square, next to the main grocery store “Mi Tiendita”. It dispenses $3000 pesos maximum, and it runs out of money fairly often, so come very prepared.
Tipping: It is customary to tip maids at the end of your stay, at the rate of about 200 pesos per week, by giving a tip to her in person as “la propina” (the tip) the next to last day, or if you need to you may leave it in an envelope with Janet. Do not simply leave it on the counter! If you are unhappy with your maid, please speak with Kerry or Janet early in your stay. Waiters and taxi drivers are normally tipped 12%-15%, and you can tip service people who help with luggage or arrangements.
Communication: Locals are polite and friendly, as that is the culture. While many service people speak some English, most Sayulita residents do not, so you can try to use a bit of Spanish, no matter how limited. Of particular importance are using “Hola” as an any-time-of-day greeting, “Por Favor” as please, “Gracias” as thank you, “Buenos Días” as good morning, “Buenas Tardes” as good afternoon, and “Buenas Noches” as good evening. You can call a man “Señor”, woman “Señora” and young (teen or younger) female “Señorita”. When needing to apologize, “Lo Siento” is I’m sorry.
Safety: We hope you have a very happy stay. Although Sayulita is generally very wholesome, for your protection we recommend that you lock your valuables (including air tickets and passports) in the safe in your master bedroom, lock your doors when you retire at night, and please do not leave CD players or small valuables out overnight.
Please be aware that you are in our home, and we hope all our guests have the courtesy to treat it with the same respect they treat their own homes. In particular:
| • please, no smoking inside the house • please shower sand off outside, as it clogs the drains • please do not sit on couches & leather chairs with wet suits • please clean BBQ grill after use so others may use it • your maid will wash dishes, but please rinse & stack them in the sink for her • other than towels, please do not take household items to the beach, nor take kitchen items to other houses, as they have a way of becoming lost • please do not feed local strays, very cute we know, but then they return to guests who are allergic or do not want them. Yes, any dog you feed returns for weeks afterwards. Our rule of thumb, do not allow any animal in the house nor on the patio, nor feed any, unless you promise to take that animal home with you!!! |
Janet and Enrique are the on-sight rental managers for your house, and can help with questions and problems. Please be sensitive to the fact that they are not on duty 24 hours, so if you have a non-emergency need at night or early morning, or during their dinner, perhaps you could hold your questions for normal business hours, or times of mutual convenience. It will be much appreciated.
Restaurants
Often, the best way to seek restaurants is simply to walk the streets and see what looks good. New places open, old places close, so choices change year to year, and certainly by the time you read this at least one of these will have closed and there will be a new restaurant not on this list.
El Costeño (also known as Ruperto’s): On the beach, great seafood, traditional Mexican dishes & breakfasts, beer, margaritas & soft drinks. Great for hanging out watching the beach action!
Don Pedro’s: On the beach, only Sayulita restaurant taking credit cards, fancy (good) food upstairs, bar fare downstairs, full bar.
La Terrazola: On the beach about 200 yards south of our complexes. Open for lunch and dinner. Open six days per week, and the day off changes every once and awhile, so check when you visit.
A Bicyclette: French food, one block towards town from our complexes.
Leonardo’s: Italian food and woodfired pizza’s. Located directly across from the church.
Rollie’s: Was breakfast only, showman Rollie dishing out American style and size breakfasts along with conversation and occasional song. One block past the town square. Added dinners with a surprisingly large menu in winter 2004.
Choco Banana: Adjacent to town square, coffee, muffins, breakfasts, shakes & burgers at lunch, along with newspapers.
La Ola Rica (in neighboring San Pancho) serves outstanding Gourmet Mexican food. Woodfired fish, enchaladas, and pizza’s. Full bar, accepts credit cards. Worth the trip! Drive north on Highway 200 about 4 miles, take the San Francisco turn to the left, then straight ahead, 2 blocks from beach.
Sí Hay Olitas: New, brightly colored and open looking cafe along the main street, between the bridge and town square. Dependable, reasonable breakfasts, seafood and traditional lunch & dinner.
Sayulita Café (House of Chili Relleno):. Try the “Molcajete”, they our outstanding! . On main street between river and town square.
El Dragon Rojo: Chinese and live music at night.
Villa Amor: Depending upon the chef each year, the hotel restaurant serves dinners running from delicious to so so, with seafood, salads, traditional fare, fancy pizzas and pastas. Reviews from those dining during winter 2004-5 were unanimous awful, but much better now!
Sayulita Fish Tacos: Opposite the town square, on the uphill side. This is a favorite of many visitors, at least those who love fish tacos. In 2004 they opened a dinner only branch two blocks north of the river on the main street into town. Closed Sunday’s.
El Caminito: Located across from the town square. Homemade Argentinan food and pastas. Open for dinner.
Sayulita Lounge: Located in across from the town square. Internet and bar open in the evenings.
Ron’s Pizza: A long-time presence, with eat-in or take-out pizza. On the road next to the river, just over the bridge then turn right.
Macando: Pasta and salads, a couple of blocks from Los Delfines, opposite the baseball field, and one block closer to Los Delfines. Credit cards accepted.
Calypso: Upstairs across from the town square, expanded and remodeled in 2006 into a large restaurant with a broad menu, and great appetizers & drinks!
Break-Fast: Located on the main beach in town. Internet café/ deli-smoothie bar, and now they have a full bar. Open for breakfast and lunch.
El Tigre: Behind Choco Banana, good Mexican fare. An upstairs bar was added in 2004.
Street Vendors: Visitors love eating taco/burrito concoctions of chicken, beef or pork at very reasonable prices, open most evenings at the town square, right beside Choco Banana.
The “muffin” lady and Tamale lady: In the morning (between 8:00 and 10:30), the “muffin” lady walks through the complexes selling yummy muffins of all kinds: coconut, cheese, corn, pineapple, banana….and little pie’s too. And in the afternoon, the tamale lady sells fresh-made tamales of pork, chicken, and chili/cheese. Both of these are a “must have”, and great for saving for later.
***Many more restaurants have been added to the town of Sayulita, but the above are the one’s worth mentioning.
Sayulita has a few paleterías serving wonderful ice cream, popsicles and other sweets, all made with purified water! One of the new one’s is called Toponieves, and they have great, unique flavors.
In Puerto Vallarta are many, many good restaurants, particularly at the Marina (turn right at the Neptune statue, then take the first left and park anywhere in it’s two blocks, the Marina is just ahead) and in the Centro or Old Town district. One of our favorites is Café de Ollalocated in Viejo Vallarta (old town) on the street Bazillio Badillo, one block up from the beach near Hotel “Los Arcos”. And another favorite is The Red Onion (El Repollio Rojo),located in the old town but “off the beaten track”. Teens prefer the action at the “hot restaurants/bars” in the Malecon district, near Old Town.
Cooking at Home
The stove top and oven are gas. In Los Delfines, most stove tops have an igniter button. To ignite a burner, please first be sure the stove is plugged into the electric socket, then turn on the burner (clockwise) and push the little igniter button on the left side of the panel. If this does not work, please use a match or lighter.
To ignite the oven, you must open the oven door, then turn on the oven heat control, and manually light (in the small hole at center) the oven burner. Be sure you see the flame before closing door.
If you have a problem with the stove or oven, please ask Janet or Kerry.
BBQs are wonderful for cooking fish or chicken. You will need to purchase “carbon” (pronounced car – bone) which is used as charcoal.
Supplies can be found in the little stores, along with the carnicerías (butchers) which you will see along the streets. Fish can be purchased most days fresh off the boats at the fishermen’s shack just past Don Pedro’s on the beach. Often you will see (and hear the loudspeaker) a pickup truck slowly going by, hawking fresh seafood, vegetables or fruits. These are normally very good bargains, and fun for those who are venturesome. Soft drinks, beer and liquor can be found at most little stores, with a larger variety at the three liquor stores in town.
Remember to soak any fruits and veggies that will not be peeled in order to kill germs. Put into a pot with clean water and a couple drops of “gotas” (literally, Spanish for drops) that come in the tiny blue bottles, and are available in many of the stores.
If you prefer, visit the supermarkets of Puerto Vallarta mainly the three Commercial Mexican branches, the wonderful Gutiérrez Rizo supermarket in old town, two health food stores also in old town, or Sam’s and Wal-Mart on the main road through PV.
Sayulita Activities
Surfboards, kayaks and other water equipment can be rented on the beach (between Margarita’s & Ruperto’s restaurants), along with surf lessons.
For fishing or sightseeing boat trips, ask Kerry, and she will arrange snorkeling, surfing and fishing trips, either on their boat or other great tour guides in town. If you want to venture out, drive to Punta de Mita (15 minutes) where there are a number of boats on the beach taking people to the islands (Islas Marietas), a 15 minute boat ride away. Ask for Oscar at the beach, and they will take you out (and stay) for a couple hours at the best spots, and they have all necessary equipment. Anyone who wants to stay in the boat (or return there early if tired) can do so, so bring everyone.
Visit the town of San Blas, about 65 miles north, here there are fabulous jungle river boat rides through an amazing estuary, where you will calmly look for crocodiles, egrets and other animals. Strong recommendation: of the two possible destinations, choose Tavara Spring! Kerry can arrange the taxi for these trips for you.
You can walk to other beaches, unseen from ours. Playa de los Muertos (Beach of the Dead) is usually gentler water. Walk past the hotel Villa Amor, then take the pathway (cutting off the point) past the cemetery, and you arrive in a couple of minutes. In the other direction, a path from the end of our road (Calle Palmar) leads through the woods to fairly deserted beaches to the north, and ultimately all the way to San Pancho.
If you want to visit Puerto Vallarta, the following links provide PV tourist info:
VallartaToday Vallarta-info Vallartaonline
Sayulita, Nayarit
Safety: We hope you have a very happy stay. Although Sayulita is generally very wholesome, for your protection we recommend that you lock your valuables (including air tickets and passports) in the safe in your master bedroom, lock your doors when you retire at night, and please do not leave CD players or small valuables out overnight.
Please be aware that you are in our home, and we hope all our guests have the courtesy to treat it with the same respect they treat their own homes. In particular:
– please, no smoking inside the house
– please shower sand off outside, as it clogs the drains
– please do not sit on couches & leather chairs with wet suits
– please clean BBQ grill after use so others may use it
– your maid will wash dishes, but please rinse & stack
them in the sink for her
– other than towels, please do not take household items
to the beach, nor take kitchen items to other houses,
as they have a way of becoming lost
– please do not feed local strays, very cute we know, but then they return to guests
who are allergic or do not want them. Yes, any dog you feed returns for weeks
afterwards. Our rule of thumb, do not allow any animal in the house nor on the
patio, nor feed any, unless you promise to take that animal home with you!!!
Kerry and Janet are the on-sight rental managers for your house, and can help with questions and problems. Please be sensitive to the fact that they are not on duty 24 hours, so if you have a non-emergency need at night or early morning, or during their dinner, perhaps you could hold your questions for normal business hours, or times of mutual convenience. It will be much appreciated.
Please feel free to give us any and all of your comments, suggestions or other feedback directly to Kerry or Paul paul@mycopadeoro.com 415-924-4100.
Thank you!