What should you know about healthcare and emergencies in Sayulita?
Emergency number
911
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: sayulitalife.com, bestofbucerias.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- 911 works from both local and foreign cell phones anywhere in Sayulita, but operators are not guaranteed to speak English — having your address (including the colonia/neighborhood and nearest cross-streets) ready in Spanish speeds things up a lot.
- The nearest full-service hospital is in Puerto Vallarta, roughly 45 minutes away, so serious emergencies typically mean an ambulance transfer there rather than treatment in Sayulita itself.
- Sayulita has a small IMSS health clinic and a 24-hour pharmacy near the plaza for minor issues, but plan on travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage for anything serious.
- For non-urgent police matters like noise or beach disputes, locals use a separate municipal cellphone number rather than 911 — save both the tourist/state police number and the municipal one.
- We could not confirm a dedicated official government safety app for this region — your best bet is simply saving the numbers above directly in your phone before you need them.
- Sayulita itself has walk-in clinics with ER capability (Sayulita Health Clinic, Saint Luke's) but no full trauma-center hospital — for major trauma, stroke, or heart attack you will very likely be stabilized locally then transferred to Punta Mita Hospital or a Puerto Vallarta hospital.
- 911 is the nationwide emergency number covering Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit (including Sayulita) area, replacing the older 060/065/066/068/080 numbers.
- If you have travel insurance, call your insurer's assistance line before or during transport if possible — several of the larger hospitals near Sayulita (Punta Mita, San Javier, AMERIMED) are used to coordinating directly with foreign insurers.
Legacy Backup Numbers
066
- Covers
- Nayarit state emergency number (pre-911 legacy line), still listed locally as a backup if 911 doesn't get through
065
- Covers
- Cruz Roja (Mexican Red Cross) ambulance dispatch — a commonly cited alternative/backup for medical emergencies
078
- Covers
- Ángeles Verdes (Green Angels) — Secretary of Tourism-funded roadside assistance and English-speaking tourist support line (towing, mechanical help, basic emergency medical aid) for highway situations, not a substitute for 911 in town
Sayulita Local Numbers
State/Tourist Policía (Sayulita Station)
- Number
- 329 291 3890
- Use Case
- Break-ins, robberies, threats, assaults, suspicious activity
Local Municipal Policía (Sayulita Cellphone)
- Number
- 322 104 8540
- Use Case
- Noise complaints, beach issues, ATVs on the beach, littering, turtle poaching
Municipal Policía Headquarters (in Bahía De Banderas / Valle)
- Number
- 01 329 291 0049 or 329 291 0666
- Use Case
- Backup if the Sayulita station doesn't answer; call routes toward Puerto Vallarta dispatch
Fire Department (Punta De Mita / Nuevo Nayarit Coverage Area)
- Number
- 322 113 3256 (WhatsApp: 322 332 4481)
- Use Case
- Fire emergencies serving the Sayulita/Punta de Mita area
In Sayulita Town
Sayulita Health Clinic (24/7 Clinic)
- Emergency Phone
- +52 (329) 688-0068
- Hours
- 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
- Address
- Crucero Avenida Principal, México 200 Km 15.25 s/n, 63735 Sayulita, Nayarit
- Trauma Level
- Not an independently trauma-designated hospital. It is a walk-in clinic/ER at the town entrances offering emergency stabilization, ambulance dispatch, x-ray and lab, and is administratively headquartered under Punta Mita Hospital, to which it transfers more serious trauma/surgical cases.
Saint Luke's Hospital Sayulita
- Hours
- Emergency room staffed 24 hours a day
- Address
- Avenida Revolución No. 231, Sayulita, Nayarit
- Trauma Level
- General private hospital with an on-site 24-hour ER; not an officially trauma-designated center. Patient reviews are mixed — some describe positive ER experiences (including a reported heart-attack case), while at least one reviewer said they would not return and recommended other local clinics instead.
Nearest Higher Level Hospitals Outside Town
Punta Mita Hospital
- Emergency Phone
- +52 329 688 0068
- Hours
- 24/7 emergency care
- Address
- Acceso a Punta Mita #1, Col. Corral del Risco, Punta de Mita, Nayarit, C.P. 63734
- Trauma Level
- Not an official government-assigned 'Level I/II/III' trauma center, but functions as the main referral hospital for the Sayulita/Punta Mita area. All hospital physicians hold ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) certification, and the hospital partners with UC San Diego Health for telemedicine second opinions and with Aeromedevac for air-ambulance evacuation.
- Approx Distance From Sayulita
- Roughly a 25-30 minute drive; the Sayulita Health Clinic states it is about 10 minutes from Punta Mita Hospital for transfers
Hospital CMQ Riviera Nayarit (Bucerías)
- Hours
- General consultations Monday-Friday 9am-9pm, Saturday 9am-1pm; emergencies open 24/7
- Address
- Av. Héroes de Nacozari 280, Bucerías, Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit
- Trauma Level
- General hospital serving Nuevo Vallarta, Punta Mita, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, San Pancho and Sayulita; not independently trauma-designated.
- Approx Distance From Sayulita
- Roughly 35-40 minute drive
Hospital San Javier Marina
- Hours
- Open 24 hours
- Address
- Blvd. Francisco Medina Ascencio 2760, Zona Hotelera Norte, C.P. 48333, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco
- Trauma Level
- Described by the hospital as a Level III facility offering services at the same level as a Level I trauma center; it was the first Level III hospital in a Mexican tourist destination.
- Approx Distance From Sayulita
- Roughly 45-55 minute drive
AMERIMED Puerto Vallarta
- Hours
- Open 24 hours
- Address
- Blvd. Francisco Medina Ascencio 3970, Col. Villa las Flores / Plaza Neptuno, Marina Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco
- Trauma Level
- Staffed 24/7 with ER specialists and equipped for trauma, shock, and minor-accident care; not independently trauma-designated, but part of a medical-tourism-oriented hospital network with US-board-certified doctors.
- Approx Distance From Sayulita
- Roughly 45-55 minute drive
Healthcare
- Overview
- Sayulita has multiple healthcare facilities providing 24/7 care with bilingual doctors and international insurance acceptance.
- Accessibility Notes
- Healthcare is accessible with minimal wait times. Multiple clinics offer 24/7 emergency services and home visit options. Bilingual doctors are common. Most facilities accept international health insurance.
Primary Facilities
Sayulita Health Clinic
- Type
- Walk-in clinic
- Hours
- 24/7
- Location
- Central Sayulita
- Services
- General consultations, laboratory tests, imaging, urgent care, 24-hour emergency services, ambulance services
- Notes
- Part of Punta Mita Hospital network, located about 10 minutes from main hospital, bilingual staff, accepts international insurance
Banderas Bay Medical Services
- Type
- Extended care clinic
- Hours
- 24/7
- Location
- Centro (below Nirvana Spa)
- Services
- Doctor consultations, in-house pharmacy, house calls, in-home nursing services, extended care
- Notes
- Dr. Jose Luis Chavez Quevedo; accepts US and Canadian insurance; known for reasonable pricing and quick service
Saint Luke's Hospitals
- Type
- Hospital with emergency room
- Hours
- 24/7
- Location
- Avenida Revolución 231, Sayulita
- Services
- Emergency room (24 hours), surgical specialties, laboratory services, imaging, hospitalization, ambulance services
- Notes
- Full range of advanced surgical and diagnostic services; mixed reviews—some report excellent care, others report billing disputes
Pharmacies
- Availability
- Multiple pharmacies throughout Sayulita offering prescription and over-the-counter medications.
- Clinic Pharmacies
- Banderas Bay Medical Services and Sayulita Health Clinic have in-house pharmacies for patient convenience.
- Important Warnings
- US State Department has warned that pharmaceuticals in Mexico from unscrupulous pharmacies can be laced with fentanyl. Avoid small tiendas that sell without prescriptions. Use established pharmacy chains. Counterfeit medications are a documented risk. For controlled medications, a prescription from a Mexican doctor is required; pharmacies that sell controlled substances without prescriptions illegally should be avoided.
Reputable Chains
Pharmacy PV
- Notes
- Reputable pharmacy with multiple locations in town; recommended for prescription medications
Farmacias Similares
- Notes
- National chain specializing in generic medications; often offers discounts on Mondays
Farmacia Guadalajara
- Notes
- Reliable option; main location in nearby Bucerías (short bus ride); recommended by local doctors
Dialing Notes
Calling Sayulita landline numbers (area code 329) or cell numbers (322/329) from a US/Canada phone typically requires the 011 (52) international prefix, plus a 1 before cell numbers.
Official Safety Apps
No dedicated official Mexican government emergency/safety app specific to Sayulita or the Riviera Nayarit was found. Generic third-party '911' apps exist internationally but are not confirmed as Mexico-government-endorsed tools for this area.
National Universal Number
- Number
- 911
- Covers
- Police, fire, and medical/ambulance nationwide
- Details
- Mexico's national emergency number, rolled out from 2016 to replace the old patchwork of regional numbers. In the Sayulita area, 911 calls are answered in Puerto Vallarta, which then dispatches the appropriate service out of Bucerías, Valle de Banderas, Jarretaderas, etc. depending on what's needed.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this emergencies research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Sayulita
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.