Things to do
This festival is certainly one of the most beautiful and magical in Mexico. On November 1st and 2nd the Day of the Dead celebration is held in Sayulita; the streets are filled with color and flowers perfume the air. The grand cultural program and traditional night walk from the central plaza to the cemetery make this something everyone should experience at least once in their lives.
A contest of altars will fill the streets with color to invite the souls to leave the world beyond and walk the earth for a few days, to visit their loved ones and enjoy the scent of flowers and their favorite dishes.
It is believed that the souls of children return on the first day of November, and the souls of adults return on November 2nd. Common symbols of the Day of the Dead are the calacas; skulls that celebrators represent with masks. The candy skulls have the names of the deceased written on their foreheads (or in some cases the names of living people, as a joke), and they are eaten by relatives and friends. Other special Dia de Muertos dishes include the pan de muerto, a sweet egg-based bread baked in simple round shapes, skulls and rabbits.
History and tradition passed down from generation to generation tells us that the souls arrive at 12:00 each day, in this general order:
- October 28th: the day that we receive the deceased who died in an accident and never arrived in their destination, or those who suffered a sudden, violent death.
- October 29th: those who drowned.
- October 30th: the lonely and forgotten souls who do not have family to remember them; the orphans and criminals.
- October 31st: those in limbo who were never born or never baptized.
- November 1st: the children, also referred to as “angelitos”, or little angels.
- November 2nd: deceased adults.
The classic elements of the Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico are the altars with their offerings, a representation of our vision of death, full of symbolism and meaning.
Fall in love with this mystical tradition overlooking the sea!