San Pancho Mexico Travel Guide: Tropical Bliss in Nayarit

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You’ve heard about Puerto Vallarta, you’ve heard about Sayulita – but have you heard about San Pancho? 

This laidback coastal village on the Riviera Nayarit was one of our favourite beach towns in Mexico. 

San Pancho has the best of both worlds, with plenty of tourist amenities without the overdevelopment of its neighbours. 

You won’t find any highrise resorts, noisy nightlife or throngs of tourists. 

What you will find is a gorgeous stretch of sand, stunning sunsets each evening, a tight-knit community with a passion for the environment and a special vibe.

If you’re looking to experience the golden coastline and lush jungle of the Riviera Nayarit without the crowds, San Pancho is for you. 

In this post, I’ll share everything you need to know about visiting the charming San Pancho Mexico. From how to get there and around, choosing from the gorgeous boutique hotels around town, the top things to do and the best restaurants and cafes. 

About San Pancho Mexico

Welcome to San Pancho, the better version of Sayulita. 

In my opinion at least! 

I don’t like to diminish a destination’s unique identity by comparing it to another one, but really, that’s what makes San Pancho so special. 

The town is often overshadowed by neighbouring Sayulita, which has boomed in popularity in the past few decades, becoming one of Mexico’s most happening beach towns. 

Situated just 15 minutes apart, these two towns couldn’t be more different.

At their roots, both are just laidback surf towns. But the beauty of San Pancho is that it has managed to retain a small-town feel, while still becoming an established tourist destination. 

You’ll find gorgeous boutique hotels, wonderful Mexican and international eateries, cute cafes and enough activities to keep you busy. But it’s flown under the radar and avoided the crowded streets, raging nightlife and gringo vibe of Sayulita. 

Many people say San Pancho is the Sayulita of 20 years ago. I can’t confirm that, but it’s certainly a much quieter, laidback town with an authentic hippy and spiritual vibe. There is an amazing community here, both local and expat, who value the environment, and each other and you can feel it. 

San Pancho Mexico is a special place, and it was somewhere we both felt we could easily live in.

Next to Quimixto, it was a highlight of our time in Jalisco and Nayarit, which we had begun to doubt after not really vibing Puerto Vallarta or Sayulita that much.

San Pancho or San Francisco?

It’s easy to get confused with the name, as San Pancho is officially called San Francisco. 

San Pancho is a local nickname that has stuck. But when you’re looking on the map, on Booking.com etc. the town is actually called San Francisco.

Just use ‘Nayarit’ as your identifier, whether you’re searching for San Pancho Nayarit or San Francisco Nayarit.

Where is San Pancho

San Pancho is located on the west coast of Mexico in the state of Nayarit.

It is part of the Riviera Nayarit, a 200-mile stretch of coastline along the Pacific Ocean. This region encompasses multiple destinations between Nuevo Vallarta in the south and San Blas in the north. 

Nayarit shares a border with the state of Jalisco, and it’s very common for travellers to visit both states on the same trip.

Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco hosts a major international airport, so most visitors will transit via PV at the very least, if not spend a few days there in addition to San Pancho and Nayarit.  

How to get to San Pancho

FROM PUERTO VALLARTA

Puerto Vallarta is the largest city in the coastal area of Jalisco/Nayarit. It houses the biggest international airport, PVR Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport, and if you’re making a beeline for San Pancho, you should fly in here.

It takes around 1 hour to get from Puerto Vallarta to San Pancho.

From Puerto Vallarta, you’ve got a couple of ways to reach San Pancho:

• 🚗 Drive – if you’re planning to get a rental car for your trip, you can drive yourself to San Pancho in an hour. There are rental options inside the airport, or in town if you’re staying in PV for a few days first.

• 🚕 Taxi – if you’re arriving at the airport, a taxi is the easiest way to get to San Pancho, as Ubers are not allowed inside the terminal. Expect to pay at least 1,000 pesos (~ $55 USD).

• 🚙 Uber – if you’re already in Puerto Vallarta or you’re willing to haul your luggage out of the airport terminal to save some money, you can get an Uber. It is usually much cheaper than a taxi, starting from around 600 pesos (~ $35 USD). There aren’t any Ubers in San Pancho for the return trip though. 

• 🚍 Bus (coach style) – if you’re spending a few days in Puerto Vallarta before you head to San Pancho, you can catch a coach-style bus. These leave from the Terminal de Autobuses de Puerto Vallarta. This isn’t a suitable option if you’re coming from the airport as you’ll have to backtrack into PV to get to the bus stop.

• 🚌 Bus (local) – if you’re flying into PV and heading straight for San Pancho, you can take a local Compostela bus. You need to exit the airport, cross the road via the footbridge and look for a bus with either San Francisco, Rincon de Guayabitos or Compostela written on it. If in doubt, ask the driver – va a San Pancho?. These local buses can be slower as they stop frequently, but it is by far the cheapest option. You’ll get dropped on the highway, about 1 km (0.6 mi) out of the centre of town. 

FROM SAYULITA

A lot of people will stay first in Sayulita, and then a few days in San Pancho (we did).

To get between the two towns, you can use the local Compostela bus, which departs from the bus station in Sayulita.

Otherwise, take a taxi from the main plaza in Sayulita. It should be 200 pesos (~ $10 USD) for the trip.

FROM GUADALAJARA

It’s possible to reach San Pancho from Guadalajara, the capital city of neighbouring Jalisco. 

There is a big airport here that is well-connected domestically and internationally. Alternatively, the city is easily reachable by bus from other parts of Mexico (e.g. Mexico City), depending on your route.

If your trip is primarily in San Pancho, I wouldn’t travel via Guadalajara as it’s a 5 – 6 hour drive. But if you’re on a broader trip around Mexico, Guadalajara is a worthwhile stop.

To get from Guadalajara to San Pancho, you can take a comfortable long-distance bus. You usually won’t be able to book for San Pancho (San Francisco). But if you can book a ticket for Sayulita (which will be the Guadalajara – Puerto Vallarta route), the bus will let you off on the highway in San Pancho. They won’t drive you into town though. Sometimes there are taxis waiting around near the bus stop, otherwise you’ll have to walk the 1 km (0.6 mi) into town.

How to get around in San Pancho

• 👣 Walk – San Pancho is a very small town that is easily walkable. Most accommodations, restaurants and activities are clustered within a short distance of the beach. Some are further north, but you can wander up and down the beach to get into town.

• 🚕 Taxi – there are taxis plying around town if you’ve got luggage. This can be helpful to get from the bus station on the highway. 

• 🚌 Bus – local buses don’t actually come into the town of San Pancho. They just pass by on the highway near the Oxxo here. Head north to Lo de Marcos, Rincon de Guayabitos etc. or south to Sayulita, Punta de Mita and Puerto Vallarta. 

• 🚗 Rental car – a car can come in handy if you’re planning to do lots of day trips around the area or surf at different beaches. But it’s not really necessary if you’re just hanging in San Pancho. If you do want to rent, rent in PV, as there aren’t any rental agencies in town. 

Where to stay in San Pancho Mexico

BUDGET

• 💰 Akali House – an excellent budget option. It’s more of a surf house vibe compared with a hostel, with a mix of private and dorm rooms. There is a small shared kitchen and lovely communal outdoor areas to hang.
  • Book via Booking.com

• 💰 Hostal San Pancho – the OG hostel in town, a little further away from the beach. It’s nothing fancy, but friendly staff, good chill vibes and nice tropical hang-out areas
  • Book via Booking.com | Expedia

• 💰 Habitaciones Samy – if you’re looking for something private, but affordable, this is the spot! It still has those famous San Pancho tropical vibes and a bit of aesthetic to it, without the high price tag. 
  • Book via Booking.com

• 💰 Akoma San Pancho – another great surf house kind of vibe, with dorms and private rooms. It’s about a 15-minute walk to the beach, but it’s simple, clean and quiet if you’re not planning on spending a lot of time in your room.
  • Book via Booking.com | Expedia

MID-RANGE

• 💰💰 Casa Cora – minimalist, earthy-styled rooms, most with small kitchenettes. Centrally located, a small but nice pool and a rooftop hot tub. Exceptional reviews. 
  • Book via Booking.com

• 💰💰 Verde Luna – excellent value for money, with fully equipped apartments a stone’s throw from the beach on the main street. Nothing super fancy or modern, but the rooms are very spacious and impeccably clean, and the staff are friendly. 
  • Book via Booking.com | Expedia

• 💰💰 Hotel de Asis – very nice Bali-style apartments with kitchenettes. Centrally located just off the main street. Lovely pool and tropical garden area. 
  • Book via Booking.com | Expedia

• 💰💰 Hotel Hacienda San Pancho – rates are often reduced dramatically here, and when they’re discounted, it’s worth it. A little secluded at the northern end of town, but with a stunning beach frontage and multiple pools on the sprawling property.
  • Book via Booking.com | Expedia

BOUTIQUE

• 💰💰💰 Marii Hotel Boutique – palm thatched rooves? Check. Tropical pool and gardens? Check. Minimalist, airy rooms? Check. Central location? Check. This is a top option.
  • Book via Booking.com | Expedia

• 💰💰💰 Hotel Ysuri San Pancho – this gorgeous property is right on the beach, with towering palm trees, expansive lawns with a pool and tropical gardens, and lounges lined up on the sand. The rooms are slightly dated but are large and well-equipped. 
  • Book via Booking.com | Expedia

• 💰💰💰 PAL.MAR Hotel Tropical – boho minimalist lovers unite. I walked past PAL.MAR every day in San Pancho and longed to be inside. It’s centrally located, but behind its gates, it feels like a tropical oasis. Opt for a suite with a kitchen to get more bang for your buck.
  • Book via Booking.com | Expedia

• 💰💰💰 Witari Hotel Boutique – nestled north of town just steps from the beach, this gorgeous property is oozing with minimalist industrial vibes. With a lovely pool overlooking the ocean and tasty breakfast included daily, you can’t go wrong.
  • Book via Booking.com | Expedia

Best time to visit

The best time to visit San Pancho is between November – April, which is Mexico’s dry season. There is little rain, and the temperatures are milder.

December, February and March are the best months weather-wise, with daily temperatures averaging 80° F / 27° C.

But this coincides with the peak travel period. 

Although San Pancho is not anywhere near as busy as Sayulita or Puerto Vallarta, I’d still recommend avoiding the Christmas/New Year period, and booking in advance if you want to visit over these months. 

By April, temperatures begin to soar, and it is very hot in May and June. The rainy season usually begins in earnest by July and continues until October, with hurricanes possible during this time.

How long to stay

You could spend a week or more relaxing in San Pancho. Time slows down and this special place draws you in. 

I’ll touch more on this below, but I would actually recommend spending a few days in Sayulita or Puerto Vallarta before you get to San Pancho. So once you arrive, you can use it as your downtime to relax. 

You could easily spend 3 – 5 nights here seeing all the sights and exploring the town. Any longer, you would be spending a lot of time relaxing or working – which might be totally fine for you!

Best things to do in San Pancho​​

There aren’t a lot of tours or activities in San Pancho itself. 

If you want to take a tour, you’d probably need to first get yourself to Sayulita and depart from there. 

My suggestion would be to stay in either Puerto Vallarta or Sayulita for a few days first, and do all your activities (whale watching, Marietas Islands, snorkelling/diving etc.), so by the time you come to San Pancho, you’re ready to relax. 

There’s just something about this place that makes you want to hang around. I guarantee you won’t be interested in heading off for an entire day of activities once you arrive.

1. Watch the sunset on the beach

You can see the sunset over the horizon year-round in San Pancho. In Sayulita, the sun is concealed by the point for part of the year, so it’s a real treat of San Pancho to watch the sunset any time!

It’s a special time of day in town, and all the locals, tourists and doggos are hanging out on the beach watching nature’s show. 

Everyone claps when the sun finally slips down below the horizon, it’s a lovely thing to be a part of. 

Plan to be on the sand for sunset every day! You can check the times here. 

2. Visit or volunteer at Entreamigos

One of the best things about San Pancho is the community. A tight-knit group of locals and expats, they have a strong sense of community spirit, and Entreamigos is at the heart of it. 

This community centre supports a number of social and environmental causes. They run hundreds of workshops and classes for kids and adults and have a community library, a recycling centre and a community thrift store and gift shop showcasing local artisans. 

If you’re just visiting San Pancho for a short trip, you can wander through the centre and check out all the great work going on. There is a great restaurant on-site, Burrito Piñata, which I’ll talk more about below. 

If you’re in town for a longer stint, consider volunteering. They have a lot of different roles for both Spanish and English speakers. 

3. Enjoy the beach

Playa San Pancho is a beautiful long, wide sandy beach that rarely feels crowded. 

Besides a couple of sections of beachfront restaurants and lounges around the main street, it feels quiet and natural, which is unlike the beach in Sayulita. 

I will warn you, the waves here are very rough, so it’s not necessarily a great beach for swimming. The area around town is generally the calmest if you’re okay with some waves and rips, or splashing in the shallows. 

Instead, it’s the perfect place for a long, peaceful beach walk. We walked all the way south up the beach early in the morning and it was a beautiful way to start the day. 

At the northern end of the beach, there is a really funky beach club, Tierra Tropical. It’s not a party vibe like some beach clubs area, they’ve got a beautiful pool, lovely lawn area and great food and drinks. Considering the waves are so strong, this can be a nice place to set up for a day. 

4. Go surfing

Although it’s not as famous as Sayulita, San Pancho is still a surf town at heart. 

It’s not for the inexperienced though. The surf in San Pancho is hard-core, and usually best for intermediate or experienced surfers. If you’re just learning, you’re better to practice at Sayulita or Punta de Mita.

If you’re keen to rent a board or take some lessons try Nativa or Santa Madre. 

5. Stroll around town

Take some time to stroll around San Pancho town. It’s not very big, but it’s colourful and full of gorgeous murals. We loved all the art about the environment, animals and social causes. 

The streets are actually all named after third-world continents and countries. The main street ‘Calle Tercer Mundo’ means Third World Street, and you’ll find streets like Africa, Asia, Latin America etc. 

Be sure to check out the town’s main plaza, the cute little church and the park. 

6. Browse the Tuesday markets

And if you happen to be in town on Tuesday, head to the plaza for the weekly market. 

From 10 am – 2 pm, you can browse stalls selling organic produce, handmade jewellery, souvenirs and handicrafts, and grab a bite to eat. There’s usually live music, and it’s just a nice atmosphere to stroll around and enjoy. 

The market is definitely geared towards tourists/expats, and a lot of the stall holders are foreign expats. But the community comes together, no matter where they’re from originally. 

7. Release baby sea turtles into the ocean

Every year, the beaches of San Pancho are blessed with mama turtles coming to lay their eggs. 

Sadly turtles have a very low rate of survival, and the eggs are at risk of being stolen by poachers, eaten by predators or crushed by ATVs, foot traffic or cars. 

So a local NGO, San Pancho Turtles, patrols the beach throughout the nesting season, collecting clutches of eggs and transporting them to a safe hatchery where they can incubate. 

Once the little bubbas hatch, you can watch them being released into the ocean at sunset, to start their lives out there in the big blue. 

The turtles generally nest from around June – December, but it differs each year. Releases usually start from around August and happen at sunset time whenever babies have hatched that day. 

San Pancho Turtles will post on their Facebook and also in a specific turtle release WhatsApp group by 4 pm. Releases happen at the northern end of the beach near the Tierra Tropical Beach Club. 

8. Take a yoga class

San Pancho is the perfect place to relax, unwind and unplug. There are lots of yoga studios around to take a class. El Estar has a full weekly schedule of drop-in classes, for just 150 pesos (~$8 USD).

9. Go for a hike in the jungle

There are some beautiful trails around San Pancho, most skirting the coastline and passing through the jungle. 

I’ll admit, we did not do any hiking when we were in San Pancho. We were about 2 months into our trip, and we definitely used this as a place to crash, relax and recoup. So we weren’t as active as we usually would be, and I regret it!

It’s popular to hike all the way from San Pancho to Sayulita (although part of the trail is now private property and the locals charge a small fee to pass). 

There are also some really nice looking hikes north of town, that lead you through the jungle to a secluded beach a few bays over. Check out the route on AllTrails. 

10. Spend the day in Sayulita

If you haven’t already spent some time in Sayulita, it’s worth visiting for the day. 

If you’re not up for hiking all the way, you can jump on the bus (from the Oxxo on the highway, anything heading south should get you to Sayulita), or take a taxi. 

With just one day, I would suggest exploring the centre of town. It’s a lot busier and happening than San Pancho. There are some fantastic restaurants, cafes and bars to try. 

If you want to learn or improve your surfing, this is the place to do it on Playa Sayulita! You can book a private lesson here or rent boards from Marea, Lunazul or WildMex. 

If you’re not into surfing and want to go swimming at a calmer beach, take a short walk to Playa los Muertos. 

Read more about things to do in Sayulita and our fave restaurants in our guide. 

Where to eat in San Pancho

• 🌯 Burrito Piñata – located inside the Entreamigos centre, this community restaurant has delish vegan food and a very affordable menu del dia for lunch every day with an entree, main and drink. Temporarily closed, not sure if/when it will reopen!

• 🌮 Taqueria Los Arbolitos – a great option for good, cheap tacos with tons of different flavours on offer. Most are 20 pesos each (~$1 USD), they have yummy aguas frescas and some delicious chocolate flan for dessert. 

• 🍜 Yasmina’s – a very unique spiritual, part-vegan restaurant. There is a gorgeous garden out the back for a lovely dining experience, and they have amazing vegan Asian dishes (which we hadn’t eaten for a long time in Mexico!). We got a noodle and a rice dish, both were delicious. 

• ☕️ Amar y Ya – super underrated cafe, and our favourite breaky spot in San Pancho. They make great coffee and have a range of loaded breaky burgers (on English muffins!), croissants and bagels. Super lovely and leafy area to sit in and work too. 

• 🍩 The DoughJoe – a great little cafe with delectable doughnuts, good coffee, sandwiches and some breaky options like pancakes and breaky burgers.  

• 🍹 La Tarraya – if you want a feet-in-the-sand dining experience, this is the best spot on the beach! Particularly gorgeous at sunset, La Tarraya has a lovely vacay feel with lanterns, festoon lights and umbrellas. It’s a good spot for a quick drink, but they also do some great food.

San Pancho Nayarit travel tips

• 💰 ATMs – there are a decent number of bank-affiliated (safe, legit) ATMs around San Pancho, but they do run out of money occasionally. It’s best to come stocked with cash. 

• 💳 Credit cards – many larger hotels, restaurants and bars will accept credit cards, but don’t rely on them everywhere. Some places will charge a merchant fee, check before you tap.

• 🧺 Laundry – it’s unusual for accommodations to have washing machines. Most hotels offer a laundry service, but you’ll pay more for it. There are a few laundromats around town, Lavanderia Mona is rated well. 

• 🥭 Supermarkets – there aren’t any huge supermarkets in San Pancho. It’s just a collection of small mini-marts and convenience stores. You can usually find the basics, but you’ll need to wander around to a few different places. 

• 💧 Water – you can’t drink the water in San Pancho. Good accommodations will provide purified drinking water in large 20-litre jugs. If you don’t have one in your room, it’s worth buying one from a supermarket or convenience store to avoid single-use plastic bottles. It’s cheaper to buy in bulk too.

San Pancho travel guide: Final thoughts

I hope you love San Pancho as much as we did and this guide comes in handy when planning your trip.

I know you’ve probably heard a lot more about Sayulita, and it can be tempting to follow the trend and go where you’ve become most familiar with on social media.

But if you’re looking for a tranquil beach destination, you can’t go past San Pancho.

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