Sayulita is the Riviera Nayarit’s crown jewel. But I’ll be the first to admit that the Sayulita I fell in love with a decade ago is long gone, replaced by the infinitely trendier and more bougie Sayulita of today. Whether you’re on the same page or you’re looking for a chill beach town in Mexico to explore away from the fray, San Pancho always delivers the throwback vibes and laid-back energy I crave.
San Pancho — short for San Francisco — is just a 10-minute drive up the road from Sayulita. Its tiny grid of streets is even more pocket-sized than Sayulita, though its sweeping swath of Pacific coastline is much bigger — and arguably more beautiful. You won’t find raucous bars or parties in San Pancho.
The village swaps stylish boutiques for barefoot yogis and leathery surfers. That’s not to say there isn’t style in San Pancho: it has fantastic, low-key restaurants and a modest cocktail bar or two. But the energy here is decidedly dressed down, with lights out shortly after 10 p.
m. and a soundtrack that is dominated not by DJs but by the waves. When I want a little dose of beach paradise along the Riviera Nayarit, I turn to San Pancho, the quieter, cooler cousin just a bit up the road from Sayulita.
Whether you’re a sun-seeker, taco lover or just in need of a break from the everyday, San Pancho is where you go to swap buzz for bliss. Arrive in San Pancho and check into one of its many lovely boutique hotels. Whether you’re staying at the boho-chic Hotel .