After a long travel day from Grenada to Puerto Vallarta, we hopped on a local bus to the quiet village of San Pancho. As soon as we arrived, it started raining and didn’t stop for three days! Unfortunately, those were the only three days we had to find an apartment before having a stream of family visitors. So our first impression of San Pancho was a rainy, gloomy town with no available apartments!
Fortunately, after three days of searching, the sun finally came out, and we found the perfect apartment. Our two-story place has two bedrooms and two bathrooms—just what we needed. Our neighbors are Mexican, roosters wake us up each morning, and banana trees shade our second-floor deck.
We chose San Pancho based on recommendations from friends Dan and Casey from ACruisingCouple.com and articles from Bridges and Balloons. It’s a small town with about 2,000 people, a beautiful beach with good surfing waves, friendly locals, and a vibrant community of expats and travelers. There are plenty of things to do here, but it wasn’t exactly what we expected.
When Dan and Casey visited in early 2014, San Pancho was quite different. Despite visiting during the peak season in January, they described it as a relatively unknown town with a strong Mexican vibe. While it retains some of its charm, recent tourism and foreign investments have diluted it a bit.
Now, the main road is lined with European-style restaurants, western cafes, and vacation properties owned by foreigners. Live music abounds, but it’s often French, American, or Italian tunes. While San Pancho has grown on us, it doesn’t feel as authentically Mexican as other places like San Cristobal. However, the town’s authentic feel increases as we move away from the main street.
Climbing the hills on either side of this tiny town reveals quiet, tree-lined roads that seem carved right out of the jungle. Luxurious expat homes dominate the hillsides, but among them are beautiful little Mexican casas and casitas where children play and roosters crow.
Although the western influence in San Pancho detracts from its purity, there are still fascinating things happening here. Sometimes you see cowboys riding their horses down the road or along the beach. Groups of old men gather in the park to chat, and you’ll find fishermen, mattress salesmen, and water trucks loudly advertising their goods. This is the Mexico we love!
San Pancho, Puerto Vallarta, and nearby Sayulita all have beaches, but San Pancho’s is the best. The waves can make swimming tricky, but the golden sand, clear water, and fewer beach hawkers make it a perfect place to unwind.
The sunsets here are breathtaking. Around 6:00 pm, people slowly head to the beach, setting up blankets and chairs to watch the sunset. The sky transforms into a stunning mix of yellow, blue, and red, making for an unforgettable view. For some reason, the sunsets here are even better than those in the Caribbean.
If the beautiful sunsets weren’t enough, baby sea turtles are released on the beach each night. Watching these tiny creatures make their way to the ocean is a magical experience.
One thing that hasn’t changed since Dan and Casey’s visit is the vibrant expat and travel community. San Pancho attracts a dynamic group of unique, location-independent individuals. We’ve met more interesting people here than in all our travels—digital nomads, musicians, teachers, artists, bakers, seamstresses, jewelers, midwives, and bloggers. We love learning about their lives and plan to interview some of them for our blog soon.
We’ve discovered both pros and cons to San Pancho. We envisioned a very Mexican town with diverse local foods, traditional music, and quiet streets. However, we’ve found a town that’s been discovered by many, with a noticeable expat presence, English music, limited Mexican food options, and busy streets. Things are changing here.
On the bright side, we’ve met incredible people, both locals and foreigners, and love the sunsets and quiet beach. Our apartment is great, and we’ve found some charming family-run restaurants. We’ve also started Spanish lessons, and Dariece has taken up Pilates, giving us a bit of a routine.
In the end, even though we wish San Pancho felt more authentic, it’s the perfect spot for us, especially with family visiting who might appreciate some western comforts.
We’ll be here for about two months and have already had some amazing experiences. Stay tuned to hear more about our adventures in and around this lovely west coast town.
