If you are visiting the popular and cute surf town of Sayulita, Mexico, you can't miss making a day trip to its next-door neighbor, San Pancho. San Pancho is only 5km by road or by foot, and it has very similar, boho vibes with a bit less of the party atmosphere.
The town of San Pancho, Nayarit is officially called San Francisco because Pancho is the Spanish nickname for Francisco. How cool! Basically like being home in California lol
Although I have never stayed the night in San Pancho, I have done several day trips over the years because the surf is more powerful and less crowded than Sayulita.
GETTING THERE
From the Sayulita bus station, you can take the Compostela bus that leaves frequently for about 25 pesos. After a short ride, signal the driver to drop you off on the side of the highway at the entrance to San Pancho, right next to an Oxxo. From here, you need to walk about 20 minutes to the beach. Coming back, wait at the same intersection for any bus going south. Don't worry too much about the transport being hectic, this route is always being taken by locals and tourists alike.
Alternatively, you could take a taxi or easily drive a rental car.
OR for the adventurous kind, my favorite way to get to San Pancho is by hiking through the jungle!
THINGS TO DO
San Pancho's main area is just one main street, the same street that the bus drops off at and dead ends into the beach. This is what makes it perfect to see in a day!
The Sayulita- San Pancho hike is my top favorite free activity (other than surfing) in the area and it is super satisfying to walk about 2 hours time (3 miles) and pop out of the forest in San Pancho. Just be sure to bring water and have your maps loaded!
In the middle of the walk is the most beautiful isolated beach (Playa Malpaso) that you can only arrive at by walking or mountain biking. The trail is fairly flat, so you can even do a nice morning run out here from Sayulita. For the real adventurers, there are mountain bike ramps on the trail section closest to San Pancho, but it is definitely for advanced riders.
my recommendation: I bought All Trails Pro on 50% off this year and one of my best purchases to date--- it lets you download maps like this one which I would have been completely lost without!
other fun things to do...
visit the market on Sundays. just a block past the main road, there is a small market that goes up in the town garden.
shop along the main road. artisanal goods are pricey here, but there are lots of cute little boutiques to window-shop.
go skateboarding! there is a fun skate bowl in the community park
go surf! obviously...
check out cool community spaces: from bike workshops, dance classes, and environmental art everywhere, it seems like this community is up to wonderful things!
SURFING
In San Pancho there is one main wave to surf, which is just a 200 meter walk south down the beach. It is located at the end of a river mouth, yet the water is clean and blue. (much cleaner than Sayulita, which is known for having pollution problems.) The water was so clear I could see stingrays below me!
The wave is a punchy beach break which is surprisingly fast and violent for its size. Better for the intermediate to advanced surfer, I would recommend a shorter board for this wave, as it can be tricky to navigate with a longboard. I have had a lot of fun on this wave but still need to surf it on a good swell.
As for the crowd factor? Not too bad when I've gone in the middle of the day, but definitely a confined area where the peaks break. Practice basic surf etiquette, and the local surfers have been extremely friendly to me.
If you need to rent a board, stop by the beautiful women-owned surf shop called Nativa that lets you rent at just $6 USD an hour! Alternatively, you can rent a cheap board on the beach by the hour, but they have worse quality and selection of boards (mostly foam boards).
WHERE TO EAT
There are endless numbers of cafes, brunch spots, and little bakeries to try. I can't recommend one in particular so you will have to try a couple and let me know!
STAYING IN SAN PANCHO
I have stopped by the San Pancho hostels out of curiosity and they seemed grungy, and the Booking.com reviews confirmed that. I'm not saying it would be the worst experience, but since it's such a doable daytrip I think that stopping by is the better option. You may have better luck on Airbnb for this town.
WHAT TO SEE NEARBY
I think San Pancho already makes for a great day trip from Sayulita or Puerto Vallarta, but you could also further combine with a visit to other beaches such as Lo de Marcos, or the touristy Guayabitos. If you want to travel a bit more, Punta Mita is also great for my fellow surfers!
All in all, I think San Pancho is beautiful and mellow, but I still prefer Sayulita a little bit more because there is a bit more to do and the beach has more cool features. If you have been to San Pancho and Sayulita, which is your fave?
