Village

A relatively undiscovered paradise lies hidden in Mexico along the
unspoiled southern coast of Nayarit. In the small seaside fishing
village of San Francisco, known locally as San Pancho, the mountains
of the Sierra Madre tumble down to blue waters of the open Pacific.

The coastline of Nayarit, just north of Puerto Vallarta and before the state Capitol
of Tepic, offers some of Mexico's most charming and desirable coastal landscape.
Quaint seaside fishing villages dot the coast where the jungle mountains meet
the sea, joining miles of isolated beaches. This is the Mexico of fishing, farming
fiestas and siestas, the customs and attitudes of the outside world having made
few encroachments. Dusty streets dotted with lazy dogs and pecking chickens
are ritualistically hosed morning and evening while children play with twigs and
tires. Banana, mango, papaya and tobacco plantations, roadside shrines paying
homage to lives lost where they stand and donkeys bearing burdens to market
are just a few of the intriguing images you're likely to see en route.

San Pancho (Pancho being a nickname for
Francisco) is a quintessential sleepy fishing village
of about 800 friendly locals and a small community of
mainly North American expatriates. Prior to the early
1970's there were no paved roads, electricity or
running water. Then former President of Mexico,
Luis Echevarria (1970-1976), took an interest in the
town, building roads, schools and the only hospital
between Puerto Vallarta and Tepic. President
Echevarria also built a fabulous beach home for
himself which fell into ruins after his term in office
and has only recently been restored to its former
glory by a private developer. Telephones, a couple
of new restaurants, and a few new homes have come
to San Pancho in the past few years, yet this
charming village retains the look and feel of an
earlier era.