San Pancho

The history of San Pancho, as San Francisco Mexico is lovingly called, can be read on the walls of a compound near the San Pancho beach. Here you’ll find exceptional images painted in acrylics depicting colorful personalities sprinkled across landscapes known to this area. Located just 5-km north of Sayulita, San Francisco Mexico is considered the “cultural capital” of the state of Riviera Nayarit, thanks to the numerous initiatives carried out here to promote Mexican culture and education. The first inhabitants in the area of San Pancho Mexico, where the Southern Sierra Madre begins, were indigenous tribes pertaining to the Tatuan de Nayares group. In 1524 Don Francisco Cortés de Buenaventura named the area Azapan. The Spanish eventually christened the town San Francisco de Azapan and made it a part of the Jaltemba Hacienda, which produced coconut oil. In 1936, the Sayulita common lands, which San Pancho belongs to, were formed. This establishment, in a way, created the community spirit that characterizes this destination. It is precisely the social advocacy of its inhabitants, plus their work in conjunction with educational projects, environmental issues, and the promotion of the arts that has spurred the positive growth and development of San Francisco Mexico.