San Francisco, Bahía de Banderas

Known to almost everyone as San Pancho, the town of San Francisco sits on the Riviera Nayarit coast just a few kilometres north of the better-known Sayulita. It is a small, artsy beach village with a wide sandy beach, cobblestone streets and a relaxed, distinctly bohemian atmosphere.

The surf is a beach break along the open sand, offering rights and lefts that shift with the sandbars through the seasons. Conditions range from gentle, learner-friendly peaks on small days to a heavier, punchy shorebreak when the swell picks up, so it suits improving surfers while still giving the experienced something with more power on a good south swell. The main beach peak is the usual spot, and nearby Sayulita offers a gentler alternative when San Pancho's shorebreak turns heavy.

The exposed beach can produce strong shorebreak and quick rip currents when the surf is up, so it demands respect and is less forgiving than the more sheltered coves nearby at Sayulita. San Pancho stays quieter and more local than its busier neighbours, with a polo field, community projects and a cluster of well-regarded restaurants and cafes.

The main swell season runs through the southern-hemisphere winter, roughly April to October, when south swells feed the coast; the water is warm year-round and the climate tropical. Access is easy by road from Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita, with the beach a short walk straight through town. For a calmer, character-rich alternative to the busier Nayarit surf towns, San Pancho has a quiet, lasting appeal. Community-minded and creative, the town has cultivated an arts and food scene that draws visitors well beyond the surf.