Why we can't stop coming back to this Mexican beach town
A raffia beach tote, our pre-trip Spotify ritual, and my San Pancho black book
Our love affair with coastal Mexico began in Tulum a decade ago, and over the years we have wandered our way up and down both coasts: through Cabo, Cancun, Cozumel, Playa Del Carmen, Sayulita, Isla Holbox, Punta de Mita.
San Pancho, a laidback beach town in the Riviera Nayarit, is our most recent infatuation. Things you will not find in this town include: heels, Rosa Negras (you know the ones), pretension, bottle service, and hotel rooms that cost $1,000. That’s not to say there’s not a time and place for those things, but this destination is not that.
You don’t come here to have someone refresh your towels by the resort pool—you’re here for Mexican charm and culture. It’s fresh caught red snapper slathered in local spices you’ve never tasted, it’s nightly beach walks with your gaggle of off-leash pups, it’s open-air yoga under a thatched roof and spiritual ceremonies in the forest. Imagine crystalline waters along a stretch of sandy beach—swathed with sunset colors. A place where travelers become locals or come back again and again.
You don’t have to book a thing in advance, except your hotel (and even that you could do last minute). It is the anti-Tulum, which these days, per
, feels like travel devoid of soul. San Pancho is the kind of place where you lose track of time. (Quite literally, because your phone defaults to the wrong time zone).On contributing to community economically and culturally in Mexico, I loved what Natalie Stoclet had to say here:
“Be curious. Shop local. Befriend locals. Learn Spanish. Celebrate traditions. Have humility. Respect laws. Don’t generalize. Be allies. And pay attention; because if we don’t, we might just lose the very things that made us so eager to be here in the first place.”
Here are six things I loved this trip:
01 Manebi raffia tote bag
I’d previously picked up a market tote in Madrid, but I found myself leaving it behind when traveling because its wide opening was just impractical. This Manebi bag was an ideal upgrade—I’d been mulling it over when I spotted it on stylist Heidi Streeter who is vacation style goals. On a beach vacation where I’m not packing and repacking and schlepping across cities, this bag works perfectly as my in-flight personal item. Of note, this little version is on sale and adorable, too.
02 Disposable film camera
I picked up a Kodak disposable camera from Amazon to take some analog snaps! Such a fun little toy, especially for a vacation with friends (and pups!). I can’t wait to develop these and put them a little photo book.
03 ROUND A’ROUND Korean stick sunscreen
MrsDerm fans (and Asian people lol) know that Asian sunscreen technology is what’s up. My friend Jen introduced me to this stick sunscreen she picked up in Seoul, which glides on and makes on-the-go reapplication so easy. (The website looks sketch, but Reddit affirms that YesStyle is a reputable purveyor of Asian beauty products—or it could just be something to keep an eye out for on your next trip to Asia).
04 Bobbi Brown lip tint
I went super low-key this trip, going bare-faced most days, aside from this lip tint before dinner—perfect for a swipe of light shine and color.
05 Passionfruit mezcalitas
You’ll find maracuya cocktails on nearly every menu here. As soon as patio season hits in Denver, I’m recreating this for backyard hangs with passionfruit, lime juice, mezcal, and a tiny bit of orange liqueur—I skip the agave. You can find this passionfruit in the Whole Foods/Target freezer.
06 San Pancho Spotify playlist
I love collaborating on playlists as a pre-trip ritual with friends. We brought this JBL waterproof speaker for pool time. All week long, we shazammed songs at beach bars and vibey restaurants, creating an audio keepsake of our time together:
San Pancho recommendations
Where to eat, stay, shop, and play
As we deboarded our sailboat on Friday evening, our captain said with a wink: “Tell your friends about us. But only the good ones.” Now on our third year back, we’ve collected a handful of favorite people and places that make our stays here so special.
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