Locals call it San Pancho. Prior to the early 70’s it was a drowsy fishing village with a handful of palapa-style houses on the beach and no electricity or running water. Then former President (1970-1976) Luis Escheverria took proprietary interest in the town, building schools and the only hospital between Vallarta and Tepic- 90 miles away. It’s said he had hoped to end up with a prestigious United Nations post by creating a self sufficient town that would be a model for Third World Development. Instead, Escheverria fled Mexico in the 70’s and his family estate here fell to ruin. But the schools and hospital remain a central focus of village life and a testimony to his vision.

San Pancho is easy to reach - within an hour’s drive North of Puerto Vallarta on the paved and well-marked Highway 200, life carries on pretty much as it always has in the pretty pueblos along the way to San Francisco. Offering colorful culture and miles of uncrowded beaches to explore, the sweeping changes of the 20th century seem to have bypassed these coastal Mexican towns, their pace what you’d expect south of the border; remarkable considering their breathtaking topography and proximity to bustling Puerto Vallarta.