San Francisco (San Pancho as the locals call it) is a quaint, seaside village of approximately 2,000 inhabitants, which is an easy 40 minute drive north from Puerto Vallarta's international airport via Mexico's highway 200.
The region and state of Nayarit, known as the Mexian Riviera, boasts pristine beaches, outstanding cuisine (traditional and non-traditional), art community, shopping, recreational activites and a very high quality of coastal living.
During the 1970's, Mexico's President Luis Echeverria chose this sleepy town to develop a sustainable community which would stand as a model to towns in other developing nations and beyond. Echeverria became a controversial head of state for the people of Mexico and was unable to see plans to fruition before leaving office. The local townspeople have since carried on his legacy.
Today San Pancho is a thriving cultrual enclave, which is also environmentally conservative. This is one of the few remaining areas along the Mexican coastline that employs responsible development practices. Additionally, San Pancho is home to an environmental group commited to the survival of sea turtles called Grupo Ecológico de la Costa Verde, A.C.