Last updated on March 18, 2022
Oh my, I can’t keep this in any longer. We’re going back to San Pancho!
YES!
Anyone who read this blog back in 2012-2013 will know that Steve and I fell head over heels for this tiny little town on Mexico’s Pacific coast. We spent six months there and loved it so much we nearly bought some land and set up a yoga retreat. Other plans stepped in our way and we held off on the land, but we were sure we’d return the following year.
Three years later and we still haven’t been back. The world is vast and we kept getting distracted by other plans, from our wedding last year to Steve’s film and trips to other countries. Mexico isn’t a cheap Ryanair flight away from London so we had to wait for when the timing and finances were right. And finally that time is here!
We’re off to Mexico next week. First we’ll spend a couple of weeks in Mexico City and then we’ll head to San Pancho on 1 February. We’re staying for at least two months.
Return to San Pancho
No doubt the town will have changed. The year we left, it was included in the Lonely Planet, so many bloggers have been there I’ve lost count, and friends tell me it’s much busier now. That’s a good thing for the local businesses, some of which were struggling to stay open, but I wonder what effect that’s had on the magic of the little town. We’ve put San Pancho on a pedastol in our minds – it’s our favourite place we’ve ever been to – so, of course, we wonder if it’ll live up to our memories.
That said, San Pancho would have had to change a lot for us to no longer like it, and friends reassure us that the magic’s still there. So right now I’m dreaming of all those 54 reasons I gave for loving it back in 2013 – from the tacos to the sunsets to the people. We really can’t wait to get back.
Our home in San Pancho
Best of all, we’re staying in our old house. This was no mean feat. Finding accommodation in San Pancho is tricky, especially when you try to do it remotely. Our first attempts yielded nothing and we started to worry we wouldn’t find anything affordable. But through a stroke of luck, some friends in town let us know that the current occupants in our house had decided to leave at the end of January. We jumped in and the house is now ours for the whole two months. I get a lot of questions about how to find somewhere to stay in San Pancho so while I’m there I intend to put together a guide.
So yes! From next week, Mexico will be our home for the next three months. It’s time to re-kindle our Spanish language skills and dive back into the land of tacos and tequila – and to see it San Pancho still has our hearts.
Yay! I can’t wait to hear back from you on what it’s like now. And with all of us so close I am sure we can make a meetup happen. 🙂
Fantastic! Hope you love it as much as last time. How cool you were able to get your old house. Didn’t Simon and Erin stay here too?!
For San Pancho we always book vrbo ir airbnb. We are going back dec1-dec14 2016 and hope it is still charming. Our last family trip there was 2011 and it was our best vacation ever. Kids are in college now so it is just me and my wife – we will be meeting up with a few friends as well.
In our experience Air BnB upcharges 15%, paid by the renter. And VRBO is a multi-national corporation. If you’re interested in helping the community check out sanpancholife.com. There are no upcharges, it’s a local company, so the money stays in San Pancho and San Pancho Life supports and makes contributions to the local community organizations. So everyone wins!
What a beautiful space you have here. Your blog came up while I was ‘researching’ aka looking at pretty pictures of living and buying in San Pancho. How was your trip? Are you still in love? Has it chanced too much? My husband and I are seriously considering moving and I would love your input if you have the time and the desire. Do you mind if I email you or connect with you on social? 🙂
Thanks so much. Your words and sentiment are really beautiful!
I’ll be there as well. Feb-3 thru Feb-9. Casa de Estrella.
Perhaps our paths will cross.
Also taking Eva’s 10am cooking class on Feb-8. I am trying to get a few locals I know together to have Eva show us how to make her famous Mole… That was our soft agreement when i left San Pancho on Dec-15th. 🙂 LMK if there are any joiners..
Best and safest of travels,
Steve
Afraid that post was written last year, so our paths won’t be crossing this time. Have a great time though. We love San Pancho!
Do you have any recommendations for places to stay in San Pancho