A Guide to Hiking from San Pancho to Sayulita

There’s a lot of contrasting information out there about the hike in between San Pancho (also known as San Francisco) and Sayulita, and we couldn’t quite figure it out ourselves. So we did what any adventurer must: find out for ourselves. Below is a map of our trail and some helpful advice for obstacles along the way. We did this back each carrying our big backpacks, estimating ~18kg each, and set off at midday on an afternoon in late May. I do not recommend this: start in the morning or in the late afternoon and avoid the sweltering heat.

Trail map created along the walk with Wikiloc

Walk along San Pancho beach toward the left, where to cove turns inward. There’s a house with fishing boats in front of it, all along which there is a fence. But if you venture behind the house, you’ll see that the fence ends and it’s easy to pass through. A small trail will lead you to the abandoned houses, where we met our first obstacle on the journey: a shirtless man with a whistle. He refused to let us pass through to the beach, and this wasn’t a negotiable denial. The trail on the left led up to the jungle, and he seemed to have no problem letting us through there.

The fishing boats at the end of San Pancho beach

We had read several accounts that described this trail was ‘flat and simple’, which could not have been further from the journey we embarked on. Walk up a winding cobblestone path, we were greeted by a 2.5-3 meter gate. We took a quick rest at the hut next to it and then discovered a small trail along the right side that allowed us to bypass the fence, rather than climb it. This involved ensuring that we did not fall in the holes, which were covered with foliage, as though someone had set a trap!

The Gate

We walked along the path after the gate for about half an hour, grateful for the shade of the trees, before reaching something reminiscent of a fork in the road. The wide road continued to the left, with a green sign proclaiming it as a ‘Ruta de Evacuaccion’, and a small path trails to the right and upward. Our instinct pulled us to the right, and having no way to know if this direction would be correct, we trudged further into the dry jungle.

The narrow path we set off on doubles as a dirt bike path, with jumps set up along its winding corners. We followed this trail until reach yet another fork. The path on the right led further along, and the path on the left turned steeply downward. By this point, we were keen to reach the beach and ensure we would not be entirely lost in the jungle. With nothing but hope, we carefully manoeuvred the steep path down, praying we would not have to climb back up this trail again soon.

And 15 minutes later, just as we were starting to lose a little faith and a lot more hope, we were greeted by a large yellow sign declaring the trail ‘Camino a la Playa’! It was a bliss. Not ten minutes later we were walking out onto Malpazo beach, stripping our bags off under the shade and running into waves. I will warn you, the sea here was ferocious and humbling, so just be aware of the strong current and maybe just dip your feet in if you’re not much of a confident swimmer.

Our shaded picnic spot looking out at Malpazo Beach

We had brought some delicious slices from ‘Pizza El Punto’, which served as an amazing lunch. We spent almost an hour here, just relaxing and regaining our energy for the second leg of the journey. When we were once again ready to face the path, we popped our bags on and walked along the construction tape to the left end of the beach. A steep set of stairs will take you up toward a clearing where you will face your new favourite obstacle: another fork in the road.

The stairs at the end of Malpazo Beach

The left path through the stones just after the stairs, the middle path trailing downward, or the small footpath after the big clearing? Once again following solely our intuition, we set down toward the middle path, which offered us two or three more forks in the road in quick succession. For each fork we continued to trudge to the left, which eventually led us out to a large fork. And again we went left, bypassing the graffitied house. At the next fork, we went right, and we climbed under fallen trees and up shaky rocks to reach a beautiful viewpoint along the trail.

The view of Malpazo Beach along the trail

We continued along the trail that edged the cliff, taking in the beautiful azure water just next to us. We reached a large stone wall with two options veering left, one almost instantly after the crossing over the stone wall and the other further along. We took the first one, which led to a large house covered in graffiti and surrounded by piles of rubbish. Another ‘Camino a la Playa’ sign affirmed our path happily. The next fork had us unsure, but we ventured to the right, and crossed a cobblestone road leading to a large private property. The dirt path continues alongside to Sayulita Beach!

Coming out of the jungle onto Sayulita Beach

If you aren’t weighed down by all your possessions, or perhaps just stronger than us, a stroll down the beach into Sayulita will be a lovely welcome. For us, however, walking in the sand was not as inviting. And so we continued on the trail, which we followed straight on until we turned to a big house on the left. We were at last greeted by road! Our journey through the jungle, guided solely by intuition and vibes, had let us back to civilisation.

The sunset that evening at Sayulita Beach

The walk was certainly a challenge, but we were proud of our accomplishment. It felt great to enjoy a coconut on the beach and end the day in the Sun’s beauty. It’s a hike I certainly recommend, but do come prepared - take 3L of water and snacks, potentially a first aid kit, and of course, a smile. Stay tuned for more adventures!