An hour’s hike along a ruggedly enchanting beach and jungle trail—or a five minute drive up Highway 200—gets you from Sayulita to San Pancho, Sayulita’s sweet little neighbor to the north. Formally called San Francisco, San Pancho shares Sayulita’s small scale and beachfront locale, but it’s a far different place. For one, they play serious polo in San Pancho, at La Patrona Polo Club, where you can watch the ponies and riders at play, or even take a lesson. You’ll also see many, many birds if you rise early and go out with one of the local expert guides, for San Pancho’s estuary is one of the great birding sites in Nayarit. Birds aren’t your thing? Play a  round of golf on the lush, gorgeous, and only recently made public La Huerta 9-hole course, up on the hill on the north side of town, with spectacular views from every tee.

Related article: The Waterfalls of San Pancho