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10+ Treasures of the Mercado Artesanal in San Pancho

Last Updated: November 3, 2021 · Mexico, Riviera Nayarit

One of the many reasons why we love living in San Pancho is because of the local artisanal market every Tuesday on the Plaza del Sol (10 am-2 pm). What’s so special about the farmer’s market in San Pancho?

For one, the vibe is refreshing, authentic, and welcoming. For two, San Pancho has a homegrown, down-to-earth community whose talents are on full display at the mercado so it’s a must-do activity when in San Pancho. And three, you might come as a stranger, but you’ll likely leave as a friend. 🙂

As you might guess, the Mercado Artesanal San Pancho is more than just a place where you pick up a few goodies.

I could easily spend my morning or afternoon there admiring the hand-crafted jewelry and hand-picked gemstones, snacking on Colombian arepas and red or blue-corn quesadillas, or listening to the vibrant live music from a nearby shady bench.

Here are just 10 amazing examples of the treasures you’ll find at the Mercado San Pancho!

san pancho outdoor market with musicians

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Table of Contents show
10. Mexican Souvenirs & Handicrafts
9. Groovy Live Music
8. Handmade Jewelry with Love
7. Healthy Bites
6. Guilty Pleasures
Arepas
Quesadillas
Empanadas
Pizza & Sandwiches
Sweet Treats
5. Fresh Juice, Bread, & Queso!
4. Homemade Medicinal Soaps, Incense, & More…
3. Locals’ Art, Paintings, & Sculptures
2. Eco-friendly Menstrual Products
1. Organic Produce from a Local Farm

10. Mexican Souvenirs & Handicrafts

As you approach the market, you’ll immediately notice a handful of stalls with umbrellas selling typical, colorful Mexican handicrafts. From blankets, rugs, and throws, to dangly pom-poms and ceramics, you can pick up a variety of touristy souvenirs from Mexico at a decent price.

You just might get a great deal if you go early or late and if you can haggle a little, but don’t worry about your Spanish skills. Most vendors speak English perfectly well.

9. Groovy Live Music

At the heart of the market is the live band, who plays all sorts of regional music. The music brings the market alive in a vibrant, happy way. You can’t help but smile. Take a moment to watch from the sidelines or jump in and get to dancing!

8. Handmade Jewelry with Love

The Mercado San Pancho is chock-full of vendors selling their own unique, handcrafted jewelry. No two tables are the same, with each varying in both style and craft. Some have more minimal touches, while others are covered in jewelry designs of all shapes and colors.

If you get the chance, stay and chat with the vendors to learn about their story. All of them have something to teach and it’s super interesting to learn about their own techniques and knowledge of gemstones and jewelry-making.

7. Healthy Bites

My first stop at the farmer’s market in San Pancho is always at Gaia’s – a food stall selling healthy, homemade vegetarian and non-veggie dishes.

They whip up the food fresh in their small hole-in-the-wall restaurant in downtown San Pancho before bringing it to the market. You can pick and choose what you’d like on your plate, but if you choose the full meal with everything, it’ll cost you a mere 110 pesos (or ~$6). It’s delicious, filling, and so yummy!

I find that Gaia’s sells the most healthy, wholesome lunch at the market, but there are dozens of other food stalls which I’ll talk about just below.

6. Guilty Pleasures

Empanadas, fresh-made quesadillas, Colombian cheese-stuffed arepas, pizzas, sausages, you name it! These I call “guilty pleasures” because they tend to be more ooey-gooey than a plate of healthy roots and veggies!

Arepas

Paul and I always make a beeline for the Colombian arepa stand. Ever since I lived in Bogotá, I cannot help but chase after any arepa I can get my hands on. The vendor is from Bogotá herself, so it’s always nice saying hi. Plus, one arepa costs only 40 pesos!

Quesadillas

In addition to an arepa, we always get one quesadilla each. The stall is right next to the arepa stand. You cannot miss it because there’s a sweet lady hand-packing the quesadilla mix and pressing it into tortillas. You can choose from red, green, or blue tortillas. Red is made from red corn, blue from blue corn, and the green is yellow corn with cilantro.

Then, for your filling, you choose from chicken, pork, or veggies (mushrooms). Each is served with a hearty helping of cheese! They have spicy and mild sauces at your convenience but heed my warning and go easy on the chile sauce! Last time I put too much and thought I was going to faint! The price for a quesadilla is also affordable, at 40 pesos.

Empanadas

Tasty and lightly fried! The handmade empanadas at the San Pancho market are a must-try. They are easy mouth-poppers, great for a lunchtime appetizer or snack! Don’t forget to add the yummy homemade sauce inside.

Pizza & Sandwiches

The “pizza place” in the back corner of the market is where you’ll find delicious, homemade pizzas! I have only ever had the zucchini pizza, but it was creamy and delicious (and cheap at only 50 pesos!) Paul opted for the sauerkraut and spicy chorizo sausage sandwich for 100 pesos. Both were scrumptious and we filled up fast!

Sweet Treats

If you want something sweet, head to the Mexicolate table where you can stock up on organic cacao nibs, raw honey, and learn more about their unique story.

You also shouldn’t miss the chance to try Patagonia’s Argentinian dulces. Sweet banana bread, tartelettes, and cakes make this table very appealing to the hungry, sweet-toothed traveler.

5. Fresh Juice, Bread, & Queso!

The fresh juice, bread, and cheese stands I felt deserved their own title. The tangerine juice is made of dreams and costs just $30-60 pesos for a small or large bottle.

The bread is from a local bakery (Casa Gourmet) which is located in both San Pancho and Sayulita. The mercado San Pancho is the perfect place to stock up on your bread needs for the week. Especially since San Pancho doesn’t have a supermarket where you can get tasty bread like that.

As for the cheeses, they are freshly made with pure cow’s milk and are 100% artesanales and organicos. Choose from Oaxaca cheese, goat cheese, cheddar, queso fresco, and more!

4. Homemade Medicinal Soaps, Incense, & More…

The homemade soaps stall might be the answer to our prayers since it’s quite the challenge to find natural beauty products in town. We do our best to buy eco-friendly, sustainable products when available.

The medicinal soaps are simply made with only glycerin and coconut oil. Choose from oatmeal and honey to clay, to lavender, you name it.

Joaquin, the owner of the stall, also sells natural deodorants, incense, peyote cream, 100% pure bee honey, and loads more. I’ll have one of everything, please. 🙂

3. Locals’ Art, Paintings, & Sculptures

Touring the San Pancho farmer’s market is more than just food and jewelry. You might be surprised to find local artist’s paintings, sculptures, glasswork, and more! There is really a beautiful array of displays at the market.

I go almost every week and I still need to take my time to get a good look at everything!

2. Eco-friendly Menstrual Products

My friend Martha manages a stall at the mercado that I’m happy to share about here. All the items on display are eco-friendly products for women’s reproductive and menstrual health.

Available for purchase are reusable menstrual cups, pads, and tampons, in addition to natural oils (such as marigold flower oil) to promote natural, healthy ways for women to proudly experience womanhood!

1. Organic Produce from a Local Farm

One of the last gems of the San Pancho market is the ability to purchase your organic produce from a local, sustainable farm: The Ranchito Del Mar. Get fresh, organic, seasonal vegetables here for a great price.

The mercado San Pancho encompasses so much of why we love this town. Local, crafty, artsy, handmade, community, lively, organic, eco-friendly, down-to-earth… Need I say more? 😉

Remember to bring your reusable bag for shopping at the farmer’s market in San Pancho to help reduce plastic waste!

Also Read:

40 Awesome Things to Do in San Pancho, Mexico
20+ Best Restaurants in San Pancho, Nayarit

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By: Bri · In: Mexico, Riviera Nayarit

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Comments

  1. Krista Lucas says

    February 6, 2019 at 10:17 pm

    I cant wait to come and see this market. I will be arriving the 3rd week of April ’19; is it still on at this time of year? I know the Forever Spring Market in Bucerias will be closed by this date. I enjoyed reading your “10 Treasures” article of the San Pancho Market.

    Reply
    • Bri says

      February 7, 2019 at 10:27 pm

      Hey Krista, awesome!! It MIGHT be still here! I think you will get in the last 2 weeks of it. We arrived last April 22nd ’18, and there were only 1-2 Tuesdays left and then it closed for low season. I hope you’ll get there right in time to stock up on a few local goods. 🙂

      And thanks so much for commenting, I really appreciate it! See you around San Pancho!

      Reply
      • Krista Lucas says

        February 14, 2019 at 3:56 am

        Thanks for your reply Bri! I’m sooo excited to be squeezing this Market into my travels before the season comes to an end. Maybe I’ll see you at the market or main street or the beach, who knows.

        Reply
        • Bri says

          February 14, 2019 at 7:02 pm

          When I go to the market next, I’ll ask and see if anyone knows the exact end date and I’ll keep you posted. Most definitely! If you recognize me, feel free to stop me and say hi! xoxo

          Reply
          • Krista Lucas says

            February 17, 2019 at 1:43 am

            You are such an Angel. Thank-you!

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Tips from a long-time nomad ⬇️✨ 💻 WORKIN Tips from a long-time nomad ⬇️✨

💻 WORKING ONLINE
While not all nomads/remote workers have online-specific jobs, it’s the easiest way to sustain an income for full-time or long-term travel. Here are some jobs you can do as a digital nomad!

• Blogging (This is what I do full-time!)
• Content Creation / Brand Sponsorship
• Virtual Assisting
• Social Media Management
• YouTube or Podcasting
• Graphic / Web Design
• Coding / Development
• Photography / Videography
• Freelance Writing (How I started)
• Marketing / Amazon FBA / Ecommerce

📍PICKING YOUR DIGITAL NOMAD DESTINATION
There are many countries out there offering digital nomad visas, but you don’t even need one to just travel as a tourist and stay in-country for 30, 60, 90, or 180 days. Nomads go everywhere as long as there’s a Wi-Fi connection, some countries you may consider are Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand, Vietnam, Croatia, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Brazil, and beyond! Even lesser-known places such as Namibia are starting to offer nomad visas to entice long-term travelers to visit.

🏡 FINDING HOUSING ABROAD
Read my blog post for the full guide on this, but basically, check local Facebook groups for renting local housing for extended stays and then use Airbnbs for shorter stays or to negotiate longer contracts with the owner. There are even more “nomad rental websites” these days to make finding accommodation even easier. Don’t overlook co-living/working spaces too like Selina where the digital nomad community tends to congregate.

💛 EXPLORING LOCALLY/RESPONSIBLY
As always, be mindful and respectful when you visit these communities. Many small towns are struggling with rapid growth and overdevelopment so be mindful of your choices of where you stay, how you spend your money, and who you support.

My best advice + detailed guides are all on the blog, free for you to use! Let me know if you have any questions about digital nomad life! 

Lastly, don’t overthink it. Moving countries isn’t as intimidating as you may think! It’s become second nature for us now after several years! 🐈‍⬛💃🌎✨
I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to discover t I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to discover this incredible country beyond the resorts and beaches, having lived temporarily in 5 out of the 32 Mexican states (Nayarit, Quintana Roo, Chiapas, Oaxaca, and now Baja California Sur) as a digital nomad who’s been slow traveling/living in and out of Mexico since 2018. 

There is so, so much cultural and natural beauty in Mexico — I wish more people could experience this country for themselves and not through the eyes of the media.

***Please visit Mexico as a digital nomad (or tourist in general) responsibly and mindfully. Stay local, eat local, drink local, shop local, support local. Leave No Trace and be conscious of your choices and impact!*** 

Here are the cities/towns we’ve slow traveled/lived in for extended stays.

• Oaxaca City — a colorful, historic open museum rich in indigenous culture and gastronomy 
• San Cristóbal de las Casas — an endearing pueblo mágico in the Chiapas Highlands
• La Paz — the capital city of BCS teeming with marine life, diving, fish tacos, and desert vibes
• San Pancho — an eco-conscious town in Nayarit famous for its sunsets and community
• Tulum — no introduction needed (and I wouldn’t go back here as a nomad due to overdevelopment)

Other great cities/towns/destinations for digital nomads are:

• Guadalajara (state of Jalisco)
• Santiago de Querétaro (state of Querétaro)
• San Miguel de Allende or Guanajuato City (state of Guanajuato)
• Playa del Carmen (state of Quintana Roo)
• Valladolid or Mérida (state of Yucatán)
• México City/CDMX (state of México)
• Sayulita (state of Nayarit)
• Puerto Vallarta (state of Jalisco)
• Puerto Escondido (state of Oaxaca)

I’d love to know what you think about Mexico and where you’ve been in the comments! 🇲🇽💛

And for the detailed guide of 13 places to live/visit, read my blog @bucketlistbri .com (just type in “places to live mexico” in the quick search bar if you can’t find the post under my “Mexico” category).

#mexicomagico #digitalnomad #visitmexico #livingabroad #fulltimetravel #mexicotravel #mexicodestinations #nomadadigital #nomada #mexicomaravilloso #slowtravelling #mindfultravel
PSA: Your anxiety, problems or (bad) habits will f PSA: Your anxiety, problems or (bad) habits will follow you around the world until you face them no matter how much you travel or move countries 🙃 

I know I’m not the only one that feels restless at times and idolizes moving to a new region/country/continent to shake my feelings of anxiety or self-doubt or fear! (Also, I tend to think about moving to another country even when I just moved to a new one 😅)

I know because I have lived abroad for 8+ years. I used to try to drown out my icky feelings and past traumas with lots of alcohol but now I carry them with me like I do my mismatched socks — they add to the quirkiness and remind me I don’t have to be, and am not, perfect. 

And that life is more interesting that way, anyway. 

Anddd that most importantly, whenever I get lost, I can and will be found again — I just may look and think differently after new adventures but I am still loved and never lost forever 🧦 ✨💛 

In sum, whether you travel full-time or not, take care of yourself ✨💛

#nomadness #nomadlife #lifeofadventure #livingabroad #fulltimetravel #offbeattravel #remoteworklife #homeawayfromhome #slowtravelstories #mentalhealthawarness
The 4 core ingredients to a recharged Bri: 💛 P The 4 core ingredients to a recharged Bri:

💛 Paul
😻 Yoda
🌍 Traveling & adventuring
👩🏼‍💻 Blogging & writing

Among other things like nature, photography, reading, animals, journaling, art, playing Zelda/games, dancing/music, culture/languages, enjoying rly good food and drinks! 😋 

What about you? What recharges you?? 

#rechargemysoul #blogging #adventures #writing #soulfulliving #mindfulliving #mindfultravel #nomadcouple #creativeliving
1 WEEK COSTA RICA ITINERARY👇🦋✨ 🌋 ARENA 1 WEEK COSTA RICA ITINERARY👇🦋✨

🌋 ARENAL // LA FORTUNA (2 days)
- Hike in the Arenal Volcano National Park
- Indulge in a local chocolate/coffee tour (s/o to @northfieldscafe)
- Go on a wildlife safari float (s/o to Raúl for pura vida vibes!)
- Lounge in natural hot springs (highly recommend the budget-friendly Relax Termalitas in Fortuna)
- Visit La Fortuna waterfall
- Check out the Butterfly Conservatory

🦥 QUEPOS // MANUEL ANTONIO (2-3 days)
- Take a guided or DIY tour of Manuel Antonio National Park
- Chill out on the Espadilla beach
- Explore the cute towns
- Watch for wildlife in the trees!

🌿 MONTEVERDE // SANTA ELENA (2 days)
- Visit/hike in the Monteverde Cloud Forest
- Go ziplining
- Birdwatching on a canopy tour
- Monteverde coffee tour
- Do a nature night walk

My sister and I surprised our mom with this bucket list trip on her birthday, and we had a blast! 🥹

Send this itinerary to someone you know who has always wanted to go to Costa Rica 🦋💛✨🌿🦜🐒

#costarica #bucketlisttrip #puravida #costaricaitinerary #lafortuna #manuelantonio #monteverde #ecotourism
Swimming with the biggest fish in the world is a q Swimming with the biggest fish in the world is a quite a humbling experience, and one that’s been at the top of my bucket list for ages! 🥺

Right now is prime whale shark season in La Paz in Baja California Sur, Mexico, so Paul and I made sure to go before we jetted off to see family for the holidays! I’m still in awe of these gentle giants and the fact that we got to swim alongside them!

Read all about the best whale shake tours in La Paz + ethical whale shark tourism in my latest blog post! Link in bio 💛

Send this to a friend who loves whale sharks! 🐳🦈

#whalesharks #lapaz #bajacaliforniasur #ethicaltravel #responsibletravel #ecotourism #golapaz #mexicotravel #bucketlist #seaofcortez
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