Stay & Play
Eco Hotel Maraica, San Pancho, Nayarit, Mexico
Article and Photography by Steve Gillick
In the indigenous Huichol language of Mexico, ‘Maraica’ translates as “The passing breeze is the source of life”.
The Eco Hotel Maraica offers this calming philosophy/accommodation to travelers looking to chill out. And under a thatched palapa roof, our spacious, comfortable room certainly complemented these tranquil thoughts, with a natural wood design, a King bed, an airy bathroom and shower, and a gentle hammock swinging over the large ocean-view balcony. In the evening, the soothing sound of crashing waves helped lull us to sleep.
San Pancho (also known by its formal name, San Francisco) is a friendly, quiet, ‘neighborhood town’, 45 km northwest of Puerto Vallarta on Nayarit’s Pacific coast. Ana Gabriela Ramos Lozano, the Receptionist and Groups and Events Assistant, enthusiastically gave us a tour of the property.
When we asked about the use of the word “eco” in the hotel name, Gabriela noted that the food was sourced locally “from our farm”. Wastewater was used to irrigate the lush foliage on the property. Solar panels helped conserve energy, and the soaps and shampoos in the rooms were environmentally friendly. But sustainability extended to the community at large. The Maraica is an active member of Entre Amigos, with its three pillars of Education, Environment and Community. The hotel is also involved with Circo de Los Niños de San Pancho, created by Cirque du Soleil co-founder Gilles Ste-Croix and his wife Monique Voyer, with a mission ‘to encourage the holistic development of youth and young adults in the Bandaras Bay area’.
Gabriela explained that “there’s not much internet here” and that “people with home offices (happily) know they can’t work here”. So they swim and surf, walk on the beach, attend yoga retreats, enjoy the silence, and dine on the property at Muvieri (Cuisine of the Wind), where the slogan is “Eat, Chill, Disconnect”. Guests can also choose to wander the 10-15 minutes into town to enjoy shopping, restaurants, and bars.
By the pool, where internet is available, we happened upon Mizu, the playful hotel cat, curiously studying a melon-sized toad. And with beautiful yellow-bellied Citreoline Trogons in the trees surrounding the hotel, along with Rufous-bellied Chachalacas and Great Kiskadees in the trees just outside our room, it was evident that nature contentedly embraces San Pancho.
The estuary on the sandy beach in town is the main place to go for birdwatching. Before a stunning golden-red sunset, and then a shockingly gorgeous sunrise, we marvelled at a Little Blue Heron dancing on the water to stir up the fish, with an audience of Black-necked Stilts, Snowy Egrets, White Ibis, Green Herons, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Northern Jacanas and a committee of Black Vultures.
As we departed this laid-back atmosphere, Gabriela explained that people looking to party, head seven kilometers south to Sayulita. But those looking to relax, enjoy nature and feel the breeze, come to San Pancho and stay at the Maraica. We did, and we loved it!
