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San Sebastian in the mountains.

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Moving northbound, we meet neighboring Nayarit state, separated from Jalisco by a bridge and a one-hour time difference. Nuevo Vallarta –in this state- has panned out to be an area of tourist expansion, dotted by numerous hotels and new condos, long beaches of powder-thin sand and striking beauty. Punta Mita, the northernmost tip, is a small fishing town outfitted with good restaurants and quasi-unexplored beaches. If we really want to visit some of them in which time seems to be standing still, San Francisco is our top pick. Known as San Pancho, it's only 25 miles from Vallarta. The trip there is worthwhile every step of the way, not only because this is one my favorite places out of the ones I've been to: a huge beach near the mouth of the river, birds flying over our heads and waves for good swimmers and surfers. It's one of the few places under the sun where we can listen to the sound of silence and meditate. Not far from there lies Sayulita, a small hamlet featuring more people, restaurants and stores than San Pancho, but marked by a one-and-only lovely atmosphere for strolling and snooping around. If our preferences are focused on natural reserves, then Marieta Islands will be a paradise brimming with dolphins, turtles, humongous devil rays and 86 different bird species to watch. And if you can stay a tad longer around here, give San Sebastian, Talpa de Allende and Mascota, in Sierra Madre, a little bit more of your time. San Sebastian is a small town up in the mountains with a mild weather and an incredibly peaceful atmosphere. Nothing here has changed over the past 500 years. It's simply great to take a walk, have a cup of hot chocolate for breakfast at Casa Lupita, and do nothing all day other than contemplating the surroundings. Maybe you've realized by now that there's no time for humdrumness in this magical piece of land. You bet the gods walked past here one day to create such a divine and enthralling beauty.

THE SILENCE OF SAN PANCHO

Something as simple as silence could turn out to be quite a discovery in a place like San Pancho. Living a life full of daily routines, buses, screams and machines, spending a day in this neck of the woods could be a great choice to find the perfect peace of mind. At just a 45-minute drive from Puerto Vallarta, to the northeast, there's a place that seems to be trapped in the Jurassic Age. Its wild, almost desert beach, with a nonstop train of rough waves rolling in, lays bare a sea probably made for good swimmers only. It feels so good to sit on the edge of the sand, sprinkled by tiny drops, as the soaring sound of the breaking waves appears to touch the inner fabrics of our souls and make us think there's still beauty in its purest state in this world. All of a sudden, you feel some shadows flying over your head. You look up at the sky and see a bunch of lined-up birds. They are really special in San Francisco because they flock in groups, as if they were old friend musicians following the leader of the band. And they remain perfectly aligned, breaking the calmness of the blue sky with their fluttering wings, crossing their paths and gliding over the sea. You can get lost in your own thoughts for hours in this far-off small town that's still unaware of the real-estate craziness present in almost all tourist areas today. Yet it's not completely safe; that madness is already sneaking up on it. That's what makes Mexico so special a place; you can enjoy long gone things and San Francisco is still a bubble of good, pure air to breathe, even though it might only be for a brief moment.