For years, Sayulita was the exclusive domain of fishermen and a reduced, but dedicated, group of international surfers. The village’s attractive beach and the predictable waves rolling in from Mexico’s Pacific coast made its waterfront the principal attraction. In the dusty streets behind, there was little movement beyond the stirring of a few locals and a couple of mangy dogs.

Today, things are very different. The village is packed with foreigners, new or renovated houses are springing up in places previously considered beyond the limits of even the most bullish investors, and the estate agents’ office is sometimes busier even than Sayulita’s renowned surf break.