Back to the Coast Again!

Leaving Oaxaca City, but staying in the same state, we picked up our rental car and headed over a mountain range to the coast. I was a little nervous about driving and navigating in Mexico, but my dad was definitely up to it. On the way to Puerto Escondido, we stopped at Grutas San Sebastian and toured the cave with a local guide. After a long drive, we finally ended up in hot and sunny "Puerto," as it´s called, and found Cabanas Acali right across the street from Zicatela beach. We spent the next three nights there and got the most out of the rental car by touring around to different beaches for swimming and seafood stops. Even though it was pretty hot, I enjoyed walking across town on a small rock path along the bluff to Playa Carrizalillo, which was definitely my favorite beach in the area.

Our cabana with a stove outside so I could make Oaxaca hot chocolate in the morning!

First night sunset looking at the town of Puerto Escondido

Playa Zicatela´s hands

The coastal walk to Playa Carrizalillo, and the view looking down on the beach

After three nights we drove a few hours east to Playa Zipolite, near Puerto Angel. It was difficult deciding on a hotel because there are a whole string of small beachy places in a few different bays that stretch west from unattractive Puerto Angel. We ended up at Zipolite because we found a second floor room overlooking the sand and there seemed to be a better selection of restaurants in the area. Unfortunately, the restaurant at our posada closed for a month only a few hours after we got there! But that kept the noise down to a level where nothing could be heard over the roar of the waves.

Iguana and crocodile sanctuary on the road between the Puertos

PERFECT! Our balcony at Posada Mexico, Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca, Mexico

On the following day we set out to the east to the Bays of Huatulco and swam at three gorgeous beaches there. The snorkeling was excellent at the first beach, as were the fried bananas! Later that night we celebrated my mom´s birthday (without her) with 2 for 1 mojitos at a street cafe in Zipolite. On our last day on the coast, we searched for sea turtle hatcheries, but apparently we were not there at the right time of year to see either the capturing and incubating of eggs or the release of the baby turtles into the water. But we made up for it with some nice swimming at Playa Escahuite!

Playa Escahuite (or something like that)...I think I´m remembering the name wrong??

Heading back from the coast on a different highway to Oaxaca was an even more gorgeous journey through lots of agriculture and forests at different altitudes. We stopped in a town called San Juan del Pacifico at one of the highest points along the highway. Dad and I were impressed by the unique setting of this town high up in the forest and we ended up spending some time hiking around and eating delicious banana bread. As we approached Oaxaca City once again, we stopped in a few more small towns and all in all we made great time returning from the coast. My dad did an excellent job not crashing the rental car and only skyrocketing over a few "topes" (speed bumps) along the way! Our next objective after turning in our rental car was to catch the 10 hour night bus from Oaxaca to Tuxtla Gutierrez, the largest city and capitol of Chiapas state.

Breakfast at Playa Zipolite! I'm so glad we invested in a giant $2 fruit cleaver, it definitely came in handy on our trip!