Oaxaca

In Oaxaca, we spent almost a month in total. Due to the diversity of the state, we made countless stops which I will tell you about.

Puerto Escondido

The hidden harbor

Surfing among turtles, pelicans, stingrays, and a huge crowd!

Puerto Escondido is a small town on the Pacific coast in the state of Oaxaca, which is significantly influenced by surfing. Zicatela Beach is one of the most famous surf spots in the world. The Mexican Pipeline is one of the best, and therefore one of the most challenging and dangerous waves worldwide. After we were here, the perfect swell arrived and surfers from all over the world flew in to show off their skills. What makes this wave unique is that it breaks very close to the shore, which also makes it dangerous. I didn't dare to go there. Further down the beach is La Punta. Here we stayed at Bugambilias Alojamiento. The pool was just so nice! The waves in La Punta were more gentle, and I could practice and improve here. Unfortunately, the lineup was also very crowded, so you had to be careful not to hurt anyone or get hurt yourself. Especially the locals always caught the good waves at the peak, so no one else could go in afterwards. Moreover, the beach has the perfect location for breathtaking sunsets, so we often spent the evenings here. We stayed here for a total of two and a half weeks and really relaxed.

Chacahua

Simply WOW among crystal clear waves

Chacahua is a national park that is very difficult to reach and therefore not overcrowded. First, you take a colectivo for an hour and a half, then a taxi for 10 minutes, a boat for another 10 minutes, and again a colectivo for 30 minutes. An oasis where you take a vacation from your vacation. Lukas suggested this destination to us, as he had already been here about 4 years ago. We slept at the same campground and showed Grandma, known as Tia, a picture of her and Lukas, and she remembered him well and welcomed us with Mezcal from a Powerrade bottle and sports cigarettes. Here we could hang up our hammocks for the first time. To protect the national park, tourism is highly restricted. This is achieved, among other things, by keeping the town small and minimizing the number of hotels. In return, you get a wonderful nature in the form of beaches, crystal clear waves, and a beautiful lagoon surrounded by lush greenery. One evening, we enjoyed the magnificent sunset in the lagoon and leaned back against the current, then went to the beach next door to enjoy the full moon on the beach with a bonfire.

Mazunte

The peaceful village next to Puerto

Things are a bit more laid-back here. No surfable waves, but perfect for swimming and playing. We spent 2 nights here and soaked up some sun before heading to the mountains. We played cards on the beach under a palm roof with refreshing lemonade.

San José

A mushroom village in the mountains

San José is located at an altitude of 2500 meters in the mountains on the Pacific side of Mexico. A 3-hour bus ride took us from Mazunte to this enchanted village, which is known for mushrooms and the Mexican indigenous sauna, Temazcal (translated as "home of hot stones"). We spent 4 nights at Rancho Viejo, the best hostel we have stayed at so far on our journey. It stands out architecturally and with its use of a lot of wood. In the living room, we lounged in front of the fireplace with everyone from the hostel in the evenings and enjoyed the mountain view through the huge windows. The area was enchanting, as fog often obstructed the view, but here and there little windows opened up to reveal glimpses of the distance and nature. Since the kitchen was also the best we had on our trip, I went all out and organized a family dinner two evenings. One evening we had Mom's mushroom carbonara, and the second evening, I served cauliflower curry. The rest of the time, we went on small hikes and enjoyed the nature from different viewpoints. We also tried Temazcal. You sit in a small adobe hut in a circle. There are different sizes. There were 9 of us inside. Hot stones from a bonfire were placed in the center, which were refilled four times. Since you had to open the door (a mattress) for this, there are also referred to as the 4 doors representing earth, air, fire, and water. These stones were then moistened inside with a tea mixture using a bundle of bushes. This created hot steam, and the small structure became a kind of pleasant-smelling steam sauna.

Oaxaca de Juárez

Food, food, and more food

The capital city of the same name symbolizes the traditional cuisine of the entire country. From street food to fine dining, you can find everything here.

We spent 4 nights and 5 days strolling through food markets, streets, and restaurants to find and try good food and Mezcal.

One day, the four of us rented a car and visited Hierve el Agua, a salt waterfall, and the town of Santa María del Tule, with the oldest tree in Mexico.