After a short break, I'm back here and I have a lot to tell. On the second day of Christmas, I flew to Puerto Escondido on the Pacific Ocean and traded the Christmas tree for a surfboard and beach vibes.
Mexico City from above
The Christmas tree at the officeChristmas surfboard in Puerto EscondidoOne of the surf shops around the cornerPuerto Escondido is about an hour flight from Mexico City and is a relatively small and less touristy paradise on Mexico's Pacific coast, living up to its name 'hidden harbor'. The airport is tiny and at most two planes can fit on the runway. Airport from the runwayAfter a short flight, I arrived in my hostel at la Punta, the end of the famous Playa de Zicatela, and quickly met cool people. We walked to the beach for a couple of minutes in the evening to plan the next day.
Because the plan was to get up before sunrise and go to Puerto Angelito. From there, we went out to sea with some fishermen. Before that, we cleaned up the beach and enjoyed the sunrise.
The sunrise with the fishing boatsThe actual boat tour was absolutely amazing. First, we went far out to sea and enjoyed the view back to the mainland with the southern Sierra Madre mountains in the background. Shortly afterwards, we saw the first turtles in the water. It turned out that you can actually see dozens of them off the coast of Oaxaca. However, our main goal that morning was to see dolphins, so we drove a little further along the coast. Out of nowhere, we saw a huge fountain nearby. After a moment of confusion, a giant humpback whale appeared and dove deep in front of us, showing us the incredible size of its body. After being shocked by this experience onboard, our captain soon spotted dolphins on the horizon and we headed towards them. Fortunately, we had snorkeling equipment with us, so a friend and I jumped into the water and observed the dolphins swimming around our boats. It was a very intense and somewhat scary feeling, as dolphins are actually huge animals and when you can't see the bottom, you realize that you're not in your own element. Here are some photos from the trip, unfortunately without the whale. Dolphins right next to our boatDolphins jumping out of the water
Afterwards, we had breakfast with fish right on the beach and had our first cocktail, which wouldn't be the last that day. In the late afternoon, we went to the beach to admire the sunset. This quickly became a ritual, and here are some snapshots of it.
The next day was incredibly hot, and we spent the whole day going back and forth between the beach, shade, and refrigerator. The following day, in the afternoon, we went to a baby turtle conservation center. Here, for a small donation, you could help release the baby turtles into freedom. Local conservationists excavate the turtle eggs at various beaches in the area and bring them to the conservation center to protect them from dangers and allow them to hatch. However, it quickly became clear that the little ones would still face challenges. As soon as they were in the water, birds, crabs, and fish came and didn't want to miss this snack. Nevertheless, I am sure that my little friend made it!
An employee distributing the turtlesThey were really tinyOn the way to the seaAt sunsetThe next day, we explored the town a bit and had a delicious meal at the Mercado and bought fireworks for New Year's Eve. Afterwards, I met up with friends from Mexico City and spent the afternoon in Zicatela. In the evening, there was a very special highlight. We went to Laguna de Manialtepec at night. This lagoon is about 30 minutes away and is quite secluded. As a result, we could see the absolutely clearest starry sky. However, that wasn't the actual highlight. In this lagoon, there are microorganisms that glow when they move. So as soon as you start swimming, the water around you lights up. Unfortunately, it wasn't possible to take proper photos of it, but it was definitely an unforgettable experience! You can see some photos here to get an idea: https://www.viveoaxaca.org/2018/03/Manialtepec.html
On New Year's Eve, we went to Zipolite during the day. This is the only nude beach in Mexico and a true paradise for hippies and those who enjoy the alternative lifestyle. At the same time, it was also a beautiful beach. Locals were walking around everywhere, selling homemade liquor and fresh coconuts. Of course, I couldn't resist and combined both.
Musical accompaniment for breakfastThe main street The beachThe perfect refreshment
In the evening, we had a huge BBQ with people from the hostel and other friends. The food was excellent, and the alcohol was flowing plentifully. Before the New Year, we went to a beach club and celebrated the New Year right by the water. It was definitely a special experience and a great start to the new year.
The sandy dance floor later filled up too
The new year was appropriately welcomed with rum and coconut for breakfast, leaving no chance for a hangover.
Finally, we enjoyed the sunset together.
I found my beachThe rooftop terrace - our favorite spotLater, we flew back to Mexico City and returned to work the next day.
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and a great start to the new year! For me, the next few days will be eventful. Nico from Germany is arriving in a few hours, and tomorrow we will go to the Teotihuacan pyramids. On Wednesday, Laura and Markus will visit for a day. Since they are only passing through, Nico and I will continue to Puebla and start our road trip through southern Mexico.
