"OAXACA & CHIAPAS" a Mexico Travel Page by pedroebc

Most of backpackers follow next route;.
first visiting Mexico city, second Oaxaca, third Chiapas and finally Yucatan,
what kind of turism do you like?.. (ecological turism, five star tourism,not crowded.etc)

I suggest lonely planet travel guide book of Mexico, possible to buy it in mexico city. Also a National Geograpihc Mexico book with pics.

talking about ...OAXACA city

6 hours by bus from mx city
the cty of Oaxaca have a great church, the Santo Domingo convent, located in downtown , there amazing novohispan barroque art. this city have lot of art around,is clean, safe, and many hostels, B and B and hotels, all budgets.

Guelaguetza festival is performed there in the street in a nice carnaval and also has it own stadium for dance. (june-july)

important arquelogical places near Oaxaca city :

monte alban pyramids( 10km) ,zaachila (15km), lambityeco (25km),
dainzu (24km), yagul (40 km), mitla (46km),
san jose el mogote (16km), huijazo (25km).

closer of Oaxaca city is .. Santa Maria del Tule (14 km), here is the tule tree the biggest cypress tree in the world, 40 meters high, 60 meters in diameter, its age 2000 years old.
other small town hage great rugs and weavers. also black potery.
Some people go to rural tourism at Hierve el Agua...

Direction to the coast you can take from the city a direct bus to the beach.
from oaxaca city 6 hours bus ride from 2nd class bus station going to the coast
...... about the pacific coast of Oaxaca state are: Puerto Escondido, Mazunte, Zipolite, Pochutla,Chacahua, Huatulco.....

To connect Zipolite and Mazunte you need to connect the bus in POCHUTLA town. there colectivos taxis area cheaper than just take ordinary taxis.

ZIPOLITE BEACH means beach of death, strong corrents at sea cause people drown , this place used to be a hippie pardise, the amazing thing of this place is the kind of people of all the world, you can find cheap rooms, hamocks,
its a famous nude beach, but not obligatory,
take your warnings in the area against crime and drug addicts,
bars and restaurants are available.
bunwallowns and cabains available all budgets. great place !

MAZUNTE BEACH is like zipolite more relaxed and more cozy there are cheap acomodation, you can see turttles and dolphins, facilities around.
I recommend this place a lot.
Both places is possible camping, sleep in homocks, and rooms.

HUATULCO bays and beach
have great hotels and great places for snorkeling. these palce is good when you are not on budget and want a relaxing holiday with come facilities.

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OAXACA COAST

PUERTO ESCONDIDO BEACH is a great famous one in Mexico, this place celebrate champinships of surfing. cool people around, surfers, with a great beach and nightlife with beach bars, have my best recomendations to travel there.

......about Puerto Escondido
if you love surfing you will love Puerto escondido, famous for the high waves of 7 meters (sometimes) in the beach of zicatela. cool people around.
its little more expensive than zipolite, you can find tour here to chacahua lagoon, (amazing !)in the morning you could rent a bike, internet access, and all the services laundry,banks,drugstores,is more touristic than zipolite.
you can camp in some places,the nightlife are the pubs or opened bars, in the alfredo perez gasca street.
some stores and international restaurants are located here.

from Mexico city to Puerto escondido the cost of the ticket was 400 pesos (40 dlls/ 12 hrs), from oaxaca city to Puerto Esc like 150 pesos (6 hrs) puerto escondido to pochutla 30 pesos (3dlls / 1.30 hrs) from pochutla to zipolite ( 40 min) in a collective taxi 12 pesos otherwise like 70 pesos special trip(in bus 5 pesos).
I
f you want to visit Oaxaca city you must take a bus (from mexico city, 6 hours) is cheaper than plane. International airport in
Puerto Escondido and oaxaca city.
but... but you can get last minute flights in mexico city going also..

from the city of oaxaca there are buses to Huatulco,Puerto escondido,Pochutla (Zipolite, Mazunte, Puerto angel)

talking about LAGUNAS DE CHACAHUA you can see lot of nature, the mix of lagoon and open sea gives you relaxing beaches, not crowded and amazing sunsets.. not much to do around..

www.aoaxaca.com
www.oaxaca.gob.mx
www.oaxacacity.com.mx
www.aoaxaca.com
secretaria de desarrollo turistico
turinfo@oaxaca.gob.mx

touristcomplaints@oaxaca.gob.mx
quejasdelturista@oaxaca.gob.mx
mpena@oaxaca.gob.mx
jortiz@oaxaca.gob.mx
apreyes@oaxaca.gob.mx
promsectur@oaxaca.gob.mx

direccion general de tuirsmo municipal
cityoax@infosel.net.mx

OAXACA STATE
www.puerto-escondido.com.mx ,
www.turismo-oaxaca.com ,
//oaxaca-travel.gob.mx ,
www.tomzap.com,
//guelaguetza-oax.com ,
//Oaxaca.Magazzine.net ,
www.puertoangel.net,
www.zipolite.net
www.mezkalitohostel.com NEW HOSTEL IN OAXACA

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santo domingo, oaxaca

..........talking about the amazing CHIAPAS.

this place has been the center of attraction during these five years since the EZLN appeared in the jungle. ----->>> nothing is happening in the turistic places like Tuxtla Gutierrez, san Cristobal de las Casas, Palenque,Comitan you are safe, since 1996 everything is in calm >>>>
probably you imagine all the places of Chiapas are in a huge battle but is not true, all the places I named are neutral places, but there are some places where you have to take some warmings as Panthelo, Chenalo, Larrainzar, altamirano, and other parts.

for your own security dont participate in any strikes in the area
your visa and passport can be canceled and you will be deported.

the rute I did:
From Pochutla or Puerto escondido ( Oaxaca) or from mexico city take a bus to San cristobal or if you want to Tuxtla Gutierrez . (to see the Sumidero canyon).
El canon del Sumidero its a big canyon and you make a trip by boat, the zoo of the city i heard its incredible.

you can spend a day there,
next morning take a bus to San Cristobal de las Casas ,you can use this place as a base to visit the Sumidero canyon.

the buses are comfortable and not as expensive.

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Palenque

In San Cristobal de las Casas acommodation available all budgets
nice visits at churches around the town, the grutes of San Cristobal also, the office of tourism is beside zocalo ,many tourism agencies make tours in horse to small towns close San Cristobal.
the weather here is sunny at mornings, humid at afternoon, fresh cold at night.
other places to visit are Na bolom and Sna jolobil.
the town has all the services and has internet cafe access
,
ok if its rainning maybe you need a hikingboots to enjoy the enviroment.

in COMITAN there is the bus station with the rute of MONTEBELLO LAGOONS , these are the one of the jewels of Chiapas, but i suggest rest a night IN Comitan and take a bus in the morning( in the night is little rude) , during the way there is an archeological site called ,Chinkultik , there are not many people there,, but if you travel with friends would be better.
near the pyramids and lagoons is dona maria guest house (la orquidea) that has rooms.

if you want something more turistic take a tour in San Cristobal to this place, Miramar lagoons, etc

from/to palenque-mexico city 600 pesos
san cristobal - palenque 100 pesos
comitan - san cristobal 40 pesos
mexico city - puerto escondido 400 pesos

I totally recomend the tour going to AGUA AZUL falls, MISOL HA falls, AGUA CLARA falls, PALENQUE ruins, BONAMPAK ruins, Canyon del Sumidero ... here in Agua azul there is a zone for camping.
these places are the some of the VERY BEST SPOTS IN CHIAPAS.

In PALENQUE there are acomodation in the town but i recommend take acomodations in the main highway direction the pyramids of Palenque (panchan and mayabell), you can listen the monkeys at night and saty in the middle of the rainforest.
camping place around there, hostels and hotels, just take a public transportation or taxi to reach the area. nice museum and amazing pyramids.

hey I have met some crazy travelers who explore a lot the jungle and rainforest in Chiapas maybe one of that days you meet SUBCOMANDANTE MARCOS and
the army EZLN that fight for the indian rights...
www.ezln.org ....

ENLACE CIVIL, A. C.
20 de Noviembre no. 36
Barrio de Mexicanos
C.P. 29240
San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas
tel/fax: (967) 6782104
enlacecivil@laneta.apc.org
http://www.enlacecivil.org.mx

FZLN
www.fzln.org.mx

www.ezlnaldf.org
www.fpunios.org.mx

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San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas

the great SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS

www.nabolom.org

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Agua Azul falls, Chiapas

MIRAMAR LAGOON ...in Chiapas..very simillar as Montebello lagoons..

From San Cristobal de las Casas you can connect by land to Guatemala.
If you decide to explore the rain forest read about dangers and vaccinations you might need.

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San Juan Chamula, Chiapas

www.turismochiapas.gob.mx
www.sumidero.com
www.chiapas.gob.mx

other nice tour you can visit the ancient ruins of Bonampak and Yaxchilan from Palenque , not expensive tour and worth to see it.

there is a new route connecting GUATEMALA, you can take from Palenque a tour that will cross you to TIKAL, the tour includes ride by car and boat, the price is not so expensive but you will spend the same if you go by your own. is faster.