| Travelers to the state of Oaxaca frequently inquire | | | | it's likely a truck up ahead having brake problems. At |
| about the drive from the City of Oaxaca to Puerto | | | | about four hours into the trip you'll begin to hear |
| Escondido and other coastal destinations, expressing | | | | tropical insect and bird sounds and calls, and see |
| concerns about the length of the trip, quality of the | | | | bananas and sugar cane under cultivation and for sale, |
| highways, and the overall advisability of driving versus | | | | with coffee and honey also offered at roadside |
| flying or bussing. This essay speaks to the doubts | | | | stands. On the approach to Pochutla the roadway will |
| tourists might have regarding the journey using their | | | | then gradually straighten out, with curves much |
| own or a rental vehicle. | | | | easier to navigate. Tropical grasses predominate the |
| We've driven the three main routes on a number of | | | | roadside landscapes. An indication that you're getting |
| occasions over the past several years, at different | | | | closer with be blown sand encroaching part of the |
| times of the year. I've written elsewhere about | | | | roadway, and finally a sign stating "Iguana Hunting |
| highway 190 to Huatulco. That road, the easiest to | | | | Prohibited." A short while later you'll see the sign |
| navigate, takes you at least a couple of hours out of | | | | pointing to the right for the Puerto Escondido bypass. |
| your way, south, and is therefore not the most | | | | Pochutla to Puerto Escondido: Takes about an hour. |
| advisable unless of course you plan to visit Salina | | | | Highway 175 ends at a "Y", so veer to the right and |
| Cruz or Huatulco anyway. By contrast, highway 175 | | | | you're on highway 200, following along the Pacific. |
| through Pochutla, and then north on highway 200 to | | | | However, you won't be able to see the ocean for |
| Oaxaca, takes about 6 hours (I tend to drive fast, | | | | about 40 minutes. You'll pass by the exit to Puerto |
| and stop about 3 times during a trip) and is the most | | | | Ãngel, Mazunte and Zipolite. The entire final leg |
| interesting and a relatively easy drive. Highway 131 is | | | | of the trip is basically straight and flat. For the last |
| the most direct and quickest route, albeit with its | | | | half hour or so you'll see mango, papaya and coconut |
| downsides. | | | | under cultivation. |
| I will provide details of the 175 route driving to | | | | ROUTE 131 |
| Puerto, and 131 by way of return route, in terms of | | | | Aside from the fact that this route should be quicker |
| what to expect regarding landscapes, towns and | | | | than 175, and is about 50 km shorter, there are other |
| villages, and highway characteristics. A schedule of | | | | differences to note, in addition to similarities: |
| times and distances between particular towns | | | | 1) While 175 is predominantly a single ascent, and |
| appears as an appendix, providing a quick-and-easy | | | | then descent, 131 consists of several hills and valleys |
| summary of road conditions for each segment of the | | | | which must be negotiated, on a couple of occasions |
| journey. However, for this trip we stopped more | | | | arriving in a town at the bottom of a valley, and then |
| than usual along 131, so keep in mind that without | | | | again beginning to climb. This may contribute to the |
| any lengthy stops it should take about an hour less. | | | | roller-coaster effect on your stomach. |
| PREMIMINARY ADVICE | | | | 2) The road quality is inferior on 131, in particular for |
| Sixteen years of traveling these routes have been | | | | about an hour in the approach to San Gabriel |
| incident free, attributable in part to following four | | | | Mixtepec and thereafter, with potholes, poor |
| simple rules: | | | | attempts to repave, etc. However, until around the |
| 1) Drive only during daytime. While the roads are | | | | end of 2006 it was far worse. Now there are long |
| paved and generally good, and in fact many of the | | | | stretches of fresh, new tar, and improvements |
| bridges are freshly painted white, lighting is an issue. | | | | continue. |
| More importantly, there's much more of a risk when | | | | 3) Immediately upon leaving Puerto you begin an |
| driving at night of encountering inebriated drivers and | | | | ascent, so there is no gradual departure from the |
| pedestrians, and animals. | | | | tropical climate. |
| 2) Start out with a full tank of gas. While there are | | | | 4) Much of the vegetation found on 175 is the same |
| gas stations en route, and signs advertising | | | | along 131, although it is less defined, in part because |
| mechanics and gasoline along the roadways, by not | | | | you do not climb to same altitude as on 175, and |
| having to make a stop to fill up, you have an | | | | there are really no significant micro-climates which |
| opportunity to make other stops along the way, | | | | manifest in extremes of vegetation and particular |
| more productive than stopping to simply top up. The | | | | commercial enterprise. Waterfalls are abundant, and |
| trip to the coast takes well less than a tank of gas. | | | | landscapes are impressive, perhaps less so than on |
| 3) While stating the obvious, make sure you've had | | | | the other highway. There is much more livestock |
| the mechanical fitness, and oil and water levels of the | | | | along the sides of the roadway than on route 175, |
| car checked before leaving. Brakes, tires and steering | | | | predominantly donkeys and mules, so be a bit more |
| are the most important for negotiating the portions | | | | vigilant. |
| of highway with mountain switchbacks. | | | | Puerto Escondido to San Gabriel Mixtepec: Takes |
| 4) Regardless of time of year, take a jacket, | | | | about an hour, with switchbacks and the climb |
| sweater or sweatshirt since you'll be climbing to | | | | commencing almost immediately. Take your meds as |
| about 9,000 feet on route 175. If you tend to be | | | | you leave the coast. As suggested earlier, there are |
| susceptible to motion sickness, take along anti-nausea | | | | peaks and valleys along this portion of the route. The |
| medication. | | | | patchwork of road repairs becomes apparent rather |
| ROUTE 175 | | | | readily. Roadside coconut stands predominate initially. |
| Oaxaca to Ocotlan: Takes about 40 minutes, initially | | | | You'll then begin to welcome the maple essence, in |
| with urban sprawl out of the city, and then gently | | | | fact off and on for three or four hours as your |
| rolling hills with a few strong curves, vegetation | | | | journey continues. The village is quaint, with grocery |
| predominantly agave and corn under cultivation. | | | | stores, a major pharmacy and several restaurants. |
| Passes by the villages producing black pottery (San | | | | San Gabriel Mixtepec to Cerro del Vidrio: This portion |
| Bartolo Coyotepec), alebrijes (San Martin Tilcajete), | | | | of the trip, just over an hour, is a net incline, not |
| and cotton textiles (Santo Tomas Jalieza). In Ocotlan, | | | | without several ascents and descents of mountain |
| noted for its Friday market, you'll find clay painted | | | | passes. At km 55 you'll pass the exit to a well-known |
| figures of the Aguilar sisters, the workshop of knife | | | | coffee plantation, Finca Las Nieves. Just before |
| maker Angel Aguilar, and tributes to artist Rodolfo | | | | arriving at Cerro del Vidrio you'll start a gradual |
| Morales...his home and foundation, mural at the | | | | descent, arriving in the town after about 10 minutes. |
| municipal offices, and museum featuring his and earlier | | | | This is where traffic turns off to go to Juquila (about |
| works. | | | | a 45 minute detour), famous for the appearance of |
| Ocotlan to Ejutla: Takes about 25 minutes, with long | | | | the Virgin of Juquila. Cerro del Vidrio developed much |
| easy straight-aways and occasional curves and gentle | | | | more rapidly once Oaxacans began making |
| hills. Once again agave and some corn, with a number | | | | pilgrimages to Juquila. In fact along the entire 131 |
| of outcrops of carriso (river reed used for making | | | | route you'll see vehicles with gladioli tacked onto the |
| ceilings, roofs and fences). Known for its Thursday | | | | front on either side of the license plate, along with a |
| market, with sale of animal skins. You can easily avoid | | | | framed image of the virgin. Right at the turn-off you'll |
| going into Ejutla by taking the well-marked bypass. | | | | encounter several vendors of fruit and memelitas |
| Ejutla to Mihuatlan: Takes about 35 minutes, with | | | | filled with beans. |
| more pronounced curves and hills, and | | | | Cerro del Vidrio to San Pedro Juchatengo: Takes |
| easy-to-navigate peaks and valleys through similar | | | | about 40 minutes, and terminates at the bottom of |
| vegetation and some mixed brush. Good idea to take | | | | the largest valley you'll encounter. Switchbacks. Upon |
| your Dramamine or Gravol about 15 minutes into this | | | | arrival you'll begin to see corn under cultivation, as |
| portion of the trip. While there is no specific bypass, | | | | well as some agave. The town boasts swimming in El |
| it's not necessary to enter the main downtown | | | | Rio de Las Flores, as well as an ecological preserve. |
| section of town. Just keep going straight and the | | | | San Pedro Juchatengo to Sola de Vega: You'll |
| highway takes you out of the city. | | | | continue negotiating strong switchbacks, initially |
| Mihuatlan to San Jose del PacÃfico: Takes about | | | | following along the banks of the river, then deviating, |
| 50 minutes. Leaving Mihuatlan you'll see the impressive | | | | and finally climbing until the pinnacle, "El Mirador," |
| mountain range in front of you, which you quickly | | | | where a small restaurant, rest stop and mezcal outlet |
| begin to climb. You'll note the temperature change | | | | are situate. You will have already begun to notice |
| quite readily, as you witness the dramatic change in | | | | three different types of agave under cultivation, for |
| vegetation. In addition to deciduous trees including | | | | mezcal production. You'll then descend to Sola de |
| scrub oak, you'll see an abundance of conifers, mainly | | | | Vega, arriving after about an hour and twenty |
| pine. The agave changes from espadÃn under | | | | minutes, now encountering some corn, and even |
| cultivation, to very different and impressive wild | | | | banana trees. Sola de Vega is noted for its mezcal, |
| varieties along the side of the road, growing from | | | | and historically for its occupation by the French during |
| rock outcrops, some reaching an immense size, with | | | | colonial times. |
| stock (chiote) shooting up from its core dwarfing | | | | Sola de Vega to Oaxaca: This final leg of the trip |
| many of the surrounding trees. This segment of the | | | | takes just under two hours, initially marked by |
| trip, and the next with descent to Pochutla, are | | | | climbing, albeit much easier to navigate, and then |
| characterized predominantly by significant mountain | | | | again peaks and valleys, much softer than during the |
| switchbacks. You'll see roadside eateries, booths with | | | | first couple of hours of the return route. At km 181 |
| alebrijes for sale, and small cottage-industry lumber | | | | you'll see the cutoff to San Sebastián de Las |
| and firewood producers. San Jose del PacÃfico is | | | | Grutas, 13 km off to the left, where there are a |
| noted for the sale of locally harvested hallucinogenic | | | | series of caves you can hike. By km 190 the road will |
| mushrooms, in particular during the rainy season, and | | | | have straightened out, and for the balance of the |
| therefore you'll come across roadside workshops | | | | trip, another 60 kilometers, there will be rolling |
| selling hand-made wooden mushrooms as well as | | | | straight-aways, the agave fields diminishing in number |
| other hand-crafted products. You can rent a cabin if | | | | as corn becomes the predominate crop, with |
| you wish to break up the trip and spend the night. | | | | outcrops of carriso, some cactus under cultivation, |
| Clean accommodations, with private bath, start at | | | | and roadside stands selling sugar cane. By now the |
| about 300 pesos. There's well-marked signage | | | | temperature will have risen and stabilized at typical |
| alongside the highway. Some are more modern and | | | | Oaxaca valley climate. Your approach to the city will |
| advertise satellite TV and other facilities. There are a | | | | be marked by the same urban sprawl as when you |
| few restaurants, grocery stores, bakery, etc. It's a | | | | left. |
| relaxing way to spend a few hours, perhaps hiking up | | | | CONCLUSION |
| the dirt roads where most residents tend to live. | | | | I highly recommend driving these routes. Consider |
| San Jose del PacÃfico to Pochutla: You'll continue | | | | taking an extra day so you can stop at some of the |
| to climb for about another 10 minutes until you reach | | | | sites and villages, perhaps at a couple of mezcal |
| El Manzanal, then begin the descent. This portion of | | | | operations, or just to get out of the car and take a |
| the trip takes about two hours and 25 minutes. The | | | | stroll. Spending one overnight will help you to get a |
| ride down is initially quite gradual, and then more | | | | feel for rural Oaxaca, and add immeasurably to the |
| pronounced once you reach San Miguel Suchixtepec, | | | | totality of your vacation. San Jose del PacÃfico |
| a picturesque village with large impressive church, and | | | | gets my vote since it's seemingly a bit more geared |
| homes strung out along a few hilly mountain roads. | | | | to ecotourism than the other towns and villages en |
| You'll begin to detect another significant temperature | | | | route, although there are other quaint, interesting |
| change, depending on the facing of the portion of | | | | stopovers, where tourists don't normally stop for the |
| mountain you are descending relative to the sun. At | | | | night, which might lead to even a more interesting |
| different portions of the stretch you'll pass by a | | | | sojourn. . |
| couple of waterfalls and three or four smaller rivulets | | | | APPENDIX |
| spilling across the highway, goats and donkeys, home | | | | ROUTE 175 |
| construction of wood, pine cones on the roadway, | | | | Oaxaca to Octotlán, 40 min and 33 km; |
| brilliant orange flowered bromeliads, wild orchids, large | | | | Ocotlán to Ejutla, 25 min and 25 km; |
| expanses of boston-like ferns, and perhaps one or | | | | Ejutla to Mihuatlán, 38 min and 40 km; |
| two patches of fog. For several kilometers you'll | | | | Mihuatlán to San Jose del PacÃfico, 50 min |
| encounter a sweet smell similar to that of maple | | | | and 36 km; San Jose del PacÃfico to Pochutla, |
| syrup. Because of the steep descent, you may even | | | | 145 min and 100 km; Pochutla to Puerto Escondido, |
| detect the smell of burning rubber, but don't worry, | | | | 55 min and 69 km. |