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Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido and other Pacific coastal destinations: The Drive

Travelers to the state of Oaxacaeven detect the smell of burning rubber,
frequently inquire about the drive frombut don't worry, it's likely a truck up
the City of Oaxaca to Puerto Escondidoahead having brake problems. At about
and other coastal destinations,four hours into the trip you'll begin to
expressing concerns about the length ofhear tropical insect and bird sounds and
the trip, quality of the highways, andcalls, and see bananas and sugar cane
the overall advisability of drivingunder cultivation and for sale, with
versus flying or bussing. This essaycoffee and honey also offered at
speaks to the doubts tourists might haveroadside stands. On the approach to
regarding the journey using their own orPochutla the roadway will then gradually
a rental vehicle.straighten out, with curves much easier
We've driven the three main routes on ato navigate. Tropical grasses
number of occasions over the pastpredominate the roadside landscapes. An
several years, at different times of theindication that you're getting closer
year. I've written elsewhere aboutwith be blown sand encroaching part of
highway 190 to Huatulco. That road, thethe roadway, and finally a sign stating
easiest to navigate, takes you at least"Iguana Hunting Prohibited." A short
a couple of hours out of your way,while later you'll see the sign pointing
south, and is therefore not the mostto the right for the Puerto Escondido
advisable unless of course you plan tobypass.
visit Salina Cruz or Huatulco anyway. ByPochutla to Puerto Escondido: Takes
contrast, highway 175 through Pochutla,about an hour. Highway 175 ends at a
and then north on highway 200 to Oaxaca,"Y", so veer to the right and you're on
takes about 6 hours (I tend to drivehighway 200, following along the
fast, and stop about 3 times during aPacific. However, you won't be able to
trip) and is the most interesting and asee the ocean for about 40 minutes.
relatively easy drive. Highway 131 isYou'll pass by the exit to Puerto
the most direct and quickest route,Ángel, Mazunte and Zipolite. The
albeit with its downsides.entire final leg of the trip is
I will provide details of the 175 routebasically straight and flat. For the
driving to Puerto, and 131 by way oflast half hour or so you'll see mango,
return route, in terms of what to expectpapaya and coconut under cultivation.
regarding landscapes, towns andROUTE 131
villages, and highway characteristics.Aside from the fact that this route
A schedule of times and distancesshould be quicker than 175, and is about
between particular towns appears as an50 km shorter, there are other
appendix, providing a quick-and-easydifferences to note, in addition to
summary of road conditions for eachsimilarities:
segment of the journey. However, for1) While 175 is predominantly a
this trip we stopped more than usualsingle ascent, and then descent, 131
along 131, so keep in mind that withoutconsists of several hills and valleys
any lengthy stops it should take aboutwhich must be negotiated, on a couple of
an hour less.occasions arriving in a town at the
PREMIMINARY ADVICEbottom of a valley, and then again
Sixteen years of traveling these routesbeginning to climb. This may contribute
have been incident free, attributable into the roller-coaster effect on your
part to following four simple rules:stomach.
1) Drive only during daytime.2) The road quality is inferior on
While the roads are paved and generally131, in particular for about an hour in
good, and in fact many of the bridgesthe approach to San Gabriel Mixtepec and
are freshly painted white, lighting isthereafter, with potholes, poor attempts
an issue. More importantly, there'sto repave, etc. However, until around
much more of a risk when driving atthe end of 2006 it was far worse. Now
night of encountering inebriated driversthere are long stretches of fresh, new
and pedestrians, and animals.tar, and improvements continue.
2) Start out with a full tank of3) Immediately upon leaving Puerto
gas. While there are gas stations enyou begin an ascent, so there is no
route, and signs advertising mechanicsgradual departure from the tropical
and gasoline along the roadways, by notclimate.
having to make a stop to fill up, you4) Much of the vegetation found on
have an opportunity to make other stops175 is the same along 131, although it
along the way, more productive thanis less defined, in part because you do
stopping to simply top up. The trip tonot climb to same altitude as on 175,
the coast takes well less than a tank ofand there are really no significant
gas.micro-climates which manifest in
3) While stating the obvious, makeextremes of vegetation and particular
sure you've had the mechanical fitness,commercial enterprise. Waterfalls are
and oil and water levels of the carabundant, and landscapes are impressive,
checked before leaving. Brakes, tiresperhaps less so than on the other
and steering are the most important forhighway. There is much more livestock
negotiating the portions of highway withalong the sides of the roadway than on
mountain switchbacks.route 175, predominantly donkeys and
4) Regardless of time of year, takemules, so be a bit more vigilant.
a jacket, sweater or sweatshirt sincePuerto Escondido to San Gabriel
you'll be climbing to about 9,000 feetMixtepec: Takes about an hour, with
on route 175. If you tend to beswitchbacks and the climb commencing
susceptible to motion sickness, takealmost immediately. Take your meds as
along anti-nausea medication.you leave the coast. As suggested
ROUTE 175earlier, there are peaks and valleys
Oaxaca to Ocotlan: Takes about 40along this portion of the route. The
minutes, initially with urban sprawl outpatchwork of road repairs becomes
of the city, and then gently rollingapparent rather readily. Roadside
hills with a few strong curves,coconut stands predominate initially.
vegetation predominantly agave and cornYou'll then begin to welcome the maple
under cultivation. Passes by theessence, in fact off and on for three or
villages producing black pottery (Sanfour hours as your journey continues.
Bartolo Coyotepec), alebrijes (SanThe village is quaint, with grocery
Martin Tilcajete), and cotton textilesstores, a major pharmacy and several
(Santo Tomas Jalieza). In Ocotlan,restaurants.
noted for its Friday market, you'll findSan Gabriel Mixtepec to Cerro del
clay painted figures of the AguilarVidrio: This portion of the trip, just
sisters, the workshop of knife makerover an hour, is a net incline, not
Angel Aguilar, and tributes to artistwithout several ascents and descents of
Rodolfo Morales...his home andmountain passes. At km 55 you'll pass
foundation, mural at the municipalthe exit to a well-known coffee
offices, and museum featuring his andplantation, Finca Las Nieves. Just
earlier works.before arriving at Cerro del Vidrio
Ocotlan to Ejutla: Takes about 25you'll start a gradual descent, arriving
minutes, with long easy straight-awaysin the town after about 10 minutes.
and occasional curves and gentle hills.This is where traffic turns off to go to
Once again agave and some corn, with aJuquila (about a 45 minute detour),
number of outcrops of carriso (riverfamous for the appearance of the Virgin
reed used for making ceilings, roofs andof Juquila. Cerro del Vidrio developed
fences). Known for its Thursday market,much more rapidly once Oaxacans began
with sale of animal skins. You canmaking pilgrimages to Juquila. In fact
easily avoid going into Ejutla by takingalong the entire 131 route you'll see
the well-marked bypass.vehicles with gladioli tacked onto the
Ejutla to Mihuatlan: Takes about 35front on either side of the license
minutes, with more pronounced curves andplate, along with a framed image of the
hills, and easy-to-navigate peaks andvirgin. Right at the turn-off you'll
valleys through similar vegetation andencounter several vendors of fruit and
some mixed brush. Good idea to takememelitas filled with beans.
your Dramamine or Gravol about 15Cerro del Vidrio to San Pedro
minutes into this portion of the trip.Juchatengo: Takes about 40 minutes,
While there is no specific bypass, it'sand terminates at the bottom of the
not necessary to enter the main downtownlargest valley you'll encounter.
section of town. Just keep goingSwitchbacks. Upon arrival you'll begin
straight and the highway takes you outto see corn under cultivation, as well
of the city.as some agave. The town boasts swimming
Mihuatlan to San Jose del Pacífico:in El Rio de Las Flores, as well as an
Takes about 50 minutes. Leavingecological preserve.
Mihuatlan you'll see the impressiveSan Pedro Juchatengo to Sola de Vega:
mountain range in front of you, whichYou'll continue negotiating strong
you quickly begin to climb. You'll noteswitchbacks, initially following along
the temperature change quite readily, asthe banks of the river, then deviating,
you witness the dramatic change inand finally climbing until the pinnacle,
vegetation. In addition to deciduous"El Mirador," where a small restaurant,
trees including scrub oak, you'll see anrest stop and mezcal outlet are situate.
abundance of conifers, mainly pine. TheYou will have already begun to notice
agave changes from espadín underthree different types of agave under
cultivation, to very different andcultivation, for mezcal production.
impressive wild varieties along the sideYou'll then descend to Sola de Vega,
of the road, growing from rock outcrops,arriving after about an hour and twenty
some reaching an immense size, withminutes, now encountering some corn, and
stock (chiote) shooting up from its coreeven banana trees. Sola de Vega is noted
dwarfing many of the surrounding trees.for its mezcal, and historically for its
This segment of the trip, and the nextoccupation by the French during colonial
with descent to Pochutla, aretimes.
characterized predominantly bySola de Vega to Oaxaca: This final leg
significant mountain switchbacks.of the trip takes just under two hours,
You'll see roadside eateries, boothsinitially marked by climbing, albeit
with alebrijes for sale, and smallmuch easier to navigate, and then again
cottage-industry lumber and firewoodpeaks and valleys, much softer than
producers. San Jose del Pacífico isduring the first couple of hours of the
noted for the sale of locally harvestedreturn route. At km 181 you'll see the
hallucinogenic mushrooms, in particularcutoff to San Sebastián de Las Grutas,
during the rainy season, and therefore13 km off to the left, where there are a
you'll come across roadside workshopsseries of caves you can hike. By km 190
selling hand-made wooden mushrooms asthe road will have straightened out, and
well as other hand-crafted products.for the balance of the trip, another 60
You can rent a cabin if you wish tokilometers, there will be rolling
break up the trip and spend the night.straight-aways, the agave fields
Clean accommodations, with private bath,diminishing in number as corn becomes
start at about 300 pesos. There'sthe predominate crop, with outcrops of
well-marked signage alongside thecarriso, some cactus under cultivation,
highway. Some are more modern andand roadside stands selling sugar cane.
advertise satellite TV and otherBy now the temperature will have risen
facilities. There are a fewand stabilized at typical Oaxaca valley
restaurants, grocery stores, bakery,climate. Your approach to the city will
etc. It's a relaxing way to spend a fewbe marked by the same urban sprawl as
hours, perhaps hiking up the dirt roadswhen you left.
where most residents tend to live.CONCLUSION
San Jose del Pacífico to Pochutla:I highly recommend driving these routes.
You'll continue to climb for aboutConsider taking an extra day so you can
another 10 minutes until you reach Elstop at some of the sites and villages,
Manzanal, then begin the descent. Thisperhaps at a couple of mezcal
portion of the trip takes about twooperations, or just to get out of the
hours and 25 minutes. The ride down iscar and take a stroll. Spending one
initially quite gradual, and then moreovernight will help you to get a feel
pronounced once you reach San Miguelfor rural Oaxaca, and add immeasurably
Suchixtepec, a picturesque village withto the totality of your vacation. San
large impressive church, and homesJose del Pacífico gets my vote since
strung out along a few hilly mountainit's seemingly a bit more geared to
roads. You'll begin to detect anotherecotourism than the other towns and
significant temperature change,villages en route, although there are
depending on the facing of the portionother quaint, interesting stopovers,
of mountain you are descending relativewhere tourists don't normally stop for
to the sun. At different portions ofthe night, which might lead to even a
the stretch you'll pass by a couple ofmore interesting sojourn. .
waterfalls and three or four smallerAPPENDIX
rivulets spilling across the highway,ROUTE 175
goats and donkeys, home construction ofOaxaca to Octotlán, 40 min and 33 km;
wood, pine cones on the roadway,Ocotlán to Ejutla, 25 min and 25 km;
brilliant orange flowered bromeliads,Ejutla to Mihuatlán, 38 min and 40 km;
wild orchids, large expanses ofMihuatlán to San Jose del Pacífico,
boston-like ferns, and perhaps one or50 min and 36 km; San Jose del
two patches of fog. For severalPacífico to Pochutla, 145 min and 100
kilometers you'll encounter a sweetkm; Pochutla to Puerto Escondido, 55
smell similar to that of maple syrup.min and 69 km.
Because of the steep descent, you may



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