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Hey, I guess the new server means new threads - and we have to start all over again - describing the beautiful beaches of Qaxaca state. We are leaving tonight (can't wait!!) for 10 days once again visiting in Pto Angel. Will report latest news/info on our return.

Now is the time to vote for where the best prepared "Catch of the Day" can be found??

Hey Howlin, I won't be far behind you, I leave next week for my 5th visit. I usually stay at the Capy, good folks and a great resaurant. There's a place I like to go to the left of the pier that has great red snapper. I also like Casa El Faro for a great margaritta. Look me up while in P.A. Hasta, gary

How about Beto's? Or if you include Zipolite, Huachinango a la parilla (charbroiled red snapper) at La Choza in the Roca Blanca section...

The woman at the Alta Mira, whose name I've already forgotten (sigh) makes a wonderful tuna. She cooks it (or whatever the fresh catch is) in several styles, which I've also forgotten the names of, but they're worth the walk up the hill...so is the view from your table if you go when it's still light

Is this place still there? Has anyone stayed there? How much are hammocks going for these days? [%sig%]

Right off the Puerto Angel beach!! When I was last there, if you caught the fishermen unloading tuna off the boats in the morning you could buy a huge beautiful fish for 50 pesos right on the spot. We would take them to back to zipolite, stuff them full of veggies, wrap them in foil and drop them on a campfire. flip it over after 20 minutes, and then 20 minutes more and you had enough of the best tasting fish youve ever eaten to feed 15 people!!

Have the taxi wars stopped, or is it still off in Zipolite and wait for another ride?

Still going on I“m afraid.

We just got home from our fabulous trip last night. I can't believe the rain, cold and darkness we came back to. I'd have to say my favourite dinner in PA was the tuna veracruziana at Rincon del Mar. Great margarittas too and that view....!!! Betos was also outstanding topped with the Mezcal they gave us "on the house".!

Beto's Why aren't I there now?

Same as me, JoAnn - "Si es mi suerte, que puedo hacer?" That and the necessity of working for a living. But to get a yellowfin fresh off the boat about 10am; cut off a chunk and start slicing it paper-thin; maybe a little sticky rice and seaweed wrap; a bit of wasabi - no need for flame nor heat!

The is a real problem for PA but drivers with empty cars or pick ups would stop and offer rides when they spotted us walking along the road from Zip to PA. Also collectivos will occasionally drop you off in PA. I think that was always towards the end of the day and they were stopped for passengers at the east end of Zip.

Beto's gets my vote as well. You can't beat the hospitality and the 'on the house' mezcal as well......three weeks, 3 days and 12 hours but, who is counting?

I'll be in Pto Angel for the 5th time w friends Feb. 21-25th. Love the place, but I get antsy quicker than they do, so I've been wondering about renting a moped to tour around in. Y'all think it's a reasonable idea? Yes? Maybe? No? Hell no? If so, would I have to rent one in Huatulco or think I could rent one someplace in Pochutla or PA ? G'ahead - I read this site daily. I'm ready for the smart-ass responses along with the incredibly insightful and warm-hearted ones... :-) and get ready ... I'll have a million more q's in the days to come ...

Hi everyone! I can't find the way to access the old comments that were entered on the Puerto Angel site in 2001, 2002 and the first days of January 2003. Anybody knows? Thanks.

Any runners going to PA? I'm looking for some people to run with on the week of Feb 24th, short or long distance (5 to 20 klms). I am not sure how my body will adapt from winter running in Canada to the heat of the tropics but, I'm willing to try. I guess it will be more of a problem coming back......

I love the view on a moon-lit calm night at Beto's , eating fabulous garlic tuna, and watching the few local people down below on the street. Even made it down the multitude of stairs after downing a couple margaritas! Beto's had an arbor of Luffa sponges the size I have never seen before growing on the doorway arbor. There is another great place to eat up the street from the cemetery. Can't remember the name....Pappy's ?????.....I don't think that is right. They are known for superb Italian spaghetti and their Tuna is fantastic too. Climb the stairs and the roof-top view is superb. A few years ago I went fishing in Zihautenjo with a local fisherman, ran into a school of Tuna, must have caught at least 30, my arms were so tired from pulling them in, gave them to the market, saved 1 and asked the kitchen at Rosie's where I was staying if they could make ceviche. They made a quick version, lime etc. and it was out of this world, a giant ceviche Tuna on a platter. This French lady was magnetized right to us..."you have absolutely the best meal in the world, can I share it with you?" The 3 of us couldn't even finish it all. She loved Mexico and wanted to retire there but kept saying, It doesn't seem to function here." And, that is what is so great, I say...go where it doesn't function. John, I'm leaving next week for a week in Florida, visiting relatives!!!! Going to the Keys for a few days .I'm going to join in with the "falling asleep at the stop light group". Guess I'm getting that age! Oh, I have to get to Mexico sometime this winter...or summer... John, you have such a short drive down from Ok, ya know!!!

Have a great vacation MTPockets. You went last year about this time, didn't you?

JoAnn, just moved out of OK and back to Austin, cutting about 425 miles off the trip to the border - but the job change probably has me locked down 'til MAY, dammit! But THIS time, just a few nights in R Conejos luxury - I need some serious small-town-"no-hay-cambio"-on-a-rope-beneath-a-panga-diving-in-a-school-of-fish-"dos-mįs-té-helados" time. I'm thinking that if I get a nice yellow-fin I might schlep it up to Alberca Paraiso near Chacalapa and have them do half ceviche with the limes from one of their trees and the other half "al mojo de ajo", broiled in garlic butter. I hope I can find some folks down about the same time to ride up there with me. Make sure you read a couple of Lawrence Shames' detective novels before you get down to Key West. It'll get your mood right!

MT, download the Puerto Angel street map and circle up the hillside through town. I walk, not run, but used to LOVE it about 2 or 3 am when NOBODY - hardly - was awake. Careful on the road to Zipolite, especially at night. You know the reasons.

John Running at 2 or 3 am? I am an early riser but, not that early. I tried running at the first light of dawn a couple of times but, I attracted the curiousity of the local canine population. Walking doesn't get their attention but, running seems to agitate them and of course almost all dogs are not leashed. The road to Mazunte and back would be a great run first thing in the morning but with one or two others - safety in numbers and all. My thinking also is that running clothes don't conceal much and the bad guys can see that.

B road daylight the road will be cool even if you're all by yourself. All the way to Mazunte? In the sun? You da MAN!

JoAnn Thanks. I was there twice last year, December by myself and February with my wife and 3 friends. This year we are arriving in DF on Feb 17th and taking about a week to get to PA, via Cuernavaca, Taxco, Acapulco, and Puerto Escondido. That will give us about 5 -7 days in the PA area - saving the R&R time for the last.

Hi John Thanks for the advise. It should be toasty running but, I could take a quick refreshing dip along the way. I ran a half marathon (21.1k) in similar weather last year - high 80s with humidity. It wasn't easy but I did it. Tonight my running group is doing a 10k and we expect an balmy -20c to great us - yahoo, ya gotta love those Ottawa winters.

If anyone is in PA over the next couple of weeks and dropping into Beto's place, could you ask if he has the latest Santana CD. He is a big fan and if he hasn't got a copy yet, I'll like to pick one up for him.

I have put the 2001-2002 comments at <http://www.tomzap.com/comments_angel2002.html>

Take it along, MT. If he already has it, maybe the collection at Bar La Puesta needs it!

Think I lost my last post. Guess we need to put in our name each time. I'll read the book when I get back, John. Thanks. If my last post doesn't show up, I'll write it again. This is only a test. Repeat..this is o

Yep, dayam, as John would say, I lost my long commentary! (Shortened) If anyone has an expired travel voucher from an airline don't pitch it. I received one from AA in 2000 for $250 after a trip to Belize and never noticed an expiration date at that time. It was valid for one year! I asked AA if they would still honor it when buying tickets last week. AA took $150 off my ticket. I like those people! John, do you still work for AA?

Sounds like a great trip! You're really going to be moving around. Are you driving a car or taking buses? They make all the silver jewelry in Taxco, don't they? My husband and I are heading to Key West to visit relatives... then he wants to snowmobile in West Yellowstone, this is getting too wierd for me! I like the park, but roaring through a herd of buffalo or elk isn't the tranquility I'm looking for. At least the Griz will be hibernating. I think that snowmobiling thing is because we haven't had a flake of snow here in Wisconsin until TODAY. The Mexican sounds, smells and sun are pulling at me.

Hey Michael....great questions. But, I really don't know the answers. I would think you could rent one in Pochutla and drive it to PA and up the coast to Zipolite. Watch out for the potholes though and the pigs that live under the culvert in PA.

Wow. A map of Puerto Angel. how cool is that? I don't run, but I love to explore urban jungles, had never seen the city map on Tomzap ... amazing how empowering a map can be ... thanks, guys.

Yes, it should be a good trip. We are taking the buses. I don't think there is a better way to see Mexico and have someone else do the driving. We are starting right at the DF airport to Cuernavaca - which is a short trip. Taxco was one of the original mining sites started by the Spanish. I think I read that there are appoxiamately 300 silver shops in Taxco. Your vacations sounds like quite an adventure, the Keys and then snowmobiling in Yellowstone. I don't know what to say about that. I am sure the scenery is spectacular and a snowmobile is a great way to get aroound. No snow in Wisconsin? Wow! Don't you usually have a tougher winter than eastern Canada? We are having an average winter with regards to snowfall. I like the winter and being outside, skiing and stuff but by mid February, a dose of hot weather is something we look forward to. Mexico is just what the doctor ordered - as you well know.

Yes, It is still there as of last week!! (Just got back). It is located at the beginning of San Agustinillo beach. I don't know if they rent hammocks, but don't be afraid to drop in and ask; they are very friendly. [%sig%]

Trip Report - January - Oaxaca/Pto Angel Well, we've returned to the rainy NW coast after another gorgeous 2 weeks in Oaxaca State. Arrived in Mexico City DF airport, International arrivals and departures are at the one end of the terminal (gates D, E and F I believe) and Domestic arrivals and departures are at the other (A, B and C). There is a large "food fair" and shops upstairs from the middle of the terminal. A number of ATM machines are available as well as currency exchanges. Got on a Mexican flight to Oaxaca, spent a number of days there, then caught the mini-van to Pochutla and taxied to Pto Angel. Caught the mini-van bus at 7:00 am from 101 Noria street in Oaxaca. We believe for 120 pesos it was a very good deal, comfortable and fairly quick (5.5 hours to Pochutla). Although there were many winding turns we didn't encounter the discomfort or sickness that has previously been described about the trip. I do believe it is best to take an early morning departure and get seats near the front row if at all possible. Take "Gravol" (dramamine) if you have a queasy stomach. Seats are allocated on a first-come first-served basis though - so book early! (We booked the day before). One thing that was odd on our trip was that our drivers stop for lunch in the mountains at some rather decrepit tin huts and yet 20 minutes later we passed the hotel and restaurant at San Jose del Pacifico..?? Perhaps he got a better kickback from the people who own the huts, who knows. Anyway, we arrived safely in Pochutla and got a collectivo on to Pto Angel. Puerto Angel and the beaches: We stayed in our friends' guesthouse in PA. It is surely the absolutely best location in the town, walk on to the beach, fabulous views, quiet and secure. We had a room with private bath and fully equipped kitchenette, fridge stocked with oranges for juicing, fresh water and our own rooftop terrace with hammocks overlooking the entire bay!! Our hostess took us on a tour of a couple of the beaches a little further away where we had a fantastic lunch and great snorkelling and body surfing. They're very discriminating on guests, but if you contact me I'll forward your address. Once again we booked Byron's "Aventura Boat tours", did some fantastic snorkelling, fishing and visited 3 beaches. One of his helpers dove into the water and caught and held a turtle long enough for us to get a couple of photos, before releasing it unharmed to swim along on its way. One big thing I noticed this time is that the camionetas (inexpensive, open pick-up trucks) are no longer running between Pto Angel and Zipolite; you must take a collectivo taxi for 30 pesos (2 people 15 pesos each, 4 people 8 pesos each). Loved the views and the beaches as always. Stopped in and visited Ana and Jeff at their 'Posada Dona Sol' in SA. Visited Zipolite, San Agustinillo (love that beach!!!) as well as Huatulco and San Agustin. We ate at Capy's (our personal favourite), Beto's (love that free Mescal shooter after dinner!) and lots of beach-front palapas. The Estachuite beach palapa restaurant was especially good. Fresh grilled fish, camarones, rice and cervezas - mmmm. Awesome tanning, dining, snorkelling and body-surfing, what else could you hope for in a vacation? Already I'm looking forward to next year!!!! [%sig%]

Does anyone have the address to send an email for Posada Canyon? Last year's address seems doesn't seem to be working. Thanks. Greg

I think you need to call them. I am going down Friday the 7th. Let me know if I can help. gg

We're getting snow today in Wisconsin, lots of snow in fact! The first this winter. The trees are drooping with it and there's more to come this weekend.

John, they definately have you working too much! Where is all your travel commentary and wonderful insight to help your fellow man?

Thx for the offer. I'll dig up an old card and try my luck. Looks like you may be from chicago as are we. We'll be arriving at the Posada 2/8 for 10 days. Perhaps our paths will cross. greg

Ask me a question, ask me a question! I'll wax overlong and fully irritate those who find me a "pedandic boor", I believe was the phrase!

Snow. Let's see, that's the stuff that's the color of the sand on Playa Panteon but of a temperature not hospitable to man nor beast, right?

I am certain our paths will cross. The number I have is 011.52.958.4.3137. They answer the phone at 10am and 6 pm. My phone is 708.383.7234 if you need any other help. I will most likely see Mateo on Friday afternoon. I doubt the hotel is full. It is just a matter of room preference. gg

Exactly right, although it is 33 degrees today. That's a heat wave for here! I'm going to build a snowman today while the snow is moist before we're hit with the blizzard later tonight. Can't remember the last snowman I built. My snowman is going to be covered with goodies for the pheasants and deer, in other words...baiting for viewing pleasure. It's obvious that I need a vacation, eh?

OK - Is this blasphemous?: Could we rent a VCR or TV-VCR combination anywhere in Puerto Angel and rent any (English-speaking) videos in Pto. Angel?

Hardware would be difficult. Buy a cheap 9-13" with built-in VCR and carry it along. When you go home, you can trade it - fishing time from your favorite lanchero; nights of accomodation; a gift to someone you truly want to be remembered by; etc. Video rentals are easy to come by, especially in Pochutla. MOST are Spanish-subtitled mainstream US movies. If they say "Traducución" anywhere in print on the box, it's been over-dubbed and you won't understand it.

One of my _least_ favorite memories of our stay in Zipolite is the couple in the room next to ours who could find nothing better to do on their holiday in paradise than to watch TV on the little portable they'd brought along. Sound carries amazingly well through those open windows, plywood walls and palm frond ceilings. So yes, in my opinion, since you asked, it is "blasphemous." You can watch movies any time at home. Go to Puerto Angel to get a taste of a _different_ way of enjoying yourself, one that doesn't depend on some media conglomerate's idea of entertainment. [%sig%]

Heading down to the pier in the evening to watch the moon and water and enjoy the local culture is more entertaining than any movie I've ever watched!

This came up on our intranet site at work. Obviously it dosn't apply to PA but for anyone heading further east/south I guess this would be a heads up. Does anyone know what is behind these incidents? Mexico Public Announcement U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman January 31, 2003 This Public Announcement is being issued to alert U.S. citizens to the need for caution when traveling in the State of Chiapas. It expires on May 29, 2003. There have recently been disturbing incidents involving violence and threats of violence against foreigners and establishments catering to foreign tourists in remote areas. In many parts of Chiapas, there is no effective law enforcement or police protection. U.S. citizens should avoid traveling in the areas where disputes are known to be ongoing, including rural areas east of Ocosingo, and the entire southeastern jungle portion of the State to the east of Comitan. For further information on security conditions in Chiapas and elsewhere in Mexico, please consult the Department of State's latest Consular Information Sheet and Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, available at http://travel.state.gov. Information regarding safety and security is also available from the U.S. Embassy, located in Mexico City at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc. The Embassy's telephone from the United States is 011-52-55-5080-2000. The number from within Mexico City is 5080-2000 and from other parts of Mexico is 01-5080-2000. Inquiries may also be sent to the Embassy by e-mail at: ccs@usembassy.net.mx.

JoAnn We are in the same heat wave here JoAnn. It was 32 yesterday or 0 C. That is a break from the minus 30 c we had here last week. Strange weather indeed in these parts. It will be a plus 4c tomorrow and on Thursday night it will drop to -34. Imagine how warm PA is going to feel after that?

Any info needed or comments appreciated...

Hey, Howlin', I really enjoyed your post and commented on the Oaxaca section. Was saving further comments for the pictures you're about to give us a link to...

Ongoing and escalating resistance by indigenous people to the Corporate Empire and its manifestations (e.g. tourism) is probably what's behind it. [%sig%]

Great trip report, Howlin. Makes me feel homesick and I've only been there once. I'm glad you mentioned Capy's. I couldn't remember the name. Fantastic food and views at Beto's and Capy's .

It looks like the temp in PA is in the low 90's. Unbelievable! Had 3 more inches of snow here last night, am leaving for Key West next week. I know its' not going to be that warm there and I'm sure I'll be checking airfare to PA really, really soon.

I always learn new words from you,John. I have to look up "pedandic"...never heard it before. Let me think....questions.....When you were in PA last year did you see the oil paintings at Tio Chili's that Eva was doing? I was thrilled to see a self taught artist taking the time to do some very large canvas's. Hope Eva keeps painting.

I DID see Eva's work. She puts a lot of herself, her soul into those works. I sure wish she'd take them over to the zocalo in La Crucecita when they have one of their periodic art shows and sales. I'd like to see her get wider exposure to perhaps a little more affluent group of potential buyers. That whole family is SO very talented in so many different ways...

I“m down here now and would love to see her work. Where in Puerto Angel is Tio Chili“s?

Joan, as you make the 90 degree curve in front of the pier in Puerto Angel, heading towards Pochutla, look to your right. It is past the Capitįn del Puerto, past the Post Office, and past the telegraph office. It's right accross from an intersecting street by the fishermen's cooperativo. It's a small whitewashed building and usually has a table of fruits and veggies with a scale in front of one of the doorways. The natriarch is named Eva, but the paintings are done by her younger daughter, also named Eva. The older daughter is names Pati, as is the younger Eva's oldest child. The confusion clears up quickly. Pati and Eva's younger brother, Freddie, will help straighhten it out for you. Eva has a couple of younger kids under foot, but they make up for it by being really cute. Plus there's a whole cast of local characters in and out of the place all day. You can learn more about Puerto Angel sitting in front of a fan in Tķo Chilo's than just about anywhere else I know.

Hi John; Sorry I didn't reply earlier - already back hard at the gig and working like a dawg!! (Wish I was still on the rooftop of my friends cabana draining a cerveza while overlooking the bay of Pto Angel.!!) Anyway, I don't have any pictures on my web-site from this year yet, but I do have pics from 2 yrs ago ... ...http://www3.telus.net/howlin/travels.htm Regards [%sig%]

hello all, well here goes, hope that you all can relate......... we arrived by cab from crucecita to scoup out this place, the cab brought us to the beach with the graveyard on the hillside..... as the cab arrived at the end of the road, even before the driver could stop, we had three persons trying to get us to come to their restaurants. Grabbing at the doors and as we exited the cab grabbing at our packs. We let one of them have at it and kind of threw our hands in the air not knowing what was what... very confusing. We had breakfast, eggs mexicana, toast and tortias. tea with lemon.... didn't want the beans, not very appitizing to us. The waiter was very nice and he took the extra time to make sure that what we ordered was what he would bring us, bless him....... i was feeling a bit fluish sneezing lots and headachey.... the hotel we were staying was on a busy street in crucecitas residential section many dogs and roosters... not saying anything neg about them, just that this one tiny dog that wouldn't stop.... then it got the geese going......... anyway.... we hung around puerto angel for a while and walked about but found nothing interesting in the village or the beach that really stood out.... the village seemed to be geared for local use only and we felt very out of place walking around. The beach is chairs only, no hammocks and we were not at all comfortable relaxing there. The hotels were very cheap and only minutes to zipolite beach so we thought, what the hey, stay there for a few days and check out the turtle museun, (lol.... i'll save that for another day) mazunte, pochutla and we were closer to puerto escondido which was our next destination..... found a nice cheap place to stay 150 pesos a night, nice view....... after securing the room we headed back to crucecita to spend our last night there and in the morning headed out to the hotel in puerto angel..... after checking in and unpacking we changed into our beach wear shorts nice shirt sunglasses and ball caps..... we walked down to the beach, but this time took the walkway along the shoreline. as we entered the restaurant zone on the beach, again we were met with a number of people all wanting us to eat at there places.... same thing threw our hands in the air and let the most aggresive one lead the way..... same restaurant.... we wanted to just relax by the water and do a bit of reading and catch up on some letter writing before we ate, not really too impressed up to this point i was feeling a bit under the weather with a stuffy head and a bit of a headache from lack of sleep the night before, dogs barking all night kept me up most of the night...... i ordered a pop and was going to order a tea with lemon but i was distracted by the federal police walking along the shore line, very disturbing seeing these 5 persons all in black carrying m16s and shotguns within 30feet of the beach chairs...... anyway, turn around and the waters gone.... brings 2 pop so i ask him for some glasses with ice... not afraid of the ice, (just the ice handler you should concern yourself).... then he comes with one glass with ice..... well ok..... all is well and we decide to eat and then head out to zipolite they have hammocks that you can relax under to do some reading and writing and search for that perfect tan...... ok, so we ask to see the menu..... order eggs a la mexicana with rice and tortias toast and jam no beans please....... (it's all good except i look back and should have got him to run the order back to me)......... anyway..... dosent take long to come, just as long as would take to fry some french fries because thats what came. order of french fries eggs a la mexicana with beans no rice no toast and no tortias........ lost it...... told him see ya, heres for the pop..... some load mouth trys to come to the rescue... i'm not havin any more of it. i'm stressed to the max stayed for three days, checked out the beaches and the area.... its all good just that puerto angel... to me the beach, was a very intimidating adventure.... nice quiet hotel, roosters in the morning but no dogs all night, got some good nights sleep and mucho camomile tea with lemon and honey....... anyways i did go back to the restaurant the next day to say sorry but damage was already done by this loudmouth drunk that goes down and picks puerto angel as his kingdom..... i think it all would have been good but for his influence...... intimitating is what it was, but there were some good people that took care for our well being..... even with all that said the beach with the graveyard did not have anything for us in the first place we enjoyed the hotel the people the bbq chicken the restaurants in the village and the ice cream at the main beach... the internet and all of it. thanks for your time :) [%sig%]

Thanks for an honest report. After more than 30 years of visiting Puerto Angel and Zipolite, I guess I've just grown accustomed to the patrols from the Navy base between the beaches in PA and the Army base in Zipolite. Takes a while to learn which restaurants as well. Of which restaurants are we speaking, anyway?

the one in town was across from the internet shop.... they had good icecream and the bbq chicken we ate was from a roadside grill just up the hill from there.... it was all good..... the one we first encountered was at the end of the road, bottom of the hill from the hotel we stayed for the three days.... never caught the name of that restaurant....... the police were more distracting from the beauty of the place than anything else and I was more confused as to why they would be there in those numbers and carrying that artillery so near folks on vacation........ funny that we never saw one police at zipolite... not that we were looking for them... just that if they were there they kept a lower profile... we were warned that zipolite was for crackheads and junkies... we walked up and down that beach played in the waves and ate at the beach restaurants... had a geat time and never saw one crackhead or junky.... i doubt very much i could tell the diff anyways...... a few pot heads and new age hippies lots of students and some very lovely girls... we were even offered a toke but that's not for us.... we are tolerant but we don't partake...... we had a very relaxing couple days at zipolite, read a book and caught up on some letter writing.... got drunk.... went up to pochutla on market day had some coffee at a cafe and bought tamales from the street stands... couple chicken and a couple iguana ones..... the chicken was good but the iguana was a little strong, good but a little strong. the food was good we pigged out all day walking throught the market on market day.... very enjoyable in pochutla we spent the day walking around.... found out where to catch the bus to puerto escondido made a call back home then headed back to the hotel in puerto angel with some pollo para llevar and a six pack of sol..... never went back to that restaurant so can't tell you the name but karma will remember when she gets around to it......

Well, what you saw on the beach in Puerto Angel was Naval police. The Sector Naval base sits right accross the walkway along the rocks from Playa Panteón ( Panteón means graveyard), over on the edge of Playa Principal. The presense on the beach usually varies during the "training cycle', but nearly all of the sailors I've ever spokem with there in Puerto Angel are great folks themselves. The presence of armed military among the populace has been pretty firmly established in Mexico for decades if not longer. One of the two, uh, supermarkets, if I can stretch the word a little, is run by the navy. And while there have been crackheads and junkies in Zipolite, they rarely last for long there, especially if the become a major nuisance. The unsavory side was greatly exagerated. And you would find virtually none of that feel if you explore a little further down the beach, towards San Augustinillo and Mazunte. Maybe next time you're down, you can try them.

hmm... i'm sure they were federal police, at least that's what was written on the backs of their black t-shirts.... i don't know, not that it was an issue anyway, only that their presence distracted me before i had a chance to order some tea with lemon.... got 2 squirts instead. zipolite was a good beach to relax in a hammock, never saw millitary or any police..... i agree that the unsavory side is probably greatly exagerated... i would perfer them to the foul mouth drunk we encountered at playa panteon... could it be that zipolite has more to offer to those searching for the perfect tan... makes one wonder. puerto angel was good from which to explore the area, hotels were cheap and all.... it was all good. playa panteon was in my opinion.. a tourist trap.. and we got that impression right off because of the way the folks from the restaurants aggresivelly pulled at the door of the taxi even before we had stopped.... we had a good meal there while looking for a hotel and deceided to go back for a quick bite the next day before heading off to zipolite.... what can i say.... i didn't care much for playa panteon it had nothing for us.... we did have breakfast there the one day and it was good, cheap and we got what we ordered...... playa principal also had no hammocks.... we had an icecream on the pier and walked along the shore it was all good but we found zipolite a far better place to sun and snooze...... muy tranquillo would i go back to puerto angel..... probably not... not geared for tourists in my opinion, locals or folks that have a guide along to keep the aggressive people at bay are better suited for puerto angel... we were looking for the perfect tan and snoozing under a palapa in a hammock.... it wasn't at playa panteon or playa principal.

I get a different impression about Playa Panteon. There may have been federales but I agree that they were more likely Naval Police. I remember one New Years Day when a squad from the barracks, which used to be right across the street from the base, formed up with a band and in full dress whites. The officer in charge was carrying a large white cake that they ceremoniously walked away with. Several times I watched the soldiers who were stationed by the barracks standing inside the pillbox with full uniform and rifle slung over their shoulder feeding parakeets that flocked around them. Just after the uprising in Chiapas, I was there for another New Years and the Navy was on full alert on New Years Day which meant that there were two empty oil drums with a two by four across them for a barrier. My point is that the Navy presence there is absolutely harmless. There are "greeters" who want to get you to their restaurant, but they are not nearly as aggressive as those I ran into when I went to Huatulco. I wouldn't go back to Huatulco if you paid me. I agree with the other poster that the very best beach is San Agustinillo with Mazunte a distant second. You don't mention your age, but I get the impression you are fairly young. Puerto Angel is more geared to Mexicans on vacation and geezers like us that enjoy a very tranquil atmosphere. Sorry about the drunk.

no sweat on the drunk....i am young at heart and old enough to know better than argue with a drunk who thinks he's the playa panteon guru.... had we of met on a level playing field i would have shown him little rocks up close..... unless the navy police are dressed all in black and have federal police on the backs of their t-shirts then i guess that was the navy police, but i've seen the navy police in other places and they are were dressed all in white.... this may be different in puerto angel, i don't know..... huatulco was ok, we went to playa la entrega and swam there... the restaurant we were at strung out a hammock for me, they did a good job of making us feel at home..... plus we met a guardian angel there... we didn't know at the time but we found out later at puerto angel when we needed a friend.... anyway.... yea, i have to agree with you on the greeters though, it wasn't something i was prepared for, and it most definately was a turn off.

Puerto Angel is a sleeply little fishing village with a naval base. The beaches really are not ideal for tourism by any stretch of the imagination - with the lovely exception of Ixtacahuite or Ecstacahuite or any of several other spellings, but the beach off the road as you go north out of town. A little harder to get to, but worth it. I've found Puerto Angel a great base of operations as the hotels are reasonable and the food is MUCH cheaper than Zipolite or Mazunte of just about anyplace else you could name along the coast. And some of the eateries are damned good! Gawd, what I wouldn't give for an ensalada atśn from Betos right now... In my case, I also have 30 years of personal relationships with some of the people there. But discounting that factor, Puerto Angel is NOT the place to vegetate. You need to be mobile, to be able to run down to San Augustinillo or out to Tonameca or over to La Ventanilla. Or hire a boat to go snorkel La Tijera. If you're going to stay put, then San Augustinillo or Mazunte or even Zipolite would be a better choice.

The navy moved last summer. the base is empty. gg

we liked puerto angel also for that reason... very central to all the beaches and the air seemed so fresh and clean there...... not steamy hot..... market day at pochutla was great too... but it was very hot and very crowded.. we were surprised at how big pochutla actually was.... all in all we enjoyed puerto angel and pochutla but found puerto escondido more to our liking.... if we were to return to oaxacas coast, puerto escondido would be the place we would return to. actually we found the prices for meals better in puerto escondido and there was more of a variety than in puerto angel or huatulco.... just to give you an example we had burgers.. patty was about 1/2" thick with tomatoes lettuce and pickle on a toasted bun fresh baked from the bakery next door, fries and salad for 35 pesos.... coffee was 10 pesos which included up to three refills... really good coffee..... seafood pasta with camarones, octopus and snapper in a white sause, the pasta is made fresh and the cost was 50 pesos included was garlic bread..... comida corrida was cheap at most places 18 pesos and you could have a choice... breakfast was great... 20 pesos got you eggs al gusto with ham, bacon, sausage or mex sausage with tortias or bread... there were tamalis and tacos al pastor from the street grills for 12 pesos later on in the day.... the pozole soup was the best..... the carnitas and bbq chicken were very tastey 1/4 chicken with rice, aztec soup and tortias 15 pesos. the budget hotels were the same price as in puerto angel 150 pesos/nite not on the beach but a short stroll away.... we even found a nice one at 100 pesos/nite, but it was up in the town and in an area with lots of dogs and roosters..... taxis also were better priced in puerto escondido and with 15 pesos you could go to any of the beaches near town. the turtle museun at mazunte was only an hour away by bus and camioneta.... the cost was less than taking a taxi from puerto angel 60 pesos each way from puerto angel vs 25 pesos each, each way from puerto escondido.... [%sig%]

I am a little surprised by your impression of PA, uno mano solo. I arrived by car in the same spot you did and when the guys came running, I asked them to find me a good parking place and they were more then helpful. When tourists arrive in an area the local restaurant guys and beach sellers whistle back and forth to let each other know there are new people to sell to. This happens all over Mexico. A simple but firm "no gracias" is all it takes to claim your space. . After they see you around for a few days or you no longer look so white and new (suntan) they no longer bother you for business and become your friends. I was also surprised that you felt intimidated by the military. I have always felt they were there to keep an eye on things and protect you. A few years back 3 military police were standing at the doorway to my room which was on a hillside that looked over the village of Zihautenjo. They were little fellows with very old guns and very pleasant to say hi to. We listened to them have a friendly visit between themselves for an hour or so before several shots rang out. This was 11 pm at night. Don't know what they were shooting at, probably just the sky but kept our heads down just in case. I have never felt intimidated or threatened in Mexico, but Belize City and traveling away from the resorts in the Dominican Republic are a different story. Hey John, we just got back from Key West. Very expensive and very GAY there! The highlight of my trip was going through Hemingway's house , petting the 6-7 toed cats, crabby they are, and chatting with new friend Rooonald over a drink at Crabby Dicks. Rooonald was all decked out for Valentine's day in his red velvet cowboy hat trimmed in white rabbit fur. (Made sure I identified the new friend since my husband has the same name although he doesn't pronounce it the same way!

we got the impression the beach in puerto angel was a tourist trap for that reason joana.. aggressive greeters.... there are only 3 restaurants at that beach and we just found it to be a turn off that even before the cab had stopped they were grabbing at the doors and all.... we didn't like that, what can i say.... the beach there had nothing for us ether, i guess it would be ok to sit there and have a bite while you wait to go out in a panga or have a drink after getting back and chatting about things, but we were looking for hammocks and to lay about and do some suntanning for the day... you can't do that on playa panteon or playa principal.... they don't have hammocks or lounge chairs. we liked zipolite for that, many of the restaurants have hammocks and lounge chairs for use.... found a nice perch on that beach and enjoyed the days there..... don't get me wrong joann... we liked puerto angel, we stayed there for 3 days and went out from there to pochutla and some of the beaches close by. zipolite has far more restaurants and we weren't inundated with greeters.... as a matter of fact there were no greeters at all.. and i doubt very much you would have had issues finding a parking spot on your own... plenty of room, not like playa panteon. we never felt intimidated by the millitary at all joann... we never saw the millitary or the navy.... we were distracted by the federal police presence though.... there were 5 in total 3 men and 2 women all dressed in black and wearing mirrored sunglasses... black boots black t-shirts and pants and carrying m16s and shotguns... federal police in white letters on there backs.... we've never seen woman police in mexico and i guess that's what kind of got us staring off.... they got everyones attention i think, not just ours.... we didn't feel intimidated at all but later wondered why they needed that show of force on tiny playa panteon...... after hearing of the drug problems on zipolite we were more than prepared to see more police on that beach but saw none.....

Well, for those of you who ARE planning to hit Puerto Angel in the future, here's a couple of places to get a decent burger: Tķo Chilo's, which is a tremendous bargain, and Luncheria Oriental in the evenings, on the corner across from the pier. The ground beef is from the better cuts and ground right in the carnericeria adjoining the market.

I am here and yes it is really really hot down here. Business is bad for the locals so, if you are planning a trip now is a good time. They need the help. A number of businesses have closed. There are no laundry services now - for example. We arrived a Penelope“s on Sunday and we were her only guests. She was full by Monday night. She says we bring her good luck. She has been a gracious host and a wealth of info for us and the other guests. Anyone have any requests for information while we are here let me know. I“ll do the best I can to help. I am flying out on Sunday to DF. ps. the internet connection in PA is bad. We had to come to Pochutla to get a good link....

Hey, MT - there's a couple of laundries in Zipolite. Also, if you talk to some of the locals, they can direct you to some ladies at Tonameca who do laundry the old-fashioned way, on the rocks v=by the river...

If you are still at Penelope's MTPockets please say hello to Patricia for me. I can almost hear her saying "you bring me good luck". She is just a sweetie! I just got back from Key West, Fl. its OK, but not Mexico. The first thing I decided when I got home was that I still need a vacation. Checked the airfares for Mexico and found a really reasonable air only flight on Funjet to Zihautenjo. Am leaving March 14 . Didn't take too much to convince my husband since he did nothing but drive in Florida . This will be our 3rd time to Zihau. Reserved a room for the first night arriving and will go it from there . Hope everyone in PA will forgive me for being a trader this year. I shall go back to PA.

My neighbor Sue and her boyfriend were just turned away at the airport (chicago, I believe) and not allowed to board the plane to Cancun because one of them had a birth certificate for identification (which probably didn't have the raised seal and was a duplicate.) I don't have the exact details because they are fairly upset about losing out on flight and all-inclusive hotel ...expensive and all paid for . They are just out. I really like my passport. The more I can fill it up the better.

Heck, the Mexican authorities won't even stamp your passport unless you ask them to. I sure wouldn't leave home without it. Been known to carry my passport about for days at a time, hoping for the unexpected! Airline officialdom, on the other hand, can get quite persnickadie (it's easier to spell anal - can I substitute that?) about your documentation. Give some people a whiff of power... Actually, they're covering their own posteriors; if a stickler in Migración decided not to accept your paperwork, the airline would have to fly you back on the next plane out...

You're exactly right, John. I always ask them to stamp my passport in Mexico, it makes the fellows laugh. Guess my neighbors boyfriend brought along his hospital birth certificate and they didn't like that. The poor couple then decided to head up to some cabins in Minnesota for a get-together with relatives and found out they were a week early. Got caught in a blizzard and 7 inches of snow. Then she has a gall bladder attack. They say they are home...forever. I got some good priced tickets on Funjet to Zihau for March 14th. Didn't get any sun or fun in Key West so just had to take them. Check out last minute Funjet air only to Cancun...$199 round trip from Milwaukee. Should be less for you in Texas. The way I figure even from Cancun, hop a bus down the coast and you can get to wherever you like.

You ever try to get from the NE corner of the Yucatan to the rest of Mexico? It's not easy! Besides, were I to fly into Cancśn, I think I'd have to slide down to Punta Alen and maybe Laguna Bacalar; even try to find some way to get out to those great reefs off Chetumal...

John , I only got as far as Tulum on a bus. The rest of the way is that bad, eh? It's just scrub jungle down by Tulum and then I suppose you have some really empty jungle dirt roads to travel, if there are roads. Its' probably easier to get to Chetumal from Belize. A lady from Caye Caulker drives a triuck up there to buy beer and borrow the tropical plants she finds along the roadside. She had some really cool plants when she came back. Does it get a little 'rough' in Chetumal? I have that impression. I'm at work so I'll see if this post goes through.

Actually, I like Chetumal. You don't have that safe feeling you get on the Oaxacan Pacific, but you don't have that "continual danger" feel of Belize City, either. And the road from Cancśn isn't all THAT bad, compared to some I've driven!

Hi Well, I am back home and at work...ugh...The weather over the last two weeks has been like deep winter here. I am glad I was in Mexico. The night we got back it was - 20C. It was -40 with the wind chill the previous night. Our car was at the park and fly. It was buried and wouldn't start. Cab!!! JoAnn, I did say hi to Patricia for you. We enjoyed our stay at Casa Penelope's. The accommodations are clean and comfortable. Patricia is a great host and has a lot of good information to share. We got the scoop on a lot of local politics - gov't and business. The price for a double is 250 pesos. I considered it good value. We had a few meals at Beto's. The huachinango was excellent. I gave Beto the new Santana CD - so for anyone going there, just ask and he'll play it for dinner. He returned the favour with a CD of three Mexican bands - Elefante, Mana, and Juanes. Pretty good stuff. Mana seems to be the most popular band. John, we chose the sink in our room to get us through the week - rather than pound clothes on the rocks. Not much need for clothes anyway - in that heat or especially Playa Zipolite .. :>) The water was cooler than normal. I think it had something to do with storms at sea. It did bring the fish in. Snorkeling at Panteon was poor due to a lot a wave action within the bay. All in all, it was a great two weeks. We arrived at Mexico city at 2:30 and were on a bus to Cuernavaca by 3:00. Cuernavaca is a colonial city with sping like weather year round. There is a good market there for silver. We have been told that the prices for silver there are cheaper than Taxco. The Zocalo is fair. Some good restaurants nearby. Lots of anti big business protests going on there. There is a large grocery store (Costco) and restaurant (California) that has them upset - taking business form the locals. We stayed at the Hotel Papagayo (577 pesos with breakfast included) - good location. It has a large pool to boot. The canine chorus was minimal in that area. Acapulco was well, ..Acapulco. We found an excellent hotel on the cliffs near the Quebrada. It was called the Los Flamingos. Our room was about 30 feet from the edge of the cliff - which had a 450 ft drop to the ocean. Great view, sunsets, and a good restaurant. You would not know to were in Acapulco - which was a plus for us. Early in the mornings whales were out in front of the hotel feeding. The hotel has a great history to it. It was a second home to Johnny Weismuller and owned by members of the Hollywood crowd for a while - including John Wayne. Other regular guests included Red Skeleton, Errol Flynn, Fred McMurray, Richard Widmark to name a few. I enjoy old movies so this was a great experience for me. I considered this place good value at 700 pesos a night - taxes are the killer in Aca. We made one trip to the zocalo to pick up advance bus tickets. We couldn't get out of their quick enough. Far too many hustlers to enjoy it. The next stop was a couple of days at Puerto Escondido - after an 8 hour bus trip from Acapulco. Please note, there is a 5 ft deep drain at the bottom of the street below the EB terminal. If you come in at night, be careful. We almost walked into it while looking around for a cab. That would have shortened our vacation. We stayed at the Beach Hotel Ines, across from the main surf beach. It has a great pool area and the price was good as well. I think we paid 380 for a double. The main beach is long and a good place for walks/runs. The selection of restaurants and hotels are better than PA. Finally we made the short bus ride to Pochutla and taxi trip to PA. It was like coming home. We spent 7 restful days in PA with lots of hamaca and Zipolite/Panteon beach time. What else do you need for a good vacation? adios

Gosh, MT, only thing that'd made that trip sound better would be having been there as well. I can feel the leg muscles tighten on the last downhill stretch to Ixtaccahuite... First time I heard Manį, I thought I was hearing Police with Sting doing spanish language vocals! This was a LONG time ago. Then I saw the band and was comPLETEly blown away. They put on an amazing show. I still haven't manages to see El Tri live yet; they've been rocking for about 35 years. You should hear some of THEIR stuff, sometimes. Real political, too...

I am totally ignorant of Mexican music and bands but I am now learning some thanks to travel and the internet. So have you been hanging around Mexico long enough to attend the Avįndano Festival? I was just reading el Tri's bio and found that little tidbit. A Mexican version of Woodstock eh? I wonder if Carlos Santana played that one? I am always impressed by the Mexican passion for music. In the cities, live music seems to be everywhere. When we arrived in Cuernavaca, after many hours of planes, buses and automobiles, our first priority was beer and food. We made our way to a restaurant about a block away from our hotel. To our delight, an older gentleman was there playing a guitar. He was sitting at a table with 3 ladies who would join in when they knew the words. His voice had that deep, rich tone of Latino singers. He was a customer, not paid entertainment. We applauded his efforts and he responded with a broad smile and a slight bow. As we left, we walked by his table. He reached out and patted me on the back as I went by - as if we were old friends. We knew we had arrived in the real Mexico! That set the tone for the start of what turned into a great trip.

Actually, I found out from Charlie Ramos that El Tri has made the November music festival in Huatulco the last two years running. Guess where I plan to be NEXT November?

John If you know the date of that festival, please advise. We are thinking of a November trip as well.

The guest house you stayed in in PA sounds great! I'll be down there from the 23rd through the 30th of March and would love to find out if it's available. It would be for my wife, 2-1/2 yr old daughter and myself. Appreciate if you could pass on the contact info to me or forward this on. Thanks.

my girlfriend and i were hoping to head to hondures from puerta angel via chiapas and guatemala, and were hoping to find out from other travelers that have used this route if they encountered any of the problems that the lonely planet has mentioned. i have not heard much from anyone that has been this way and would also like any travel tips for this route if there are any flying about.

I did talk to a group of three people from France who had traveled in Chiapas for several days, (Palenque, San Cristobol and other places). They had no problems and had not heard of any problems encountered by other travelers. They recommended it as a great place to travel. I talked to a resident of Puerto Angel who was familiar with Chiapas and they recommended going there as well. It sounds like a beautiful place to visit. I would say the same rules apply there as other places - keep your 'ear to the ground', avoid travel at night if possible, and keep to the well beaten paths. The state department notice did specify caution in remote areas. As Lonely Planet states, the eastern part of the state has a reputation for drug traffic lanes from Central America so, that is probably good advise too. The only information I can share on Guatelmala is what I heard from two residents of Guatemela City last year in PA. Take extreme care in Guatemala City if you visit there. Avoid being out at night. They had some pretty convincing stories to support that advise.

With two kids off to college and just the 10 year old at home, we're thinking about a school year in Mexico. Our fifth grader gets a year to gain some perspective and a bi-lingual education. We get a sabbatical and do a dry run on retirement in Mexico. Any thoughts or experiences with schools in PA, Mazunte, Pochutla, PE, or Huatulco?

Remote Areas, Remote Areas, Remote Areas. There are remote areas near where I used to live in Northern California, that I would recommend everyone avoid. Folks growing marijuana and others who don't take kindly to strangers. You are unlikely to be traveling in remote areas unless you try real, real, hard. This warning is in response to an incident at Rancho Esmeraldo. A couple from South Dakota has had trouble establishing what they say is an ecotourism business there. Rancho is not too far from Acteal and the indigenous people there are a little sensitive about their land rights at the present time. Relax, Chiapas is a lovely state, and San Cristobal is a nice city. If you act like a political activist you will be treated accordingly, likewise if you act like a tourist. My son lived for several years in Chiapas and was more afraid of the federales and judiciales than of the local indigenous. On the other hand, he was a political activist!

Dear Howlin, I read your Trip-Report and I'm very interesting on the address from the guesthouse and other informationes. We, that are my husband, my taughter and myself, go to Mexiko in 2 Weeks. The first stop will be (for a cuple of days) Puerto Angel. Than we go by localbuses around Oaxaca and Chiapas. So it would be nice, if you can help me. Greating Peggy

yes...was there over new years. and yes, they still sell wonderful hammocks. price varies widely as to size and quality. -c

I don't think the coast is the best place for a 10 year old to go to school. There are schools there, of course, but they are unlikely to be prepared for a gringo 10 year old unless he or she is fluent in Spanish. Oaxaca city would be a better bet. There are several bilingual schools as well as regular schools that might be more well rounded. I am not trying to trash Mexican schools. Sending a child to school in a very small community in, say, Humboldt County California who did not speak English would not be an optimum opportunity either. By the way, if your sabbatical is, in part, a dry run for retirement, I would also suggest that you seriously consider someplace other than Puerto Angel etc for yourselves as well. I have been going to Oaxaca and the coast for 12 years and will be moving to the city in a few months (hence "Jubilado"). Take my word for it, there isn't doodley squat to do on the coast except sit on the beach and tourist watch. This gets very old after two or three weeks. I know of two retired gringos living in Puerto Angel. One is drunk most of the time and the other isn't. We don't intend to get involved with the expat community in the city of Oaxaca, but there is far more to do there which is one of the reasons that there are a couple of thousand gringos living there. Considering it is a city of 300,000 -400,000, they can easily be ignored or sought depending on one's proclivities.

January Trip Report I had all the good intentions of doing this trip report immediately, but life got in the way. Anyway, here goes. We had 14 days in Oaxaca and wanted to see as much of the state while spending enough time relaxing that we felt we'd had a vacation when we got back to Canada. Our plan was, from Hualtco to Puerto Angel, then up the coast stopping somewhere else along the way and on to Puerto Escondido and over to Oaxaca City flying home from there. The beautiful wall of heat awaited us as we got off the plane at the tiny airport in Hualtco. Our travel plans, at that point, included a flight from Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca City. We thought it would be a great idea to make reservations for this leg of our trip while we were at the airport. Typical of a Mexican holiday, we found out that Aero Mexicana had cancelled all its flights to Oaxaca from PE for the month of January. 30 minutes into the trip and our plans were out the window. Thanks to the info on this site, we walked to the highway and waited for the bus to Pochutla (10p each). Lots of cabs offered to take us, for all different prices, but we really wanted to take the bus, for the experience as much as anything. Got to try my muy poquito Espanol on a young girl standing in the shade, to make sure we were waiting in the right place. Loved the ride to Pochutla, watching all the locals getting on and off going about their business. Grabbed a cab collectivo down to Puerto Angel (20p each) and got dropped off in the middle of town. We didn't have a reservation and it was hot walking around with our backpacks looking for a place. I had a list of possibilities from this site and we ended up staying at the El Almendra thinking we could move if we didn't like it. After looking, the next day, decided to stay put. The quiet charm, price and location of Almendra had grown on us and we wanted to get on with our trip, not spend time looking at hotel possibilities. Restaurants we enjoyed: Betos, Rincon del Mar, Chaupline's for breakfast to watch the fishermen sell their catch of the morning, Gundi y Tomas, also for breakfast and that terrific view. Day trips to Estacahuite, La Ventanilla, Mazunte and Pochutla rounded out our stay in PA. We didn't spend much time on Playa Panteon, but preferred watching the locals on Principal. There was a midway in town so there was lots of activity on the pier at night with families and little ones going round and round on those rides. Often, the service in restaurants was indifferent but never rude. The servers were greatly amused by our efforts to speak Spanish. We didn't encounter the aggressive behaviour of some of the reports from other travelers, but as we were there at the beginning of January, maybe they were resting for the next big onslaught of tourists. We spent 4 days in Puerto Angel, 4 days in heavenly Mazunte, 3 days in Puerto Escondido and 4 days in Oaxaca City. We traveled collectivo between PA and Mazunte and by local bus between Mazunte and PE. We took the van from PE to Oaxaca. If we were to do this trip again, we would definitely do the city first and the beach after. It was a pretty big shock to go from the relaxed rhythm of the beach to the hustle and bustle of the city! All in all...can't wait to go back! If anyone has any questions, I'll be happy to try to answer...Adios

Hi, I'm mauro, sardinia, Italy I'm planning to travel to puerto angel the next november. The place sounds good... me and my family are looking for a trip quiet enough, far to the big stream of tourists (acapulco, cancun etc.).. My problem is if is safe travel to puerto angel with a child one year old... could U give me your opinion? again, whats the best way to arrive to puerto angel or oxaca from mexico city (airport where i should arrive from italy)? any other your impression abiut puerto angel (hotels, restaurants) is welcome. thanks. ciao mauro

did you get a chanes to go to Huatulco. What did you thing about it if you went. I'm planing to go in june. Which had better beaches and which are they.

I traveled to Oaxaca, and the Oaxacan coast, in 11/02 with 2 daughters and 2 granddaughters (ages 11 years and 11 months). Kids were great travelers. The baby loved the food (very partial to tamales, shark, and chicken with mole). We did 2 overnight bus trips and the girls slept through it all, including the army inspectors. It's an easy age for travel, although she was still crawling, not walking, and it would have been easier, and cleaner, to have her upright. We found we quickly adjusted our standards for cleanliness, and that the ocean cleaned her up quickly.

It's between $35 and $ 50 per night if you want your own space. gg

Hey, Mauro, did you know that there are enclaves of Italian ex-pats in Puerto Angel and in Mazunte? Visit Villa Florencia and talk to the folks there. I've seen some inCREDible beachfront villas in the area...

Javier, Huatulco is a resort. Puerto Angel, San Augustinillo, and Mazunte are fishing villages. If you need a lot of touristy infrastructure, then Huatulco is for you. If you like to strike out and do adventures, I'd suggest San Augustinillo as an ideal home base. The beaches are unbelievable in all the areas mentioned.

Javier, We didn't spend any time in Hualtco as we were looking for a place which wasn't a resort or too touristy so I can't comment on the beaches there. I understand they are wonderful. The beaches all up the coast are great and have a different feel from each other. We enjoyed looking at them all and choosing the ones which felt the best for us. We really enjoyed Mazunte and San Augustinillo.

Mauro, Regarding getting to Huatulco from Mexico City...we flew into the Huatulco airport and took the local bus to Pochutla and a taxi to Puerto Angel. You can take a taxi straight from the airport to PA if you prefer. Since you are travelling with a small child, that might be a better way to go. I can't comment too much on the safety of travelling with a little one, however the Mexican people love children and there were lots of babies and toddlers playing in the waves of all the beaches we visited. Pick a safe beach and use common sense regarding food, sunscreen and mosquitos and I think you'll be fine. Kids are amazing when it comes to travelling. If the parents are having a good time, the kids seem to love it too.

Mauro, I just returned from the Puerto Angel area and I too flew into Mexico City and rented a car. I did my first night in Acapulco (4 hours on the toll road) and then to Puerto Angel (8 hours on hwy 200.) We drove back via Oaxaca. My advice would be to fly to Huatulco and rent a car there. The drive from Mexico City is nice and interesting, but very long. As for infants, I saw some tourists with infants and toddlers. They seemed to be enjoying themselves. That said, I can't imagine traveling like this with an infant or toddler. Perhaps I am stodgy but the PA area is rather remote and all involved would enjoy it more when the children are a bit older. I picked up the travelers bug my last day, but what would happen if your infant got sick? My son is now 9 and I think of an age to enjoy such a trip. If you go, we stayed at Alta Mira in Mazunte which is very nice. Look them up on the web. The beach here was fairly calm and would be suitable for children. November I hear is a nice time to go. It may still be green!

We are 7(grandparents, parents, 3 children) trying to find a rental in Puerto Angel over the Christmas 2003 holidays. Does anyone know where to find information on available rentals? Our objective would be either a house or large condo with a pool. Thanks in advance, Judy (drsjes@digisys.net)

Condo with a pool??? I think you want to be in Huatulco, not Puerto Angel!! Zoe

Zoe's right on the mark with that one. There MAY be a copuple of places that would come close to your specs up by the lighthouse, but availability around Christmas would REALLY be doubtfull. I think Puerto Angel may be a WHOL:E lot more primative than you imagine. Pools? Not many, that's for sure - not even at the hotels. But from Residential Conejos in Huatulco - where you WILL find what you're looking for if you do it now - it's not an overly long drive to Puerto Angel and environs...

House with a pool???? In Puerto Angel???? For rent???? at Christmas 2003???? I cannot tolerate Huatulco, being a Puerto Angel type of person, so I won't recommend it - completely gringofied - outrageously expensive and mercenary beyond belief, but if these things don't bother you, you might try it. If you do, start now. Many places in Puerto Angel are already booked for Christmas and Huatulco is even more popular. My advice, lower expectations and take two or three rooms at, say, Buena Vista. Nice place, inexpensive and suprisingly lujo.

Just got back from Zihautanjo, north of Puerto Angel . Zihau has changed since I was last there four years ago. Noticed that the people were getting chubbier, the dogs were well-fed, very few beggars, no garbage strewn about and a new huge hotel is being built next to the Sotovento Hotel. The governor flew into Ixtapa in his helicopter with escorts to assure people that more hotels will be built there. The Zihau community is so happy, friendly and exciting. I had forgotten how nice they are. Had a great time fishing for Blue Fin Tuna, sailing, snorkeling, hammock relaxing, running the streets, eating, admiring the foliage and swimming in the sea. Stayed at the Sotovento on the beach which from our room on the first floor had 72 steps down to the beach and 111 steps up to the lobby. Walk these a few times a day and you're bound to lose weight! Met several interesting travelers. One retired couple had flown into Acapulco last October, rented a car and had driven down to Puerto Escondito and Puerto Angel. After staying there for a few weeks, they headed back to Acapulco. Said the city was jammed with partying Spring breakers and had to buy ear plugs to sleep at night because the disco next to them was going strong even at 4 am. They watched the bungee jumpers and cliff divers. They left Zihau to head north up the coast but the wife was anxious to get rid of their car. She said her hubby had learned to drive like a macho maniac. Another couple had driven down from Colorado along the entire Mexican Pacific coast and were heading down to Guatemala. Wish I had that much time off! I can't speak Spanish and yet I visited with a Mexican family one evening who couldn't speak English....for over 2 hours. Remarkable on how people can communicate. Had a serious conversation about wages, visas, war, and God. The people in Zihau seemed very frightened about the war. I was out tuna fishing early in the morning when Chico tells me "siente noche Iraq kaboom" and shows with his hands that the whole country is gone. "What, we're going to blow up the whole country!" I asked him. Si, he tells me. Wanted to buy a USA Today but refused to pay $5 for it. Many people were asking us about it because we were Americans but we knew less than they did. .

Just got back from P,A . area and happened to check out Buena Vista. It has a large pool and deck area on the top level. Many large family type rooms and dinning room on site, and not to bad a walk to beaches (if you don't mind lots of stairs). But no not delay your booking. I think they have an ad somewhere on this site. Take note of earlier postings, P.A.. is real Mexico. You either love it or leave it. Good luck

to una mano solo , hate to say this but i think maybe oaxaca, in general, is not the kind of place you would find to your liking. i say this based on your reaction to normal occurances in that area, maybe someplace less rustic would be more to your liking. you first reaction restautanteurs' beckoning is to "throw up your hands in an aggressive manner", you blew up when someone got your order wrong and barking dogs keep you up at night. well, welcome to oaxaca. :) i've travelled all over mexico and i can't think of a friendlier more hospitable place than the PA/San Agustinillo/Muzunte area. yes, there are patrols, but there are armed officials ALL OVER MEXICO. not to flame you maybe you should think about spending your time in mexico in cancun or cozumel where your sunglasses, nice shirts, sunglasses and ballcaps will blend in with the throng of americans. -c

To add to what the last poster said: never ever go to Huatulco if aggressive greeter bother you. They bothered me tremendously and I am used to them from Puerto Angel. I would also add that I have been going there for ten years and I have found lots of lounge chairs, adirondack chairs or whatever you call them right on the beach in front of the restaurants. Admittedly, the water is not all it could be, what with all the pangas and such. In the offseason, before it gets too hot, it is quite nice. My favorite beach is San Agostinillo, there are restaurants and at least a few places to stay. We don't stay there because it is hard to find anything to eat after the beach places close down.

I hate to say this, but you're a dough head....... I found Oaxaca to be very nice all in all. I never encountered such a bunch as was in Puerto Angel though, if that's the norm' for that area it's time for a change or a walk behind the shed. [quote]christian chapman you first reaction restautanteurs' beckoning is to "throw up your hands in an aggressive manner", you blew up when someone got your order wrong and barking dogs keep you up at night. well, welcome to oaxaca. :) [/quote] it wasn't an aggressive manner, you make it sound as if my fists were clenched.... not that at all, it was more like a "you lead the way"........ but yes, i know i was out of line a wee bit for walking out. I went and apologized for that the very next day, after a good nights sleep....... I was totally stressed out...... i'm not trying to make excuses for my reaction that day, but things were going wrong, right from the get go.... and with the lack of sleep, the hotel move, and some sort of flue that i'd caught, and blah blah blah..... we all have those days buckwheat. This one dick, mr wonderful, the drunken button pusher of playa panteon.... anyway, if it wasn't for him there would not have been an issue..... I liked Puerto Angel just fine, cheap digs and a hop skip to some real nice perches. The town and the beaches in town did not have what I was looking for and that was clear from the start. I just never saw it real good untill it was in my face.... nope, if that is what you call rustic give me Zipolit instead. Better yet, Puerto Escondido..... . Dogs don't bother me all that much, there are times, but this one dog in Crucecita where i was staying, it had been going strong and the last couple of nights it woke me during the early hours..... It was one of those small, high pitched yappy kinds of barking dogs, the ones that just won't stop barking once they start..... [quote]christian chapman not to flame you maybe you should think about spending your time in mexico in cancun or cozumel where your sunglasses, nice shirts, sunglasses and ballcaps will blend in with the throng of americans.[/quote] pffft.... guess what i have in my hand and i'll give you a lick....... [%sig%]

touche! gg

So what do the really cool "travellers" wear if shorts,shirts,ball caps and sunglasses don't cut the mustard?

Hi Howlin, We are planning our honeymoon (a journey of 6 month) to Mexico and further south to visit the whole region. After landing in Mexico city we want to spend a couple of nice days at the beach before learning Spanish in Oaxaca. And maybe Puerto Angel is the ideal place for the real romantic and relaxing honeymoon (we are not lokking for luxury, we prefer authenticity). So, the place where you were staying seems very nice! Could you introduce it to me? Because of the 'importance' of this particular holiday I really would like to see pictures, so if you have those.... Thanks a lot for yur information and we will follow up on your other tips as well. Thank you, greetings, Aukje

We are family of four, 2 kids ages 9 and 6 and looking for a house/apartment to rent in Oaxaca for 3-4 weeks beginning July 18. any suggestions appreciated. many thanks, rick young

Hi, Thanks for the great trip report. I'm also looking forward to a nice two week reprieve from the rainy Northwest. Could you please let me know the name of your friend's guest house in P.A.? Thanks! S.G.

Hello, I would greatly appreciate word of Norton, a long time resident of Puerto Angel. Well known for his diving expertise, love of motorcycles and his art. My wife and I had a nice visit with him last year as we shared a dear mutual friend. Unfortunately, this friend has passed away and we hope to reconnect with Norton.Best wishes to all currently on the Oaxaca coast and to those whose lives have been happily touched by it and long to return. Alan

I get your email,thaks alot,i feel so sorry about my partner Teresa. I am try to undertand teresa life with respec it was to hart to me to lose her,i try to continue my life always on the memory of that great woman. At the moment iI have alot of comunication to Evely and Madelein Carton,i hope to see you again on your next trip. Saludos besos. Norton P.S. Do you still remenber how to coke the ceviche?

Hi Norton, So glad to hear from you and know you are well. We were so saddened and shocked to learn about Teresa last week. I can't write much now as my work is calling but will write too you longer soon. Please know that you are not alone in greiving for the loss of your dear friend. It hit Paule especially hard. Love, Alan

Hello, My name is Matthew and I live in Austin, Texas. I've spent a lot of time around the city of Oaxaca and decided that this summer I'd like to finally make my way to the coast. The truth is that I'm going there to catch up on some reading and to write songs that I can record when I return to the States in August. For that reason, the vicinity of Puerto Angel sounded best to me. It sounds relatively small and quiet. In one sense I am looking for a little isolation but on the other hand I look forward to talking to the folks that live there. I guess that it would be more accurate to say that I'm looking to get away from all things American for a couple of months. My spanish is pretty good and I'd like it to keep getting better. I'm looking for a house that I can rent for the summer. I'd prefer a house to a hotel because I like to play the guitar and sing as I work out new songs and I don't want to think that I might be disturbing anyone. Also, even if I knew people were close by, it would inhibit me somewhat. What are my chances of finding a house that I can rent for June and July on the beach in Zipolite, Mazunte, or Puerto Angel? Are there other beaches anyone knows of that might suit me? Here in Austin, my only sources of information are travel books and websites like these. Any information you'd like to share with me about accomodations or the beach communities would be much appreciated. Please describe your memories in all their glory so that I might get a good idea of what you are saying. Thank you for your time, attention, and interest in helping me have a productive summer. Matthew

Hey, Matt, did you know that the host of this website is in Leander? I, too, live in Austin. There are a lot of Oaxaca-knowledgeable folks in the area. You'll find the area pretty darned deserted during June and the vacationers in July tend to be folks from other parts of Mexico. Accomodations will be plentiful and you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone complaining about a little music. Prices will be cheapest in Zipolite - for the room if not the food - but there are superior accomodations in Mazunte and San Augustinillo. Get to Puerto Angel and get a room at one of the hotels, then have a friendly local help you find the house you're looking for. Email me direct and I'll suggest a couple of names.

Yes.We have nice houses with pool in puerto Angel. it is not a desert!!!!! I have a five bedroom. five bathroom, 2 jacuzzi, swimming pool in Puerto Angel If you are interested. i will send you more details by email. Francoise.

There are not too many writers on the Puerto Angel page lately and I just wanted to drop in a few lines here. I imagine PA to be beautifully lush,laid back and peaceful this time of year and I wish I were there. I suppose Chepe is out fishing and diving all by himself without tourists hiring his services and I hope Patricia at Penelopes B&B is doing Ok. I would love to spend the summer in tropically lush PA and wile away the days painting with Eva. One of these years I need to head down to Mexico in the summer. I really miss this place. Hey John Williams, what's the deal that you are not working and still in Texas? You are the very best writer ever, you know. And, you are the nicest, most helpful contributer on these pages, you know. And, you scuba dive! Let me think about it for awhile, you are multitalented and shouldn't be out of work.

Did you leave out experience in the Premium Custoimer Care department of American Airlines Vacations (yes, I do SABRE) and years and years of experience in state and local taxation authority? (IRS and OESC). I'm even a certified travel agent. So what I need is a diveshop/travel agency doing taxes for ex-pats and getting refunds for Mexicans who worked in the US and maybe even a payroll or two for a maquiladora...

Oh, yeah, and I cook, too. And if anyone needs a 51 year old 6'3" 250 pound giggolo with an unfortunate resemblance to Jack Elam, I'm available for that, too.

Ah, just think of May in Puerto Angel. You may not feel any rain, but you can watch the afternoon thunderheads dissapate as they drop their loads over the mountains to the north...a lot of quincińos during May, babies conceived during the rainiest period sixteen years before. Wonderful parties, those 15th birthdays for the young women...Some greenery showing up, especially at altitude...a WONDERFUL time to grab a bus up to San Jose del Pacifico - isn't the mushroom festival about now? And no other tourists to speak of; you've got the whole area to yourself...humidity's not bad yet...water showing some movement but usually a lot of days with great clarity...if you hurry, you can still get that last-of-the-season deal on airfare through Vista...<sigh>

Hi JoAnn and John I too am thinking about PA these days. It is always good to share that with my two favourite Mexican posters. You mentioned Patricia. I am going to send a letter off to Patricia one of these days. She wasn't doing the best when we left there in February. She had a bad fall and hurt her knee in November. The injury was still with her in February so, she visited a doctor while we were there. She was ordered to get off her feet right away by the doctor - didn't like what he saw in the fluids. We had to help her out the last couple of days of our stay. She was shutting down the Casa for a few weeks after we left. I am sure this is a tough summer for those folks. Several business' had closed. The Super Puerto had moved and downsized. I am now with unemployed ranks - not a bad thing I might add. After answering the bell for 30 years, I am looking forward to a break and a career change. So I am also thinking that this would be a good opportunity to spend some extra time in Mexico this winter and go to a Spanish language school for a 3 or 4 weeks and then head to the coast to meet up with my wife. The city of Oaxaca seems to have some good schools and will set you up with a family to stay with. The other options is an apartment. Lots of time to plan that. So, John some questions for you. Is Oaxaca the best choice? Are there options on the coast? Would 4 weeks of Spanish (120 hours) make me reasonably fluent? I can get buy in present tense only at this point. JoAnn, have you any comments?

Empty, there are lots of options. There's a language school in Huatulco, but from what I know of you based on your posts, this isn't the option I'd recommend. First, go get a copy of Manį Unplugged. Fher wrote all but three of the songs and provides translations in the liner notes of those he wrote. The non-translation of the cover tunes is a matter of reapect for the authors. This will get you used to Mexican dialect - well, Chilango anyway - and idioms. Pick up some other Spanish language music - El Trķ, Colombia's Carlos Vives, maybe even some Tejano stuff like Flaco Jimenez and Los Superseven - but try for things with the lyrics printed in the liner notes and translate them with your handy dandy dictionary. THEN, get yourself down to the coast and talk to Pati at Luncheria Tķo Chilo in Puerto Angel. Ask her to suggest a local school teacher who might consider boarding you. Pity Alex and Gabi broke up; they would have been perfect. I suspect that the economic situations will be such that a local teacher would really be delighted to get such a situation going. And immersion is what you will need to polish the skills you get as un esclavo de rocinrol. Good luck on your next career.

John Thanks for the tips. As always, good information - especially the bands. What is the name of the school in Huatulco - as a fall back option? The PA solution would be great especially considering in a small way I would be helping the local economy. Have you heard of someone going this route before? I am planning to do this in January (dead of winter) so obviously I have time to sort this out. Of course, if I get a job in the mean time, all those plans come to a grinding halt.

Try this: <http://tomzap.com/vigil.html> That'll get you the language school in Huatulco. As for the more local route, you will not be the first.

hi, I saw your e-mail and thought you might want to give me some tips for my trip to puerto angel. I'll be there next week with my boyfriend. probably staying at Gundi and Tomas guesthouse. I guess I'm curious about good snorkeling areas, restaurants and side trips. Would be grateful for any info. Thanks so much! kim

Shorts, tee-shirts, sandals are fine for hotter climates. I would say a lot of it has to do with your attitude when abroad. Educate yourself before you leave your country, learn a few words. "Please and Thank you" seem to do wonders. Remembering you are a guest in your host country is also key. Every country does things a little different. Getting back to clothes, logos like USA, etc..will make you stand out as a rich tourist. Poor people just trying to make ends meet will approach you first, before they go for the hippie backpacker. With all that in mind......It's a big, beautiful world out there. Enjoy!

Well, quite true to a point, Ann. But when visiting the really interesting places away from the coast, it also helps to respect the local mores. Away from the tourist areas, very, very few indigenous women wear shorts. In fact, not many wear pants. If you're wanting to go to remote areas away from the tourists, carry along a sun dress or two - or maybe a long wrap-around skirt. When you're on the beach, you don't need this stuff. It's for those who want to do some serious back-country exploration. Cleavage is no big deal, though. Just legs, for some reason. Going out at night is a different story, though. The girls at a Mexican disco tend to dress a lot sexier than is typical even in the US. Visit one and see. And if you find yourself in a situation where you are not comfortable with what you are wearing, buy something appropriate at the market.

Snorkel at Ixtacahuite <also specced Ecstacahuite>, just north of town. Also, swim and snorkel at San Augustinillo, just beyond Zipolite. If you decide to rent a panga and captain, have him take you to Playa La Tijera - probably the best snorkeling anywhere near by. Take a taxi one day to San Augustine and snorkel off La India. Good food at the palapas at all these places except La Tijera, which has no commercial palapas. Eat at Beto's, for sure. He's on top of the hill near the cut-off to Playa Panteon. And go to Zipolite to eat at La Choza at least once. Do it near sunset. Then go to the disco nearby afterwards. Grab a cheap lunch at Comedor Tķo Chilo and ask Eva or Pati for recommendations; also look at Eva's artwork on display there. Maca's, by the pier, usually has a great special. The lucharia in the market is another good spot for lunch. Tonameca makes a great side trip. La Ventanilla is a good place to see caimans and some gorgeous deserted beach. Instituto Nacional de Tortugas (the turtle museum) in Mazunte is pretty much a must-see. If you make it up past Chacalapa to Candelaria, you're in coffee country and the fincas are tropical wildlife preserves. Shade grown coffee. Canopies left intact. And then there's San Jose del Pacifico, at over 8000 feet in altitude, during mushroom season...

hello ann colvin.... what do you mean by this,,, > I would say a lot of it has to do with your attitude when abroad... a lot of what?? what is this "it" you speak of being a guest is no reason to put up with abuse from hosts who happen to stereotype you as a "stupid rich tourist who can't speak the language"... nor is it a reason to put up with crap from drunken tourists who pick puerto angel as their private kingdom..... or the groupies that hang off their wallet...... don't assume things you have no clue about. Some of these local folks who live and work in isolated communities like puerto angel have a problem dealing with visitors....... I'm not going on vacation to step on toes or walk on eggshells. I dress how I dress, and I'll eat what I order.....As long as folks are aware that when travelling to puerto angel what the attitudes of the locals are, they will be able to deal with the issues... The host, imo should take the time to make sure that 'the guest is looked after not the other way around. A thoughtful happy host makes for happy guests.... it also shows appreciation, which is lacking in puerto angel. imo

First of all, hippie, what's up with all the anger? Don't hate! Chill out for a second, here and listen. You have succeeded in making an ass of yourself with your response. You obviously have a hard time expressing yourself, because I can make very little sense of what you wrote. But it doesn't end there. Your comprehension is also questionable, as I don't think you understood ann's point at all. In other words, or should I say, in simple terms, STUPID RESPONSE TO SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. If I took anything from your nonsense, it is that you, genius, believe it is the host's duty, and not the visitor's responsibility to remove their shoes at the front door. Well this is consistent with your problems with comprehension and expression. You learned as little at home about manners as you did about reading and writing at school. Please do us a favour and go back to school or join the army. You need some discipline in your life, boy! And you need to stay away from this little corner of the world. Your behaviour might encourage others.....

[b]hello stan[/b] stan wrote: >If I took anything from your nonsense, it is that you, genius, believe it is the host's duty, and not the visitor's responsibility to remove their shoes at the front door< [b]yep..... how many times have you had to remind your nice guests to slip off their street shoes for some nice warm fuzzy slippers.... like I said, folks who are in the hospitality industry in a host country should take the time to cater to the needs of their guests and not the other way around..... they charge a fee for their services, be it in a restaurant or a hotel or a taxi driver...... polite considerate service is all. And that means spending a little time making sure all is well.... just for the overwhelmed uninformed guests.[/b] stan wrote: >You have succeeded in making an ass of yourself with your response. You obviously have a hard time expressing yourself, because I can make very little sense of what you wrote.< [b]I think you're a big fat liar stan, obviously your post wasn't to correct my grammer or spelling[/b] stan wrote: >But it doesn't end there. Your comprehension is also questionable, as I don't think you understood ann's point at all. In other words, or should I say, in simple terms, STUPID RESPONSE TO SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.< [b]oh, I understood her post just fine.... I think I understand yours too :)[/b] stan wrote: >Well this is consistent with your problems with comprehension and expression. You learned as little at home about manners as you did about reading and writing at school. Please do us a favour and go back to school or join the army. You need some discipline in your life, boy!< [b]says who, stan the man.... lol[/b] stan wrote: >And you need to stay away from this little corner of the world. Your behaviour might encourage others.....< [b]good.... I wish someone would have informed me about puerto angel, your jaded little corner of the world..... A hangout for a bunch of drunks and the groupies who cater to them.... please stay there so you don't infect the area with your cynical attitude.[/b] stan wrote: >First of all, hippie, what's up with all the anger? Don't hate! Chill out for a second, here and listen.< [b]i think you have me confused with the person you see in the mirror every morning stan[/b] [i][b]peace brother.....[/b][/i] [%sig%]

I am looking for airfares for sometime this summer from June 12 through August 18 for a family of 6 coming from the U.S. and two adults coming in from Guadalajara. I am also interested in a pool as I have kids and how far is the beach. Is there is restaurant near the house, does the house have a refrigerator, stove pots and pans??? Thank you

Check Vista World Travel from the Main Menu for your airfares.

Peace.

Chuckle.

Help WE are planning our third trip to to Mexico, this time to oaxaca and the coast.I was passing through oaxaca from Guatemala and chiapas 27 years ago and now returning to oaxaca city for 6 days. Our plan was to spend 2 days in PE ,PT Angel and Huatulco. After reading we realize we should narrow it down to 2 places,they all sound amazing but too little time to get the real feel of the places. We enjoy beach walking ,snorkelling,exploring and my husband does scuba diving. Any advice on which place to cancel or is 2 days enough for a beginning look about?I'm sure I'll be returning in the winter .from what i have read , it certainly sounds like a great place to explore later on. Also we would like to bring some little things for the church to distribute such as tylenol candies,pencils .Is this needed or not ? Is 6 days too long in Oaxaca? we will probably go to a few markets out of town and also Monte Alban. Any advice greatly appreciated Angie and Greg

Hola everyone, I stayed with Prudencio around 6 years ago, for periods of 5 months and 3 months, right in the center of Mazunte beach, to the left when you enter the beach from the center road. Has anyone been here recently? How is Prudencio? Has anyone seen a character by the name of Lalo around Mazunte? Eduardo Durantes? Minimo? Does anyone have any more information on this... http://www.tomzap.com/mazuntinas.html Verbal explanation of where it approximately is in Mazunte, etc. How have the hurricanes, growth, etc, effected Mazunte in the past 5 years? Is it still paradise? Felipe loco de tejas

Gosh, I should have checked these posts earlier. Have been too busy working. Why is it that librarians never lose their jobs or get transferred to libraries in Mexico? I sure liked that little library on the beach in Caye Caulker, in Belize, if the last hurricane didn't take it out. MT, sounds like you have a good plan if your wife agrees to it. I have no information on where it's best to study Spanish but just living there sure helps. Do you have an address for Patrica? That poor gal. She did have some tricky steps at her place, especially at night. I have this desire to fly down there and help Patricia out during the day and paint with Eva in the evening. I've always wanted to live on a sailboat. Have my 2 tomato plants growing on deck instead of the big garden I have to weed. John, why don't you look for some educational sponsorship or grants and take small group workshops to all the neat places you know about. Check out bridgesweb.com. My daughter spent a bundle for a photo workshop in Peru and is going to another in Snowmass, Co in a few weeks. If you really like people, you can use your travel agent skills to get them there, eat at the best places, have them paint, or photograph, or dig around some ruins, or bird watch, or study plants, or dive ....while you sip on your drinks. In other words, you can travel where you want and do what you want...all for free!

JoAnn, do you ever get a chance to read the Barra de Navidad threads? There's a naval retiree in La Barra known as Beer Bob. Bob has a book exchange - bring one, take one, by him a beer if he's off the wagon, a soft drink if on, no other charge. For years, the walls of his home have been lined with bookshelves as well as all the free-standing shelves that would fit. I understand the book exchange is currently moving, but you get the idea. Wouldn't that be a lovely way to live in Puerto Angel?

Hey John, Funny you would mention Beer Bob! I'm wondering if he isn't the same Bob that my friend Jim partied with several years ago. Jim (now deceased) and his wife were staying near Lake Chapala and drove over to Barra de Navidad for few weeks. I remember his wife telling me that Jim and Bob were having a great time at a little place on the beach . (I saw a photo of it..a two story place with a balconey). Jim "staggered" into the water to play in some huge waves .His wife just barely got him out of the water. I was thinking of going to Barra de Navidad a few years ago but someone told me the gnats are really bad there and slime fills the beach at certain times of the year. Is that true? Thinking it over I believe the' gnat' village I'm talking about is just up the coast from Puerto Vallarta. (Cool, I'm starting to sound like Frank) If I ever go there I will be sure to look for Beer Bob, he sounds like an interesting fellow. If I was retired and could live in PA, I think I would tend to do very little.

JoAnn, I know that you go back to work to rest up from your vacations. Retirement will be much the same.

You are right, John. Am going to Colorado in August for a reunion with hubby's Vietnam vet buddies. Thought I could just mess around the Anazasi ruins, pan for gold, stuff like that...but ..no!...am going to ride horseback and whitewater raft! Thought I could retire from whitewater. I don't usually post from work but I'm just ignoring my patrons since most are on the Internet. On the new, flat screen, fast TI line Gates computers that Bill donated to Libraries. Tell me..why are all the music cds I bought in Mexico blank? Do they burn them differently? Do I need a cd player made in Mexico?

YOu need to put them in a player that reads MP3 files. Try your computer or your dvd player.

Thanks for the info John. I don't have a dvd player, but I tried them on a couple computers and they didn't work. On Monday I will check out the library computers, I think they have MP3 files. I really want to hear the music. The Flores family opened a small restaurant in a little town west of where I live and they make the most authentic Mexican food that I have ever had in Wisconsin. Regardless of what you order on the menu, everyone gets the same special of the day, but it is so GOOD. Just like Mexico. I made garlic tuna steaks for supper tonight trying to duplicate Beto's. It's amazing how much weight you can lose just by eating fish and salads. Are you working yet? And, where is MT Pockets?

Don't forget to use plenty of cilantro. And the leftover yellowfin steak can be converted into a Beto-style chicken salad and stuffed into avocado halves. If you can't get the cd's to work, Colombia house does carry most of the Manį catalogue and also El Tri's Numero Unos retrospective. And no, I'm still gainfully unemployed. MTP will have to speak for himself.

Hi Angie, I am not an expert on the area but I wanted to give you some input since no one has seemed to answer your questions yet. My husband and I spent ten days home based just in Puerto Angel and never got bored. I find that when I am traveling in a cool climate, each day I'm in a different town. But the heat tends to slow me down so when I'm in Mexico I'm happy to stay in one place and run the streets early in the morn, get to know the local people , vegetate on the beach during siesta hours and........ run the streets again after it cools in the evening. PA has all the things you like to do and many places in the surrounding area for exploring. PA, however, does not have discos and is very quiet in the evening, except for one evening (I think it is Friday night) when they set-up a fantatstic sound system on the pier . It is a very relaxing little village with a beautiful calm bay you can swim across. Did you go to Tikal in Guatemala? I wanted to go there a few years back when I was in Belize but changed my mind because there was so much trouble on the border. I still want to get there someday. I especially wanted to go after this young fellow from Kansas who had just come from there told me that after he visited the ruins during the day, he and his friends decided to sneak back in after dark with their booze to spend the night watching the stars on the top of a pyramid. They got to the top and had a few drinks. The cats (jaguars) started howling near them and he said they really freaked out and got moving fast.

Hi folks I haven't checked in here for a while. Too busy being unemployed. JoAnn I am going to give Patricia a call shortly to see how she is getting along. I am sure she is fine now. I am considering going to take up that Spanish emersion a little sooner now. My wife if fully supportive of my move. I am looking into potential business opportunities relating to Mexico, more specifically Oaxaca. One of them relates to the way I have travelled the area. So many people would like to travel in Mexico (away from resorts) but, they don't know how, are afraid to, and don't have the time to arrange it due to busy careers. Sound like a business opportunity and some fun. What a concept, working and having fun. John, did you say you were in the travel business? I am in the early stages of developing this thing but, I have talked to business people who see potential. Not big bucks but, a living.

Angie Two days on the coast is a rush even if you only 'do' two places. You could cut down your Oaxaca time but it depends on what you want to do. The villages aroound the city are worth visiting but 4 days could give you enough time. Are you flying to the coast? If not the drive or bus trip is a long but beautiful trip, you won't be anxious to get back on a bus after 48 hours, particularly if you're jumping around between coastal communities. I'd pick one and hang around. You could go to PA or PE and day trip to the other easily. Huatulco is a bit fatrther but still esy to do in a day trip. One of the issues in Huatulco is the separation between the bays that requires a bit more logistical effort and cost than the beaches around PE or PA which are accesible via boat, local bus/combis or cheap taxi. I've only been through Crucecita and have no experience with Huatulco. Uninformed and unfair as it may seem we've concluded sight unseen that its not for us. Any place with AIs falls off our list. Snorkeling and diving is better here. P. Angel is laid back and provides good accomodations and beaches, however the snorkeling isn't spectacular. neighbouring communiites, Zipolite, Mazunte, Angustinillo and Ventanuilla give you lote of close options for long beach walks, the turtle musem am and lagoon at ventanilla. We liked there but find the communities too small for our tastes. Purerto Escondido gives you more in my view, but it is a busier and larger place. We like the fact that PE is a town first and beach community second. Three is no shortage of variety of things to do, drink and eat. From the pictures it would appear that the bays of Huatulco amay be more spectacular than PE, but carrizallilo and Puerto Angelito rate pretty high for me. Zicatela and Bacohco give long beach walks if you want. JoAnn: In your post you spoke of the guy from Kansas getting spooked by a jaguar. It may well have been a big cat but more likely a monkey. The howlers have nocturnal screams that sound for all the world like a large cat. we've heard them several times in Chiapas, particularly around Palenque as there are patches of jungle in town with lots of wildlife. The first time we heard it we were in a swimming pool and nearly shat ourselves as we convinced we about to be pounced on. Local people starightened us out and we later did see monkey.

Empty, I'm at sharkbait69@yahoo.com and will pass you my phone number from there. Perhaps we are both providentially unemployed.

With a name like that and juvenile pipe dreams, your pockets will remain, without a doubt, empty. Dream on, brother. It'll cost you less $. Spare yourself the disappointment.

No independence in the hall way. Teacher don't you spank the ball. Ernest hemingway

Aw, I forgot the cilantro, John. Cilantro is amazing, I love it. I never had it until I asked a lady in Mexico what the plant was that was growing on her doorstop. It's what makes all the fresh salsa so good. I put it on ceviche but didn't know Beto's puts in on the atun. Surprisingly, it grows great in Wisconsin. I have a row in the garden just peeking through. When I'm really hard up for cilantro in the winter I can dig under the snow and its THERE.....still green. John and MTPockets, my daughters would say "carpe diem" about your ideas. Go for it! I always say "lets do something even if it's wrong". I've never had to regret my motto thus far. It's a good mindset. Anyway, even if it is wrong who is going to know the difference one hundred years from now ?

JBSK, you are probably right that it was howlers. I've only heard them on television, but they would sound like a cat. I was really surprised that local people in Belize are so afraid of snakes and 'cats'. A taxis driver was taking me to a small ruin in Belize and just freaked about a huge snake in the road. He never ventured into the jungle because he said there were too many snakes and 'cats' and you'd never live to get out. He kept talking about the 'cats' that prowled around the ruins at night and ate the watch dogs. I never could find out if the 'cats' were jaguars, panthers, cougars, lynx ,leopards, etc. He was terrified of them and described them as being evil and the size of ponies.

Thanks for advice. We will probably cut down our time in the city and maybe even fly down which would give us 2 more days. I'm sure once we hit the first beach town and the heat, we will come to a halt in plans. W e are on city time now and cool weather makes a difference. We are flying out of Huatulco so must end up there. Heard that scuba was good there but can see how transportation could be a problem. Joann Tikal was an amazing place because you are surrounded by jungle and nothing around you except animals which I would not want to see in the dark despite the temptation of the stars on top of the pyramid,will have to use my imagination for that. We went to tikal by an arduous bus ride through Belize that seemed never ending and it was not too pleasant on what was actually a school bus ,all part of the adventure, but we saw alot of villages along the way .Needless to say we flew out.

To John and Mpt pockets you two should get a business going. There are a lot of people wanting to travel the unusual route but need YOU to help them ,as long as you offer good rates of course! I have been checking out some travelsites and find them too structured. MTP my tentative plans are also to brush up on my spanish either in Merida or Oaxaca ,the latter we are visiting in 2 weeks! and then i can compare and decide but i think John Williams idea is great to do it locally. We will be in puerto about July7 and i might look into enquiring. Will let you know if i do angie

Joann We were in Barra de Navidad in 98 summer and there were absolutely no gnats only a lot of hungry dogs who hung around us , we named them all. It is a great place . We watched the soccer world cup under a beach palapa ,it was Brazil vs holland, we were secretly supporting holland .Brazil won and we all celebrated. Beer bob was closed at the time. We stayed at the Delfin and at 2AM the karoake was still going strong. We only had the fan so we had the windows open. Unfortunately on the last day we were a bit careless and went for a swim down the beach away from palapas and my husband had his sunglasses stolen,the funny part was that they were presription and so no one else could use them .Am sure though that they found a face somewhere angie

Thank you Angie, Have always been interested in going to Barra de Navidad and wondered if it was nice. Sounds like you're going to have a great summer in Mexico. So much to see in the world, isn't there?

Angie, you did exactly what we were planning to do but changed our minds since there was so much trouble along the border. We stayed on Ambergris and Caye Caulker instead and I loved it..... although I will never stop kicking myself for not getting to Tikal.

Angie, Last January, my husband and I did the trip you are planning only in reverse. If we were to do it again, we would fly out of Hualtco instead of Oaxaca City, as you're planning to do. In my opinion, if you only have two weeks, spending 10 days in Oaxaca is too long. You can certainly fill the time...there is lots to see and do, especially if you take the bus out into the countryside, but you really would be shortchanging yourselves by not spending more time in the beach communities. We spent 4 days in Pt. Angel, 4 in Mazunte and 3 in PE before travelling to Oaxaca. It was a great way to see all the communities, spend some down time and explore the area a little. We enjoyed all the towns but our favourite was Mazunte. There isn't much there but beach, friendly people and a few restaurants. Perfect for what we were looking for. But as JB SK says, PA and PE have more going on. Regarding Belize...If you ever get the chance to go back, JoAnn, be sure to visit Tikal. We spent 3 weeks in Belize a few years ago. Took a 10 day kayaking trip out on the keys and in the jungle, had a week diving off Ambergris/Calker, spent 4 days in the jungle around San Ignascio (sp?) and went to Tikal with a guide from our lodge. It was an amazing trip. We spent the night just outside the gates of Tikal and the howlers put on quite an auditory show all night. Really amazing. I know what you mean about the border though. We were very happy we had a Spanish speaking guide to get us into Guatemala. They give very young boys very big guns there and it was pretty threatening. We were very happy to cross the border back into friendly Belize.

has anyone heard any info on the ufo that was sighted landing just east of puerto angel last week. also if anyone has photos let me know.

Hi, I hope I am doing this right. I have lived in Mexico, 10 years ago, and when I trveled, it was quite different than what I plan now. I am leaving the u.s. with my twin sons, (9) in our car, on or before July 4th. From new orleans, then to matamoros and down the gulf to puerto/zipolite. Can you please tell me what you think is the safest way, calming, etc for a mom and her two kids.? Thanks a million. rebbi

I have some photos. I'll beam them to you telepathically.

Take toll roads when possible; cut accross the isthmus at Catemalco to Salina Cruz; drive nly in the daylight hours. If you cross early in the day, you should reach Tuxpan easily for the first night in Mexico; Explore some of the Gulf Coast ruins between Tuxpan and Vera Cruz on day two; If you don't stop to look at too many waterfalls (signs saying "Salto this" or Salto that" refer to waterfalls) you may make it to Matķas Romero on the isthmus by night two; then it's an easy push through Tehuantepec and Salina Cruz; through Huatulco; and on to Pochutla and Puerto Angel... [%sig%] Post Edited (06-19-03 10:02)

Karen, your trips sound great. I have to get back to Belize since I know we missed seeing a lot inland. It's Belize city that immediately knocks the wind out of you.

If you really want a calm trip, I don't recommend driving at all. Too much to see that can distract you, and besides that, car issues, if you are unfortunate to have them, can stress you out big time. Then combine parking and security issues every time you leave your car unattended for the night. That's even more to concern yourself with... In my opinion, the bus is the safest calmest way to go, and I would not hesitate to use them again and again.. . Plenty of leg room, plenty of buses and bus stations. They include onboard entertainment for your 9yr olds. Reclining seats, snacks, all of it....... very nice. I found the bus to be a very relaxing, stress free way to travel between different destinations throughout Mexico.... My advise, leave the driving to someone else. Take the bus. happy trails...

I know what you mean about Belize City, JoAnne. We were lucky to go there at the end of our trip, after we were a bit aclimatized to Belizian life. We were very careful, only went during the day and stuck to the main parts. We didn't have any trouble. This year we're heading to South America. My husband has been lucky enough to be invited down there on business so I'm tagging along. We will miss Mexico though...

Hi there people My girlfriend Swallow and I are currently planning our OE and are heading to live and work our way around Europe. Since we plan to leave in early September we will miss out on summer here in NZ and will be heading into the European Autumn. With this in mind, we both wanted to travel someplace exciting, warm and relaxing for 3-4 weeks on the way - Mexico's Pacific Coast sounds fantastic. We are both in our mid twenties and are travelling on a budget. Having done a bit of research, our tentative plan at this stage is to fly into Mexico City and travel from there to Oaxaca by bus. We plan to spend 3-4 days here to get our bearings and do a bit of exploring aswell. From Oaxaca we will bus to the coast. Peurto Angel looks like a likely destination to start with. Not really sure but maybe 3-4 days here to look around, check out other beaches like Zipolite, chill out and catch some sun. From PA we intend to travel up the coast (west) for our remaining time, ending up in Aculpoco where we will bus back up to Mexico City to depart for London. From what I have read places like San Augustinillo and Puerto Escondido sound cool. If anyone has travelled along this route, any friendly advice would be much appreciated about anything. From food to accomodation to activities to the best beaches and beers! We definitely want to have a relaxing holiday, but not to the point of being a pair of lazy bums. Currently on our list of things to do are snorkelling, swimming, fishing and generally just eating and drinking well, whilst meeting up with other like minded individuals for some good times - not "let's put our car keys in a bowl" good times, but more like exploration of the coast and bays and beaches. If anyone knows of any good spots to snorkel, that would be excellent. All advice, tales and information about the coast would be greatly appreciated by us both. Cheers Simon [%sig%]

Well, you're looking at the rainy season, but that just means that everything will be green and you'll have to pick out palapas with good thatch. If you're planning to go primative, palapas, hammocks, and so forth, plan on mosquito nets just to play it safe. The coast is gorgeous with no end of great places to snorkel, from Salina Cruz to Pinotepa Nacional. From just west of Pinotepa to Acapulco, access to the coast is rather limited, so that should limit your beaching range somewhat. Don't get trapped into planning things out in really great detail, though. Mexico has a way of disrupting your plans. Just go with the flow and research a bit more deeply into this site as most of the beaches are discussed to one degree or another in the posts. Have a great trip!

puerto angel es un lugar hermoso donde puedes bucear y disfrutar de sus playas si vienes visita "villa florencia" una lugar que te esncantara

Hey Simon. I have been staying near San Augustinillo for years and can answer most questions about the area. I also have a simple but comfortable house there in a sweet spot that I rent out when I'm not there (I arrive in December). I strongly recommend that you pick a single spot (like San Augustinillo or Mazunte) and just stay there, relax, play. If you prefer more action or surfing, Pto Escondido (Zicatela) is an active surfer party scene. Forget Puerto Angel and avoid Acapulco like the plague. I discourage a lot of bouncing around - it is really a waste of time and money. Go somewhere and be present, take time to feel it. Email me direct if I you want to know more... Steve

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gee frank, now you are answering your own posts, none of which make any sense, if it's some secret code maybe there's another site you could send it to, where others will understand! Regards

Chiapas it“s Ok. You won“t be in remote areas unless you decide to get into the jungle by yourself (you can get lost just 3 meters away from the path) wich could be the most stupid thing you can do. Just be carefull. About Guatemala don“t go to Guatemala City fon anything. Go to Atitlan

Hello all, I'll be coming down to the coast to work for 5 weeks (I'm a writer). I'll leave in a few days if I can arrange some way to connect my computer to download emails every other day--either at a cybercafe paying for the time as if I was using their PC but configuring my iBook with their existing host, or by buying a service. But I can't find any services: AOL.MX doesn't support Macs, Prodigy requires a Telmex number, compuserve is gone. Anyone know of a service that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Or does anyone out there own a cybercafe and is willing to make a deal with me? In Mazunte or San Agustinillo? Thanks, jane hallisey jane@calamitypictures.com

I bet one of the two main cybercafes in Zipolite would cooperate. Try the one right behind Bar La Choza in the Roca Blanca area.

I am from Portland, Oregon. My daughter, Stacy, has lived in and around Zipolite for the past 7 years and we go there at least twice a year now. We met Ana and Jeff the last time we were there, and I have been trying to locate their e-mail address as she was interested in buying some dresses that I import. Do you have their e-mail address? We're leaving LAX October 2, returning October 23, then leaving Dec. 24 and returning Jan. 19, will you be there during that time? Stacy is now living in Huatulco where she teaches at the university. I'm going there to do a seminar on teaching English reading, Darrell is going there to buy a scooter and a boat so that he can fish his heart out. Although I talk to Stacy at least once or twice a week, I'm deeply missing Mexico. Your trip sounded wonderful, love to exchange the beauty, etc. with people. Sue Gill

Sue, some of the best boat buys on the coast are at the boatyard in Salina Cruz; prices tend to be a little better than the boatyard at Puerto Escondido. I presume Darrell wants a new panga, right? Despite the incredible skill shown by so many of the panga operators in keeping their motors running, I strongly suggest a new outboard rather than running the risk on a thoroughly used one. For the sake of the environment, I hope the budget will stretch far enough to make it a four stroke rather than a two; you can then buy 2-stroke for a "kicker" in one of those "just in case" scenarios. Enjoy.

Sue, You can reach Jeff and Ana at tierrapin@hotmail.com.

Hi ...My wife and I are going to PA in January ..we are planning two weeks in Puerto Escondido and two weeks in PA........what do you have for pictures and do you feel like sharing any........it would really help.Also where you stayed is that for rent? thanks ... Mark Phillips

I would like to buy a small piece of land on or near an undeveloped /secluded beach where I can build my dream house between Puerto Escondito and Huatulco. I dont need all the facilities of the world. As long as there is electricty, I can survive. I would like to be in a very private area and away from all those planned communities.....i have a mexican connection so buying there in a mexican persons name is not a problem.....approximately 1 acre of land on a cliff or small hill from where I can walk down to the beach would be fantastic.....any information on this would be greatly appreciated..... i can be reached at guptamail@yahoo.com Thanks a million..........raj

Hey there- I have maybe 2 weeks to chill somewhere and I'm thinking of Oaxaca, one of the beach towns like PA or Zip. Never been down there but I traveled through india so i'm low maintenance. i may even bus down there (from los angeles). I'm looking for a laid back place with a decent amount of people (not a ghost town but not time square on new years eve). i like local culture (i speak spanish) and food, good conversation and easy going places to eat and chat. A nice beach is good too, but i am not a surfer. a few ? Whats the weather? What i've read sounds like rain varies from nothing, to afternoon showers, to 3 day deluges. is this true? and is it humid? And people? I can't sort out if its completely dead (like it'd be me and 5 other tourists) or just low key. Last, which town is best to go? PA, PE, Zip, etc. Or is it maybe better on the other coast? I heard of a place called isla mujeres... muchos gracias, ari

Hi there: I don't have time to answer all your questions, and people other than me are better qualified but in answer to your question of "is it humid on the Oaxacan coast in August, the answer is BEYOND BELIEF HUMID!! I was there two summers ago in August/September. I now live somewhere where it has been between 100 and 117 degrees for several days (finally letting up we think) and I think that area, though much cooler temperature wise was more uncomfortable with the humidity. Two feet, take a shower, two more feet, go swimming, two feet do laundry...you get the picture. Nonetheless if you can tolerate that and "go with the flow" it's a place worth seeing. I enjoyed Mazunte where I stayed very much, though I'd go another time of year next time. Zoe

Hello, I too am from Austin. I am in Cuernavaca right now, but my girlfriend and I are going to go to the coast in a week. Does anyone know the best way to get to Puerto Angel from Cuernavaca? Besides flying in to Huatulco. Any help would be greatly apreciated.

Cuernavaca to Oaxaca City to Pochutla, all by first class bus. Then grab a collectivo on into PA.

I am taking my family to Oaxaca and Puerto Angel in December 2003. My sister and her family are meeting us and we want to rent a house for Xmas. Can anyone suggest suitable houses in either place or nearby? Thanks.

Hi I have a very nice house in Puerto Angel to rent. It is located on a hill next to the lighthouse. Large garden, swimming pool, jacuzzi and more. Great service too.If you are interested, i can mail you some pictures. May be soon, Francoise

Are you Francoise who used to have the telephone caseta in Pochutla and later the Pollo Asado palapa in the Roca Blanca section of Zipolite?

Hi! Looking for a house or appartment in Puerto Angel from August 17 or 18 for 3-5 days for 2 adults and 1 child. Do you have availability? Thanks. Herve

I am interested in your friend's guesthouse. Would you please forward my address? Thank you. Sandra Prentice 432 Baker Street London, Ontario N6C lX7 CANADA

try huatulco,,its more civilized and has a/c for august and its a bit upscale from hippyville.

I plan to move to Mexico and am looking for a six month rental beginning in October of this year. Does anyone know of any properties available that have the following characteristics? We are looking for a property that generally fits the following description: 2 bedrooms or more beachfront or view of beach/lake with a pool stand alone single house, not condo or apartment full service kitchen (e.g. refrigerator, stove, etc. . . ) good condition house Air condition preferred we prefer to be in a location that is a little more isolated - not in the center of town Our price range is $600-$1000 depending on the property. Any leads would be appreciated. Cheers! - Amber

HOLA, SOY UNA CHAVA DEL DISTRITO FEDERAL QUE PERDIO A UN AMIGO MUY QUERIDO EN LA COSTA CHICA DE GUERRERO, CERCA DEL LIMITE CON OAXACA DAISUKE SE ENCONTRABA NADANDO EN PLAYA DE LAS TORTUGAS DEL MUNICIPIO DE MARQUELIA GUERRERO, EL 16 DE JULIO DE 2003 A LAS 6 DE LA TARDE, CUANDO DE PRONTO LA CORRIENTE LE IMPIDIO REGRESAR A LA PLAYA Y LO ARRASTRO HACIA MAR ABIERTO. SUS FAMILIARES Y AMIGOS TENEMOS FE EN QUE HAYA OCURRIDO UN MILAGRO Y HAYA LLEGADO A ALGUN LUGAR DE LA COSTA DE OAXACA. POR ELLO SUPLICO A TODOS QUIENES LLEGAN A VISITAR ESTA PAGINA QUE POR FAVOR VISITEN EL LINK http://www.tomzap.com/amezcua.html POR SI ALGUIEN LLEGA A VERLO O SABEN DE ALGUIEN QUE SE ENCUENTRE EN CALIDAD DE DESCONOCIDO Y QUE CORRESPONDA A LA DESCRIPCION DE DAISUKE. DE ANTEMANO MUCHAS GRACIAS.

Hi, we are travelling to Mexico and PA from Australia in April 2004, is it necessary to book accommodation in PA or can we just arrive? I would appreciate your friends guest house contact details or perhaps something similar you may know of. regards Andrew

Hi. This is a really great site y'all have. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice or suggestions about the Oaxaca area, particularly the city and coastal areas. I'm planning on going to Mexico in early October. I have a friend that lives in Mexico City and I am planning to stay with him for a week or two. He suggested the Oaxaca area as a good place for me to settle for an extended period (4-6 months). I am thinking of spending a week or two in Mexico City, then perhaps a couple of weeks in Oaxaca City to get acclimated to the area and maybe take some language classes (my Spanish is probably survival level now). I would then like to settle in a decent sized town or village, ideally rent a small house or apartment on a short-term basis. I'm looking for a pretty relaxed place, not completely out of the way, but not party central, either. My goals are pretty simple: I've been in New York City the last three years. I'm looking to get out for a while and go to a place that's beautiful and relaxed, relatively inexpensive (I have pretty simple tastes), where I can spend the majority of my time writing, reading, and hanging out on the beach. I've been reading up on the area a bit and I get a good vibe from Puerto Angel, is it a good match? Any advice on logistics and how I can make this happen would be much appreciated. Thanks so much. Joe [%sig%]

When you get to the coast, take a room for a couple of nights in Puerto Angel - I like Los Almendres, by Villa Florencia for this acclimation phase. Then take some day trips out to San Augustinillo and Mazunte and pick out the palapa of your dreams. You'll be close enough to take public transportaion into PA or even Pochutla, when you need banking or other services - yet you will be in a tiny village where you can get to know everyone and every place.

I would be interested in knowing if you have availability for the first week in November, 2003. Thank-you

John, Thanks a lot for the advice. Just a couple of questions: are Los Almendres and Villa Florencia neighborhoods in PA or specific establishments? Also, San Augustinillo and Mazunte, they're villages outside of PA? What do you think I can expect in terms of price range? Thanks. Joe

Villa Florencia is a landmark hotel and restaurant in the middle of Puerto Angel on the main street. It's a pillar of the Italian expatriate community, which is fairly extensive in the Puerto Angel area. Los Alamendres is a small restaurant/guest house by Villa Florencia with just a few rooms to rent in a lovely setting. I would expect room prices under $25usd nightly, but haven't been there in a long while so can't say for sure. The highway that parellels the Pacific in Mexico is known as Carretera 200 - I'll use "Hwy" for simplicity. The road from Oaxaca City to Puerto Angel is Hwy 175. They meet south of Pochutla and north of Puerto Angel at a place known as El Cruce locally. An aside, that. From Puerto Angel, 175 curves and parrellels both the coast and Hwy 200 until it rejoins 200 at San Antonio. As you leave Puerto Angel on that "loop", you pass by the beautiful main campus of Universidad del Mar and then wind your way into Zipolite, a euro-hippie hangout since the '60's. Beyond Zipolite is the rustic little village of San Augustinillo, which has the beach previously described as "bifurcated by an igneous intrusion." Beyond San Augustinillo is the village of Mazunte, home to the Instituto Nacional de los Tortugas", the Mexican turtle museum, a definite must-see. It, like San Augustinillo, is a lovely community in its own right - again, with some Italian flavor in some parts. Beyond Mazunte is another tiny community at La Ventanilla. This is a very, very long stretch of beach fringes in places by mangrove swamp. The mangroves are home to some Caimans and the villagrs offer lagoon tours to see the caimans (Caimans are members of the crocodile family, but I wouldn't worry too much about them developing an apetit for tourists!) From La Ventanilla, it's a short hop back to Hwy 200 at San Antonio. If you do the trip on a Sunday, the Restaurant San Antonio has a great langostino special on Sundays - freshwater prawns. If they're out, on your way back to Pochutla you'll see the turnoff to Rio Tonameca, where good eats are abundant at the weekly fiesta by the river. The coastal loop probably wouldn't take much over an hour if it wasn't for the topes. Everything is accessable from everything else by public transportation and/or very cheap taxis. Expect $15usd or so per night in San Augustinillo and Mazunte for lodging. Zipolite rooms can be had for $10usd per night - but there are some definite drawbacks, especially for those unacustomed to the area.

Francoise- Hi- Is your house available Nov. 3-7? What are your rates? Thank you, Jan

Oaxaca is a clean town with many Posadas, bed/breakfast. I recommend the ones that are relatively central to the Zocalo. Although probably not the cheapest, but good value for the 20usd a night. The one I stayed in included breakfast, juice cereal/fruit and coffee. There is some amazing architecture within easy walking distance, and the ruins in the area are worth the time to take in..... If you're a coffee drinker you'll like the coffee in Oaxaca.... very busy city. Coastal areas from there. I would recommend Puerto Escondido, it's only about an hour or so north of Puerto Angel. Skip PA altogether there really isn't anything there. Unless your intent is to hide..... If you enjoy strolling around checking out markets ect, and sampling the different foods as you stroll around, you won't find that type of atmosphere anywhere in PA. You will need to travel by cab everywhere, as there is no other way to get around to the different beaches or to any real markets. Sure there are stores and all, but the prices are inflated... due no doubt to the proximately from Pochutla, which is the main commerce town for the area. There are two beaches right in town within easy walking distance. They are small and usually filled with fishing boats coming and going all day. They are either pulled up onto shore, or moored out conjesting the small bay and beach. With all the coming and goings on those beaches I doubt very much you will find the solitude you are looking for, without spending money on cabs to take you to the quieter beaches. The fares can add up quickly negating any savings you get from the hotels there, and I doubt very much you will find any places for under 25usd. The Hotels in Puerto Escondido are way cheaper and there are many to choose from.... much more of a variety of restuarants, nite life ect.... and it's an easy stroll to the beach from anywhere you happen to be staying. The beaches are comparible to ones like Mazunte or Zipolite...... I don't want to sound negative on PA but it is really only a small fishing village not more than 1/4 mile from one end of town to the other. If you don't mind the sound of roosters at first light and the dust from cars zipping up and down the only road through town. Not to mention the stairs you climb accessing the hotels built up on the hillsides.... sorry but, I've been to PA looking for the same thing you are seeking. I found it just down the road in Puerto Escondido. happy trails

Hi Joe, If you“re a scuba diver you would definitely enjoy Huatulco better. [%sig%]

dear norton, today we visited the homepage of azul profundo for the first time. and there we found this way to write you a few sentences? how are things going on in puerto angel? is the new boat fully booked out every day, or do you think they need two nice girls to catch german tourists? at the moment we are in mexico city and will go home on monday. the first thing we will do at home is to cook your pescado a las 2 casuelas! we are nearly sure that we will come again next year, maybe then you can teach us how to prepare ceviche? hope to hear from you and many greetings to all our friends in puerto angel! dani and elke ps. could you send us the e-mail adress of emiliano, if possible? thank you [%sig%]

hola chicos, æcomo estan? ætodo bien en puerto angel? estamos en mexico d.f. desde ayer y el lunes nos vamos a alemania/austria! Aqui el tiempo hace mal, porque hace muy frio y llueve mucho. preferimos de estar en la playa con ustedes y hacer una tour de snorkeling. æTienen que trabajar mucho? æHay muchas turistas? æo tienen mucho tiempo libre? en austria vamos a hacer un curso de salsa. esperamos que podemos practicar con ustedes el ańo proximo en la puesta!? muchos besos de mexico d.f. Dani y Elke

Excuse me, Howard? Did you miss Extaccahuite all together? The snorkeling is certainly better there than in PE and with less folks as well. And the proximity to San Agustinillo and Mazunte are part of what makes PA such a convenient base for adventures. If youi want everything in one place, then sure, PE or Huatulco make a great deal of sense. But for exploring the variety of the Mexican Pacific, I'd have to pick someplace else as a base of operations.

hey John.... you have to agree that the only way to get to those beaches, or to any of the real markets for groceries and such, is either in your own car, or by taking a cab to and fro. Your transportation budget gets eaten up pretty darn quick if you rely on taxis to get take you around..... The fare to that beach you mentioned is what, 2 or 3 usd per person, and another 2 or 3 usd to get you back. The cab to Pochutla is about the same unless the cab driver wants to charge you more, and they do try to charge more.... you can easily spend upwards of 10usd each and every day for transportation.... easily If you venture to the further beaches afield like mazunte, you will pay 5 or upwards of 10usd one way..... Walking is really not an option because of the distances to those beaches, the narrow roads are steep and without a shoulder to walk on. It makes for some hairy moments when there is traffic, and at times those roads can get quite busy...... not to mention how exhausting it is walking in that heat. My point being, that you will spend your money each and every day on transportation to get you out of PA. That is, if you want to explore the nicer beaches in the area. But like I stated you don't have to go far in PA if you don't want to, there are 2 beaches in the village. But they are far from the ambience you may be seeking... If you plan on making PA your base, be prepared to spend a good part of your vacation budget on cabs to find that ambience. There is no way around it. I found that in PE I didn't need to concern myself with a transportation budget, because I could walk anywhere quite easily. Whether it was strolling up to town, to the market, or to a nice beach to lounge around for the day. There are food carts on nearly every corner, serving tamales, carnitas, tacos, chicken, pozole and more... all those classical and economical mexican dishes that you're famliliar with. They can't be found in PA.... in Pochutla or PE but not PA..... In PE, the budget hotels up in the town are around 15usd. There are lots in that price range to choose from. I found a decent one for 10usd. The ones nearer the beach, you can find a decent one for around 20 usd, and there are lots in that price range also. [%sig%]

What? Not found in PA? Did you miss Caseta Oriental across from the pier? Or Tķo Chilo's? Or the other little casetas down by the walk-around? Ecstaccahuite is walkable. There are camionetas and micros for the distant beaches, though the manner and type change from time to time. Not to mention Collectivos. I just find the little beach places much more satisfying. Besides, I'm a diver, not a surfer, and PE is a little less accomodating for my sport.

Ok, then lets put it this way. They can't be found in any numbers, and then aren't open when you want to eat. Sure PA has it's good atributes, but this person asking about PA seems to think it's bigger than it actually is. The variety just isn't there when it comes to the food carts, restaurants, markets or transportation. I also doubt very much you will find as cheap accomodations as you can in PE. Besides that, this person is under the false impression that PA is a decent SIZE town. It's not, it's a small isolated fishing village. >>quote I would then like to settle in a decent sized town or village, ideally rent a small house or apartment on a short-term basis. I'm looking for a pretty relaxed place, not completely out of the way, but not party central, either. end quote<< After coming from Oaxaca city, I would suggest finding cheap digs in Puerto Escondido and then take the local bus up to Pochutla to get a feel of the area. From there you can get to Puerto Angel or to Huatulco. Huatulco is a destination tourist town, nice, clean, but loaded with tourists. Sure, you can say Puerto Escondido is a tourist town too, but it's not as touristy as Huatulco, and not as isolated as is Puerto Angel. The tourist areas of Puerto Escondido tend to be concentrated in couple places only. One place is the surf beach, zicatela, and the strip that runs parallel to it. The other touristy area is the Adoquin, with all the colorful crafts, and vendors. Stop at the info booth there at the Adoquin and talk to a lady that runs it. Gina is her name, and she will be happy to point you in the right direction. happy trails

How we all wish here that Huatulco would be "loaded with tourists". In general I find there are more tourists around in Pto. Escondido and to me Huatulco is the more tranquil place, except for the weeks around Easter and Christmas. The two Puertos are more laid back though.................... [%sig%]

I'll go along with Roberto on the tranquility issue though PE and PA do have an edge on accomodation prices. I'll go along with Howard that PE IS much larger and has a corresponding larger number of facilities. But I think that if someone looking for real tranquility actually explores Mazunte and San Augustinillo, THOSE will be the choice places. And again: I Scuba and snorkel. Puerto Escondido is a marginal destination for either.

Huatulco is tranquil enough I guess, but again, the same transportation quirks surface. As is the case in Puerto Angel, you will be using cabs to ferry you and your gear back and forth to the beaches. If you plan on going to the beach every day you will need to use cabs, and the fares can add up to some serious coin. These are the trade offs in Huatulco and in Puerto Angel, the distance to that elusive tranquillity. I'm not saying you won't find it if you choose to stay in Huatulco or in Puerto Angel, quite the contrary, but you will need to factor in some sort of transportation budget to get you there. I'm not saying that you can't get around to the areas more tranquil beaches and all. Just be prepared to pay to get you back and forth. True enough, the distance to some of the beaches are walkable, I'm not saying they're not, but it is a very strenuous endeavor in the heat. My advise to Joe is.... if you choose to stay in PA or Huatulco budget for taxis..... or bring your own wheels. I would factor in at least 10usd per day for taxis, and that may be quite a conservative guesstimate.... Joe didn't mention scuba or snorkling John, so your point is moot. The reason I recommend Puerto Escondido to Joe is because of the diversity that the town has to offer. You have all the atributes of a decent size city like Oaxaca, only not as congested. Still a bustling town with all the things that make up your typical midsize mexican town on the Pacifc Coast. If you so happen to choose a more budget style accomodation in Puerto Escondido, you can stay in town. It's close enough to the beaches to make the stroll quite enjoyable and not really a challange. The town is not touristy at all. In fact it's totally the opposite, completely seperate from the more touristy areas. You can lose yourself in the mexican culture as you stroll the streets. Huatulco on the other hand has a very visible tourist presence which impacts the town. It doesn't really have that feel to it that you get from a typical Mexican town. in Puerto Escondido you really don't need to concern yourself with the hassles of driving your own car, or using the many taxis, unless of course you choose to. At least you have that option staying in Puerto Escondido.... and it's not like you can't get to mazunte, zipolite or anywhere else for that matter. The inexpensive, and very user friendly local bus system is readily available. I just think that you get the best of both worlds staying in Puerto Escondido for any extended period of time. I know for a fact you not find the diversity in Huatulco or Puerto Angel that you have at your fingertips in Puerto Escondido......... Joe asked if Puerto Angel would be a good match.... I think with the info he gave, that it really isn't a good match for him. Huatulco? if he's on a budget, In my opinion it wouldn't be a good match either. [%sig%]

I don“t know where you want to go every day for $100 Pesos worth of taxi rides in Huatulco. If you stay in the village (La Crucecita), you have everything close by and even to the beach it“s only a 15 minute walk or a $16 Pesos taxi ride. [%sig%]

you would be surprised how fast you can eat up 100 pesos venturing out to the more tranquil spots. I don't know when the last time you walked to that beach near Crucecita, it's not that tranquil, and I can assure you it takes far longer than the 15 minutes you seem think is accurate, and the cab fare to that beach was closer to 20 pesos each way. If you handed the driver 16 pesos you would have issues i'm sure...... True enough Crucecita does have all the amenaties that Puerto Escondido has. Only thing that I found to be lacking in Crucecita, is that you can't see the Ocean. Whereas in Puerto Escondido you have that Ocean view from almost any part of town. Lots of distractions on your walk to the seashore too, making the stroll much more enjoyable. Taking a taxi is really only a luxury in Puerto Escondido. I walked to the beach every morning from town, stopping part way to do some banking and emailing. Then stopping for breakfast and to pick up a few snacks for later. [%sig%]

Howard, Don“t get me wrong: I have nothing against Pto. Escondido. I love to go there for a weekend whenever possible. I“m merely reacting to things you say about Huatulco I don“t agree with. For example: I live in La Crucecita and have my dive center on the beach of Santa Cruz. I walk that distance regularly and I do it in less then 15 minutes, I was being conservative and I“m no athlete! A taxi ride used to be $13 Pesos one way, it“s recently gone up tp $16 Pesos. These are set rates that the taxis have on display. No taxi driver would charge you $20. I do agree that the beach of Santa Cruz isn“t very tranquil, but you can go to Tejon Beach for example or Arrocito, which are very quiet and close by (same taxi fare and not a much longer walk). [%sig%]

Well, if you are a little out of shape, and you start your trek at the Zocalo there in Crucecita, there is no way you can do it leisurely, in 15 minutes, to the beach at Santa Cruz..... but you know, it really isn't all that far I guess, even if it takes 3/4 of an hour. What is it 2km or so, probably do more good then not....it was kind of a boring walk though, I don't remember many stores if any, between town and the beach. I believe you that the taxi fares are what you say, but i'm sure if you gave the driver a 20 peso note, he would act all confused when you asked for change.... lol. In Puerto Escondido you don't need a taxi to make the trip to the beach.. and once at the beach, you can walk all along the way, from one end of Zicatel, to the other, where the sea wall at playa principal starts.. one heck of a walk, and a very enjoyable one.

I agree with you there Howard, Zicatela is a wonderful beach. We go there every now and then for a weekend, normally staying at Bungalows Zicatela. Nice place, nice people and right on the beach. You“re right, there are no shops or anything between La Crucecita and Santa Cruz. Nice and green though, now in the rainy season........................ [%sig%]

Hi John Long time no chat amigo..... I am into my second week here in Oaxaca (the city) and struggling with the Spanish school. Becari is a great school though. I was fortunate to be able to be here during the Independence day(s) weekend bash. They know how to throw a party in Oaxaca. Any requests while i am here? adios

Yeah, MT, try to enjoy yourself so much that I can feel it all the way back here, OK? Thanks for thinking about all us folks who can't be there right now; and tell us all about the wonderful restaurants and attractions you've been enjoying in Oaxaca City.

I will try to work hard at having a good time alright. As you know it is the rainy season here so, it is a challenge to get around. You need to look south down the valley before you leave to see what is coming our way. We had a dandy storm last night, of course I was halfway to the zocalo. I had to make a hasty trip back to the house by cab. Yes, the restaurant food is great but I am living with a family about four blocks north of Santo Domingo so, I have my meals with them. Boy, what a challenge that is as they do not speak English. Fun though. I would like to go to PA for a couple of days. My plans are pretty fluid but, I am beginning to realize that I may need to stay in escuela for another week. Well really, 6 months would about right. The bottom line is that additional school will cut into my post school travel plans. Well, i better sign off, the sky is getting dark out there.... adios

Estimado Norton : Por casualidad he encontrado correos enviados a tu atención for turistas y amigos tuyos. y en verdad en este momento estoy temblorosa y con cierta triste emoción... Soy Lucķa Camino, hermana menor de Teresa. Te conocķ alguna vez en Tepoztlįn hace muchos ańos y me agradarķa establecer contacto contigo. Teresa y yo a pesar de provenir de un nścleo familiar algo peculiar estuvimos muy cerca y muy lejos por perķodos en nuestra vida. Ella siempre fue especial para mi, mi hermana mįs cercana y de quien siempre recibķ mucho amor, apoyo y consejo. Para todos nosotros aceptar su partida es dificil y para mi en lo personal inexplicable debido a la gran valentķa que la caracterizó siempre para enfrentar la adversidad. Me gustarķa algśn dķa si tengo oportunidad, verte y platicar. Felipe no se comunica mucho, regresó de Barcelona para continuar la universidad y no tiene teléfono. No me agrada mucho que digamos pasar por el intermediario de Eduardo sin embargo a veces llamo para dejarle mensajes a Felipe para que se comunique conmigo. Ojalį por lo menos puedas enviarme un mensaje... saludos Lucķa Camino lcamino@femexfut.org.mx

I know this might not be the place to ask this, but I was wondering if anyone has been to Chiapas recently. What were your experiences, how would you rate it compared to the Puerto Angel/Mazunte area? We're planning our trip for next year and were thinking of going further south. Thoughts, experiences, ideas, anyone?

Karen I've been to Chiapas twice in the last couple of years, once coming down from Campeche and last year we went up from Puerto Escondido. On both trips our primary destination was Palenque so we haven't travelled off the beaten path too much We have limited our stays to several days in San Cristobal and Chiapa de Corzo. Like every area in Mexico, Chiapas is a lot different than Oaxaca, but retains a similar character because of the large number of indigineous people retaining a more or less traditional lifestyle. (which for most people results in deep poverty) As in Oaxaca the infrastructure is concentrated in the cities and larger towns. The countryside is all Maya land and the villages are not set up to accept tourists like you see in the valleys around Oaxaca. I can't tell you much about the Chiapas coast except that the little I've seen is not developed and steamy hot. Last year we tried to swing by Puerto Arista on the coast but found the bus connections through Tonala would have taken too much time away from our trip to the highlands. The Chiapas highlands are beautiful and rugged. if you've taken the bus from Oaxaca to Pochutla you can get some idea of the terrain largely temperate high pine forest but as you approach the coastal plain where Palenque sits the mountains are covered with dense tropical rainforest. This road is a slow windy affair with lots of opportunity to gawk as the bus probably averages less than 60 km/hr. In Palenque, besides the ruins, there are several tour companies to the nearby falls - don't miss it even if its raining as that just adds to the beauty. For good value try the Hotel Avenida across from the ADO station. There is a lovely courtyard with a pool, you'll need it in Palenque. Take an early morning trip to the Sumidero canyon tour from the embarcadero in Chiapa de Corzo, not along the highway to Tuxtla. Its a longer tour and even if you don't stay in Chiapa the little cafes and bars along the embarcadero are a pleasant way to cool off. Cabs are cheap from Tuxtla and there urbano buses clearly marked that will drop you at the main square in Chiapa. We all like San Cristobal a lot and will be going back. It has a wonderful feel to the place and a great climate. Although it sometimes feels overrun with young european and north american tourists there is none of the polished McColonial feel that one sometimes gets wandering around Oaxaca. The best hotel value we found is the Hotel Moctezuma a few blocks from the zocala. A great colonial place for 240 pesos. For a trip to the Tzotzil villages of Chamula and Zinancatan use Zapata Tours on the main drag up from the bus terminal (Av. Insurgentes I believe). One of the reasons is that you can get a great breakfast in the restaurant below including great fresh ground coffe while you wait to leave. You should go to Chamula, if you're lucky enough to get there on a festival day the strange religious customs and rituals will astound you.

I live part time at Las Hamacas, and though there are some spots for $35-50 in the on season, there are often cheaper things availible, depending on your needs. longer rent arrangements get better, too

$35-50 to rent a HAMMOCK?? Zoe

Thanks for the great information JBSK! It will be really helpful if we do decide to get down to Chiapas next year. When we were in Puerto Angel/Mazunte/Puerto Escondido this year, we kept running into European travellers who loved San Cristobal. It sounds like a must see... When you went to Chiapas from Puerto Escondido, did you go by bus? How long was your trip? We will have 2 1/2 to 3 weeks. Thanks again, Karen

Karen Our Chiapas road trip was 12 days. We travelled by bus from PE to Chiapa de Corzo, then to Palenque and stopped in San Cristobal on the way back. We took an overnight bus from San Cristobal to Puerto Escondido - about 12 hours if memory serves me. The bus rides are long but the scenery is worth it. The overnight ride on a first class bus is fine, I'm getting better able to sleep and there are enough stops to stretch your legs or use the washroom.

Zoe: It“s $35-50 pesos, not US $$

It's 35 - 55 USD to rent a little dwelling. gg

Whew...thanks for the reality, Raul! I guess I've watched tourism raise prices in Mexico for so many years (since I lived there in 1972) that nothing shocks me! But I do think it means I've been in the LA-LA land we call the U.S. for too long and need to take a trip! Zoe

Does any one know of a Spanish language or Immersion courses that are offered in Puerto Angel.....I would like to visit a nice beach and learn spanish at the same time....any advice would be much appreciated...I will be visiting in December...raj

I am thinking about spending a few weeks learning spanish as well....do you know of anything in Puerto Angel...raj

Get ahold of Paulina at Casa El Faro (casaelfaro78@hotmail,com) I'm sure she can help you out. Paulina and Pedro have a place up toward the light house and are good people.

hey i did the trip by bus 2 years ago in 3 days,wanted to show a few friends palenque and aqua azul.spent one night in palenque and the other 2 on the bus.so it can be done quick,a little rough but worth it.unfortunately it is now very built up,even some no swimming signs in agua azul,but when the water is blue it is fantastic.great swimming and diving of off falls,check out the movie predator 1,it was filmed there.palenque is cool,great campground with a few rooms 2 km from the falls mayabell. going to puerto esc. in feb and thinking of renting a car for a week and hitting chiapas again. go for it ,it is quite an adventure

I'm curious to know if you found anything out about estudiando espanol in PA? Thanks for sharing.

We're taking our first trip to Puerto Angel in late December. I guess I'm kind of a nut about flyfishing. I've heard about the handline fishing that's done with a guide and a panga out of Puerto Angel and the sport fishing down in Puerto Escondido and Huatulco. But I'm wondering if anyone reading this forum has tried the fly fishing with a "guide" and his panga out of Puerto Angel. I'll be bringing my fly fishing stuff and a load of flies, so I think I'll be outfitted OK. Any words of advice? Thanks Patrout

there is also a bautifull cabana for rent at rancho de las hamacas, ask for Juventino and Britt a Belgian girl.

I can't answer your question as I've never been to this part of Mexico. I am planning a trip tp the Puerto Angel area next spring and am interested in any fishng info anybody may have. I'm not that interested in hiring a boat or giude though. I prefer to learn an area and "hunt" my own fish. I'm a catch and release fly fisherman but would certainly keep something that someone else would want to eat.

Thanks for the reply, Tom. I don't have a boat or the luxury of much time to prowl the beaches and the points looking for fishy water on this trip. I haven't heard any specific information about fly fishing Puerto Angel at all. I think the best bet for me is to go out a couple of times with a panga captain and learn a little bit about the water that way. KIen Hanley, who wrote the book "Mexico Blue-Ribbon Fly Fishing Guide" mentions this part of the coast as one of his favorite areas to fish, but when I asked him for specifics, he didn't offer any, other than to hire a panga and go out and fish. Gee, maybe this is a secret spot. Patrout

Talk to Shandor in San Agustinillo. He runs the Posada del Pecador (you can stay there and go out with him). He knows everything there is to know about fishing.

Hi Joan, At last, a lead. Thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to look Shandor up when we get there. Thanks Patrout

hi, looking for some advice on a trip my girlfriend(art teacher) and i(photographer) are taking. we arrive in mexico city dec 23 and depart jan 2. we are both in our 20's and looking for both rustic getaways on the beach and also have some drinks with the locals and get a taste of the culture off the beach. not really interested in tourist traps but willing to visit if recommended since we will have a car. interest include: beaches, museums, great sites or views, culture, history... we want to spend a day or so in mexico city and we have rented a car and were thinking of traveling towards oaxaca. thinking of spending a few days exploring oaxaca. any suggestions of where and hotels to stay? we were than considering moving on ultimately spending new year's eve in acapulco and then to mexico city to depart. would love to hear any suggestions and places to stay. thanks, jonathan [%sig%]

sounds like a great trip but you may be doing more driving then you'd care to do in that short a time.... a more relaxed route if you wanted to do a loop, is from mexico city, head down to taxco, then to acapulco, pie de la cuesta, ixtapa, and the return to mexico. The oaxaca loop is a long one......

Andrew; As it has been posted here before, you surely can just arrive and find accommodation, especially that time of year. That being said, it is much nicer to spend sometime on this web-site arranging and then contacting the various accoms. listed so that you can relax knowing that part has been taken care of. You will find that many of the folks providing accoms are pretty laid-back about reservations, deposits etc. I will e-mail you some further information that I have. Regards, HM

HI, We have been to Pto. Angel about five years ago. We always wanted to go back there. Where you stayed sounds like what we are interested in. I can rough it but my husband needs a little more comfort. I still work, but we are at retirement age. Drinking is not a problem and we are very quiet. Would you kindly send me the address where you stayed as I would like to contact them in the future for later next year. We are going to Cancun for three week in Jan. 2004. I can speak some spanish but it is not my native language in spite of the name. Thank you, carmen munoz.

thanks for the suggestion. we aren't set on acapulco. we much rather hit oaxaco city and the beach areas of puerto angel and puerto escondido. how does the loop of mexico city to oaxaco city to puerto angel area drive up highway 200 to pinotepa national and take highway 125 to highway 190 back to mexico city? does that trim off some of the access driving time? how are those highways? eagerly waiting responses, jonathan

Hi. Thanks for your great report. I would love to have the address/e-mail /phone# of the place where you stayed in PA. Do you have a photograph? THanks again. Dolfy

Hi Has anyone ever stayed at or near Playa Mazunte or San Agustinillo? I'm thinking of staying at the Posada Arigalan and wandered what it was like. I've never been to this area of Mexico before. thank you for any help! Kate

Joan: I think you want to say: Posada del PESCADOR. That means Fisherman“s posada. Pecador means sinner so posada del pecador would be The sinners posada. Woops or is it that way?

Zapoteca, I don't know much Spanish, but I'm sure you're right. Joan called it Posada del Pe(s)cador but it might also be called el Paraiso del Pescador. That's as close as I could come to any business name there. I sent an email to Shandor at the Paraiso, if he answers, then I know I got it right. Since we'll be just down the road in Puerto Angel, it shouldn't be too hard to find the right spot. Besides, somos todos pecadores. Patrout

Thanks for the chuckle. Of course, you're right. Shandor's is the white house across the road from the beach, above his restaurant (in which serves the fish he catches). As someone who has lived there for 20 years, he probably could tell you about a LOT of pecados committed by the pescadores and many, many others.

We are looking for a place to stay with four children during the holiday season from December 16 to January 10. It would have to have a kitchen. We need to stay at a beach that is safe for children. Please let us know asap. Gabriela

SOY TURISTA DE BAJA CALIFORNIA ESTOY INTERESADO EN DOS HABITACIONES PARA PARA UNA FAMILIA DE 6 PERSONAS , CON DOS O TRES CAMAS POR HABITACION ,CON AIRE ACONDICIONADO,TV,LIMPIEZA DIARIA Y TODOS LOS SERVICIOS.. DEL 3 AL 8 DE ENERO DEL 2004 SIRVACE INFORMARME DEL PRECIO DISPONIBILIDAD,Y SI SE PUEDE USAR JET SKI EN ESA PLAYA ,SI ES TAN AMABLE DE LA TEMPERATURA DE AŃOS ANTERIORES POR LAS MISMAS FECHAS... SR GUZMAN

I have found a teacher who has agreed to hot me and teach me spanish at her home in PA....$40US per day for 4 hours of spanish, room and board, breakfast and dinner....raj

No creo que nadie te diga nada por usar jet ski, pero estoy seguro de que vas a incomodar a muchos turistas que intenten disfrutar un momento de playa y paz.

7 friends and I did Pto Angel, Pto Escondido and then San Cristobal and Palenque last February. It was a terrific trip! They flew from PE to Tuxtla Gutierrez via Mexico City, but I took the bus and had a great time, spending one afternoon and evening in matriarchal Juchitan. The hotel I love in San Cristobal is the Don Quixote. Great value! And JB's right about Chamula - Try hitting it during Carnaval (February21-24 next year). I also recommend Dona Mercedes's tours (She's the one w the big umbrella in the zocalo each morning) and the horseback rides through the mountains to Chamula are stunning. So is Agua Azul!

We are two couples from Vancouver, Canada spending Christmas week in Oaxaca City and travelling by van to Puerto Angel on Dec. 27. We are staying at la Buena Vista, a lovely little hotel two of us last visited 7 or 8 years ago. We are wondering if there are any places to go salsa dancing - - particularly on New Year's Eve - - that anyone can recommend to us that is within a reasonable cab ride's distance (that is, we don't want to go so far as Escondido or Huatalco. Thanks for any tips you might pass our way . . . Drena

Thinking of going during spring break, March 27 - April 3. Myself (Mom) and three kids 18, 19, 25. We have been advised by friends to stay at the Buena Vista but I like the idea of having a kitchenette. Any advice much appreciated. Thanks. Diana

Hi, I spent last New Years in Mazunte and I am planning to return but I am unsure about the safety of buses btwn Mexico City and Puerto Escondido. Last year I was coming from Oaxaca and that bus was fine... Any suggestions? Or do i need to splurge on a flight to Huatulco (main issue= safety concerns)....

I stayed in Mazunte last dec-jan and am returning this year... I recomend that if you are facing the water make a left and go to the place where you walk up some stairs- i do not know what it is called. Also- there is a nice place all the way on the right on the other side of the rocks....not right on the beach....hope this does not come too late.

Dance all the Salsa, Son, guaracha, guaguancó et all while staying in Oaxaca. Go to "Candela" Is about 3 bloks from Santo Domingo in Independencia Street.

In January I am hoping to drive from Ontario, Canada to Puerto Angel in the hope of spending a few weeks soaking up sunshine and salt water! I have chosen Puerto Angel because a lady I know told me it is a most wonderful place. I am hoping to find a place where I can cook at least some of my own meals, with a comfortable bed and perhaps a shower. Anyone have any suggestions! Also has anyone driven the distance, and is there anything I should be aware of? My Spanish is very poor, but I hope to improve on it... Thanks!! Ingmar

Hi! My wife and me are planning a two week trip to PA beginning of feb. We like to do some diving , but have never been on the west coast. Do we need more than a 3 mil suit? Is there anyplace in particular anyone could recommend for recreational diving? Thanks a lot for any information Bernie

Hi! my wife and myself are planning a 2 week trip to PA on the westcoast of Mexico. We like to do some scuba , but have never been on the westcoast before. Do we need more than a 3 mil suit? Any suggestions about interesting sites would be greatly appreciated. Bernie

Photos from our trip to PA/Mazunte in March 2003 can be found at http://www.morningwoodfarm.com/mexico/ Cheers! -- David

To find an inexpensive and nice place to stay for a few weeks email Marcos Lopez at marcochas@yahoo.com. He and his family are wonderful and rent great rooms for longer periods of time with cooking options, bathrooms, etc.

We are looking for an email or phone # for the Sn Agustinillo hotel. Also, any comments on the accomodations and rates would be helpful. We are long time PA visitors and will be bringing our 4 children (3-13 years old) as always. The recently changed collectivo/bus/taxi situation has encouraged us to stay in Sn A instead of PA. Many thanks.

Greg- Lost your contact info. We are coming down to Sn Augustinillo approx 1/21 after a few days in PE. The Sn Agustinillo hotel seemed reasonable when i stopped in last year - knowing our family, would it work for us? Do you have any contact info? Hope all is well...I imagine you have been very busy unwinding all those E&Y tax shelters!

After many years staying in PA and taking a daily collectivo/bus/taxi to Sn Agustinillo, we have decided to simplify things and stay in SA or Mazunte. We'd appreciate any contact info (email or phone) for Hotel San Agustinillo - as well as room rates ( 2 adults and 4 kids). Also, does the Alta Mira have electricity yet? Has the wonderful Dona Sol reduced the skeeter population? Many thanks. Greg

Hi Ingmar That should be an interesting trip. My only advise would be to look for a place when you get to PA. Stay in a hotel for a few days and ask around or get a list of places before you go. I have been to PA several times (oct being the most recent) and finding any place to stay is seldom an issue. As for the drive, there are a number of web sites that advise a good route. John Williams, a regular poster on this site can probably advise you as well. Driving in Mexico is a breeze. There are very good hiways but stay off all of them at night. They are not well lit and farm animals are common on the roads. I have spent dozens of hours on buses and we have had numerous close encounters with burros. Unless you are driving down the coast you will probably pass through or by the city of Oaxaca. Be sure to drop in there. It is a must see while in that area. I just spent six weeks there recently. There are no friendlier folk in Mexico. The ruins are everywhere and Oaxaca is a well preserved colonial treasure.

Hello all, Feliz Navidad. I am reposting this, as while my wife and I will unfortunately not be able to be in that place we love so much, the information therein is still good and, if followed, should allow anyone a more pleasant and healthy visit. Especially happy holidays to Puerto Bill and thanks for all his great informative and entertaining posts. On our last two trips to Mexico, one of five weeks, five years ago, and the most recent, two weeks, last month, we have enjoyed excellent health. Part of the reason for this, I believe is the a week prior to departing we each took an acidophilus pill daily and continued to do during our time in Mexico. The theory being that acidophilus is probiotic and it develops healthy bacteria in your intestines which will then enable you to resist foreign bacteria that your system is not used to. That along with the normal precautions about eating and drinking has prevented us from having to engage in those not so enlightened conversations concerning the solidity of one's movements, which it is well known detract from one's ability to enjoy Mexico. We have also found charcoal capsules to be an excellent relief for discomfort. The theory here being the charcoal filters out poisons. Last month, In Puerto Escondido, my wife gave a couple to a young woman we had meet who, one morning, had that look of "let me die now, lord", on her face and by late afternoon felt that a rum and coke, would be "just fine now, thanks". A true testimonial! Anyway, these two items, acidophilius and charcoal capsules can be found at most health food stores.

hi joe just read your note about ytour requests for info on p. angel. i too am looking for info im going down late jan 04. if you can offer anything im marcd29@hotmail.com thanks [%sig%]

Is there a yoga studio in or around PA? I'm a woman in my twenties planning to travel solo to PA the first week of Jan. Is it safe? I want to go where I'll meet other younger backpacker types but be away from hustle and bustle. Any suggestions would be really appreciated. Thank you.

There's a GREAT yoga studio in Zipolite. They also offer rooms for rent.

Burnt carbon is not a good thing for your cuerpo.As a matter of fact, it has definite links to cancer.It does not filter unless it's in a straw.In your body, it will absorb stomach contents.Adios.Hyme

It all depends on how deep your're going to go and the time of year.A 3 mil is perfect.Adios.Hyme PS Most of the time you need nothing.

Feliz Navidad John Williams, Good to have you back on board. I haven't been checking the board lately but have been getting emails from people wondering where you were. I have given out your email address to several people lately. Get in touch with MTPockets and I also gave your email to a perfect stranger( to you) who is driving down alone from Wisconsin through Texas to Mexico to stay with some fellows he worked with up here this past summer. I told him to email you if he got in trouble in the cantinas and you'd explain "how he screwed up'. I really miss PA, its' a fantastic place. Went to Zihua last winter, like it there also, my third time there. I'm thinking Cozumel this winter since I'm such a sissy snorkerer. Can just walk out from shore with my life jacket and all. So that means next winter in PA Unless I win the lottery and can vacation year-a-round.. JoAnn

Have a safe trip! What a long drive - but fun...I agree though, stay off the roads at night, and don't stop for "breakdowns" on the highways.

”Felķz Navidįd y Próspero Ańo Nuevo a todos. Ny absense has had noting to do with the board nor anything said thereon nor have I been an involuntary guest at the crowbar hotel as has been suggested. To explain my reticence would lead to a non-Mexico-related rant, and Christmas is not the season for such. I shall return; as always, if anyone feels that my meager supply of current knowledge about my favorite corner of paradise can fullfill a need, please feel free to drop me an email. Meanwhile, enjoy your holidays. Music note: Buy Del Castillo's "Vida" cd - a unique dueling flamenco guitar pair backed by a very good rock band. Of the 60+ bands I saw at this year's Austin City Limits Festival, they were the best. Also, Patricia Vonne's debut album would be an excellent Quanza present for yourself or anyone else on your list. Hers is the haunting voice you heard on the "Once Upon A Time In Mexico" soundtrack. And if any of you are in Austin on a Tuesday or Wednesday night, Allan Haynes may well be the best bluesman in Austin since Stevie Ray died.

Hey! Thanks to all who responded, both here as well as for the e-mails I received! I'm starting to get my gear together, as well as getting the car checked out for the long trip, now that the holidays are over with. Had a green Christmas! Not a flake of snow in sight, and last year we had two feet of snow on the ground! Thanks again to all! Ingmar

Just heard a little tidbit on the news about an earthquake hitting Mexico City, Zihau and Acapulco. Anyone hear more??? What is the damage???? Hope no one is hurt.

Hell-O Ingmar, Nice drive, but it helps to have someone in the car with you. My wife and I drove down from Chicago area two years ago and it took about 25+ hrs driving to get to Brownsville. This is not a bad place to get you ins (a must), and cross the border. Took less than 1 1/2 hrs to get to get tourist cards, and car permit. You can get to P.A. in three days from there. Just tak 180 down the Gulf Coast to 185 take a right to Juchitan (don't stop) and another right on 200 toward Hautulco continue to 175 go left to P. A.. I don't recommend taking too much time on the way down because you'll most likely be to tired to enjoy . Save your touring for the way home you will be more relaxed and better informed. Much of the advise in this post is very good i.e don't drive at night, and don't sweat a room, ect. ect... Have a good trip and if you are still down there in Feb. I'll try to look you up.

Sorry, I know that this isn't the Puerto Escondido forum, but there seems to be a problem with it and and I can't post to it. So maybe someone here can help me. Last year in January, I stayed at the Hotel Rincon del Pacifico on the Adoquin. Every evening, a group of drummers (South Americans for the most part, I believe), would set up just on the street just in front of my hotel and would pound away for several hours. Great entertainment for the passers-by, but it was hell inside the hotel! My question is: Are the drummers back this year? I'm arriving in 2 weeks and this information would help me in deciding on my choice of hotel. Many thanks. [%sig%]

Hi I am planing to Oaxaca city and the coast. I havent decided wich city in the coast, but I am thinking of Puerto Angel. I am wondering this: What to see and do in Oaxaca City? Wich city in the coast? How is Puerto Angel? And what there is to do there. I am going in the middle of febuary, how is the weather in that peroid? I am going with my brother and my parents. We are looking for a lot of different things. Fishing Beaches Ruins in the aria Parque National Lagunas de Chacahua And allso different watersports and a littlebit of extreme sports. If there is anyone who has any tips about this please reply here ore send me a mail Thank you From Erlend W.

Bernie; I snorkel in the Pto Angel area all the time without any suit - I imagine if you are scub diving in deeper water a suit might be advisable, but I think 3 mil is more than enough - not so much to keep warm, but to avoid abrasions. Just my opinion... Have fun

Hi Erland; Just read all the pages throughout this awesome web-site and you will find more than enough information. Myself, I am leaving the cold and wet coast of Canada in 3 weeks for another visit to thisd Oaxacan coast - my favourite part of Mexico! Cheers,

There still aren't phones in San Agustinillo, so Memo doesn't have a phone for reservations. Unless he has a cellular that I don't know about. Rates are 140 pesos for one bed and I think 280 pesos for two beds in one room. Nancy

Mexico Lindo Y Que Rico.

nancy- Thanks for the info. We are also considering Casamar - near Palapa Evelia which is where we set up nearly every day. Looks like you may be from the Chicago area - as are we. Are you a PA/SA/PE regular? Greg

If we are thinking of the same place Casa Mar is very nice, but I think it's a couple palapa's away from Evelia & Mario's place. It's run by Guadalupe and her husband Louis. I have friends that have rented the upper apartment for all of February. It's a large room with two full size beds, a kitchen, a large patio with tables couches, etc. It's one of the nicest rentals (now) at the beach. There are also two small rooms available for rent downstairs. They are much smaller than the rooms at Hotel San Agustinillo. The only thing they have (the two small rooms) that the Hotel San Agustinillo doesn't have, is hot water. Which I don't think is needed. Yes, I'm from Chicago and yes, I am a regular San Agustinilloite. I'm one of the founders of La Biblioteca de San Agustinillo.

Thanks again for specifics. I am exchanging emails w/Luis as we arrive in a few days. Interesting about the SA biblioteca - I was reading the PE comments regarding the need for books in english. We have LOTS of children's books - in various states of repair and disrepair as we have 4 children. We have plenty of National Geographics as well. I'd be happy to ship down, and/or possibly bring a box with us this week if you are interested. Alternatively, I could arrange to get them to you locally if you'd like to screen them first. I'll be at 312-298-2915 Mon thru Weds noon this week. Greg

POR FA DIGANLE A FLORENCIA QUE LA QUIERO 1 CH.

Hi Bernie, Allthough we are located in Huatulco, you may want to have a look at our website for a general idea of the diving in the area. Right now the water is a bit chilly, most divers use a 3mm shorty or full suit. In the summer you can do without. [%sig%]

I'm heading down to Puerto Angel next week and was wondering where I will find the closest ATM? Any help would be greatful...I've never been and my travel companions haven't been there for several years.

Pochutla

Potchutla is a $7 cab ride each way and a lot of time out of your day. Take all the money you need with you so you can enjoy the beach. Don't miss the camarrones en avacados at Suzys, or Tuna at Betos. Posada Canon de Vada is the BEST place to stay! Bugalow B-2 please!

Thanks for the info...is there actually an ATM at the bank in Pochulta, or just a bank that I'll be able to cash travellers cheques?

Banks in Pochutla no problema. Indoor ATM's good exchange rate from your US account. Camieneta very cheap. You can get some food deep in the market there. You can hang at this coffee bar on a side street and watch a busy and purposeful human parade. You can get back by midday if you leave early, easy. On a weekday, riding in the back of one of those small pick ups with benches down the side (for small change), you are with people on their way to work or school or market. Noticed the schoolkids were very neat and well behaved, compared to around here at least. ...lots of stuff to check out.

Hello Nancy, Did you get electricity at the Library?

As far as I can recall, there are four banks. I use three of the four and know that each has it's own ATM. I haven't used the fourth bank in some time so I'm not sure if they have one. One bank is on the zocalo (or just off the zocalo) and the other three banks are on the main road. You can't miss the banks on the main road. The banks are Banamex, Bital and I can't remember the names of the other two, maybe Bancomer, not sure. The two banks on the main road have separate secure rooms for the ATM machine that you access by swiping your ATM card near the door. The same as many banks in the US. The bank off the zocalo has their ATM in the entrance lobby. I haven't taken a cab to Pochutla in a long time so I don't remember the cost, but I'm sure a collectivo (small pick up truck) would be less than half of what a cab costs. Also, if you tell the cab driver you want the cab to be a collectivo (he'll pick up other passengers) the cost will be less than a private cab.

Please write before you go..I lived down there for 5 years and it is a great place..I live in Las Vegas now!..Joe WaltersHowlin wrote: > Hi Erland; > Just read all the pages throughout this awesome web-site and > you will find more than enough information. > Myself, I am leaving the cold and wet coast of Canada in 3 > weeks for another visit to thisd Oaxacan coast - my favourite > part of Mexico! > Cheers,

Joe, Try these: Hotel Flamboyante in Huatulco. Inner courtyard is ivy covered- very pretty. See: http://www.tomzap.com/flamboya.html Playa Carrizalillo (car-ee-za-lee-oh). Have Maria cook some fish for lunch right on the beach - if you can get her to wake up - She's usually asleep in her hammock. See: http://www.tomzap.com/carizbch.html My father has a house on a hill in a hidden bay just west of Huatulco. This is the most beautiful site on earth. He's talking about selling it soon but he'd probably rent it for a week. A picture of his place is at: http://www.pueblomex.com/villa3.htm Have a nice trip. J. Hodge Howlin wrote: > Bernie; > I snorkel in the Pto Angel area all the time without any suit - > I imagine if you are scub diving in deeper water a suit might > be advisable, but I think 3 mil is more than enough - not so > much to keep warm, but to avoid abrasions. > Just my opinion... > Have fun

Hi. We will be spending some time in P.A. in February. We would like to visit nearby beaches; Playa La Mina; Playa Estacahuite. How far is to walk to these beaches? Thanks

Hello Alan, And Prospero Ano Nuevo to you. About a month before we went to Puerto Angel, we set up an appointment with our doctor for a "Travel Consultation." It wasn't expensive at all (goo health plan I guess.) He got an up-to-the-minute health update from some secret doctor place on the web. He gave us the printout after pointing out it listed the Puerto Angel area as being in the malaria zone. He gave us the preventative pills. He gave us typhoid shots. He also gave us anti-biotics in case either of us came down with the turista. We did what we were told. Each of us managed to get the old stomach invasion. The antibiotics worked immediately. I know that everyone has their own opinions about the kinds of medicines they want to take. But I know that the pills we used saved a long anticipated vacation from turning into a series of indoor stays in various hotels. Another note: we had heard that oil of Pennyroyal was the thing to use to protect against sand flea bites. We used it. The places we were bitten most were the spots we had applied Pennyroyal. Patrout

If I remember correctly, The turnoff to Playa la Mina is maybe a mile or two on right as you leave Puerto Angel on the road to Pocutla. We didn't have the chance to see how far down the dirt road it was to the beach. I'd bet you could get a taxi driver to take you there the first time for around $3.00. Patrout

HBi Bernie, Go down to the beach at Playa Panteon. The owner of Cafe Susy, Chicharo, has a lancha that he takes people out for snorkeling. I think he charges about $12 an hour. There is at least one other operation a little farther up the beach toward town that always seemed busy when we were there. They specialize in diving and fishing trips. If you're lucky enough to stay at Posada Canyon Devata, be sure to ask Mateo, the owner. He does a lot of snorkeling. Patrout

Hi Patrout, Glad the anti-botics worked for you as I am glad the precautions my wife and I took worked for us. Good health to all! The typhoid shot was a good idea, as well. Sadly, I speak from experience. They last for ten years. I neglected to reup mine and paid the price in 1985. If it was not for a wonderful doctora in Oaxaca, who checked me into the hospital and got me on the right medications, I might not be typing this today. Another precaution one might consider is a gamma goblin shot to counter hepatitis. That's no fun either, having spent four months confined to bed recovering fromi t in 1975. That's just two of the bullets, I've dodged in Mexico. Well worth it, for all the wonderful experiences I have had and people I've met there, including my wife. May this find you in the best of health and spirits always. Alan

There is a bank in Puerto Angel itself with an ATM if I recall correctly. At least there was three years ago when I was there.

Hello again, Alan, I forgot... the doc gave us hepatitis shot too as well as a month's extra supply of the prescription meds we were already taking. Funny thing, although we took mosquito repellant, there weren't enough of them flying around to bother us. Patrout

There is no bank in Puerto Angel.

Hola Ingmar, Just wondering if you made it to PA ok. Hope your trip was a good one. Miguel

Hola Ingmar Hope your trip went well. I'll be watching for those Ontario plates when I get there in a couple of weeks. If you see a couple frantically waving it will be us. MTPockets

Hi folks John, glad to hear all is well. JoAnn, enjoy your trip to Cozumel. Have you heard of Xel Ha? A great place to snorkle and one of my favourite travel experiences of all time and close to Cozumel. We will be on the coast next week. We are arriving in DF and flying on to PE the next day. We plan on spending a day or so in PE, four or five in Zipolite and then on to Oaxaca to visit with friends. I look forward to it as usual. adios for now

Have a great trip MT! I was last in Cozumel in 1996. Left our jeep on the island for one day, took the ferry over to Playa del Carmen, bus down to Tulum and snorkeled at Xel Ha. Gorgeous water. My husband stared eye to eye with a Barricuda in there. He got his watch and anything sparkly off fast. Am hearing that Cozumel has really grown. Hope its not too big. In 96' only one cruise ship came in the week I was there. Now I hear about 12 come in. It sure is time to get out of this frozen tundra though. Can't wait to feel some sunshine. Hey, where are you John?

I am also curious to know if there are opportunities to study Spanish in PA. If anyone has any suggestions that would be great! Thanks, Leigh

I am an old friend of Norton from 1970 and would like to find him. Is this him? or someone who knows how I can reach him? thanks, Joanne from New Mexico

i am going to oaxac in march I wantto fish march 15-22 near there, how did you do? any advicve for me? thanks eric

any idea how to contactthis person. i am going in march and would like to connect eric

Thanks JoAnn, I am sure we will have a good one. We all seem to need our manditory beach time however, I am also really looking forward to seeing the folks I met in Oaxaca. I really enjoy the coast but, I have yet to meet friendlier folk than in Oaxaca. I think if I was to make a move to Mexico, that would be the place for me. The price of housing is reasonable there as well. A small bungalow can be purchased for about 10k US. Dream on... adios for now. 5 more sleeps.....

please tell me where and how you can buy a small bungalow for 10k. please feel free to reply direct. Don't let me disrupt your five more sleeps and have a great trip. Regards bg

Here's the info from the Playa San Agustinillo section of this site: Paraiso del Pescador Located in the center of town. (958) 583-9763 (Nov. - May), (705) 266-7771 (Canada - June - Nov.). Email: paraiso_del_pescador@yahoo.ca. Air conditioning, ceiling fans, overlooking beach. (10/02)

thanks for the info.

Hi BG No problem sharing that info on this site. In the city of Oaxaca there are several nice areas where you can purchase a two bedroom bungalow with a patio. Keep in mind that there is no so called yard with these properties. I spent two months in the city of Oaxaca last fall attending a Spanish language school. I did not view any of these places but, I had several discussions with locals about the properties. It also came up in our Spanish conversation classes where most the topics were comparisons between Mexican and US/Canadian life. I remember the price range between 8 - 12k US. I will be in Oaxaca for a few days and if you want more information let me know and I will see what I can do for you.

SE ENCUENTRA EN PUERTO ANGEL UN LUGAR MUY BONITO LLAMADO VILLA FLORENCIA TIENEN QUE VISITARLO

SI ALGUIEN CONOCE A FLORENCIA DIGANLE QUE LA QUIERO MUCHO Y QUE NUNCA OLVIDARE A PUERTO ANGEL. SALUDOS A TODOS LOS DE PLAYA

Es verdad que la Villa Florencia es bonita. Pero la comida en el cafe es mala.

Puerto Angel seems like just my speed, I am looking for a small place and really liked this advice, "When you get to the coast, take a room for a couple of nights in Puerto Angel - I like Los Almendres, by Villa Florencia for this acclimation phase. Then take some day trips out to San Augustinillo and Mazunte and pick out the palapa of your dreams." but am finding it hard to find more specific info on Los Almendres. Any other favorite places to stay? In PA or in San Augustinillo, Mazunte? We're in our 40's, used to roughing it, but starting to appreciate a little comfort. Swimming in the ocean is a real priority for me, it's too cold here in san francisco, as well as eating fresh fish, seafood. Also good music, beautiful gardens, weaving, and above all relaxing. I also wanted to know if anyone has had recent experience with renting a car with a debit card, I don't have credit cause I've never had it, never had bad credit, but that would be better. I can put down a deposit, just want to know the best way to do it safely. I'd really like to explore the area by car. Thinking of flying to Mexico City, then taking a bus to Oaxaca and renting a car there, but any advice in this area would be great as well, maybe a favorite place to stay overnight or eat in oaxaca before heading west. Thanks everyone for any tips,

visiten villa florencia la comida italiana esta muy buena

Hola Wendysf, regarding the Almendra. My husband and I stayed there in Jan. 03 (we're in our 50's) and enjoyed it. It is basic. Two beds, mosquito netting, fan, private bathroom but no hot water. We found you really don't need it down there. We didn't make reservations ahead of time as per the recommendations of this board and thought we'd stay there the first night and check out other places. It was 200p per night. We did check out other places the next day but stayed where we were. It was fine, centrally located and cheap. We liked the little garden patio and hammocks. It is funky and quiet. On our trip we went from Huatulco by bus to Puerto Angel. Stayed there for 4 days and moved to our favourite place, the Alta Mira in Mazunte. It is a wonderful place with a great restaurant. We made reservations to stay there at the Buena Vista in Puerto Angel, which is it's sister hotel. The Alta Mira(350p) doesn't have electricity or hot water but we felt like we were in heaven. We loved Mazunte. The beach is beautiful for swimming. We had to tear ourselves away to complete our trip which included Puerto Escondido and Oaxaca. We did not rent a car but used collectivos, taxis and buses. We took a van to Oaxaca from Puerto Escondido and I think that is a better way to do that road rather than a rental car. The road is windy and long and the scenery is breathtaking. In Oaxaca, we stayed at Casa de la Tia(275p). It was close to the zocolo and fine. If we stayed there again, I would ask for a room at the back. We stayed at the front and there is a disco nearby. I always say that one of the best things I bring to Mexico are earplugs! Hope that helps in planning your trip. Our trip to this area last year was our favourite. I love this area of Mexico. This January we explored the Yucatan for 3 weeks. It was great and the beaches were beautiful, but we had to work hard to avoid the touristy places. We'll be back to Pacific Mexico next year! Let me know if you need any more information. Have fun. Karen

Mexico Lindo y Que Rico in San Agustanillo on the beach at the west end. Great swimming and peaceful too!

Thank you so much karen, Great info, I was actually thinking of checking out the alta mira as well, I saw some pictures and it looked like heaven. How did you get from pa to mazunte? My boyfriend has bad knees, so he can't walk long distances, so I want to make sure it's easy for us to get to the beach, etc. I may post the car rental question again, but your post made me feel better -- even if we can't rent a car we'll be able to get around. Did you check out the buena vista as well? Where's the closest atm, do I need to get money in oaxaca? Thanks again, Wendy

Hi again Wendy, We did check out the Buena Vista but they didn't have any rooms when we were there and we were happy at the Almendras. We took a taxi from PA to Mazunte. As I recall, the taxi driver charged us an extra 10pesos to take us to the Alta Mira as it is at the top of a steep, windy road. One caution, if your boyfriend has bad knees, is that both the Buena Vista and the Alta Mira are built on the side of a steep hill. There are many steps leading down to the beach and up to the units and restaurants. It's a good workout! And worth it! As of Jan. 03, the only ATM in the area was in Pochutla. You can either take a collectivo or a taxi in to town to get cash. I think it's about 20p each way. We always get some Mexican pesos at home to have with us when we land in Mexico. This year I asked for lots of small bills. "No hay cambio" is a favorite saying in Pacific Mexico. If you decide against renting a car, you'll be fine. We really enjoyed getting around by bus, taxi and collectivo. It supports the local economy and it is great for people watching/meeting. It took me awhile to get used to the idea of waiting on the side of the road and putting up a hand to have the bus stop, but it works! Boy, this really makes me want to go back! Enjoy! Karen

Does anybody know how i can communicate with Norton?

Hellow, I and Guadalupe my wife are the owners of CASAMAR in San Agustinillo. We DO have HOT WATER 24 hours by day! If you want, see www.costachica.net Thanks and deeply sorry about my awful English.

Hello Hat, Carole and I are trying to figure out who you are. If you knew that we didn't have electricity at the library you have spoken with one or both of us. We "kinda sorta" have electricity now, but not enough to hook up computers. We are running a line to the neighbors electricity and paying her for our use of two lights, a fan and a donated electric typewriter. We are hoping to have full electrical service by the end of this year. Let us know who you are. Nancy

Met Carole a few times in SA. I like libraries and support them. Do you have mailing address for printed materials/donations? Thank You.

Well she doesn't know who you are. We talked about you when I was there last week. San Agustinillo doesn't have mail delivery so anything that needs to be sent down is shipped to me and I hand carry it in my luggage. Any checks that are written are written to me and I hand carry the cash down. I go down about 4 times a year, whenever I can get away. What do you have to donate? I would be happy to accept your donations and bring them down when I return in April. Email me. Thanks, but we still want to know who you are. Nancy

I'm getting ready to book my tickets, and wanted to ask about needing lodging reservations on the 11th-20th in oaxaca city or puerto angel. I hear that as it gets close to easter, it gets more crowded. Will it still be easy to find places to stay during those dates, or should I make reservations? My other question, I guess more for oaxaca city, is we're thinking of flying right into oaxaca city, and the only return flight is at 8:40 am. Will it be hard to get to the airport at that time if I stay overnight in oaxaca city? Thanks, Wendy getting excited ...

Hi Wendy, We took our first trip to Mexico during the Christmas holidays. We stayed in Oaxaca City from about Dec. 15 through the 25th this winter. Then we took the "Suburban" ride to Pochutla and a taxi to Puerto Angel for a week and a half stay there. We "Suburbaned" back to Oaxaca for a few more days before flying out. Our first hotel, Posada del Centro" is on Avenida Independencia, which is a main street right to the Zocalo. It's about a 15 minute walk to the town center and maybe another 15 minutes to the big markets. We really liked Posada del Centro because the rooms were kept very clean and the showers were hot. Nice courtyard to sit in while having a breakfast or lunch from their little (but busy) cafe. Our second hotel, Azucenas, was maybe two or three blocks further from the Zocalo but close to a convenient ATM and an internet cafe that always had a few open stations. It too was very clean, had great showers and offered a breakfast buffet up on their rooftop patio that has a super view of the city. The main difference between the two hotels is you pay a few bucks more at Azucenas but all the workers there speak English. At Posada del Centro you might want to try your tourist Spanish a little more to make sure you are getting through to the very friendly desk clerks. (Posada del Centro will also rent you some time on their computer for maybe 10 or 20 pesos for a half hour.) Both hotels will help you arrange for a taxi to the airport on the morning you need to get there. When hotels do the arranging for just about anything, it seems to cost you more than if you did it yourself. You pay for the service, but not that much. (The Suburban trip to Pochutla cost us about $3 more when they set it up than when we did it ourselves.) If I were going down there anywhere near Easter, I would surely get confirmed reservations. Both these hotels have websites and are not found very often on the recommended lists. But we would happily stay at either one again. Pat

Hola Nancy, I'm a library director way up north in Wisconsin......bummer up here. I drove by your library 2 years ago when I was staying in PA and it looked like a great little library. . Wanted to stop and I regret that I didn't to this day, ( but was in my bathing suit on my way to snorkeling )and you had quite a crowd on the porch. Tell me, does San Augustinillo fund the library or is it volunteers and donations? Do you have any public internets and are they used? Have any job openings? Maybe some winter soon I can take off a few months,stay in PA and possibly drag myself away from the ocean for a few hours to be helpful.

JoAnn, The library of San Agustinillo's funding is from generous tourists. The town of San Agustinillo has given us a room in their Casa Municipal, to house the library, but all of the books, supplies, furniture, etc have been donated or purchased with the cash donations we receive. Our objective and our promises were to create a library for the people of San Agustinillo. Today we have over 1500 books in Spanish, 1500 books in English, the beginning of a good collection of books in French and an assortment of books in other languages. With the help of visiting volunteers we have sponsored art and chess competitions and have become a community center for the children of the area. The director of the library is a retired American who lives in the community. She is our full time volunteer and is not paid for her full time job. One day we plan to have computers with internet access. One day we plan to have consistent art programs. One day we plan to have consistent reading programs. One day we plan to have English classes and Spanish classes. But, we have limited financial resources and much more limited volunteer resources. So, if you would like to volunteer we welcome you to participate in our community. Thank you for your interest in La Biblioteca de San Agustinillo.

Hi Nancy, That is wonderful that generous tourists keep the library going. I know exactly what you are talking about when it comes to funding. LIbraries everywhere seem to have that problem. Sounds like you have a nice collection of books and many helpful volunteers and to have art programs and language classes. Wow! If I ever retire, I will be down for a few months. I'd love to help with the art classes. My degree is actually in Fine Arts, don't know how I got to be a librarian. Guess I like books too.

For my friend unnamed who had been so long on the beach at Zipolite and had found his peace there in the white house on the beach. So he has lived among the Bedou in Saharas shifting sands, and danced the happy Goa moon to sleepy slumber. And puzzled the carved images of ancient Indus valley. Slashed shy smile across the lands of earth unnumbered. He took the seas fresh fishes there with his mighty spear. So his restless spirit awoke and bade him wander. Will Zipolite crashing waves sound ever in your ear? What cloister would hold him now, what cave will be his cover? And all the stars and moons and tides follow you forever. Peace old friend these thirty long years. Old man young man. Hat, no hat.

Lo siento - no habla espagniol ahora! I am thinking of moving to Oaxaca area and would like to know about ISP's and DLS for my Mac with System OS X. Currently paying about $60/month to VERIZON for phone/DSL package. What will have to be done and how much will it cost. Mil gracias and be well, John Maitland

”Magnķfica Oportunidad! Por rezones de salud vendo y/o trespaso...Hermosa posada turistica. Excelente ubicación, vista panoramica (incluye Pacifico) con bungalow completo para vivir, 4 lidas habitaciones para renta, palapa-bar (6 x 6 mts.) concocina y linda terraza; pequeńa bodega, estacionamiento, todos servicios y con posibilidades de aumenter capacidad; actualmente ampliamente recomndada internacionalmente en las guias turistica mįs importantes. Informes : tel. 01-958-5843073 Sra. Patricia, Pueto Angel, Oax. (Por favor no intermedios ) Great Opportunity! For health reasons I am selling transfer of property rights to the following: Beautiful tourist guesthouse. Excellent location in Puerto Angel with panoramic view of the town and the ocean. Complete with a master bungalow in addition to four clean and modern rental guest rooms in separate buildings. A large palapa-bar (6 x 6 meters) with a kitchen and clean pantry, parking area, all utility services/phone, and with space for additional construction on site. Currently highly recommended internationally in the most popular tourist guidebooks. For information: Telephone 01-958-5843073 Sra. Patricia Puerto Angel, Oax. (Please no intermediaries).

We just got back from Oaxaca, PE, PA. In Oaxaca we stayed at hotel Antonio near zocalo, 450 pesos(triple). Took suburban to PE, 6.5h 130 pesos. Two van companies on Galeana st. near Mercado de Abastos. In PE stayed at Hotel Posada Cortes on Adoquin. We had apartment for 450 pesos. Spent one week in PA in hotel Buena Vista 370 pesos double. Buena Vista was always full, it has nice swimming pool. Taxi to Pochutla 50 pesos, colectivo 10 pesos. There is camioneta to Pochutla it stop at what was Tio Chilo restaurant,( 5 pesos). Colectivo to Zipolite 5 pesos. Also there is bus Pochutla Mazunte via PA, its run every hour. We liked beaches Estacahuite and La Mina. You can walk from Estacahuite to La Mina in 15-20min. Also safe beach for swimming was the end of San Agustinillo toward Mazunte. Viviyan Babic Canada [%sig%]

Hello, do you know if there are any bungalows you could rent in Puerto Ąngel or Zipolite? [%sig%]

en que parte se encuentra ubicada ????

Hi In guide books Puesta del sol Bungalows near light house are mentioned. Phone 958 5843096 e-mail golfo52@hotmail.com. We were unable to find it. You will have more luck in Zipolite. Viviyan Babic [%sig%]

hi howlin, my mother and i used to live in PA back in 1985, when i was 10, and now we are going back to re-live some fond memories in june '04. i used to work at capys so i know why its your favorite. i was thinking of staying with them but i am interested in the guest house you talked of. do you have any pix, info? howmuch is it $? any info would be great, thanx mattia

mattia borrani wrote: > hi howlin, my mother and i used to live in PA back in 1985, > when i was 10, and now we are going back to re-live some fond > memories in june '04. i used to work at capys so i know why its > your favorite. i was thinking of staying with them but i am > interested in the guest house you talked of. do you have any > pix, info? howmuch is it $? > any info would be great, thanx > > mattia [%sig%]

I am I ever going to stay forever? and the King must die? How do you tell the prince from the pauper? with the crown you once wore. Long live the King. gg

Trate de llamar al telefono listado pero no me fue posible. Me interesa comunicarme con Ud. podria Ud mandarme un telefono para llamar desde Miami

Some friends and I are planning on being in San Agustinillo in early July. I have a few questions. 1) What is the weather like in early July? Should I expect a lot of rain? 2) Where is the best place to stay? We want to be as close to the beach as possible and as comforable as possible (mosquito nets and fans would help). 3) Is San Agustinillo accessible by car? Is it safe to park a car? we are driving there. 4) How is the surf in July? Good enough still for body surfing and boogie boarding? Are there surf board rentals anywhere? thanks for your help

I need some information from anyone who might be in the Zipo/Puerto Angel area who could get back to me, I am trying to contact someone buy phone but not getting anything. Please email me at < dontfallonme@hotmail.com >. Xoyo Necesito información particular de cualquier person que esté en la ubicación de zipo o Pueto Angel. Yo trato de contactar un amiga por teléfono pero no puedo. Sķ tienes interés por favor escribįme en < dontfallonme@hotmail.com >. Xoyo

well I just returned from san agustunillo, near P.A. and had the most unbelievable fly fishing trip of many trips.... might even have broken a record for Giant Crevalle, Caught, Crevalle ( pomapno), spanish mackerel, four types of tuna, including 30-35 small giant tunas, and yellowfin, dorado, needles, cudas, ladyfish by the dozen, ... simply amazing. missed, sail fish, marlin, wahu, and rooster fish.. damn! I will be going back to fish and assist in the guiding of flyfisherman on this new fly fishing frontier. anybody interested email me back. it will blow your mind.. the hotel, paraisodel pescasdor is small and quiet, but rooms were clean and modern and the food was better than anything i had the previous week in Oaxacas best rerstaurants... great people, extremely talented capitaines... comfortable fishing boats and beautiful beaches and surfs... if fishing wasn't enough then watching all the whales, dolphins and turtles sure was... I fished on a fly rod (s), but gear was equally successful. these fish will brutalize you if you aren't prepared so get in shhape and come fishing. seriously... was AMAZING...

the surf is san Aug. is wild, I can email you a shot or two... rainy season is end may to July according to my contacts there, but the rain is not sustained, more heavy then off, heavy than off etc., apparently... though some sustainedrainy day s are common n the coast. this is what i am told... for the most part it would be better if the waves did tone down a bit for body surfing, when it is hot during the day, the waves are usually too high i think for novices... we fished the crests with our panga and we were riding 15-20 feet above level many times and the surfers just sort of waited for the intermediate breakers... or smaller ones... there are several beaches each with their own wave features, so when one is rough or high the others may crest lower etc... definitely worthgoing.. A lot of the surfers take cabannas, but the paraiso del pescador ( go google) is where i stayed and am going back to. inexpensive clean, great home cooked food, 100 ft. from the waves, on the beach... eric

I have very good friends with new house on the beach in Zipolite, but I chose to stay at SA for peace and atmosphere. Mexico Lindo Y Que Rico at the west end SA is smack on the sand and closest to water. Very clean and mellow. They have food and hang out space. People very friendly and accommodating partied some. Cost @150 peso per night. Very cheap. Beach directly in front of this place is usually mild enough as is kind of protected. I bodysurfed few days and caught waves easy even with no fins. Place I mentioned has boogie boards (I think). Parking there no problema. If you are staying across the road you may miss much needed ocean breeze.

Thanks Eric and Hat. No pictures necessary, but if you know how to get in touch with Mexico Lindo, that would help. So, you would say it rains there more days than not in May-July? Thanks again for your replies, and if you think of anything else that might help, please respond. thanks.

Hi Eric, Any chance the date of your post has anything to do with your super tale of success? Patrout

Hi Fishermen, My husband caught all sorts of interesting fish early in the morning just fishing off the rocks in the Puerto Angel bay. Maybe ask around the village for Chepe and he will take you out fishing for the big ones or will know someone who will...tell him "for cheap". The whales ,tortoises , and the whoopers are right outside the bay!

I am looking for a large place for my family from August21-29 2004.How many does your home sleep?Could you send me pictures.Thanks!

to be honest I am a very experienced fly fisherman and hooked up with a fab host and captain.... great guy can put a boat on a dime despite 15 foot sets... so my success had to do with his prowess as a boatsmen and my ability to cast etc... also i tied about 200 fly patterns just in case.. and thank goodness since the fish were pretty partuclar at times... I'm not so sure about the date of the post, the action dwindled towards the end of my trip as the seas built up... even though for four days, ( nomoon hardly) SCHOOLS of hundreds of fish were popping up and I couldn't believe it... but I think finding a skilled captain who knows the in shore waters and can hold a boat makes a huge difference. The fishing was equally good for my host who used spinning and trolling gear... I can tell you more... give me your email...and also that I am planning to go back isoonas i can. there were many monsters lurking in the surf at evening and dawn, but i didn't pursue it since the waves are fierce and after days like I had, my arms felt like they would fall off. it's a great place... now if i can only convince my friends down there to catchand release once in a while.... cheers...

Hello Mauro. Puerto Angel is a very nice place to spend a few weeks on the beach. I was there in “89 and “98 The last time I staid at Gudi y Tomas. The beaches are mostly safe but I recommend to stay away from Zipolite, both for the crowd (sometimes a little bit too drug heavy) and for the waves and currents. Even though I am an experienced swimmer with a life guard certificate, I almost drowned there. For children this is definitely too dangerous and I heard of a frequent number of fatalities there. But this refers to Zipolite only. The other beaches seem to be safe. Paul

sounds great interested in learing spanish on my trip in late april . I would greatly appreciate the info re. this teacher .Thanks

me interesa conocer su producto y costos, soy de hermosillo, sonora, tenemos playas alrededor y me interesa comercializar su producto. gracias

Hey all, I am a long time visitor watching this board & have visited Angel & Escondido a few times. My question is has anyone rented a place long term ( month or more ) in either of these places. I have asked about aparments in Angel on the board before & had little luck. thanks Kevin

hi, my name is naf and I need to find out the name of the man who works at the local post office in puerto angel..and hopefully an address. Is there anyone who can help me. thanks.

HI Friend if anyone could give this message To Richard (Ricardo) Sima in San Agustinillo, Oaxaca, or to Mario, Gabino Silva, or Ronaldo, tell them greetings from Alex in Canada, my email is: alex11@easy.com.

Hey John, have you spent any time down in Chiapas? We're taking the family down to Sayulita for 10 days then my husband and I will be off on our own for a couple of weeks. Really would like to explore the area around San Cristobal. Possible from PV? I've posted on the PV site and the suggestion was to take the bus to Guadalajara (sp) or Mexico City and go down from there. Any suggestions from you? thanks for any info! I always enjoy your comments. Pedandic? No way! Karen P.S Sometimes you have to go away to realize what you've found. We went down to the Yucatan this year. It was beautiful in it's own way. Isla Mujeres, Merida, Valliodalid, Chitzen Itza, Coba, Tulum, Akumal, Puerto Moreles...but we longed for Pacific Mexico the whole time we were down there...

We are looking for a two bedroom + two bathroom house. We would like the accommodation early February to end March 2005. Our budget $1,000 Canadian per month. Please acknowledge. Alternatively, any nice town in or around Oaxaca would do. Please help.

My fiancee and I would like to find a nice little place on or near the beach in Puerto Angel, Huatulco, or Puerto Escondido. If anyone has information, would you please be so kind as to pass it on? Thanks! Mi novia y yo estamos buscando una casita en, o cerca de la playa en Puerto Angel, Huatulco, o Puerto Escondido. Si alguien tiene informacion, favor de pasarmela. Muchas gacias! Jason

Did I see a post awhile ago from Patricia at Penelope's B&B? Is Patricia selling her gorgeous place? How come?

JoAnn, Please see my post from 3/29. I spoke with the owner of Penelope's last December when I visited. If you wish to contact me for more details my address is <dontfallonme@hotmail.com> Xoyo

My wife and I are planning a honeymoon trip to Oaxaca (city and coast) in August. We love to watch birds, hang out in places where there is more wildlife than tourists, and experience the local culture. We are planning to travel to the coast from Oaxaca city. But we're not sure where to go. Puerto Angel looks interesting and Huatulco looks nice but sounds like too many tourists. Having read these emails, we are leaning towards Puerto Escondido. We don't like a scene where people go to be insulated from the local culture but we do want to be safe, have some comforts (e.g. private bath). We are not planning on camping or anything like that on this trip. Is PE suitable for us in your opinion? Where do you suggest we stay? What is the best (economical, safe, hassle-free) way to get from Oaxaca city to PE? Thanks, Don

Hi Don, I'm not an expert on the area so I hope John Williams jumps in here to give you some tips. All I can tell you is what I did two years ago. We flew into Huatulco airport, hopped into a rental car and drove to Puerto Angel, found a room for our stay. PA is a quiet, peaceful village of very nice people nestled on a bay, Throughout our time there we drove to Huatulco and the towns in that area. (Can't remember the names). John can give you more specifics. Drove up the coast to San Augustinillo, Zipolite and Ventanilla. Easy driving and lots of fun places to explore. It wasn't crowded or touristy anywhere we went. This is a great area if you like to wander around and explore villages, bird watch,talk to people, make friends and have private bays to swim, snorkel or fish. There is none of the power shopping and nightlife that Cancun, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen have. I went to Cozumel this winter and boy has it changed since I was there 8 years ago. And Playa del Carmen across the water has grown from a small village to a conglomerate of hotels and tourists frenzy. Didn't recognize a thing! Have a happy honeymoon!

I saw a posting of yours about a house for rent in Puerto Angel. is it available for this New Year? (Dec 25-Jan 1) I would appreciate a response. thanks, Gabriel Manjarrez

HI, MY FAMALY ROOTS DATE BACK TO THAT CITY.I'VE NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE WE PLANT TO VISIT.MY FATHER LIVED THERE FOR 5 TO 6 YEARS. HE TELLS ME THE CANONS,RIVERS AND THE JUNGLE ARE ONE OF A KIND,REALLY AN EYE CATCHER.

Would you please share the name of your spanish teacher in P.A. Thanks Donna

Ola, Saw your ad on email. Am in transition looking at moving to southern Mexico, Guatemala, honduras. Was thinking of simply traelling for several months--seeing/feeling what opens up--. Pls. send details. Thx, David

Hola David, Email me at <dontfallonme@hotmail.com> and I'll give you the details. Sending a pm on this cite is dificult no, make that impossible, and I don't want to post all the info. Xoyo

Hi http://www.mexicosurfrental.freeservers.com

Por favor de mandar recetas de ceviche Gracias Humberto

Having lived year round in Mazunte for the last 5 years, here's my insight re the rainy season. Starts the end of May....ends the end of OCTOBER!. Wettest months seem to be June and September. Most days start out clear and sunny. And this entire coast of Oaxaca does not seem to get an awful lot of rainy days..but when it does rain, it really rains. Usually for an hour or so late in the day. Mexico Lindo is a great place, and there are many others. In July you should be able to just walk around and take your pick of anything...pretty quiet here in July. Parking in San Agustinillo? Just about anywhere you stay will be able to provide a place for you to park. For great rooms and also really secure grounds especially good for parking try Posada San Agustinillo at the Eastern end of town...right on the beach. Biggest, best rooms in town at very reasonable rates. Enjoy your trip

Hola David Thatcher. If you are interested in information on alternatives....We have a place for sale in Mazunte that you might ber interested in. Answer back to this thread if you want more info. I am in Victoria at the moment...is that where you are?

Hello!, we rent rooms by the month that have a kitchen, private bathroom, two beds and a small dining area, balcony and laundry area.the prices vary acording to the time of year, we are in San Agustinillo, send us an e-mail for more info. Sol

Beautiful home for rent in Puerto Angel, Oaxaca, Mexico. Casa Azul is located beside the colourful and picturesque cemetary in the Playa del Panteon (Cemetary beach) part of Puerto Angel. With unbeatable views of the Pacific Ocean, Casa Azul offers peace and tranquility and a two minute walk to the beach. Ideal for a family on holiday, the house comes with a fully equipped kitchen, laundry service, tv and many other amenities. For more information contact Jane at janemexico1@yahoo.ca [%sig%]

I hope that this note does not offend anyone. If it does and the message gets removed, well, I understand but it is not meant to be malicious. So that been said, I am looking for people in Mexico that want to work in the communications field. I am in Puerto Vallarta and if you wish to find out more information please : E-mail at : CallFromMexico2004@hotmail.com or Toll Free : 001 - 800 - 268 - 3441 Thanx! Mike

Hi, Are you the Leigh from San Diego, California, United States?? E-Harmony. If you are, please reply this messege and include your e-mail address, hope to hear from you soon. Saludos. Rodrigo.

Hello Fellow Travelers to Puerto Angel, I have not been back to Puerto for 18 years, but I used to spend summers there as a kid. Can anyone who has been there more recently tell me if Pepe Cruz (coral diver; brother of Beto, Gloria, Chencha, beachfront restaurant owners) is still in PA? He had suffered from two diving accidents and the bends last time I was in contact with him. I would like to know how he is, and how I might get in contact with him. Thanks for any info anyone might have! Kelly Sax 702 S. Ballantine Road Bloomington, IN 47401 (812) 330-8445 ksax@indiana.edu

i also haven't been to angel for a few years..maybe 5...but at that time i have some good conversations with a gringo with a mexican family that ran a restaurant on the bay...before rick and pauline hurricanes...he was located on the north side before the storms...after on the south...is he still there with his name on the stone above the restaurant...DAVID

I am selling my beach-front house and its 7000 m2 land in Zipolite-Mazunte. Can you help? Interested in buying? Thanks, Beatriz

I am selling my beach-front house and its 7000 m2 land in Zipolite/Mazunte area . Can you help? Are you interested in knowing more details Beatriz

Dear cousin Luis, I have been trying to contact you my e-mail and postal service. Please contact me by e-mail. Your cousin Roy

Mexico Lindo is a great place to stay. It is cheap, clean and friendly. I stayed there for several weeks back in 2002. They are right on the beach and have boogie boards, fins and snorkling gear. They also serve food and beverages. The owners name is Fausto and he can tell you the good surf spots, etc. Have a great time.

Seńora Guadalupe. Ayer hablé con su hijo para confirmar las fechas en que vamos a estar en su hotel, quiero saber si es posible llegar un dķa antes es decir jueves 15 de julio.También quiero decirle que hoy hago el depósito ya que ayer me fue imposible hacerlo. espero estar en contacto mańana con usted o tan pronto como usted confirme el depósito en su cuenta. saludos y nos vemos pronto.

Hi I'm travelling through Mexico and am planning on passing through Puerto Angel some time over the next few months. I'm thinking that it sounds like a good place to stay and chill out for a while. Can anybody recomend an nice apartment to rent? Also if anyone has any suggestions on fun things to do. Whis is the best place to swim and snorkel? Thanks in advance for your help. Bella

Vicki, Do not worry the place is deserted. Hard Times down south. gg

Hello! I am interested in your property.Please send me photos and details, many thanks, Michael

Hello! I am interested in your property,please send me photos and cost details, many thanks, Michael

Hola Michael, email me at dontfallonme@hotmail.com for the photos. Sometimes it is a bit difficult to send them via Tomzap. I also have phone contact information. Xoyo

My friend and I have driven from Los Angeles to Veracruz, Veracruz. I want to spend the next few days in Puerto Angel. I just assume take the ADO GL bus from here, and kick back, watching the flora and fauna roll by. BUT, I was just told that the ride from Oaxaca, Oaxaca to the beaches is mountainy, hilly, and scary. I get seriously uncomfortable being driven on cliffside roads; I'd rather drive myself. Can anyone comment on this bus route? Is it flat and serene, or is it like a road where a Porsche driver says "no....too racy for me."

Johnny, No, it's not a straight flat road, it's in the sierra madres del sur, a mountain range. It's a curvy and mountainous road and the scenery is breathtaking. I've never taken a bus from Oaxaca to the coast; although, I have been a passenger in a private van (once), which was the best ride because I really got to enjoy the views. Plus I've driven it, in my car, four times, twice back and forth. The first time I was with my mother, two women and we had no problems, well we did have a blow out, but that's another story. I drove it last year at this time, during the rainy season. (yikes mud slides, etc.) again with another woman and there were trees and mud and stuff in the road, but I'd do it again. I might do it later in the summer if I can get down to the coast. The bus drivers and van drivers in Mexico are all very professional, their job is on the line, they are not the slackers portrayed in bad movies. Take the bus. Nancy

Hola Johnny, Are you considering driving yourself? Go for it but as an option consider this; I have driven the follow route from Vera Cruz to Puerto Angel. Take the toll road from Vera Cruz to Acayucan and then Hwy 185 across the isthmus of Tehuantepec to Salina Cruz. From there it is maybe 2.5 hours to Puerto Angel. you could skip the toll roads but I've learned it is not worth the time and wear and tear for this section of the route. The whole trip should take 8-10 hours and there are no mountains. There are topes and curves to watch out for. The roads are as good as you can expect which means they might be awful for a kilometer or two in places but passable. This would save a lot of time over the trip to Oax. and then down to PA. If you are not keen on seeing Oaxaca City then skip it and drive. Buena suerte

Hi, Some years ago an aquaintance from Canada moved to Puerto Angel with her mum and started a hotel I think. She became pregnant(fathers name was nacho I think) Is this hotel still around...is she still involved in running it?

I'm just wondering whether you found a rental in Oaxaca. I'm looking for the same thing for 2 weeks in mid-August. Can you let me know if you found any leads? Thanks. --Sara

Quisiera saber en donde queda el hotel el alquimista y en que playa, en donde puedo hacer una reservacion. Para agosto 21 si alquien puede ayudarme mil gracias maru

Hi there, My partner and I are planning to visit Puerto Angel in a few weeks. Reading all the information and comments on this site have been so helpful and have us very excited to get going there already! My question is: What exactly is the "high" season in Puerto Angel? The Oaxaca Moon handbook (yes, I noticed it's a little outdated for prices compared to the updated info on this site) quotes prices for high and low seasons and the high season appears to include at least some of August. We are planning to be there from about 8/14 to about 8/18, give or take a little. Will that be high season?

Also, from all your comments, it doesn't sound like PA gets overrun by tourists, but will it be really busy with people during the high season?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Monica

[%sig%]

Not hot water, Nancy? in Casamar? are you sure?

Luis

I have a friend that suppose to be in Puerto. He's big and 6 ft round. He drive a hippie bus with music blaring all the time! He is a famous Vet gone hip! Has some one seen him? Please if you do, give him my E-mail <unoboca@aol.com> Thanks Dave-the-Wave~

not really,

Louis, Please read my post again. I said "Casa Mar HAS hot water, the Hotel de San Agustinillo DOES NOT HAVE hot water. I also added that I think hot water is necessary.

Repitar en Espanol.

Casa Mar tienen agua caliente y Hotel San Agustinillo no tienen agua caliente.

I also said Casa Mar is one of the nicest rentals in San Agustinillo.

All my best to you and Guadalupe.

Nancy

Hola, I would like to get more information on your room, I will be arriving Nov 1-14. If you have pictures that would be great as well..

Thank you

Perm

Hi I have a new question- My sister and I are planning to travel to Oaxaca from Auf 12-19. We'd like to go the coast (Puerto Escondido) for 3 or 4 days. Can anyone recommend a nice simple posada with a pretty courtyard that is cheap, we are both students. That is, a posada in Oaxaca city and in Puerto Escondido. Also can anyone recommend fresh local food that is not catered to tourists in either of these places?

Thanks very much!

I have three condos for rent. They are 2 and 3 bedroom units in Puerto Escondido. The least expensive one is $275 usd per week, excluding last two weeks December and first week of Janaury. I discount for extended stays and have rented them for periods up to 2 months. They are above Angelito beach. Contact me if you are interested.

J-P

Magical house on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca, Mexico. Located beside the colorful town cemetery this home with mahogany floors, Spanish cedar beams and a red tiled roof is the place for the perfect getaway. The front and back patios are done in exquisite river rock and are wonderful for lounging after a day at the beach that is a 2 minute walk away. For those who love to cook, the kitchen comes fully equipped with all the gadgets one could fathom. The small flowering garden attracts hummingbirds, iguanas and numerous colorful butterflies. The palm covered bridge on the way to the bathroom makes the whole thing feel like a giant tree house. This is the perfect house for those who don't want the sterile, typical experience of a resort and yet want all the amenities of home. The house comes with cleaning service (Also gardens and animals are taken care of), TV, DVD, VCR, telephone, washing machine, hot water and feel free to ask us about anything else you can think of. The animals of the house are three outdoor dogs and a yellow-headed parrot. All you need is your toothbrush! For rent by the day or week.Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the house or the area.

[%sig%]

Hi Jane. We are a danish family, 2 parents og 6 kids (8-16 years old) seeking a place to rent for four weeks, from the 29.th of oktober to 25.th of november.

Can you help us out?

Anette Gatzwiller

Hello. We are interested in learning the details of your rental house in Puerto Angel. Thanks.

dear beatriz:

please email details and pictures regarding your property for sale in the zipolite/mazunte area. thank you.

joseph

planning to drive to puerto angel from phoenix this fall. wish to share driving time and expenses. no cigarettes, booze or drugs please.

Newly available in Barra de Navidad (Approx 1 hour north of Manzanillo, Jalisco), on the canal, beautiful 3 bedroom, 4 bathroom executive style home. American built, Furnished, Great for Groups. Check it out at our website...

http://www.angelfire.com/trek/barra_casa

Double click on the address to launch to the site.

Any inquires regarding this property should be emailed directly to the contact above (email address is also available on the web site).

Hola Beatriz:

A mi tambien me interesa tu propiedad en Oaxaca. Me podrias informar el costo y otros detalles.

Gracias,

Luis

I may be interested. Send details, pics,price etc. Jack Twobears

Yes I am interested in more about your property. I would also love to see pics.

Many thanks,

J. Twobears

Are you interested in any long term rentors? If so could you send details along with photos?

Many thanks,

Jack & Lisa

I am interested. I'm not here to waste your time or mine. If you would care to send all information along with pictures, price, terms etc. We will make decision quickly.

Many thank,

Jack

The black henna tattoos which are being offered on the beaches and in town by vendors are not hennas. There is not a black henna and if the so called henna turns out to be black, it most likely contains a black dye containing paraphenylendiamine or PPD which can be very dangerous. When the solution is placed on the skin it has a coal black color. Hennas have more of reddish brown color.

Most likely the vendors do not know of the harm it can cause someone. We gave one vendor the informatoin in Spanish and he was very receptive and asked to keep the info to show to others.

The website I referred to is www.hennapage.com clicking on the section about Black Hennas. Passing this info to as many folks as possible could save a life or a life of allergic reactions.

Thank you

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Pepe passed away in 2002. Chencha is with the Aduanas. Last I heard, she was in Villa Acuńa, but that was some time ago. Rita lost her husband (Weyo) and has diabetes pretty bad. She lives in the remains of her old restaurant along the wall. Beto died in a car accident but Sara still operates their restaurant, which is much bigger than you remember. Cuca still has his place on Panteon. Julio has the old hotel by the hill.

E-mail if you want more info. There are certain things better left unsaid on this forum.

Interested in knowing more about your house and Puerto Angel. Is this a good place for my family (two kids, ages 7 and 5) to hang out for a week or so?

Andrea

Jane, Mateo sent me an email to say hello in June. I tried to reply (twice) but it would not recognize his email address. I am planning on visiting Nov 26 - 28 (Thanksgiving). If anyone needs anything let me know. Send my regards.

Gregg from Chicago

GreggK@lightfirst.com

We will be in Puerto Angel Dec 27-Jan3-Check out. What is the weekly rental...and is the house close to town? Is it available? We want a quiet location...and do you have any pictures? What is the Hotel Puesta del Sol like? Thanks for any info you can share..... We will not have a car. Thank you...

Marcia

How much is the rent for the Casa Azul please? How many bedrooms does it have? We are two, but possibly three adults and a nine year old girl and a twelve year old boy.

Thanks

CathyMarcia Barr wrote:

> We will be in Puerto Angel Dec 27-Jan3-Check out. > What is the weekly rental...and is the house close to town? Is > it available? > We want a quiet location...and do you have any pictures? > What is the Hotel Puesta del Sol like? > Thanks for any info you can share..... > We will not have a car. > Thank you... > Marcia

Hi Beatriz, Can you tell me please how much you want for the house? Cathy

interested in mid Jan. 2005 until march 2005. [%sig%]

I took the extra fancy, 1st class bus from Mexico City to Oaxaca, Oaxaca to Puerto Angel. It's a treacherous breathtaking route. the driver was completely professional. We had a flat tire, it was changed. I loved it.

Hello!

I'm travelling to Oaxaca with my wife and our 5-year-old-son. We're looking for house, apartment, condo, or similar between 4th - 18th November 2004.

best regards,

Mika

If you haven't sold I'd like to look in Nov. Where is it located exactly? Thanks

Dear Sir I am interested in purchaseing property in the area. I would be interested in details of your offer Sincerely Joseph Kozelka [%sig%]

We are two families (cousins) who are planning a trip to Puerto Angel December 26-31. We have been trying to find acommodations, but most of the ones with e-mail adresses seem to be full already- does anyone have any suggestions we might try? Thanks so much, Elizabeth

I will be coming to Huatulco at the end of Janaury and was wondering what some good tours would be. Is there anything to see in Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondiddo, since I do not fish.? To get to Santa Cruz and La Crucecita ,can you just take the local bus. Any help on turs would be greatly appreciated. Thank You Percy

I am in Puerto escondido at the moment and am going to Zipolite in about a week. How is it to go there at this time of year. Would be good nice with some company. To have a party and hang out! [%sig%]

Hi there, I am looking for very quiet, clean apartment to rent from Nov. 20 - 30, '04, in the city of Oaxaca. Any ideas? Thank you. Janet

I am looking to rent an apartment with at least two beds from Nov. 20 - 30 in the city of Oaxaca. ANy suggestions? Thanks much, Alan

Hi I am considering staying at Posada Arigalan this December and am wondering if anyone is familiar with it. If anyone can tell me what is like (clean, safe, etc...) please let me know. Thanks!

We're looking for a simple place to rent Nov. 21 to 28, 2004 in Puerto Angel or other similar less-developed place, that will fit two adults (queen bed) and two small children. Simple living with kitchen, or even a safe place to camp with kids. The bay in Puerto Angel looks protected and good for kids. Any advice you can give is much appreciated. Peace, Jono

the hotel paraiso del pecador is a nice hotel, clean and modest, good food, on the beach. in San Augu. great fishing, air conditioning being added this year. check it out. you can see a video of the hotel at the web site www.exploreflyfishing.com

I stay at the paraiso del pescaodr in san aug. it's heaven. went last march came back in may and am goingto be there from nov to feb this year. like it so much listed it on my fly fishing site. www.exploreflyfishing.com. contact info is there. just go. eric

you can rent a boat in the san aug area and are guaranteed to see whales, lots of them and many dolphins. the national turtle hatchery is in mazunte, and san aug, and the there is a beautiful crocodile and bird refuge nearby. The folks at paraiso del pescador and some others inthe san aug. area can put you onto these tours and places, also snorkeling, swimming etc...

go to my site www.exploreflyfishing.com to get a short video of the coast and the fishing etc... as far as the city of Oaxaca, my bro just married a girl from there and we spent time in the town. it is beautiful and has a great pace. great food, great culture. etc... artsie, vivid, beautiful women and lots of worldly travellers. A good place to indulge reflect and create and relax... but i am hooked on the san aug. area. check out the short video on it on my site and you'll see why.

you a friend of bill w?

know it is too late, but if you made it to san aug then yo know how awesome it is despitethe rainy season. if you want to see the real surf, go to www.exploreflyfishing.com and look at the video onthe paraiso del pescador, shows the surf beaches etc, in spring and late winter.

NICOLAS RAMOS I NEED YOUR PHONE PLEASE I“M SIMRY TO MX. SALUDOS A DIEGO

What is the public transportation situation between Puerto Angel and Playa San Agustinillo?

What is the public transportation situation between Puerto Angel and places such as Playa San Agustinillo etc.?

you can get taxis and "caravans"... sometimes you can hitchhike, and usually give the person a fee. not a big problem. they aren't too far away, but wouldn't want to walk. you will love the san aug. beaches etc.. I am there for 3 months fishing as of nov.

does it have to be p Angel? if not try some of the smaller towns like MAzunte, or San Augustinillo. not too far away fro P.Angel

There is a bus that runs from Puerto Angel through San Agustinillo and turns around in Mazunte. I know my husband rode the bus a few times last Nov./Dec. I don't know if it will be running again this season. But, there are plenty of caminonetas and taxis at very affordable rates.

hi joe, don't know if you are in mexico yet, but i lived in mazunte, oaxaca (just up the coast a bit from puerto angel) for about 4 months last year and it sounds ideal for what you are looking for, zipolite has a bit of a heavier vibe, more drugs on the beach and muggings in the back streets, but mazunte was mucho mas tranquilo, and cheap! hope it all goes well........ good luck! kim

kim's right MAzunte or San Augustinillo...

My husband and I would also like to know if the place you stayed is available for rent. We are planning a trip to PA this winter to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. Our last trip to PA was in 1982. We thought it would be a day trip from PE, but it was so lovely we stayed for a week. So, is it true "you can never go back?" I hope not.

Thank You very much eric for the helpful information Percy

Watch Rooster Sr. live in Ponchos, A 66 year old as he retires in Melaque Mexico 180 miles south of Puerto Vallarta. <http://www.bayofnavidad.com> Rooster

Magical house on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca, Mexico. Located beside the colorful town cemetery this home with mahogany floors, Spanish cedar beams and a red tiled roof is the place for the perfect getaway. The front and back patios are done in exquisite river rock and are a wonderful for lounging in a hammock after a day at the beach that is a 2 minute walk away. For those who love to cook, the kitchen comes fully equipped with all the gadgets one could fathom. The small flowering garden attracts hummingbirds, iguanas and numerous colorful butterflies. The palm covered bridge on the way to the ecological bathroom makes the whole thing feel like a giant tree house. This is the perfect house for those who don't want the sterile, typical experience of a resort and yet want all the amenities of home. The house comes with cleaning service (Also gardens and animals are taken care of), TV, DVD, VCR, telephone, washing machine, hot water and feel free to ask us about anything else you can think of. The animals of the house are three outdoor dogs and a yellow-headed. All you need is your toothbrush! Puerto Angel is located a 45 minute drive from Huatulco airport and a 1 hour drive from Puerto Escondido airport. Rates: 100 USD per night. 2500 USD per month. Contact information: janemexico1@yahoo.ca [%sig%]

Hi there, We were in Puerto Angel in February. Loved it! We're booked to return Dec. 22 - 29 (7nts). Family of 4 (mom, dad and 13 & 15 year olds). Is your home available? How much is the weekly rent? It sounds wonderful by your description. Cheers - Sheila

Hello, Does anyone have an e-mail and/or postal address for Susana Lopez, who lives in San Agustinillo? I'm a friend from years back and want to contact her. Thanks, Julia [%sig%]

I“m Looking for a cheap place to stay in P. Escondido while on Honeymoon. We come all the way from Sweden! From around 7,8 nov and a month forth! Maybe housesitting, were both vegans and non smokers pax Carsten

Try the Nachos

CAUTION There have been some postings on this board and others by someone called Rooster, Rooster2, Rooster Sr or Bobi to name a few. He even talks to himself to get action on his posts, and now I am guilty of that. He,they, them are promoting and posting links to sites called bayofnavidad.com and melaque.net and possibly others. Upon a visit to this site, that seems to serve no real purpose except for cheesy self promotion of a scam, I picked up a hole load of spyware. DO NOT run the videos or click on any links to or from these sites unless your prepared to spend some time cleaning up your computor. They also have managed to latch onto what looks to be an honest restaurant owner and are using him to help promote themselves. Poncho, if you read this, please reconsider what you are doing. You have been taken advantage of and having anything to do with these people will only hurt your business. If I ever make it to Melaque I would love to try your chicken, but I sure wouldn't want to run into any of the drunken rooster gang.

We have no spyware or pop ups on our site, we are not commercial! Rooster <http://www.bayofnavidad.com>

Hi, My husband and I are going to PA in three days (October 14th) and I am interested in your friends guesthouse Would you please forward my e-mail address.Thank you. Ella Korsak - Los Angeles, CA ph# 909-860-9339

VILLA FLORENCIA THIS IS A NICE PLACE IN PTO. ANGEL AND GOOD ITALIAN FOOD

Boy, I just found this by accident and days of my childhood just came flooding back. My father is an Archeologist/Anthropologist from Vanderbilt and so I grew up in Nashville and Oaxaca in the 60's and 70's. Puerto Angel back then was a hidden and magical place for us. Back then there was one "hotel" with a few rooms or you slept in hammocks under grass thatched roofing on the beach. The lady who ran the place had part of her leg permenantly severed by a shark and walked with a limp. Back then the only commerce came from marijuana or sea turtles. They had many sharks in the bay and I received a major skin burn from one of them. This place was a real get away for many artists, writers, and academia types because it was a rugged adventurous trip from Oaxaca in those days. About 10 years ago my father and a friend had a vacation hut built out of sea shells and I wonder if it is still there. Lisa

Sorry I have not replied sooner to your message. Unfortunately our house is rented for the dates you requested but we will be sure and advise you if we have a cancellation. Thank you for your interest in Casa Azul. Cheers, Jane

Hola Quisiera saber si alguien tiene el email de Fausto que tiene el hotel en San Agustinillo. Gracias

Is the house available for a week during the new year. We're flexible on dates, but lets say Dec 27/28 to Jan 3, 2005. If its available, please let me know of the cost and please send pictures. Thank you Roman

Hi Roman, Thank you for your interest in Casa Azul. The house tentavively is secured for xmas, but there is availability as of January 1st. Email me at elisabethjane@sympatico.ca and I would be happy to send more pictures and answer any questions you have about the house or the area. Cheers, Jane

<http://www.puertoconnection.com> [%sig%]

Janet...if you are looking for a place in Oaxaca City, the best place for info is the English Language Library. There is always something there on the bullitin board. In San Agustinillo, see above, third from top, for "sol" ... great place.

I am interested in your house and property. Please email me specific information and pictures if it is still for sale. You say it is in the Zipolite are? Is it in Puerto Escondido or Puerto Angel?

Last winter, we were cycling parts of the Mexican coast. When we arrived in San Augustinillo, we stayed at a large old hotel. It was on the ocean side of the road, on the outskirts of the village toward Puerto Angel. It was a huge place, with a curved facade, derelict gardens, walkways directly to the beach. It appeared once to have been quite luxurious, with a big rooftop bar (no longer functioning.) Our room and bath, while basic, was clean enough and only $16 double. I think there were only a couple of other guests, an American married to a Mexican woman, and they appeared to be living there. My question? What was the name of the place, and what has happened to it? We thought it had fantastic potential to be revived, since San Augustinillo is such a lovely place.

i am interested in renting for the month of february please let me know if its available and what the rate would be thanks david galanty

Hi again! We are still looking for a place to stay for our two families in Puerto Angel at Christmas. Mazunte or San Agustinillo sound wonderful too. I am nervous about coming without reservations at that time. I read on this board about Cordelia's, which sounds great, but cannot find any contact information. I did find a website on Casa Gundi y Tomas, it looks good, too...does anyone have comments? Any suggestions are very welcome! Thanks, Eliza

hi, my husband and i are searching for a peaceful, friendly place to enjoy nature and eachother. any info would help. thank you :) andrea

florencia **** i love you****

We're looking for a place also... But we need internet access... Any information on that??? Thanks!

Hi, I am very interested in your property. Is it still for sale? If so - can you please send me some details (price, location, lay-out, pictures)? Is it located near Zipolite Puerto Angel or Puerto Escondido? We have been to the area last year and we want to move. Ideally we would want to live there and rent out a few rooms (bed and breakfast style...). Thanks, Frank.

Kevin: When I visited PA in December '02, I ran into an old pal from prior visits named Rufo Velasio Garcia. He then had just finished construction on an apartment building close to UMAR, with units renting (then) for $700 monthly. Pesos! Each is probably small, but has private modern baths. He gave me this e-mail address that you can try (his English is nearly non-existant): GELANET@hotmail.com.mx. It's a start, anyway

Hola:I'm here in Mazunte living since almost 8 years and I know Prudencio and Lalo el "mģnimo".Let me tell you that they are very fine,actually,lalo is living in Huatulco,but he comes here to Mazunte every 15 days to visit friends.Mazunte is still paradise,however people who comes is increasing in number,but the magic and energy of the place is the same.hurricanes are not so strong like when Paulina was here,but we still enjoying electric stormsand sometimes the strong winds that come.Perhaps you probably want to come and see personally.Take care and never forget Mazunte like a very magical place.marco.

Hotel San Agustinillo is the name of the hotel. Derelict gardens? Once quite luxurious? Roof top bar? I think the current owner bought the place in a much more dilapidated state and has done extensive work. San Agustinillo was never been a resort town so there was never a rooftop bar, just a palapa for hamacas and it is much more luxurious than it has ever been. The Hotel San Agustinillo is a great place to stay while in San Agustinillo, very affordable. The owner lives on site, he continues to improve the property and my husband and I enjoy staying at the Hotel San Agustinillo whenever we have a chance. The American, married to the mexican women, still lives in the hotel.

Hello, I saw your communication about San Augustinillo. We have been to this area before, but I can not remember the name of the bungalows at the "end of the beach" (opposite end of the beach from Hotel San Augustinillo). We stayed at the Hotel San Augustinillo and its great, but if we can't get a reservation we'd like to try this other place(a bit more upscale & more expenseive). Do you by any chance know the name or contact information? Your help would be appreciated. Mary

I read a post that they had a secluded clothing optional beach there. Is it true? Zipolite is getting just a little full of people who are not as laid back as they used to be.

Aside from Zipolite, which seems to have more gawkers than anything else; does anyone know of small inexpensive hammock places hidden away that have a laid back attitude about letting you get an all over tan. Having a beach is not essential, but being able to go outside with a beer and get some sun without offending anyone or getting into trouble would be nice. -- You know, just a small place with a place to relax, get a tan, and no worries???

you got to be kidding man, it was a present from my mother. gg

I plan to visit Puerto Angel in January or February. What can I expect to see concerning populations of different tourist.

We're visiting the Puerto Angel area for the 2nd time in Jan, 2005, and considering taking a Suburban van from Oaxaca to Pochutla. Anyone have information where it leaves from in Oaxaca, when and how much? Contact telephone or fax number in Oaxaca? Any info. appreciated. Thanks.

I should have checked this page months ago. Lisa, it sounds like you had a real adventure in PA years ago, Must have been fun! I didn't know there were sharks in the bay! People swim across the bay and snorkel along the rock shore. I touched a harmless nurse shark once and was surprised that the skin feels like sandpaper. Arnold, I'm thinking about going to PA again this year either in Jan. or Feb. also. Haven't been there in a few years but last time I was there it seemed to be mostly Canadians and Italians vacationing. I sure hope this area hasn't changed like Cozumel has. Sad what tourism and cruise ships did to that island in just eight years!

Hi John, Just began thinking today about heading south to PA in Feb. and another couple wants to go with us We can't let them relax as much as we normally do. Save me some time and tell me...... how far of a drive is it to Oaxaca CIty? How bad of a drive is it? Where is that high rounded mountainous rock that overlooks a valley? Where is the waterfall? (If the streams aren't dried up at this time of year). What was the name of that little community where the man promotes his archeological ''dig"? I think we were near it last time but missed the turnoff because it looked like a cattle trail. Are you heading way down south any time soon? Are the pigs still in the road in PA? I'll be very disappointed it they aren't!

I'm very interested. I'm going to Puerto Angel/Hualtuco region in January specifically to look for property. Please send detailed info and pics of your property. Thanks. Tim

Karen I needed to hear someone else longs for Oaxaca state and coast. Just today I cancelled my trip tp Merida and rebooked for oaxaca. There is something about this place that gets into one. Now I feel I have done the right thing! Thanks

hey there Nancy and Wally. Also having spent a lot of time in the San Agustinillo areaI can vouch for the Posada San Agustinillo. I can't believe that someone actually thinks it used to be a whole lot better? The palapa on the roof was added after the hurricanes of 1997, as were the other 2nd story rooms. As you know Nancy, all us old time regulars lovingly call this place "The Ruins". It is now a palace compared to what it was. The owner watched his guests and learned many things over the years....like the fact that as guests we like to be able to unpack, so he added shelves. Over time he also added toilet seats, bathroom doors and other ammenities! last time I checked the cost was 140 pesos for a double bed. More for more beds. Jonathan and Lucy are still living there, with their little boy and have changed a couple of the rooms into a small apartment. I highly reccommend the place and have taken many tourists there over the last several years.

We are visting Huatulco Dec. 31/04 to Jan. 14/05. We like to explore away from the usual tourist areas and are curious how far away San Agustinillo is from Huatulco. Is there a bus that can get us there or other transporation? Is there any restaurants nearby? What's the fishing like there? Would be very pleased to hear back from someone either at our email drakekc@telus.net or in response to this post. Mucho gracias! Brad & Michelle British Columbia, Canada

Hola!!! Estoy buscando una reservacion para cuatro personas en casamar estaria muy bien. Queremos agua caliente y un lugar limpio y comodo, agradeceria mucho su ayuda. Seria a partir del 27 de dic y hasta el 3 de enero. Muchas gracias [%sig%]

He is booked. I spoke with Guillermo on Sunday. He is not giving reservations from 12/23 - 01/03 (even if you pay in advance). gg

We are interested too. Will you send us pictures? We're coming to the area in January and woud like to see it. Thanks, Roxy & Raven

Hola, I & I gave you my nephew E Mail. I have lived in Huatulco & I know the area. Please send me some pictures & how much $$$$$. yes i read Spanish & speak, but my writing needs work.

Hey JoAnn I see you are finally making your way back to PA or at least you are thinking about it. I just returned last week from Oaxaca but, I did manage to spend a few days on the coast. It was really quiet and the locals were not in very good humor. Who can blame them. The beaches were empty and of course so were the hotels and restuarants. I should be in that territory Feb 6 - 9, and Feb 21-24. Rod - aka known as MTPockets. email: info@riobravoadventures.com http://www.riobravoadventures.com

ahem, I just realized how old the thread was I just responded to. JoAnn if you are out there, ....never mind. Rod - aka known as MTPockets. email: info@riobravoadventures.com http://www.riobravoadventures.com

hello can someone point me to some places to stay. i'm looking for a simple inexpensive bungalows near the beach. are there bungalow setup like thailand and bail - where one can rent private bungalows or guest house with bed, bathroom, ceiling fan or aircon - i'm hoping that there are a similiar setup. i'm a returned peace corps volunteer (panamį) so i'm used to roughing it. thanks in advance. ps - i'm hoping to be there 12.25.2004 - 1.08.05 cheers,

I like this site. http://www.costachica.net/english/index.html [%sig%]

I am interested. Please send me any info you can. In particular: water source,year built, construction type, picture?, etc.How much? How does title transfer work? >

Do you have an e-mail address for the casamar? Thanks.

Got it

The Pacific Coast of Mexico

www.tomzap.com

Tom Penick: tom@tomzap.com

Visitors' Comments ArchivePuerto Angel, Oaxaca January 2003 to December 2004

Visitors' Comments Archive
Puerto Angel, Oaxaca
January 2003 to December 2004