Did you know that Mexico has 9930 km of coastline?
Only a tiny part of it is occupied by the famous resorts on the Yucatan peninsula and Baja California. There are many pristine and empty ocean beaches, countless cenotes, rivers, waterfalls, and hot springs. You can even find some hot rivers that are a treat for the body and the soul.
On our previous trip to Mexico, we visited Yucatan, where we discovered a heavenly, beautiful, empty beach close to Coloradas. Since we are not into luxury and crowded resorts, this time we decided to explore the Pacific coast of Oaxaca. Southern Oaxaca state and Chiapas are ones of Mexico’s less populated and poorest regions. They are also the most authentic without the glamour of a tourist destination.
We enjoyed our stay in San Agustín Bay in Huatulco, Oaxaca.
The beach is fantastic, with soft white sand, moderate waves, and many small authentic restaurants. On the beach, you can meet a local fisherman and have some fresh fish to buy at a very reasonable price.
On the other side of the bay, Coyote Beach is a long, empty stretch of golden sand that we shared with a few vultures. We stayed at the lovely Chuparosa Gardens RV Park, owned by a Canadian expat.
The RV Park was one of the best we visited in Mexico. From the moment we got close to the office to ask about the space and site, I knew this was my place. John, the owner, had a fantastic collection of ancient pottery pieces he dug out while constructing the place. He showed me pieces that could be proudly put in any museum. They are amazing.
My most memorable experience was our stay at the Tortugita RV park, an oasis in Costa Chica, Guerrero. The park was quiet, with no music or parties at night—only the sounds of the ocean. Victor, the German-speaking host who came to Mexico from Switzerland six years ago, has a permit to raise turtles.
He digs up the turtle eggs and looks after them in his breeding station, saving them from being stolen and sold by poachers. We were lucky to be part of a newborn turtle’s release. It was an unforgettable experience.
Rancho RV Park, a little south of Colima, is probably one of the last paradisiacal places on this planet. If you can’t relax here, you won’t be able to do so anywhere. The beach is 8 miles long, and we have it all to ourselves.
When our son, Ivan JR, joined us, we decided to spend some time in more developed places. For him, we chose Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan. This was a big mistake. Huge…
Everyone knows about Puerto Vallarta. It is a well-known resort; everything is clean, organized, and flashy. And it is busy. Really busy and crowded. The beaches around the town were so crowded, that we went only for a sunset walk and opted for Playa Careyeros the next day.
Puerto Vallarta has the most beautiful promenade in Mexico—the Malecon Boardwalk. Here, you can find countless shops, restaurants, art exhibits, cultural sites, and entertainment to keep your time fun and exciting. The boardwalk is like an art gallery with many art sculptures and beautiful views of the ocean!
The beach was not good enough for swimming, but we stopped there and tried to build a stone sculpture. It was not so easy; some folks were much better than we were.
The last stop at the beach in Mexico –at Mazatlan was a total disaster. Do you know what one of the greatest pleasures is for every overlander? A long, hot shower with good water pressure. So, when we booked a night at the Marriot Hotel on the beach at Mazatlan, I started to anticipate the good shower and the hand-crafted soap and shampoo at Marriott. And when we entered the lobby, and I looked at the infinity pool in front of the hotel, I felt like I was in heaven.
I didn’t know that I was in a Mexican version of heaven. A crucial part of the Mexican heaven is the ‘Banda music.’
Even on the 10th floor of the hotel, you could hear it non-stop during the entire day. I understand that is a Mexican tradition. But I don’t think the “bandas” from a century ago pestered the tourists on the beach with powerful sound amplifiers that made the walls tremble.
Frozen waterfall
When God created Mexico, he was very generous with his gifts of water. The long stretches of oceans on both sides of this vast country weren’t enough, so he decided to create some wonders like Hierve el Agua.
This is a rock formation in the mountains east of Oaxaca that resembles a huge waterfall. The place is magically beautiful, but what was my surprise when I found out that the water was too cold for my liking?
Hot Springs heaven
I grew up in Bulgaria, a country with a rich history of hot springs resorts. The Roman emperors indulged in my country’s hot water treasures a few millennia ago. I always loved soaking in hot water, and lately, my Ivan has been getting increasingly into hot springs. Strange things old age does to people.
Ivan: It’s not the age, honey, it’s the mileage…
We have visited hot springs in many countries, from Argentina to Alaska and from Italy and Spain to Iceland. But I have never seen a hot spring with more majestic and unbelievable beauty than the Grutas Tolantongo in Mexico.
Grutas Tolantongo is a breathtaking natural wonder nestled deep within the rugged terrain in the dry highlands north of Mexico City. It is a popular tourist destination for locals but not well-known to tourists. The Tolantongo, a box canyon in Hidalgo province, is far from the major tourist routes, and it is not easy to get there.
Legend had it that the river was born from the tears of ancient volcano spirits. Their fiery passion mingled with the earth’s cool waters, creating a stream that bubbled and steamed with heat. The locals revered it as sacred, believing in its healing powers and mystical energy.
Grutas Tolantongo is surrounded by towering limestone cliffs, creating a dramatic backdrop for the cascading waterfalls and crystal-clear blue pools. The hot spring emerges from the ceiling of a cave and flows in a relaxing sky-blue river. I don’t think I’ve seen anything more extraordinary. The river is made into shallow pools, and the temperature is perfect for soaking—between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius. We planned to be here for only a day but stayed for almost a week. It was that perfect.
Mexico is a hot spring lover’s paradise. We spent a week at Balneario las Huertas, close to Mexico City. It is a vast water park with many natural and man-made pools filled with hot water. The hot spring river flows through them, filling them with relaxing warm water. The temperature was a little cold for my taste, just around 32 degrees Celsius, but it was nice, cooling, and relaxing in this very hot weather.
Very different was the case with Río Caliente, close to Guadalajara. We picked Ivan Jr from the airport and, on the way to Tequila, decided to bring him to this hot river. We thought he would appreciate the hot spring soak after Zurich’s long, rainy winter. The day was too hot, and the river was too hot, so after only 15 minutes of soaking, we decided to get out of this scorching hell. My lovely husband is an adventurous and soft soul, but his body is getting old. He got a heat shock and just dropped unconscious at the side of the river, making locals start fussing around us, offering ice, cold water and coke.
Rest assured, he is okay. After an hour of cooling down in La Casita, we continued our adventures. Lesson learned: Hot springs are amazing in colder weather but not so much when it is too hot.
hit the road... 