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Visiting a Surf Town in Mexico

Posted on May 29, 2023

Week 2 – Puerto Escondido to San Cristobal

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This week I was on the road again visiting a beautiful surf town in Mexico. This was the perfect opportunity to get re-acquainted with night buses. This is a great way to travel as a budget traveller because you save money on a night of accommodation. However, at what cost to your sleep? Personally, I am used to broken-up sleep. Therefore, this was a small sacrifice for me. Yet, for those who may struggle to sleep in a moving vehicle, it can lead to the next day being a write-off.

This is the joy of travelling by road.

Oh, the joy is definitely sarcasm because this journey was anything but joyful. The trip was only meant to be a simple 10-hour overnight bus from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido.

What Happened When Visiting a Surf Town in Mexico?

AU second class bus at the bus terminal — ADO Bus

Well. We got stuck at the side of the road. Stuck in a standstill traffic jam somewhere between Oaxaca City and Puerto Escondido. Why? A truck overturned and blocked the road in both directions. Road accidents happen, I understand that. However, I was not prepared for it. Really not prepared for a 10-hour night bus to turn into an 18-hour bus ride. Yes, the bus did not move for way over 5 hours.

Not only were we stuck at the side of the road, it was pitch black outside. This made the situation worse because of stories about buses getting held up at gunpoint in Mexico. I tried my best to sleep through it and just hoped we would be on the move soon.

However, during this time I run out of water and food. The journey become tedious wait once the sun came up. I felt safer being surrounded by daylight rather than the dark of night.

Due to the fact we were running this late the bus drivers looked to make up time. Therefore from the. moment we got on the move again it was a crazy ride from there on in. The speed we were going at to overtake was at some points terrifying. The only good thing was that they did allow a food stop which couldn’t have been a moment too soon. I needed water and snacks! And a toilet stop because the bus toilet was full and disgusting.

Arriving in the Rugged Puerto Escondido

Golden sand and the sea with a surfer standing watching the waves — Zicatela Beach, Puerto Escondido

We arrived very late but in one piece. I was so glad to be off that bus. I have done long bus rides before but this is definitely the worst. So, I am no stranger to being on the road for a long time. However, I have always prepared enough food and water. So, this one did feel like torture. I was excited to finally be out of the cities and explore the beaches. A shower and a hunt for food were very much welcomed.

The next day I explored the beaches along this Pacific coastline. I was happy to feel sand in my toes and the sea lapping over my feet. There is just something about the beach that makes me feel so grounded. The sun was out in full force with the temperature gauge hitting 39 degrees. It was crazy hot and humid. The humidity was very high, you even sweated when sitting still. I had never experienced anything like it.

So, in Puerto Escondido, I enjoyed beach days. I would bake in the sun and then cool off in the sea. You couldn’t do much else but that suited me perfectly after a jam-packed first week in Mexico. It was nice to catch up on sleep and relax. This is a piece of paradise in Mexico.

I Did Do One Activity Here

my turtle in a coconut ready for release when visiting a surf town in Mexico — Turtle Release in Puerto Escondido

The activity I chose to do was the turtle release. I had read good things about this company online so I thought I would check it out. In the evening everyone heads to the beach and pays to release one of these turtles. I got the feeling that money mattered more to them. One good thing is that they didn’t let you touch the turtles because this isn’t healthy for them. Also, there were no birds in the sky to sky-bomb the turtles. Therefore, my little turtle got a clean run to the ocean. Let’s hope he is the 1 in 100 that survives his journey.

After Relaxing and Sweating Non-Stop

Visiting a surf town in Mexico ended with one last morning walk along the main beach in Puerto Escondido. This walk was great at first but once leaving the beach a dog ran towards us. It jumped up at my friend and attempted to bite her. The dog left a mark and some bruises. Luckily, she got it off before it could puncture the skin. Another little thing going wrong. We left the beach by another night bus. We were heading to San Cristobal.

Now, the little things going wrong started to add up. Let’s see what else Mexico can throw at us.

Check out my travel journal entries here!

2-Week Adventure Backpacking in Nicaragua

Posted on May 15, 2023

Disclaimer: This blog contains affiliate links meaning I earn a small percentage of every purchase at no cost to you.

This blog is about my 2-week adventure backpacking in Nicaragua. Again, as always I choose my destinations based on my interests. And so should you. This country was beautiful, eye-opening, and magnificent all rolled into one. This country truly touched me. In my opinion, this blog covers the most beautiful places in Nicaragua.

Magnificent Leon – 2 Nights

So, our first stop in Nicaragua was the city of Leon. We arrived at midnight by shared tourist shuttle from Honduras. It just made the border crossing a little easier by having someone do it for you. This place you can just wander around and take in the culture. The best place to stop by is the Cathedral. Remember to go to the roof for the best view. It was too wet when we were there so we missed it.

Me getting ready to sandboard down the side of a volcano — Volcano Boarding

The main reason backpackers stop by here is for the volcano boarding. Yes, you slide down an active volcano (US$35) on a plank of wood. Yes, it does sound crazy but it sure as hell is fun. Don’t worry you can easily control your speed, not that you will want to!

Rough and Ready Managua – 1 night

This capital city is a little rough around the edges and I wouldn’t really recommend a stop here. Travelling around Nicaragua on the local buses is easy because vendors yell out their destinations. Yet, don’t expect a bus to leave straight away because they only leave when they are as full or near to full. Therefore, you need to allow extra travel time for this.

However, stopping in Managua is convenient if you need to get some shopping done. Also, the capital is the main hub for flights over to the Corn Islands. This is something we missed as the weather wasn’t going to be great. Although, after speaking to other travelers; they didn’t regret visiting these Caribbean Islands on the coast of Nicaragua. They do look pretty untouched and impressive.

Lively Granada – 3 Nights

A old dirty looking church — The Church in Granada

In the bustling, colourful streets of Granada, there were street markets, historic buildings, and Lake Nicaragua. Also, this town is a good hub for day trips. Unfortunately, with it being the green season and raining every day all day whilst I was there most of the activities were called off. Normally, you can go swimming in a crater lake, see magma from an active volcano, and party hard at the famous Treehouse Hostel.

Beautiful Ometepe – 3 Nights

yellow circular sun over the shadow of Volcan Conception during 2-week adventure backpacking Nicaragua — Sunset over Volcan Conception

This beautiful island is made up of two volcanoes; the main one is Volcan Conception. It is possible to hike both volcanoes however in the middle of the green season it is not recommended. We did hire a scooter for a day (US$18). A scooter is definitely needed to visit the key sites as places of interest are all spread out over the island.

There are plenty of places such as having a swim at Ojo de Agua, Hiking to San Ramon waterfall, and exploring nature at Charco Verde. Also, you can relax at El Pital which is known for its chocolate and great views of Volcan Conception. Lastly, you can chill at ‘the beach’ at Punta Jesus and watch the sun go down.

Laid-back San Juan del Sur – 4 Nights

San Juan del Sur is a place to chill out and take it easy for a few days. This is an ideal stop with great surf for you surfers out there. There is plenty of companies to choose from for surf lessons. I had some lessons at Alex’s Surf Shop. These were okay, helpful more for a private one. Also, after lesson they let you enjoy more waves or lounge in the sun for an hour.

I hope you enjoyed the highlights of my 2-week adventure backpacking in Nicaragua. Please click here for more adventures.

A 2-Week Itinerary Through Costa Rica

Posted on May 9, 2023

Disclaimer: This blog contains affiliate links meaning I earn a small percentage of every purchase at no cost to you.

This is a 2-week itinerary through Costa Rica, so, please use it as a guide to help you plan your perfect adventure. I spent time researching all the places I have visited and chose the final destinations based on your interests. This is something I would recommend you do too. Everyone is different therefore we all enjoy and see things differently. I hope this inspires you. If you don’t fancy going alone check out this tour!

Amazing Playas Del Coco – 2 Nights

A brown sand beach, a great stop on a 2-week itinerary through Coast Rica — Playas Del Coco

Wow, what can I say about this cute beach bay? It has gorgeous views. The bay is lined with lush green jungle. Therefore, I spent my time relaxing on the beach in the sun. This place has some really good scuba diving spots which my friend did. The first spot was local and the fish were plentiful. The next location was further out at a place called Bat Island where there were bull sharks among other sealife. If you are a keen scuba diver definitely stop by here!

Intense Liberia – 1 Night

This was a good spot just to rest our heads for the night. I wouldn’t really recommend the city as such. I didn’t feel completely safe after dark. The city looked run down but the church was very beautiful. It was only a quick stop for us so I cannot recommend any of the national parks around there as we didn’t visit any.

The Beautiful La Fortuna – 3 Nights

me and a fast flowing river with a small waterfall drop — River Rope Swing

This beautiful jungle area is home to the biggest volcano I have seen. Volcan Arenal. Therefore, I cannot recommend this as a stop for your backpacking adventures enough. It is also home to La Fortuna waterfall another place worth your time. For a bit of fun, there is a rope swing into the river and some free hot springs to relax in. Also, take a tour of the hanging bridges to see epic wildlife or a walk through the sloth park to spot the elusive sloths. There is plenty on offer in this town but these activities do come with a big price tag.

Lush Green Monteverde – 3 Nights

Santa Elena cloud forest showing its misting vibe in amongst the trees — Santa Elena Cloud Forest

Monteverde is a cloud forest and a very pretty one at that. I went for a jungle night walk which was on my list of things to here. I went with a company that my hostel works with. It was a great time and we spotted a lot of wildlife. The jungle really does come alive at night. I wanted to do the ziplines here but due to the cyclone rolling through everything was closed. I did manage to venture out in the rain and into Santa Elena cloud forest which was cool to see and cost US$16 with transport. So, it was slightly cheaper than the Monteverde cloud forest. The rest of the time was sat indoors hoping the weather would clear up a little.

The Breath-Taking Manuel Antonio National Park – 2 Nights

Spider monkey hiding up in a tree — A Spider Monkey

This national park was by far my favourite. We spend a day walking around it and the number of monkeys we saw was unreal. This place was truly beautiful. Not only is there a jungle it sits on the coastline too. The beaches were just as incredible as the jungle. The beaches were filled with golden sand and clear, blue water. Perfection. I would recommend adding a day here just to enjoy the beaches and maybe have a surf lesson! The entry was US$16 and it had to be brought online before arrival. The bus runs from Quepos (the nearest town) to Manuel Antonio regularly and for 350C each way.

Unique Uvita – 3 Nights

Waterfall falling over the rocks on a stop from a 2-week itinerary through Costa Rica — Nauyaca Waterfall

The last stop in the 2-week itinerary for Costa Rica was this beachside town: Uvita. However, this town is very spread out. There I would recommend choosing a hostel that is near the beach. Uvita is home to the whale tail bay which can only really be seen by air. Here, we caught a local bus to the Nauyaca Waterfall. This waterfall was amazing and worth the hike or visit. We choose to hike 6km each way to the waterfall and back. The hike was very up and down. Yet, the hard work was worth it because of the reward of the waterfall. The hiking cost US$10. There are options to ride a horse or take a 4×4. We got to the ticket office at the opening therefore when we arrived at the falls we had it to ourselves for a while. A great bonus.

Also, check out my other guides here!!

An Ultimate Month in Mexico

Posted on April 24, 2023

This is the ultimate month in Mexico route that I followed. However, I chose these places based on other blogs I had read. Then I selected what I would find interesting. Therefore my advice would be for you to do the same. Use this guide to help you make the perfect itinerary for yourself.

Disclaimer: This blog contains affiliate links meaning I earn a small percentage of every purchase at no cost to you.

All prices are correct as of May 2022

Mexico City – 3 Nights

me sitting down enjoying the Teohiuacan ruins on the ultimate month in Mexico — Teotihuacan Ruins

I started this trip in Mexico City and the first thing I did was a free walking tour. This is a great way to see the highlights and learn about the city. I just found one online from a basic Google search and went along to the meeting point. These do work on a tip basis so make sure you bring some cash with you.

Teotihuacan Ruins is a day trip from Mexico City. It is pretty easy to get there with local transport or a tour. First, you get the metro to Autobus del Norte metro station (MXN5 per trip). For females there is a women’s and children-only section, I would advise you to use this. My trip was hassle-free but not all are. Next leave the metro station and the bus station is directly in front of you. At the bus station look for the ticket office labelled ‘Piramides’ and the bus leaves through gate 8. This costs MXN 52 for each way. The bus does take a while (roughly an hour) as it stops many times to pick people up however it drops you by the entrance gate 2. The ticket price for the ruins is MXN 75. To get back to Mexico City you do the route in reverse.

The Colourful Puebla City – 1 Night

A beautiful coulorful street full of houses — Puebla City

Here we ended up just walking around the streets. These were so pretty and colourful. I would add this to your trip as it is a simple 2-hour bus ride from Mexico City. I caught the ADO buses throughout Mexico. It was simple to book through their App and they cover the majority of the country. Unfortunately, we were here on a public holiday therefore everything was shut. Hence just walking around was the only activity I did.

Beautiful Oaxaca City – 3 Nights

This walking tour was very good and the guide spoke very good English. Again, I would always recommend a free walking tour as it is a great way to get your bearings in a new place. Remember, these work on a tip basis.

ME standing looking over the valley — Hierve el Agua

Hierve el Agua is a beautiful waterfall 45km from Oaxaca City. It was simple enough to get to using local transport. First, you can catch a bus (MXN20) from the second-class bus terminal to San Pedro de Mitla. The company for this bus is ‘Goma’. The information online says it comes every 15 minutes but we ended up waiting nearly 2 hours that morning. Crazy. Next was the pick-up truck up the mountain. I should warn you that they cram in as many people as possible. I paid MXN75 each way and we were a total of 11.

Along the way, you have to pay the ‘town tax’ of MXN10-15. Yes, really, the locals have made this up but you can’t get around it and finally the entrance fee of MXN50. Again, to get back follow the same route but in reserve. Also if you are a solo traveller a tour would be a great way to meet people.

Monte Alban ruins is a perfect morning out as it is only 10 km from the centre. I got the tourist mini-bus at 8 in the morning costing MXN100 for both ways. It was worth it as I arrived before the crowds and enjoyed Monte Alban in peace for a short while. The entrance costs MXN70. After exploring for a couple of hours I got the mini-bus back at 12pm. That was plenty of time to wander around and explore.

Amazing Puerto Escondido – 3 Nights

my turtle in a coconut ready for release on the ultimate month in Mexico trip — Turtle Release on Puerto Escondido

After exploring three cities I was ready to explore the beaches of Puerto Escondido on this ultimate month in Mexico adventure. I did just that by foot. I explored the coastline simply by walking to a different beach each day sometimes two in one day. The only activity I did was the realising of a turtle. This cost MXN100. I had read good reviews about the company online however once there it did feel that they cared more about the money than the turtles. In future, I would skip this experience.

San Cristobal – 2 Nights

El Chiflon Waterfall was the reason we stopped by San Cristobal. The waterfall was still 3 hours away by local transport. The journey there included a straightforward ADO bus to Comitan then a colectivo to El Chiflon (MXN35 each way). The entrance was MXN50. This place is incredible and definitely worth the trip on the local transport or guided tour. Again, reserve the route back to San Cristobal.

Beautiful Isla Mujeres – 4 Nights

a yellow and orange sunset over the clam sea — Sunset on Isla Mujeres

This island felt very touristy and it was more appealing as a 2-week holiday destination rather than a backpacking experience. To get over to the island I got the ferry with Ultramar costing MXN362 for a roundtrip. Once, on the island, we explored the beaches and the southern point of the island. This place does have some good snorkel sites you can access through tours.

Cozumel – 3 Nights

I did a shore scuba dive here to see if I like scuba diving still. The answer is yes. I didn’t see much marine life on this dive but people who went out on the boat saw lots. So, even if you want to try scuba diving for the first time I recommend going out on the boat. Also, I cycled to the beaches on the far side of the island as they aren’t lined with beach clubs; however, they were full of seaweed but still so beautiful. If you like beach clubs then you will find a great spot with good snorkelling and free of seaweed.

Vibrant Valladolid – 2 Nights

This was a last-minute change to the ultimate month in Mexico as once I researched Chichen Itza, I felt it was best to go from Valladolid. The town is very cute and colourful much like Puebla.

Chichen Itza is a world wonder therefore it was a must-stop for me. To get there I took the 7am colectivo from a car park opposite the ADO bus station. The entrance fee was expensive at MXN571, MXN80 has to be paid in cash and the rest was either cash or card. If you plan well you can visit a nearby cenote before heading back to Valladolid.

Also, I visited Cenote Oxman whilst here. I got a taxi both ways for a good price and an even better price on the way back. I did get lucky as a taxi was dropping more people off as I left. This is a cool underground cenote with a nice pool area to chill out in after.

Touristy Tulum – 3 Nights

The second to last stop on an ultimate month in Mexico adventure was the very overrated touristy Tulum. Yet, if you don’t mind paying for beach access through many wonderful beach clubs then you will enjoy this place more than I did. I rented a scooter (MXN500) for the day. I visited Akumal Bay to see the turtles that feed there. However, this experience was very unpleasant. You have to pay to even access the beach. Also, they try and stop you from swimming in a certain area of the sea where they run the snorkel tours. It is possible to see turtles for free with great patience and ignoring the locals telling you where you can swim.

Incredible Laguna Bacalar – 2 Nights

A boat perfectly framed by two beams floating on lake bacalar. The last stop on an ultimate month in Mexico — Lake Bacalar

The last stop on an ultimate month in Mexico was this gorgeous lake. The lake was beautiful and there are two free spots to sit on a deck and enjoy. The water here is known for having 7 different shades of blue. The town itself isn’t much but it getting more discovered by tourists. So, get there quickly before it is overrun just like Tulum.

You can read about my other experiences in other countries here.