Stage 19:  Playa Ventura, Guerrero – El Zapotalito, Oaxaca
June 2-3, 2013
4.25 hours, Libre

Lagunas de Chacahua Parque Nacional

I was aiming for Playa Zipolite, one of Mexico’s only nude beaches. I can’t quite recall if I got confused, thinking Zapotalito was Zipolite, or if I read about Lagunas de Chacahua Parqe Nacional and thought it sounded cool. Either way, I ended up at the park.

Our delightful lunch stop

I stopped at a sweet little restaurant at the exit to El Zapotalito and Chacahua. The owners kids were working with their papá and we had a very nice interaction, with them telling me a bit more about about the area. After traveling a few miles down the road the Lagunas de Chacahua Parque Nacional I understood why there were so many tuk-tuks puttering around, between the potholes and the topes (speedbumps), my body was brutalized! There is a road that travels all the way to Chacahua pueblo, but I opted to stay in El Zapotalito, I just could not take one more jarring bump.

It was slim pickings when it came to hotels, and I’m pretty sure the one hotel in town was also a “Love Hotel”, a by the hour place. This would not be our last encounter with love hotels, and they always raised their eyebrows when I walked in with Luna on a leash. The hotel was completely dodgy and there was no curtain on the door window. You could say I felt a bit exposed, but since I always travel with extra saris, which generally function as bed covers for Luna, I sure was happy to have it to cover the window. I was also happy to have my fierce beastie by my side. I wasn’t thrilled about the people coming in and out of the hotel, nor about the noises eminating from the rooms.

My Funky Love (?) Hotel

Sunset Stroll Upon Arrival

Needless to say, we checked out at dawn the next morning, took our regular morning stroll watching the sun and the town wake up, then we found a lancha and guide to take us for a tour of the laguna, the mangroves, and the crocodile nursery. It was an incredible trip with beautiful birds, a lovely sea breeze, and a great boat ride. Luna and I both love boat rides!

After our four hour tour, we hopped back in the Odyssey, braved the topes and the potholes, hit the highway going south to our destiny with Playa Zipolite, the only nude beach in Mexico at the time.

Laguna Chacahua Boat Tour

The Crocodile Nursery