Directions from PXM Puerto Escondido Airport to Rio Grande to Crucero to Zapotalito to the collectivo boat and truck that take you to Chacahua

If you leave from Portland, here is a fast flight if you leave from at 10:30 pm on Wednesdays and arrive in Puerto Escondido by 10:30 am with Volaris. Do not exchange money at the first money exchange place at the Airport in Guadalara or Mexico City. Look for the best rate of exchange. I ussually just get about $100 to $500 USD changed at the airport at the best casa de cambio or money exchange place at the airport. If I need more, I get the rest out of Banco Popular in Rio Grande at the ATM.

I like to skip all the steps below, and get a ride from the airport with my friend Oliver or Oliverio. He is honest and trustworthy and will take you from the Airport to Rio Grande or all the way to Chacahua and give you a tour as you drive around the national park. If you want to stay in Rio Grande, he will show you the best places to eat, drink, shop and hang out.

• Follow the next steps and choose your own adventure…

• Walk to the highway from the airport about 1/4 kilometer. Wait there on the side of the highway going North toward Rio Grande, not South to Puerto Escondido, that place sucks. Basically go right instead of left when you get to the highway. You want to go north, up the coast.

•  Wave a white van down they call Burbans (Suburbans), For 80 pesos or about 5 dollars USD, the driver will tell you where to sit and put your bag in back, or take a taxi for 600 to 800 pesos from the highway outside the airport to Rio Grande or a taxi all the way to Chacahua for probably about $110 usd or 2000 pesos.

• Get off after 45 minutes in the town of Rio Grande, or just ask to go to the Crucero if you dont need to exchange money, and from there you can get a taxi to Zapotalito

• If you need to get money exchanged or want to get some food, stop in Rio Grande. When you are ready to leave, ask around for Chacahua collectivo, walk around the block and find where to wait. Go take a 3 wheeled mototaxi to Cordonazo for a cold beer and meet friendly local folk, meaning a nice lady, or girl tourists, you can probably skip this step about the bar. Go to Taco Hermanos Mijangos for the best tacos ever.

• Take the collectivo taxi to El Crucero. From there, they will drop you off halfway to Zapatolito, where another collectivo taxi will take you and whoever else is in the taxi with you to Zapotalito. The switching of taxis is just a matter with the local union of the taxi drivers…. Long story, but you can ask the taxi driver if you want to test your spanish

• Once you get to Zapotalito, don’t get ripped off. If you want a private boat, it will cost you about $60 one way, but you might get it cheaper if you can tag along with another group. Otherwise keep reading….

• Ask to Take the collectivo boat for 50 pesos to the other side of the lagoon.

• From there, take a ride in the back of a well beaten pickup truck for about 60 pesos for about a half hour til you get to Chacahua.

• Ask them for la casa de Jeronimo enfrente la laguna, and they will let you out of truck right by the cabana / room.

• Get a hold of me before you get there, so I can grant you access to the room
• There is basically no crime there. If anything happens, talk to the local police. Ask Cesar, who lives in the neighborhood called “Abajo”, which is only about a quarter mile down the road from my house. He will know who to talk to and how to resolve any problem you might have.