Mexico City.

Mexico City, or CDMX, is the heart of Mexico, that is probably quite obvious. However, it is completely different than the rest of Mexico. This is not the spot for shitty #margs and blended pina coladas, it is the spot for everything else.

Where to stay. In Short.

Roma Great food, great galleries, beautiful walkable streets.

La Condesa If you are looking for the easy answer, this is probably it. It is right next to Chapultepec Park, and home to the “food triangle” (our name, don’t bother googling it), just go to the corner of Av. Tamaulipas and Av. Nuevo Leon. This spot. AKA El Plaza Condesa. Walk down whatever street strikes your fancy. This is a very nice walkable neighbourhood.

What to do. In short.

Food, it’s incredible, you will find it everywhere, details below.

Zocalo, the typical establishing shot for CDMX, a site you must see, night or day, there is always something going on and some weird people doing stuff, selling stuff, or just hanging out.

Museo Nacional de Antropologia as far as museums with stolen artefacts go, this one rivals the world champs of colonial theft, the British Museum. The Spanish got their hands on some very cool aboriginal artefacts, examples from the Mayans, Aztecs, Incas and many others are on display. You can spend a good hour here just admiring the architecture, and another three exploring each wing, or be in and out enjoying Chapultepec Park again within an hour. It’s really well designed. Buy your tickets online, or on site through the automated kiosk.

Chapultepec Castle/Park. Mexico city has some of the nicest parks in the world, and their crown jewel is Chapultepec Park. It is the home of the Museo Nacional de Antropologia mentioned earlier, as well as ‘Chapultepec Castle’, a lake you can row around, and miles of walking paths. The castle offers great views from the top and is a nice experience if you like buildings.

At night hit up the neighbourhood of Coyoacan for dinner at a local spot. It will be an experience you will not forget. A totally safe part of town, best known for its association with Frida Kahlo. Our favourite place to eat is Mercado De Comida, it is inside one of the main food markets, at the back. Right next to the market is a really great local bar. If you want to grab a casual drink, it has a great feel to it.

Luche Libre. The main spot, the best spot, whatever you want to call it, is Arena Mexico. Currently they are running a Friday-Sunday-Wednesday schedule, but check the Ticketmaster link to confirm. There are some great vendors on the street outside the arena and the amenities at the venue itself are not bad either, comparable to the Coliseum (in Vancouver, not Rome). However, do not attempt to walk here, transit here, or do anything other than take an Uber.

Monument to the Revolution. This is one of those Eiffel Tower type deals, a landmark turned into a tourist attraction, except this one exceeds expectations. Best enjoyed at night, the tour takes you through the inner workings of the building. Architecture/engineering nerds will really enjoy it. Or just ride the elevator up and enjoy a coffee on the observation deck.

Tacos. When it comes to street tacos, eat with your eyes. If you see a good al pastor spot, stop and eat a couple. But if you want the best, the stop is Orinoco. Located between Roma and La Condesa, it’s in a safe part of town, and is frequented by locals and foodie tourists alike. It will be easy to spot, look for the red and white Coca Cola motif and the logo featuring a dead pig in a taco.

A short video I made of our favourite spots.

For the long story, scroll down.

Puerto Escondido

So you have a few days in PE! 

Whether it’s before or after your stay with us on the beach, here is what we recommend to do.

Where to stay.

Zicatela. If you love surf towns, this is one of the best. It has all the surf town accoutrements; vegan food, yoga studios, spots to score trees, buildings painted with murals, all that shit. At night Zicatela is always bustling and is home to all the beach bars/lounges. The night market/bar district is walkable from here, and the surf break is right in front of you. You can swim here during calm tides. If not it’s about 5-10 minute walk to a more sheltered bay. Bahia Principal. 

El Hidalgo. Want something peaceful, but still right in the heart of things? This is the spot, a mix of beautiful villas and rustic, traditional homes, most places have a view of the Pacific and you are just steps to the most swim friendly beach in PE - Playa Manzanilla/Playa Puerto Angelito

Ave De Oaxaca. Want to see what life is like in a Mexican market town? Find a place up here and you will get that feel. What it lacks in beauty, it makes up for in character. 

Casa Wabi. Architecture nerds. This is the spot. Casa Wabi was built by Japanese architect Tadao Ando in 2014. Since then, the surrounding area has seen the development of many other like minded sites. You are out of town, and things are QUIET. But the beach is perfect, and the surroundings are a great place to be isolated.

Anywhere. Truthfully, you can stay anywhere between Huatulco and Casa Wabi and have a great time. Don’t sweat it too much. Taxis are cheap, the local bus is almost free and everything within town is walkable, if you like walking.

Hotel recommendations.

First off, stay in an Air B&B, but if you really need a hotel, these would be the places we would check out.

Hotel Sante Fe one of the first hotels in PE. It’s right on Zicatela, has a nice pool and is usually around $125 a night.

Hotel Rockaway also on Zicatela, also with a pool. This place is a little trendier but also cheaper, often less than $90 a night.

What to do, in short.

Go to the beach. They are everywhere.

The biggest, Zicatela. It has a great surf break, but you can still swim/wade close to shore, especially at the south end. There are a number of beach clubs to spend the day drinking at, Agua Sala and Sunrise Beach Club would be our picks. Go for a walk at sunset or enjoy dinner in the sand at Fresh, there is always something to do or see down here.

Our favourite - Playa Manzanillo. Playa Manzanillo is accessed through a staircase in Hidalgo, or by walking over from Playa Puerto Angelito. On this side of the bay you can park a car/motorcycle, or get dropped off by a cab. Local buses also run to and from the top of the road access. This bay is nice and calm, easily swim-able, and has amazing snorkelling/free diving. Spotted eagle rays, sea turtles, including some of the most endangered species in the world, eels and exotic fish can all be spotted here. Gear can be rented on the beach, but many Air B&B hosts will provide it. If you want some shade, a lounge chair, or a snack, hit up La Palapa de Carrasco. The quesadillas and shrimp tacos are perfect, the best you will ever have on a beach. There is a minimum spend, about the cost of a beer and a snack, but if you tell the manager, Salvador, that you are friends of ours I am sure he will wave it. But don’t be cheap. They are great people and they will look after you. We go almost every day.

Bahia Principal is a must see. Not the most appealing swimming beach, but it’s where the locals go to spend the hot afternoon. This is the main fishing harbour, go in the early am, or late afternoon for the most action. Don’t be surprised if you get asked to help launch a fishing vessel or two, seriously. The water here is perfectly fine to swim in, and calm all the time, if Zicatela is breaking, and you just need to get into the ocean right now, walk over here.

Other Beaches.

Playa Carrizallio similar to Manzanillo, but not as good. The second best beach in PE.

Playa Coral the third best.

other Attractions

For those who like to stay urban

Our favourite part about PE is the market. Mercado De Benito Juarez is where the entire town shops. The “meat aisle” is the most striking, but the fruit and flower aisles are incredibly beautiful. You can get everything here. The southeast corner houses all the restaurants, they are all open and especially good on weekends. After working up a sweat, stop in at Mayordomo Chocolate. It is beautifully air conditioned and the Choco Mio, an ice cold milkshake, is perfection.

The night market. Av Alfonso Perez. This is also the street with the majority of the bars and night clubs. It is also how you access the main fishing harbour, Bahia Principal. The night market is more about people watching than anything else for us, although if you love chachki and souvenirs, you may want to pick something up!

For those who like to leave town

The two waterfalls. They are both hard to reach. Two hours off road each way. If you are not an experienced off road driver, go with someone who is. Our favourite is Cascadas Magicas, a series of waterfalls and lagoons that get progressively bigger as you ascend. A great place to swim and pretend you are in the Jungle Book. There are even a few vines/rope swings to speed up your entry.

The second is Cascada De Reforma - this is a bigger waterfall, but nowhere near as lush as Magicas. It is closer, and you can ride a motorcycle there in less than 90 minutes if you risk your life in every corner. The second half of the ride/drive is intense. It can be done in a rental car, but again, if you don’t believe in yourself as a driver, find someone who does.

nearby towns

Pochutla. This small town is about 30 minutes from the house. It is away from the ocean and thus has a very different feel. Best enjoyed on your way to Cascadas Magicas. Stop here for a snack at Tacos Esmeralda. It’s not on the map, so just drive down the main road til you reach the town. It’s on the left, and is coloured red and orange.

Colotopec. Just 30 minutes from the house, this hidden gem is a great morning trip. The drive is beautiful, and despite being so close to an airport, this place seemingly gets next to no white people. That is obviously a good thing. The drive up is beautiful, the town itself is beautiful, and it’s the home to some great ruins. A centuries old church lies at the centre of the town, slowly, or rather not so slowly being taken back by the jungle. Next to the ruin is the famous Blue and White Church featured on our home page. On your way up stop off and check out the cemetery, you won’t miss it, near the start of the drive. If you need to cool off, find the river. North of the town centre, it’s clean and flows nice and slow, with a sand bottom perfect for lounging.

…maybe this one wasn’t so short, more below.

Mexico City.

The long story.

Check back soon for more updates!

Puerto Escondido