We love the coastline of Oaxaca, but there's no doubt parts of it have become a bit more of a 'vacation' destination in the last few years, rather than being the preserve of surfers, backpackers, hippies, and locals.
We reckon it'll take some time for that shift to reach Laguna Chacahua though.
Isolated and taking a bit of effort to reach - with at least three modes of transportation involved on the shortest route - this sleepy village composed of dusty roads between the mangroves and the sea is a haven for surfers, people in no rush to leave, and those looking to find somewhere far away from it all.
Somewhere that a small boat is the only way in or out.
In this short 'routes' post, we've shared costs and details on how to get to Laguna Chacahua from the beach towns of Zipolite + Mazunte, via Puerto Escondido, as that's exactly what we did and many others will also be going that way.
In total, with public transport and the connections going smoothly, the journey will take 3-4 hours from Zipolite / Mazunte and closer to 2-2.5 hours from Puerto Escondido. If you’ve only got one day, then you should instead opt for a day trip tour with private transport.
Any journey to Laguna Chacahua includes a connection in Puerto Escondido, so if you're starting from that city, you can just skip straight to the second half of this post (‘Puerto Escondido to El Zapotalito’).
Most importantly, it's best make a decision before you set off on whether you want to take the more expensive direct scenic boat through the mangroves, or prefer to save money with the boat + truck combo; we've shared the details to help you choose the right option for your travel style and budget.
Zipolite + Mazunte to The Crossroads
If starting out in Zipolite, you can walk along the highway for five minutes or via a backroad from the main street, to the start point for the colectivos to Mazunte - find it here on Google Maps.
These converted pick-up trucks (camionetas) are the main public transport for the beaches of Oaxaca and run every 15 minutes from 6.30am. As you're at the start point, you're guaranteed a seat, but anyone catching it further down the road in Mazunte may have to stand or hang on to the back. There's always a section behind the driver's cab for backpacks, but it can sometimes be difficult to place your things there if the truck is already quite full (everyone's usually very friendly and helpful though, just try not to twat anyone in the face!)
The same camioneta travels along the highway linking San Agustinillo and Mazunte, and you can stand at the side and hail it; if uncertain, ask a local where the best spot to stand is.
You need to get off the truck at the Oxxo supermarket on the crossroads (here on Google Maps), which is right by the main highway linking Pochutla and Puerto Escondido. When boarding, simply let the driver know you're going to 'el oxxo', 'el cruce para Puerto Escondido', or ring the bell in the back when you're getting close to the spot - it's not the final stop, and you likely won't be the only person disembarking here, but best to pay attention anyway.
Once off, pay the driver: price/travel time from Zipolite will be 30-35 pesos per person / 45 minutes, whilst it'll be 15-20 pesos / 20 minutes from Mazunte depending on how busy the particular service is. It's best to have the correct change + small notes notes to pay.
If travelling with various surfboards or a group with lots of backpacks, it may be best for you (and fairest on the rest of the people hoping to get a place on a passing camioneta) to share a taxi to the crossroads. The taxi drivers in Zipolite and Mazunte are adept at overcharging for small distances, so you'll need to negotiate slightly and we'd imagine it may be around 400 from Zipo and 250 from Mazunte (but please do share prices in comments if you do it).
The Crossroads To Puerto Escondido
Once you've got everything sorted, you need to (carefully) cross the road at the Oxxo, taking you to the yellow shop called Abarottes Frutas y Verduras Lichita - here on Google Maps.
There's lots of space to safely stand at the side of the road, and it's a good opportunity to grab a drink or snack. There may be a few locals there already waiting for a connection, and it's an established informal stop for transport to Puerto Escondido.
You have two options:
· A shared/colectivo taxi quoted us MX$80 per person to the centre of Puerto Escondido, but he unfortunately had no space in the boot for our backpacks. This would be a quicker and (slightly) more comfortable option.
· Wait for a Transportes Delfin minivan. Two passed us in 10 minutes, both very full up already, and you bags will go tied up on top or inside. Our Airbnb host in Mazunte told us the price should be MX$50 each, but the first driver quoted MX$70 and had a packed van. The next one had seats in the back row and quoted MX$55.
There are likely also larger buses passing by toward Puerto Escondido.
From the crossroads to Puerto Escondido, it's about an hour or so depending on how many people are picked up / dropped off along the 65km journey, and the proclivity of your driver to put the foot down.
You'll get dropped off by the large ADO / OCC bus terminal by the highway - here on Google Maps - which is just a one minute walk from your next stop: the Terminal TUR (maps)
If you've not grabbed breakfast or lunch yet, there are a couple of places on the same road serving up decent local food (chilaquiles are always a good idea)
Puerto Escondido To El Zapotalito
If you're already staying in Puerto Escondido, you need to first make your way toward the Terminal TUR in the town centre - here on Google Maps. This will simply involve a camioneta from La Punta or Zicaleta, or a taxi for around MX$50-80.
Now, before we share the next stage of the route, the most important thing to know about visiting Laguna de Chacahua is that there's no ATM in the village and nearly every business doesn’t accept card.
So, you need to bring a lot of cash with you.
Thankfully, there's a massive supermarket a short walk from the Terminal TUR called Chedraui (maps). This has about eight different ATMs from various banks, so one is always guaranteed to be working and not to charge an extortionate withdrawal fee. For our British Starling bank cards, the HSBC machine only charged MX$35.84 and we could withdraw up to 6,000 each time.
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A fantastic alternative option as a bank card that offers excellent rates, low ATM fees, security, and flexibility whilst you’re travelling is Wise. It’s currently available to travellers from the UK, the US, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Canada, Brazil and most of the EEA, and is supported by an excellent mobile app.
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We recommend you head to the supermarket, buy any other supplies you'll need (i.e. suncream and bug spray if you're running low), take out your cash, and separate it accordingly. If there's a few of you, it may be easier to leave someone with the backpacks in the terminal (which has an air-conditioned waiting room), rathe than unnecessarily carting everything over to the supermarket, where you have to enter via the ground floor car park.
There are departures from Puerto Escondido to Chacahua every 15 minutes until 5pm, but we highly recommend doing this leg of the journey in the morning or early afternoon to maximise your time in Chacahua, make accommodation hunting easier, and minimise disruption on the next two legs.
The small modern minivans you need will usually have Pinotepa as their final destination, but you're going to El Zapotalito (or ask for Chacahua and they’ll know where to drop you off).
The lady at the ticket booth inside the waiting room said we have to pay the driver directly, and he subsequently charged us MX$100 each. We thought this was more than it should be, but didn’t quibble, but he definitely pulled a fast one. On our return to Puerto Escondido, a more honest driver charged MX$70 for the same trip.
Travel time from Puerto Escondido to El Zapotalito is about 50 to 60 minutes.
Tips / If you’re travelling from Puerto and only plan to stay 2-4 nights in Chacahua, it’s a good idea to leave your large backpacks or suitcases at the hostel. This makes the transport and looking for accommodation much easier, and you don’t really need that much with you on the island.
As mentioned earlier, we don’t recommend travelling from Puerto to Chacahua independently for a day trip. It’s a long-ish journey with the various connections, and you’ll definitely want to stay on the island-village for longer. However, if you’ve not got that long to spare, it sounds too rustic for you as a destination, or you’re more focussed on seeing the eponymous national park, then it’s best to visit on a day trip from Puerto Escondido as the private transport shaves a couple of hours of the travel time. This is a highly-rated option, whilst this one is more affordable.
El Zapotalito to The Boats
You’ll get dropped off on the right hand side of the road, and just need to cross straight over to this turning - here on Google Maps (you’ll see a sign for restaurant ‘La Bamba’)
The driver should stop and give you a shout, but as a heads up, it’s not too long after passing through a town called Rio Grande.
At the turning, you’ll find taxis and a waiting red and white camioneta under a rudimentary shelter (if not, one should turn up shortly).
The camioneta ride costs MX$20 per person (though you may get charged MX$25), and takes under 10 minutes to arrive in the village of Zapotalito.
Book / Budget travellers are best to arrive and find a campsite, hammock, or basic room when they arrive, but travellers looking for somewhere nicer or more comfortable should instead consider booking online. A few of the best options to check out in Chacahua include: Casa Gitana, Pora, Casa Uwu, and Cabañas La Isla Chacahua
The Boats To Laguna Chacahua
As we mentioned in the introduction, it’s best to decide before you arrive which boat to take from Zapotalito to Chacahua.
The online information for our journey was poor about the options, so we took the time (i.e. made the mistakes) so you don’t have to waste time or money unnecessarily.
The boats leave from two different ports in the village, a five-minute walk apart. To avoid confusion, there’s no timetable for either of the boats to Laguna Chacahua - the main factor is that they leave when full.
The cheaper colectivo boats start from around 7.30am and are meant to depart every 50 minutes, whilst the direct boats start at around 8am, with services for both winding down at around 4.30 - 5pm.
Due to this, we recommend you try to arrive in Zapotalito by 2pm at the latest to avoid issues; this also helps guarantee you better options when looking for accommodation in Chacahua.
Option One | The Direct Mangrove Boat
The more expensive scenic option.
It costs MX$300 per person, and they need a minimum of five passengers to run the boat at that rate (the cost of the boat trip on its own is MX$1500). You may be able to get at a slightly reduced price if there are lots of passengers turning up at the same time, or more than five in your group.
The boats leave from ‘Turismo Lagunas de Chacahua’, here on Google Maps.
Travel time is 45-minutes, and you’re dropped off on the lagoon side of Chacauhua (maps), from where you’re a very short walk to the beach and most accommodation.
Pros: A direct journey and a travel experience on its own merits, particularly for the narrow mangrove section of the route, travelled slowly and filled with dozens and dozens of white birds (we think they were egrets). When they all took flight racing alongside the boat, it gave us a magical moment we will never forget.
Cons: If you’re on a super tight budget, you may prefer to skip it. The need to wait around for a quorum of passengers isn’t convenient, but shouldn’t be too much of an issue if you arrive in the late morning / early afternoon.
Option Two | The Short Boat + Truck Combo
This involves a speedy 10-minute boat trip across the water to a gorgeous pick-up point, then a shared truck along dusty roads into Laguna de Chacahua.
As above, they usually need a minimum number of passengers to run (8-10 people) unless they’ve got a lot of cargo they wish to take over already, which can involve some waiting around.
The boots leave from the ‘Lanchas Colectivas’ port in Zapotalito, here on Google Maps.
Cost for the colectivo boat is MX$50 per person. The pick-up truck meets passengers off the boat, and costs another MX$50 per person, dropping you off about 30-minutes later in the dusty main square of the Chacahua village (maps).
From there, you’re also a very short walk to the beach and accommodations.
Pros: Cheaper than the direct boat.
Cons: Travel time is usually the same or longer than the direct boat, but it’s still a fun journey to take. You don’t get to experience the mangrove forest or the birds at all, and the boat doesn’t slow down at any point.
A rule of thumb for first-timers is to take the scenic, direct boat in for enjoyment and experience, and then leave on the cheaper boat + truck combo. That’s what we did and unless you’re on a strict budget, we’d recommend doing the same.
However, if you’re going to do a proper boat tour of the mangroves and lagoons of the national park whilst staying in Chacahua, you may be better putting your money toward that experience instead of the direct boat.
Note that the colectivo truck from the crossroads will pass the ‘direct boat’ terminal / Turismo Lagunas de Chacahua first (here), and ours actually stopped so a guy could offer us a place on a boat. We declined however, as we assumed that all the boats left from the same place, which was further down the road.
However, when we arrived there, we realised that this was actually the specific terminal for the indirect, cheaper colectivo boats. The lady there was helpful, but also intent on persuading us to take that boat, whilst a drunk guy was keen to offer us a private boat ride over through the mangroves for MX$800.
We then walked back up the road and arrived at the ‘tourist boat terminal’, which turned out to be the spot where the first guy had offered us a place. We were the only travellers there for about 20-minutes, but when another group arrived, we all got on the same boat!
One final note! If you’re staying at somewhere secluded ike Pora or this Airbnb cabaña, note that you may be best off taking the boat + truck combo on arrival, as the truck can drop you off on the road closer to the accommodation than the port. Otherwise, it’s a 15-30 minute walk along the beach with your luggage.
Plan / Find out the best things to do, places to stay, what to do if your cash runs out and lots more travel tips for your visit by reading our guide to Lagunas de Chacahua.
Route Summary
· Zipolite / Mazunte to The Crossroads | MX$20/35 · 20-45 minutes
· The Crossroads to Puerto Escondido | MX$55 · 70 minutes
· Puerto Escondido to Turn-Off | MX$70-100 · 50 minutes
· Turn-Off to Zapotalito | MX$20-25 · 10 minutes
· Boat from Zapotalito to Chacahua | MX$300 · 45 minutes
· Boat + Truck to Chacahua | MX$100 · 45 minutes
Total Cost + Time Range | MX$265-515 · 3-4.5 hours
We’re not long back from our month in Mexico, and currently writing the blog series to CDMX, Oaxaca, and all our favourites beaches along the coast of Oaxaca.
Follow us on Instagram (@alongdustyroads) for updates or see the latest below.
