viernes, 1 de marzo de 2013

Tulum, Chiapas and Oaxaca
Driving

We started our road trip in Tulum in the mexican Caribe , one of the last  real Mayan Towns, small  , authentic and with one of the best beaches in the World, of course staed at EL Jardin de Frida, a quiet cultural hostel just off the main avenue a bit to the outskirts of town , a more local , quiet area www.fridastulum.com
Took off and drove to Valladolid (100Km)  a great colonial town were you can stop for coffe or lunch, (1Hr) drive from tulum .
 Continued direction to merida were we detoured about 30 Km before arriving to another great town called Izamal(you Can also stop at  chichen itza we had ben there befote so continued ) ,  Izamal is colonial all painted in Yellow and White and with a huge pyramid located at the center of town , after the Photo stop and stretch,  we kept going to merida which we did not enter took the arco vial (highway that goes around merida , in direction to Campeche , were we stoped and had lunch (about 3 hr drive from merida, we decided to take this route due to that they have just finished upgrating the highway making it easier and safer, passed Campeche the highway hits the gulf of mexico andon the side of the road you will find a bunch of little seafood stands.
Drove all the way to palenque in the Chiapas lacandona jungle about 4 hrs from Campeche , palenque is awesome i always stay at a hostel called Ël Panchan ¨ right befote the Entrance to the nacional  park were the the ruins of the old palenque are found , you turn Leith theres a big sign , inside there serveral complexes that offer different type or accomodtion its cheap , and a bit hippish but i love the cabins threw the jungle and  its very close to the pyramids, the restaurant at night is a great spot to see and meet new people , dont  have much contact info but remember that the best complexo of huts was jungle palace

Spent 2 nights here on the second day we traveled 15 km up to misol-ha waterfalls were if you want a quiet night you can rent a cabana right next to a beautiful water fall, once there go behind the waterfall and theres a little  cave you go in and  you find another smaller water fall , just magical
From there the next morning up to san Cristóbal de las Casas )aprox 4 hrs curve mountan driving road)  with a long and relaxfull stop in cascadas de agua azul beautiful water falls halfway threw  , once there walk up the stairs the furthest you can the more you do theless of a crowd you find , this place is pure magic

Drove  about 5 hours total that day until san cris but took us all day because of the stops at the water falls we arrived by night and found a private bedroom at rossco hostel great location good quality  place.

Spent here a couple of nights went and explored some town around san cris which still have a very tradicional way of life
My favorite san juan Chamula , be sure to go into the church be aware no Pictures allowed and they  mean it , its a reall offense to do o r try so
Couple of days in this great spot , and we kept driving into Oaxaca, drove from san Cristóbal all the way down to the pacific coast until zipolite Beach , quiet charming, beautiful little town found some great cabanas with great view at a hostel calles shambahla kinda old but  worth it for the price , next doo there were some more upscale Hotels

Stayed here a couple of nights enjoyed the low Seaton epmtyness on the Beach and town

Kept droving up to Oaxaca city for day of the death celebration , intense uphill drive roads are decent but loooots of curve but got tos hop some really cool alebrijes made  from wood which are awesome

Stayed in Oaxaca city a couple of nights for day of the death which was great