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San José del Pacífico is one of those places where I still don't know why it attracts so many people. I mean, I know why, but I don't understand why I too found this place so attractive. To stop sounding so cryptic: There is nothing to do in San Jose del Pacífico in that sense. It is a very, very, very small village, which apart from being incredibly quiet and peaceful, has nothing that would be attractive to tourists in any way. Most of the backpackers visit San José del Pacífico because they want to eat mushrooms and then go hiking in the forest - at least that's what I've heard. But as I don't do drugs - I've never tried them, I'm not interested in them and they're just not my thing - I googled what else you can do there. As a little background knowledge: my backpacker clique, with whom I was travelling at that moment, wanted to go there. So I did some research and read about special sunsets and great hiking opportunities and thought to myself ‘Okay, why not. Let's do it.’ And to be honest, I had zero expectations. Well, and that's exactly why San José del Pacíficio attracted and enchanted me with its own magical spell. And still leaves me confused to this day. The arrival: The road leading to San José del Pacífico is long and extremely winding. Means if you get sick easily, you are officially warned. Because the journey is really long! and when you arrive you really feel the need to stretch your legs - it really does feel like you're sitting for ages. As soon as you leave the colectivo, you enter this village high up in the mountains, which honestly seems a bit deserted. We arrived on a day when it was incredibly foggy. It was almost impenetrable and crept into every corner of San José del Pacíficio. Towards the evening, it became so impenetrable that you could only see 10 metres ahead. Really intense. After we had checked in, I did what I always do when I arrive somewhere and need a bit of exercise: I went for a walk and took my camera with me. It was precisely during this walk that it took hold of me. San José del Pacífico is wrapped in a cloak of silence and tranquillity. You wander through the streets and almost sink into it. I also literally saw no one out on the streets - I've never passed such an abandoned playground. The streets and houses are mostly either a bit broken and run-down or under construction. And the silence and the fog that just crept in everywhere... Sounds a bit like the beignning of a horror movie, but the vibe was just super different and rather... It was really unique and mesmerised me in a very strange way. Call me crazy if I say so, but San José del Pacíficio is surrounded by a certain magic and it is created by the silence and absolute tranquillity that this village and every millimetre of it radiates. At the hostel, I drank the best Mexican cocoa of my life - they make cocoa with water in Mexico, which I don't usually like. But this one was really good! Well, and then at some point it started to pour like there was no tomorrow. :D But the dinner was great and the sunrise the next morning - it had cleared up - was simply beautiful. Not quite as perfect as in Puerto, but different and still great. Of course, I got up early in the morning and went to see if I could find the perfect spot for a sunrise... and failed miserably. I also tried hiking and.... No. Well, you can go up into the forest and the forest is also quite nice and incredibly quiet! - So quiet - but... neither a view nor... anything else. But maybe I just didn't find it who knows. And between you and me - I found the forest almost a bit creepy. I mean have you ever been all alone in a forest where you can really ONLY hear the rustling of the leaves and the chirping of the birds and there is no super clear path to be seen? And that in a place where silence is part of the atmosphere. Maybe that's great, but I thought it was a bit scary at that moment :D Go or not? I can't answer that for you. If you want to go and eat mushrooms, I think you should. Apart from that, it's definitely something for people who enjoy small, quiet villages where you can relax. Personally, I can only say that I found it magical in its own way. However, I don't think it's for everyone. So I would leave this one up to you.

A fantastic view of Chacahua and a beautiful sunset. In a nutshell, that's what you need to know about the viewpoint in Chacahua. I came across the viewpoint quite randomly, because I initially came to Chacahua primarily for the beach. However, a larger group set off around sunset and when I asked them where they were going, they said <>. As the bioluminescence only happens after dark, I simply joined them and crossed over by boat to the other little island with the others. Then up a short and slightly steep path and voilà, you're there. The viewpoint consists of a platform and a lighthouse. And the view is... honestly really spectacular. On one side you look out over the open water, where the sun is slowly setting. On the other is the winding system of mangroves with large areas of water in between. Below, between the water areas and the beach, you can see a sea of mangroves and palm trees. It's... really beautiful. And the sunset is one of the most special ones I've seen in entire Mexico. Truly and honestly one of those places you don't forget. Especially not with this view - you can even see the haze settling over the canopy around Chacahua. It's really fascinating. Go or not? You're missing out if you don't do it during your time in Chacahua. Personally, I would have gone up there every evening if I had been in Chacahua for longer.

To be honest, I've always wondered what everyone finds so special about mangroves. I mean, sure it's trees/thin branches from which tree-like plants grow that don't come from the ground on land, but from swamp-like ground. I can see why that's cool from a nature perspective. But I didn't expect to find it so cool myself. Until I travelled through mangroves. My journey through the mangroves of Chacahua was pure coincidence. If you want to go to Chacahua, you have to drive through the mangroves. There's no other way to get there. And as I was lucky enough to be completely alone in the boat with my driver and my driver happened to be really nice, we travelled very slowly through the mangroves and even stopped in between. I basically got something like a free tour through the mangroves of Chacahua. He showed me the Tunnel of Lovers - they discovered two of them making out here :D And well, that's what it's been called ever since. Of course, he also explained other places to me, but this story got somehow stuck in my head. The reason why I found the mangroves so cool wasn't actually the tour or the stories, but the structure of the trees. The branching of the roots is really fascinating and the dense canopy of leaves.... You really feel like you're in a kind of cocoon made of water and a canopy of leaves above you. It's crazy. And the silence and tranquillity of the place. That was actually what made it so magical for me. The fact that you just sat there and heard and felt nothing but peace and nature. It's really impressive what something like that can do to you. Of course, my absolute highlight was that he let me drive the boat and basically showed me how to steer it. Meaning I drove through mangroves a bit myself. And I don't think everyone can say that about themselves. :D G or not? Definitely. Of course there are other places in Mexico with mangroves, but in Chacahua you also get a fantastic beach, two great viewpoints and a real gem of a place. Seriously Chacahua is worth the effort - (the road to Chacahua is a bit more complicated).

Hidden, impossible to find without a guide and a fantastic view. I don't really need to say any more about this viewpoint. After I asked my nice Mexican boat driver how much money he had been given by the agent, he realised that I was really upset about how little money he had seen of the amount I had payed the other guy. Se we started talking and I asked him all about Chacahua. It ended in him telling me stories about Chacahua and asking me if I wanted to see a few places. So I basically coincidentally got a free tour of different things in Chacahua - bird island, mangroves and the viewpoint. When we arrived at the viewpoint, instead of simply following my nice guide and taking exactly the same steps as he did, I stepped somewhere else and landed with my entire leg in the swamp. :D I was honestly lucky that I was holding my camera up and the swamp wasn't any deeper... like my camera didn't come to a stop far above the surface... After I was helped out and a nice lady helped me wash of the dirt off my legs and my trousers, we set off for the ascent. Guys, I've rarely seen so many dry plants in one place. But well, it was dry season. Once at the top, we had to climb a ladder that honestly looked like it would collapse at any moment if I put too much weight on it - no kidding. So I really took a deep breath and then dared to make the climb... I'm still alive 😉 The view was really nice! Admittedly, the view from the viewpoint in Chacahua is better. Nevertheless, you get a wonderful overview of the large water streams and the structure of the mangroves and the area around Chacahua. Apart from that, the place is incredibly quiet and relaxed and... in the middle of nature. Really not designed for tourists, which I totally loved :D Go or not? Personally, I think you should do everything you can in Chacahua, but I would - if - connect the viewpoint with other stuff and not just go there and back. Try to include it in a tour like eg at the end of an excursion to Mangroves and Bird Island. Then I think it's totally worth it.

The bird island of Chacahua is on the way to Chacahua. It is called Bird Island because it is a small collection of islands and mangrove trees where only birds live. There are several trees that are colonised by different types of birds, I saw pelicans and, of course, stones sticking out of the lake with bird shit on them and a small flock of birds circling over one of the trees. My driver also drove past it more slowly, allowing me to take photos and discover this cool thing about Chacahua that I didn't know before about. If you book a mangrove tour, see if you can include the bird island - and also a viewpoint that can only be reached by boat. Or you could hire one yourself, but I don't know if you'd find your way around on your own. It's quite a labyrinth there :D Go or not? Solo and only for the island, no. On the way there or as part of a tour, yes.

Chacahua is... to be honest, Chacahua is the only place in entire Mexico that I would say has the perfect beach. But let's start from the beginning.... You can't get there just like that. First you have to take a colectivo - if you tell the driver where you want to go, he'll let you know when to get off - then a taxi compartido, which will take you with 3 other people - yes, you might have to wait a bit here - to a jetty for boats. From there you have to take the boat across the water and through the mangroves. And then you arrive. Means.... It takes the whole morning and a part of the midday to get to Chacahua. So a day trip from Puerto Escondido is out. I had thought about it, but it's not worth the hussle and! Chacahua is far too beautiful to leave again straight away. Really. When I made my way to Chacahua, I had a cold and felt like a big wave was coming towards me. Stupid as I was, I thought I would still make it. Well, far fetched. At least if you're as stupid as I was. I also got ripped off that day when it came to the price of my boat trip - it only happened to me a handful of times on my trip through Central America and it really pissed me off. Especially because my boat driver was really nice and didn't even see much of the money. He showed me everything and actually would have deserved the money. Dick! - the other. Like the guy that just connected me to the other. I'm still mad about it today, because it really happened like once to me when I was in Mexico. And then getting the money just as a provision! Well... So, the boat tour was.... Honestly one of the coolest things I've ever done. I chatted to my really incredibly nice guide, he showed me the bird island and the mangroves - it really was almost like a tour - and even took me up to the viewpoint, for which you normally have to book an extra tour because you can't get up there without a boat. On top - my absolute highlight by far - he let me drive the boat. Between the mangroves, as well as on open water and really fast. And that was really just awesome. So everything he showed me and also the self-drive... and I was allowed to drive as fast as I wanted and try it out and... It was honestly one of my best days in Mexico. Apart from the fact that the wrong dude got my money. I would have gladly paid the nice Mexican for the all-round tour. When I arrived in Chacahua, I was extremely happy, I felt like I had already seen almost entire Chacahua and, of course, I didn't feel my cold through all the adrenaline. So I set off with bag and baggage and made my way to the surf beach of Chacahua, where I wanted to find a place to sleep for the night. On the way, you have to go through a kind of mini river, where I was kindly given a short lift on a motorbike and got off again at the other end. But finally I was there and what awaited me was something I never thought I would find in Mexico. The beach of Chacahua is.... A long white sandy beach that curves and bends slightly at the same time, where the waves break gently and in many different places - an absolute paradise for surfer's. Honestly, there are so many waves that you can just pick. The backdrop is lined with palm trees that sprout upwards. And the water is so clear and blue, as if it should always look like this. A beach straight out of paradise. At least for me. And so I sat down in the shade on the sand and stared mesmerised at what lay before me. You're probably wondering where the pictures are.... Well.... I didn't take any. Because I was feeling really shitty. At first it was too hot to walk on the beach and later in the afternoon I was only feeling semi-good, which is why I wanted to save my energy for my bioluminescence swim in the evening and postponed the photo session to the next day. However, as I slept really badly that night and I think I even had a fever, I fled back to Puerto Escondido the next day to recover. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to go back after that. But as soon as I'm back in Mexico, I'll post the photos. I promise! 😊