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Traveling from Mexico to Acapulco Advice needed

Kidoo
Explorer
Explorer
Advice needed for best road from North of Mexico to Acapulco. I intend to take 95D and I would be departing from Pepe Campground in Tepotzotlan.

Is this road recommended? Is going Acapulco bad for tourist with an RV? I would like to keep going south on 200 after Acapulco and then up through Chiapas, then Yucantan.

Any inputs welcome, thanks.
Monaco Cayman 34 2003, Cummins 300HP
Bigfoot 2008, 10.4, F350, 2006, Diesel 6.0, Black, 4x4, long box, Air lift, Rancho 9000, Rear sway bar.
22 REPLIES 22

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Explorer
Sicarios (narco enforcers) would take a look at my toad and me in my purposely ratty travel clothes and shout (In Spanish)...

"Let him through! For God's sake let him through! If you stop him, he will beg for gas money!"

navegator
Explorer
Explorer
If the road block by civilians was on the road to Creel from Chihuahua,then the protest was about the government promising a number of things they were supposed to do in exchange and payment for the land used for the airport in Creel, foreigners will be treated good, unless you run into narcos.

navegator

Kidoo
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks, I went through a few road demonstration at toll booths without problem. I also give some money and on top it is normally less than the toll anyway. I have seen an armed road block and I do not know what it was for, no police suit or car, not the army, just a bunch of people stopping traffic, this was on road 16 between Chihuahua and Copper Canyon, they just said, gringo, OK, everything was fine.
Looks like from your comments that it will be just about the same in Oaxaca and Chiappas as in the rest of Mexico, just take it cool, go with the flow, adjust to the country spec.
Monaco Cayman 34 2003, Cummins 300HP
Bigfoot 2008, 10.4, F350, 2006, Diesel 6.0, Black, 4x4, long box, Air lift, Rancho 9000, Rear sway bar.

Talleyho69
Moderator
Moderator
The toll booth he talks about between Patzcuaro and Lazaro Cardenas is amusing. It's an expensive one, and in June of this year was the very first time since the highway was completed that we actually paid the toll. We have always done as he suggested-smiled, nodded and made a donation. In March, when he was driving the US plated RV and I was following in our Guerrero plated vehicle, he pointed out that I was his wife and they wouldn't take my donation and cleared the way for me with loads of smiles.

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Explorer
Along Mexico 200 the coast you will encounter roadside stores selling only MESCAL and snacks.

Ask for MESCAL ANEJO (An-NYAY-ho) and the "good stuff" aged mescal will appear along with a shot glass to sample.

The best of the aged mescales are every bit as subtle and complex as any Tequila. Beware of imbibing too many samples. Excellent aged mescal is excellent and reasonably priced.

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Explorer
Road blocks. The feds robbed land to use for a toll road between Lazaro Cardenas and Patzcuaro. Periodically the violated land owners would kick the toll road employees out of the toll booth and collect donations from motorists.

The donations were absolutely voluntary but almost no one I have seen ahead of me had decided not to donate. Non donors were ignored as they passed through the booth. There were dozens of sympathizers holding signs and distributing refreshments to everyone.

I made a mistake

I held my left hand out the window with clenched fist

A sign of camaraderie. My friend, my neighbor Eduardo lost thirty acres of mango orchard and was never paid a cent.

Next thing I knew I was parked on the shoulder, beyond the toll booth swilling bootleg tequila and musing acidly about how Eduardo had lost his land (no access to maintain the trees). I knew better than to try and drive. So I spent three hours in a "nap" then drove the rest of the way home with an overexcited jack hammer at work inside my skull.

I would smile a concerned smile at student protesters. Accept printed literature and then while maintaining the smile say "NO COMPRENDO". In such a circumstance I do not admit I speak Spanish. You will be left alone.

The indigenous at the X villages between Manzanillo and home on the coast route sometimes protest and block traffic. Nowadays village elders are much more strict about alcohol and drunkeness, but many young people still brandish rifles (.22 and they are unloaded) They rant at Spanish speaking car occupants, but when they see my gringo face with a concerned smile, most of the time they clear a path and insist I leave.

No big deal. But just image what gossip fodder this makes when you get home! The authorities will reopen the highway in an hour or two.

The percentage chances of you encountering a protest are small indeed.

navegator
Explorer
Explorer
So far the Oaxaca area is quiet, you as a tourist will not have problems, it is only on the road between Cuernavaca and Acapulco that the students (want to be comunists) and the narcos are restless, yes Oaxaca the state and the city are amasing, in the city visit the "tiangis" open air marquet and purchase some chapulines to have with your mescal or beer instead of peanuts.

There are two main archeological sites that are must see, Monte Alban and Mitla,
Monte Alban is a mountain citadel with a ball court, on the side of the ball court half way down to the other corner there is a tunnel, small crawll only that goes to the structure in the center of the court yard, the shamas would use this tunnel to pop up as if by magic on the central structure during the ceremonies do not try to crawll in there it is narrow and can colapse.

On the opposite corner of the ball court on the outside wall there are some massive stones that form a wall, those stones were brought from a different place, about 60 miles, it is amazing how the ancients moved those huge stones, powerfull juju?

Mitla is more of a religious and trading center, there the interesting features are the tombs that have endured the earthquakes for centuries, if you go in they are built as a small cross, look at the way the walls and the placement of the roof slabs, they do not touch, this prevents the walls from colapsing with the roofs slab movement during teluric movements.

At the Zocalo in Oaxaca City engoy a mescal with your chapulines and have some mole Oaxaqueรฑo, different than the mole Poblano beer goes vey well with the mole.

Take it easy enjoy the sites, enjoy the food and the company and above all else enjoy life.

navegator

Talleyho69
Moderator
Moderator
Just annoying. Be a tourist,avoid it and enjoy the city. There is so much to see and do, both in town and the surrounding villages. Do your homework and see as much as you can.

We like them both. For great rainforests, 175. For views and a little bit faster, 131. There is great information on both on line, with pictures. Google is your friend.

Kidoo
Explorer
Explorer
All good info., thanks.

Now what about Oaxaca, many say it is an amazing town, but, I hear many saying there are a lot of road block either by student or teachers, burning car and stuff. Is this a problem or is it just anoying?

From Oaxaca, which road to go down the coast? 131 or 175?
Monaco Cayman 34 2003, Cummins 300HP
Bigfoot 2008, 10.4, F350, 2006, Diesel 6.0, Black, 4x4, long box, Air lift, Rancho 9000, Rear sway bar.

Talleyho69
Moderator
Moderator
Like navegator said, just enjoy it all.

When you have your trip a bit more planned out, do request more information on favorite things to see and do when you are headed. We all have different likes and dislikes.

navegator
Explorer
Explorer
I saw Puerto รngel when there was no road at all, we reached it by winching dad's jeep from tree to tree up and down the mountain, first vehicle over the sierra to enter Puerto รngel from the land side, the truck they used to haul the coconuts was brought in by boat from Acapulco, we pitched the tent on the side of the panteon "cementery" for the night, same for Cancun a preisteen lagoon with beautiful beaches, not a sole in sight, got there by sail boat from Isla de Mujeres, there was talk of putting an airport, now it looks like Miami, there are a lot of wonderfull areas to see and enjoy.

There are other areas made ugly by greed and corruption, but that is the way the world is that we live in today, so let us celebrate the best of the vida loca.

navegator

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Explorer
You might want to exit SCdLC to the east and take in Palenque and the waterfall at Misol Ha park. The trail down to Agua Azul is steep, and a struggle. Then parking problems then worries about petty crime.

Myself I cannot afford the Caribbean coast of Quintana Roo on Yucatan peninsula. Some of the parks are charging 50 dollars a night for 7th row parking. I made the mistake of becoming a passenger in an Aero Commander and spending 4 nights. Three dollar tacos, three dollar sodas, and seventy dollar two-star dirty MOtel rooms ain't my style.

Head for the east coast then decide as you ascend toward Veracruz where you want to jot over to your northbound exit route. There is Lake Catemaco with a good RV park. Southeastern Texas exiting via Matamoros bothers me. I avoid it and I avoid travel anywhere near Reynosa.

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Explorer
It's all good. Even the most boring roads have cool things to see.

:B El Paso southward for 150 miles? The Mexican version of I-5 in California from the Harris Ranch turnoff to Buttonwillow?













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Talleyho69
Moderator
Moderator
For years we avoided Acapulco, and finally in the 90's decided to spend enough time there to explore it. We enjoyed ourselves and would/will return, but carefully.

The road from Acapulco to Puerto Escondido isn't boring, but there is minimal coastal exposure, it's a very long drive in one day. There is nothing particularly interesting along the way.

The road from Oaxaca city to the coast is amazing. The one that takes you to Puerto Angel goes through a cloud forest! Coffee plantations, banana plantations, it's gorgeous. It's also very windy and steep. We have done it a number of times and recommend it highly as long as you know that it's not a huge number of miles, but it's a lot of hours.

If you happen to be a plant person, there is a stand of amazing cycads (Dioon holmgreni) right along the side of the road. Details? Contact us.

Again, the road is an adventure worth taking. Just leave really early and plan on arriving for happy hour.

The road south from there goes by Huatulco, which has amazing beaches. Even Salina Cruz is worth seeing, it's a huge port.

It's all good. Even the most boring roads have cool things to see.

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Explorer
Like every two lane non-toll road in Mexico that one is not a high speed highway. I've driven it many times and it does not have hairpin curves or wild grades. People who are unable to maintain a 60 mph average on Mexican roads complain but I find this route to be not challenging. Depart Oaxaca City at the crack of daylight and you will have plenty of hours left once you reach the coast. Anytime you can see two or more houses alongside the road watch for speed bumps anywhere in Mexico. I've driven my 40' 3-axle bus up and down that road. Going up is more of an experience because of the possibility of encountering an overloaded six cylinder dump truck struggling on 4 cylinders. You'll do fine.