Acapulco shoreline
Taking the slow and winding road down Mexico's Pacific coast will afford a traveler with a vareity of experiences. There are the big resort towns full of high-rise hotels and modern discos, busy ports, secluded backwater beach towns where you're more likely to find a hammock than a king-size bed and fishing villages where you can pull up a seat and sample the catch of the minute. In between, there are winding roads, steep cliffs, cactus-dotted shoreline and countless adventures to be had.
Instructions
1. Chart your course. Grab a map of Mexico (the Guia Roja series is good). You can also find detailed maps in Mexico guidebooks, particularly the Lonely Planet and Moon series. It's best to find a general Mexico or Pacific coast guide, because you don't want to haul around a bunch of reference material.
2. Pick your luggage and pack your bags. If you're taking the buses down the coast, pack a lightweight backpack. Pack light cotton shirts that can dry quickly. Bring one pair of long pants so that you can visit village churches and cathedrals. Bring a thin long-sleeved shirt or two to protect your arms from mosquitoes at night. You can also opt to pack a mosquito net. Most major beach towns sell sunscreen and bug repellent, but if you want the non-DDT stuff, bring your own bottle of Skin So Soft, sold online at Avon's website.
3. Choose an entry point. You can start at the California border if you want to go south to La Paz and then take the ferry across to Mazatlan. Note that this is an 18-hour ride. You can fly into a central coastal city on mainland Mexico, such as Puerto Vallarta, if you want to do a round-trip journey, or start very far south, in Puerto Escondido, and work your way back north.
4. Become bus-savvy. First-class buses in Mexico will get you to almost anywhere you want to go, and they have seats similar to those on airplanes. If it's summer, consider cooler nighttime bus rides though, with any luck, your bus will be air-conditioned. Bring snacks in case you aren't stopping for awhile. Some hand sanitizer is also a good idea, as road stop and bus bathrooms might not have soap. Don't pick a seat in the back of the bus, near the bathrooms. On nighttime rides, choose the side of the bus that won't be as close to oncoming bright headlights. Pack some motion sickness medicine if you're at all sensitive,, particularly when around the southern Pacific coast. Bring bottled water.
5. Hit the great spots. There is the laid-back small beach town vibe of Melaque, a break from the buzz of Puerto Vallarta. Acapulco has a retro charm. The dynamic duo of Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo deliver resort style by transforming fishing villages into chic retreats. Puerto Escondido attracts gorgeous Italian women, eco-tourists, international surfers and families, while Puerto Angel is more bohemian. The small hamlets of San Agustanillo and Mazunte are also mellow and gorgeous.
Tags: Mexico Pacific, Pacific coast, beach towns, fishing villages, nighttime rides, Puerto Escondido, Puerto Vallarta
