Corredor Ecoturistico Ochovenado by Gerhard Buttner. 5/12/08 Main Index Puerto Escondido Santiago Jamiltepec Regional Map Manialtepec Indegenous People of Oaxaca Visitors' Comments About • Home • Search

Traveling west from Puerto Escondido on the main coastal road (Hwy 200) towards Pinotepa Nacional there are several very pleasant surprises awaiting the traveler who wishes to discover beyond the obvious attractions of the Oaxacan coast.

As part of the “Corredor Ecoturistico Ochovenado” you can visit waterfalls, coffee plantations, forest remnants with large trees, deer and iguana breeding areas and yes, there are also beautiful beaches as well as many friendly villagers who have formed this ecotourism corridor to share their attractions and conservation efforts with visitors. Traveling from Puerto Escondido, once beyond the well-known Manialtepec lagoon, look out for the turn-off to Puerto Suelo on the left – a remote beach reached by a few kilometers of dirt road ending at a small lagoon where you will have to hoot for attention that a tiny boat can take you across to the beach.

Jocotepec

Back on the main road the next major town is Rio Grande (about 1 hour from Puerto Escondido). Just beyond the bridge as you leave town a turn-off with a sign to “Juquila” also takes one to a pretty coffee-producing village Jocotepec (21km inland from the main road – with very occasional microbus or easier by taxi from Rio Grande or self-drive: only the last 10km are unpaved but fine for all cars – except maybe with very heavy rains).

Newly completed (2008) cabaña at Jocotepec

With a waterfall walk (or on horseback), forest and coffee plantation visits, a deer and wild boar (jabali) breeding area and Cerro Cometa viewpoint, there is certainly enough to do to stay a night or two in the rustic “cabaña” set among the trees on the edge of this village with its many traditional tiled-roof houses. Spending the night is probably the best way to experience and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of Jocotepec (I certainly had a good sleep in the solid new cabaña with its pretty palm roof), with simple filling meals of mostly natural and local ingredients offered in family homes.

Deer (venado) at Jocotepec

Chacahua is the most famous spot in the region with its stunning beach and mangrove boat trips with access via boats from Zapotalito with a turn-off about 10 minutes beyond Rio Grande.

Mata de Ajo

If you stay on the main road for another few minutes look out for the small roadside village of Calzada San Miguel, the entry point for Mata de Ajo. The main reason to visit this “rancho” is to see the green and black iguanas in a semi-enclosed area with large trees, living with land turtles and wild rabbits (with baby iguanas in a breeding area) and for those interested in organic agriculture can learn about the crops and trees all grown without any chemicals from natural seeds.

Iguana at Mata de Ajo

Ask at San Miguel (where you can easily find a taxi if using public transport) where to enter for the 4km dirt road heading north (they are in the process of putting up new access signs – if these are not visible ask for the “Iguanario” which is part of a group of ranchos called “Zanjon”).

Santa Ana and Tututepec

The access to these two villages is only a few minutes beyond San Miguel and the adjacent larger Santa Rosa (where you can find regular shared taxis for Tututepec or La Luz - where you need to change for Santa Ana). At the junction a few kilometers from the main road turn left for Tututepec and right to reach Santa Ana passing La Luz. Only the last few of the 17km to Santa Ana from the main road are now unpaved.

Santa Ana is a pleasant small village with waterfall walks and coffee plantations and a cabaña with a view of the village as another excellent place to spend the night. After a good walk I had a refreshing swim below one waterfall and enjoyed the views as well as the walk and scramble down to an even larger one.

Waterfalls at Santa Ana

Tututepec is the main town of the region and an ancient Mixtec capital of the ruler Ochovenado (from where this tourism corridor got its name) and the community museum and church are well worth a visit to round off your explorations along the Ochovenado route.

2008 Prices:

Accommodation: Rustic cabins in Jocotepec and Santa Ana cost $100 pesos per person.
Longer guided walks cost $150 per guide (more if you require a horse)
Basic natural meals cost $30 to $35 pesos.

More information:

ochovenado.wikispaces.com/