Oaxacan Culture and Surfing

Once you are ready for old world charm, cobbled streets, markets glowing with intricate alebrijes, and the taste of authentic molé and mescal, head south to Oaxaca City. Tour the Santo Domingo church and the botanical gardens, then book a trip to the Sierra Norte and Pueblos Mancommunados with Expediciones Sierra Norte. Rent a bike, or a horse, or use your own two feet to explore the trails with a local guide. Your guide will tell you about every plant in the cloud forest, from leaves that have the taste and effect of aspirin (since you’re at nearly 8,000 feet you might try it to get rid of that altitude headache!) to plants that are sweet and lemony.

Surf

The flight from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido is breathtaking. In Puerto Escondido find Roxelle Perez Contreras and her husband at Bazar Puerto Excondido, who can teach you how to surf or boogie board. Try a surf lesson from the man legendary for surfing in a luchador mask – ask for Angel! – at Central Surf Shop. Here, you can try out paddleboarding as well and get to know the man who is coordinating a surf championship for handicapped surfers this spring.

At the end of the day, call Lalo Tours to take a night boat ride through a nearby lagoon, where a plunge in the water leaves you glowing—with bioluminescent plankton all around. As people swim away from the boat you’ll see only the glow around them in the water, radiant light speckling the calm waters.