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The Mexican Turtle Center in Mazunte is one of the most popular choices
for a daytrip and rightly so. The facility run by the federal
environmental agency offers tours of its aquarium displaying all
varieties of marine turtles found in Mexico as well as some land and
fresh water varieties. There is a restaurant, gift store and displays of
other local fauna and cultural artifacts.
The center is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m Wednesday through Saturday;
Sundays 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Closed Tuesdays. Admission is $15 pesos.
Tel: 958 584 3376, website
If you want to make some stops on the way, here are some suggestions:
Heading east of Puerto on the Coast Highway the terrain is dominated by peanut and papaya cultivation, but later in the year you'll also see bright red fields of jamaica, used to make agua de jamaica, hibiscus tea, tasty and rich in vitamin C. There are undeveloped beaches and small lagoons at El Tomatal and Santa Elena.
Agua Blanca is notable for its tide pools and offers decent snorkeling. Recently there has been some development on this beach. There are a couple of restaurants, which serve good food, including great oysters in season.
![[future presidents]](images/iguana.jpeg)
The Iguana Hatchery run by Elpidio Marcelino is perched below the
bridge over the Cotzoaltepec River. Look for the sign just after you
cross the bridge.
Iguanas are such a familiar feature of the Mexican landscape that it s surprising to learned that these creatures are endangered. Here you can see hundreds of iguanas in all their stages of development.
There are two distinct varieties: the more common black iguana which is found in more arid areas and the prehistoric-looking green iguana which favors river and lagoon banks. They ask for a $10 peso donation.
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You'll leave the Coast Highway at San Antonio A few kliks up the road
you'll see the turnoff for Ventanilla, named for the window rock on
its beach. Another model ecological project, Agustin Reyes Sánchez and
his neighbors offer interesting tours of the Ventanilla lagoon that they
have converted into a successful eco-tourist attraction. The river-fed
mangrove lagoons are typical of the topography of the Oaxacan coast. A
meeting of fresh water and the sea, this wetland environment harbors an
astonishing variety of flora, birds, fish, reptiles and mammals.
The tours at Ventanilla are in paddled dugout boats without motors, so the animals are not frightened away by the noise. After a few minutes you'll round a bend and see huge crocodiles basking in the sun on the sand banks and the nesting birds barely stir as you glide just feet away from them.
You will also visit the crocodile and iguana hatchery and their nursery
to learn about their reforestation efforts.