Getting to Oaxaca

Aerovega and Aerotucan both have early morning flights which can whisk you over the tree-studded Sierras in no time. But if you wish to drive, take a bus or van, here's some of what you can expect to encounter on the way.

NOTE: Neither of the two routes over the mountains is an easy drive. You will encounter thick fog and a high probability of heavy rain.
Don't drive after nightfall.

Through the Heart of Chatino Country

HIGHWAY 131 is the shorter route to Oaxaca, but more serpentine and prone to washouts and slides. It passes through the heart of Chatino and is much traveled because it is the only access to Santa Catarina Juquila and the shrines to the Virgin of Juquila, a tiny, frail, dark-skinned doll-like figurine whose cult has continued to grow over the centuries.

Juquila is Oaxaca's Lourdes, a sacred place that inspires deep veneration. It attracts multitudes of believers from all over Mexico who make the pilgrimage to repay a blessing, to seek a cure for illness or to renew their faith. Hundreds of thousands of people stream through here each day; the tourist information lady told me 2.5 million make the pilgrimage each year.

[juquila] Nestled high in the southern Sierra Madre mountains, an emerald empire of dramatic forested peaks, cascading water and clouds you can almost touch, it does indeed appear to be close to Heaven, God's Country. Santa Catarina Juquila is a 30 km detour off 131 at Cerro de Vidrio. The bustle and congestion of the city, venal commercialism and the outright gouging by local merchants can be hard to take. But, the intensity of faith, the passion and the joy, the hope and depth of emotion manifested by the devotees is deeply moving.

I believe you can capture a better sense of the Juquila phenomenon with a visit El Pedimento. This is where visitors leave their milagros and pray to the various representations of the Virgin. They wait patiently to touch her, caressing her hair with flowers, candles or purchased souvenirs and pinning milagros, rosaries and cash to her dress. Around the hilltop chapel are dozens of shrines, crazy patchwork quilts of urns, crosses, signs, milagros and figures sculpted from the surrounding clay. So much material accumulates that great mounds of offerings can be seen unceremoniously dumped over the side of the hill.

Few of these thousands of visitors stop in Santiago Yaitepec just 3 km off the road to Juquila, a little beyond El Pedimento. This town is an undiscovered jewel. Everyone speaks Chatino and most of the women wear traditional dress: almost all of them use a distinctive gray rebozo, many wear the colorful satin skirts and the blouses richly embroidered with bright flowers and animals, that distinguish them from their Chatino neighbors.

Look, too, for the amazingly beautiful shoulder bags, called arganitas, carried by both the men and the women, richly embroidered and fringed with metallic thread. 131 eventually winds down into Sola de Vega, center for the production of the famed mezcal de tobalá.

From Pochutla to the Top of the World

HIGHWAY 175 takes longer to arrive, but many prefer this route, because it offers several options for an overnight stay on the way. The drive is magnificent. As you begin to climb from Pochutla, you'll pass through Chacalapa, at 300 meters in altitude, the landscape is still tropically lush, but it's somewhat cooler than the coast. The ascent continues though Candelaria and the Loxicha region, best known for its Pluma de Hidalgo coffee and artisans who craft furniture from heavy reeds.

San José del Pacífico is a beautiful town, 8400 feet above sea level, but only three hours-or-so from Puerto Escondido. This town is worth a visit for the breathtaking vistas of forested peaks among the clouds in the high Southern Sierra. This time of year the cool climate offers a welcome respite from the intense heat of the coast.

There's great hiking and birding among the trails through pine forests. But, San José del Pacífico is also known for its psilocybin mushrooms and attracts those looking to sample its hallucinogenic effects. That's why the gift shops offer wooden and ceramic representations of the these fungi, alongside the woolen gloves, hats, sweaters and shawls.

[magic mushroom] Mushroom season corresponds with the rainy season, roughly July to October, but they are often available year around, preserved in honey. Mushrooms and their healing and visionary properties have long played a role in the culture of the handsome local Zapotec people in this land of the clouds. But you should be aware that they are an illegal controlled substance under Mexican law.

There are charming rustic cabins perched on the hillsides with private bathrooms and lots of hot water, a fireplace with kindling and logs. It can make for a romantic overnight stay, if you've got someone to cuddle up with.

As you enter the city of Miahuatlán de Porfirio Diaz, you'll see a statue of the great man for whom the town is named on horseback. There is a huge central square in front of the handsome Church of San Andres, patron of the city; opposite is the Municipal Palace, where Sr. Máximo Aragon Santiago lovingly attends the town museum and can tell you about the history of the place.

For example: Miahuatlán means place of the corn fields. The band stand in the plaza dates back to the days of Don Porfirio. Gen. Porfirio Diaz was born in Oaxaca City, but led Mexican forces in a decisive battle against the French here. The town has another patron saint: Our Lady of the Rosary, whose temple is a very interesting, almost Gaudiesque structure. There's a busy market to explore, and since this, too, is agave country, you can visit one of the palenques where mezcal is made.

HWYS 175 AND 131 merge coming into the Oaxaca Valley and either way you will pass through several towns known for their unique handicrafts. Among them are: San Bortolo Coyotepec, famed its beautiful, sleek black pottery; and Santa Maria Coyotepec, "the world capital of cochineal", the natural dye made from made from the tiny dactylopius coccus insect that feeds on the nopal cactus. San Martin Tilcajete is known for its alebrijes, fantastic animals and creatures, carved from copal wood and brightly painted.

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