My journey started from New York by way of Dallas Fort Worth, to finally arriving at Huatulco Airport (HUX). It took roughly 7 hours including the short layover in DFW. Once I arrived at HUX, we deplaned just like every small airport in the world where they roll up the stair car for you to exit. Once we arrived at customs, there was one customs agent and it took about 45 minutes with me being in the front half of the line. I knew better, so as soon as I deplaned, I made sure to expeditiously walk toward the customs line. I HIGHLY recommend you do this to avoid delay. The back of the line must have taken nearly 2.5 hours to exit the airport; which definitely would put you in a less than cheery mood for your vacation.
Once I exited the airport, the general consensus is to take the walkway out of the airport and make your way to the airport entrance to grab a cab as it is about 200 pesos less than hailing a cab from the airport. If you speak any Spanish, I suggest you negotiate the 800 pesos ride with the airport cabs instead as if you have bags, it is a nightmare to lug them the quarter mile to the airport entrance. Luckily, I packed only a backpack for my two-week adventure and let me tell you, greatest idea ever! But back to my cab adventure! So, I made it to the airport entrance and a cab pulls up and waves me in. Me being me, and my sense of adventure, I went along with it and thought, hey here is a guy that is showing initiative. As I open the door, I see four other people in the cab; turns out this is a colectivo, which is a ride share type cab and they drop off in order of pickup. I needed to go downtown to exchange money anyway since I had been told Zipolite pretty much doesn't accept credit cards and has only three sporadicity working ATM so I went along with it. After about 20 minutes of random drop offs I ended up at a large Mexican bank that uses a paper ticket number system to address customers. You pull your ticket, wait in a sitting area, and then once called, get to see the teller. Very unique experience that apparently is very normal in large Mexican banks.
After leaving the bank I selected another cab and off to Zipolite! From downtown Huatulco to Zipolite, the cab ride was about an hour and fifteen minutes. Through the ~ 42KM drive of twist and turns, up and down mountains, you get to see much of unspoiled Mexico. At times it can be reflective of how far the nation has to come, and at times it can be some of the most beautiful scenery most people will ever see in their lives. Once you arrive to Zipolite, a seemingly private old school 1800s type saloon town welcomes you and you quickly discover this is going to be like nothing you have experienced before. There is one main road, a few smaller roads off said main road, and a culture that is readily evident as soon as you arrive in town. But more on the town in a minute.
As I arrived, my first stop was Casa Nudista. Upon arrival I was instantly welcomed by the staff which was a great sign. I breezed through check in and then I quickly checked out my bungalow which was the perfect mix of outdoor/indoor living. The bungalow was a nice separate space but still close enough to everyone and everything. And the outdoor showers; probably one of the greatest parts of the resort. So much fun every morning; or in my case, like 4 times a day because this sun was hot; 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit every day. After I got settled, I made my way to the pool; de-clothed of course, and let me tell you; the freedom and unequivocal judgement free zone was amazing. There were all types of bodies and ages at this resort. The youngest was a friend from Israel and he was 24, along with another girl from Australia who was 24, and the oldest was from Canada and he was in his 70s; backpacking around Europe for the last two years. The great thing about this resort was the instant connection with everyone, but that is what happens when you dismiss everyone's preconceived notions by leaving nothing to the imagination. When you are naked, everything is out in public, there is nothing to make any judgements on. I became instant friends with many of the people staying at the resort. It became such a big thing we had to create a WhatsApp group to stay in touch. We did dinners together, explored town, went on adventures; it was a great experience.
Now as for the resort offerings itself, they were great for the resort type. Of course, this is not a 5-star accommodation but it's not subpar by any means either. There are two bunk rooms of 6 and 9 beds ($20 - $35 USD a night), two bungalows in the back of the property ($110 - $150/night) and about 8 various rooms of different sorts ($100 - $200/night); some with private outdoor space and wet bars. I was thoroughly impressed by the property itself, but the staff really brings it home. Everything is clean, attended to, and the staff is one of the friendliest that I have ever met at a hotel; and I travel 100+ days a year. Additionally, at the resort, since they do not have a kitchen on site, they have relationships with two neighboring restaurants which deliver directly to the resort. All the items on the menu are relatively well priced and the chicken wrap; BEST CHICKEN WRAP OF MY LIFE! All food items are around $5 - $15 USD and cocktails are roughly priced the same with most in the $5 - 10 USD range. Try the Caipirinha and Margarita if you get a chance, both are excellent choices. Just a few things to note about the resort, the mosquitos are relentless in Zipolite so make sure to use that mosquito net! Additionally, since Zipolite is a developing city, everything is on septic tanks so you cannot throw anything in the toilet; including toilet paper. This is something that is somewhat normal for rural Mexico but it is something to keep in mind and is definitely a learning curve for the first few times you are in the bathroom.
Let's talk about Zipolite! What can I say about the town, but the fact that it is stunningly beautiful in terms of culture and being unspoiled by an overload of tourists. You truly get that authentic small Mexican town feel, which is exactly what I was looking for on this trip. First let's start with the beach, which from point to point, is roughly a mile and a half long (Shambhala to Playa Del Amor) and NUDE! The naturalness of everyone on the beach was great to see. Nobody shaming, no weird stares, just individuals of all shapes, sizes, and ages, enjoying themselves at Mexico's only nude beach. If you have never been to a nude beach, this is the one to be liberated at.
How can this get even better? The sunsets! I have been fortunate to travel to many locations around the world and I will say, the sunsets here are top 3 that I have ever seen in my lifetime. You have so many vantage points that you can change them every day on your trip and get a completely different view each time. I highly recommend taking a look from the middle of the beach, Playa Del Amor, as well as the watch point which is on the opposite end of the beach above Shambhala. This would be the highest point to see the sunset and it is completely unobstructed. There is also a fire pit up there which I suspect can be used at your leisure. Just beware, it takes about 100 very steep steps to get up there; you will end up out of breath no matter how physically fit you are.
So, we all know that everyone speaks about Playa Del Amor after sunset and I can attest from my daily visuals that this does happen nightly as boys will be boys. While we were there though, it is worth mentioning that there was a police raid one night where the cops waited until it was dark, snuck onto the beach and then all simultaneously turned on their flashlights to catch people in the act. I was told that it was 5,000 pesos to bribe them to be released or you went to jail. The cops were also there three other nights playing watch but no arrests were made on those occasions.
Okay, now that we have finished the beach component; let's move onto the food. Fresh ingredients, perfect sized portions, and great usage of spices; it's the quintessential combination. The variety surprised me heavily as I did not think there would be that many choices; even though I read up extensively on everything Zipolite before my trip. From Mexican and Italian, Mediterranean and Pizza; to even Burgers and Thai; there is something for EVERYONE! I highly recommend the following restaurants:
El Alquimista Restaurant
Amazing breakfast, I did it three days in a row. The omelets were surprising good as were the pancakes, croissants, breads, fresh fruits, fresh juices (orange was amazing) and any of the eggs to order and breakfast meats. If you want a nice kick with your eggs, get their home made brown hot sauce; you will thank me later. Also, their fresh made jams; gosh damn! I believe one was green apple and for the life of me I still cannot tell you what the dark purple one was; it was seemingly a very very sweet hybrid fruit of a grape and maybe a blackberry jam? Breakfast with eggs, breads and a few glasses of Orange Juice usually ran me about $20 USD. This would be one of the more expensive restaurants since it is attached to the highest end hotel in town.
Orale Cafe
Another great breakfast spot was Orale Cafe which is off the dirt road. It is a little bit of a walk but well worth it. It is perched in the base of the woods and gives you a tree house effect. The breakfast menu here is very simple but all selections are worthy. Favorite dish was their breakfast sampler, which changes daily but, on this occasion, included their French toast. They use a French bread which is very different and incredibly fluffy. Breakfast here ran me about $12 USD with a glass of juice.
La Fenice
The best pizza in town. Rumor has it that a bunch of Italian citizens have moved to Zipolite which has led to the great Italian food scene. If you like the spicy options, try their spicy sausage or salami, you'll love them. Also, for more spice, ask them for their "chili paste" and then add their hot chili oil and you will find perfection. Pizzas here are $5-10 USD.
Clan Destino
Remember that amazing chicken wrap I referred to earlier? It is from here. This is one of the partner restaurants with Casa Nudista, so you can order their full menu from the hotel with free delivery. All the items are $5-15 USD.
Mao Mau
If you like Thai food, this might be your spot. The Cha Giò (egg rolls) and Crispy Wings as the appetizers were great, my Grapow was not that great as the chicken was dry; but the spice combination was perfect. I will not say this was my favorite restaurant but I think over time they will be able to perfect the dishes. Dishes here were about $7 - $12 USD.
Burger Restaurant
This is next Door to La Christorra & across the street from Panadería Pan de Vida Bakery. This is the closest you will find to an American burger in town and it is worth a visit. They also make hand cut fries which are super thin and crispy. Burger and fries is $8 USD.
Taco Spot
At the end of Avenue Roca Blanca, as soon as it turns into a dirt road. The restaurant is unmissable because of it's teal blue chairs. They are also known for their coffee since they open at 6am. I did not try the coffee as I am not a coffee drinker. They have one taco option and it is marinated meat with a side of the marinade sauce. They are the very definition of street tacos. Their combo for 3 tacos and a drink is 60 pesos..... $3 USD; get them!
Nightlife anyone? The nightlife in Zipolite is rather tame to be honest unless it is a popular weekend, but that does not mean that you will not find anything to do while you are there. My two favorite spots are below.
ChiZme Café & Bar
This is very reminiscent of an old school piano bar. They are known for their cocktails but I cannot attest to how good they are as I only tried one and it was not good; actually, rather dismal to be honest. But the live music was worth the subpar martini. Also, it's intimate; probably only sits about 30 people and it's on the sand but not the beach, so it's definitely a vibe. Cocktails are rather expensive $10 - $15 USD if I recall.
Maxima Bar
This is the drag bar in town. Now, I should preface by saying I am not a drag fan; nothing wrong it, just not my scene; but this bar was awesome. It is literally on the beach and the whole bar is in the sand. The set up is a small bar and a small stage and there are live performances each night with the weekend being the most popular. Ironically, while I was there, Friday nights were more popular than Saturday nights. I obviously have not been enough times to determine if this is the norm, but that was my observation while I was there. Drinks are well priced like most of Mexico; its simple mixed drinks and beers.
In addition to Zipolite I wanted to explore the neighboring towns. I had heard a lot of good things about Mazunte so I made my way to the little town via motorbike; which I rented from the rental spot next door to Panadería Pan de Vida Bakery. The rentals are $30 USD a day. I drove up and down, right and left, through the mountains and windy road, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way and feeling like a truly acclimated local. After all, at this point, I have already been here a week and I have seen more than most people would in a year; so, I was feeling rather confident. After 20 minutes I arrived to Mazunte and.... it was worth the wait. People tend to visit this location as the beach is much easier for swimming and doesn't want to kill you. As a result, the surf is calmer, there are more places to swim and enjoy the beach, and more people are present. Mazunte is very similar to Zipolite beaches in the sense that they are somewhat expanse but they also have many different sections which are usually separated by rock formations. It also has many different restaurants and bars on the beach so you will never go hungry or thirsty. Just remember, this is not a nude beach so keep your clothes on people! Also, make sure to visit The Punta Cometa Whirpool aka Jacuzzi Natural. It is about a 20-minute hike from the Mazunte beach but well worth the views and experience. Make sure to bring sandals or water shoes as you are going to need them in some parts.
So that is my review of wonderful Zipolite and Casa Nudista. If you have the opportunity to check these locations out, I HIGHLY recommend it. After almost two weeks of wearing no shoes and minimal clothing (only speedos and open button shirts when necessary), getting ten shades darker, and walking the equivalent of almost 50 miles; I can easily understand why so many people extend their trips or even stay in Zipolite permanently. There is no doubt in my mind that Zipolite will become the next Puerto Vallarta or Tulum once they figure out how to handle their logistics. Most of the hippies that occupied and visited the location from the past have already departed so change is already occurring, and as we know, once evolution begins, it is hard to stop. I implore you; get here before everyone else finds this place! I was torn about posting this review as I wanted to keep this my little secret but since so many people on here have asked questions about it, I decided it was important to share the experience. If anyone has any questions, I am more than happy to answer. Happy traveling everyone!
Once I exited the airport, the general consensus is to take the walkway out of the airport and make your way to the airport entrance to grab a cab as it is about 200 pesos less than hailing a cab from the airport. If you speak any Spanish, I suggest you negotiate the 800 pesos ride with the airport cabs instead as if you have bags, it is a nightmare to lug them the quarter mile to the airport entrance. Luckily, I packed only a backpack for my two-week adventure and let me tell you, greatest idea ever! But back to my cab adventure! So, I made it to the airport entrance and a cab pulls up and waves me in. Me being me, and my sense of adventure, I went along with it and thought, hey here is a guy that is showing initiative. As I open the door, I see four other people in the cab; turns out this is a colectivo, which is a ride share type cab and they drop off in order of pickup. I needed to go downtown to exchange money anyway since I had been told Zipolite pretty much doesn't accept credit cards and has only three sporadicity working ATM so I went along with it. After about 20 minutes of random drop offs I ended up at a large Mexican bank that uses a paper ticket number system to address customers. You pull your ticket, wait in a sitting area, and then once called, get to see the teller. Very unique experience that apparently is very normal in large Mexican banks.
After leaving the bank I selected another cab and off to Zipolite! From downtown Huatulco to Zipolite, the cab ride was about an hour and fifteen minutes. Through the ~ 42KM drive of twist and turns, up and down mountains, you get to see much of unspoiled Mexico. At times it can be reflective of how far the nation has to come, and at times it can be some of the most beautiful scenery most people will ever see in their lives. Once you arrive to Zipolite, a seemingly private old school 1800s type saloon town welcomes you and you quickly discover this is going to be like nothing you have experienced before. There is one main road, a few smaller roads off said main road, and a culture that is readily evident as soon as you arrive in town. But more on the town in a minute.
As I arrived, my first stop was Casa Nudista. Upon arrival I was instantly welcomed by the staff which was a great sign. I breezed through check in and then I quickly checked out my bungalow which was the perfect mix of outdoor/indoor living. The bungalow was a nice separate space but still close enough to everyone and everything. And the outdoor showers; probably one of the greatest parts of the resort. So much fun every morning; or in my case, like 4 times a day because this sun was hot; 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit every day. After I got settled, I made my way to the pool; de-clothed of course, and let me tell you; the freedom and unequivocal judgement free zone was amazing. There were all types of bodies and ages at this resort. The youngest was a friend from Israel and he was 24, along with another girl from Australia who was 24, and the oldest was from Canada and he was in his 70s; backpacking around Europe for the last two years. The great thing about this resort was the instant connection with everyone, but that is what happens when you dismiss everyone's preconceived notions by leaving nothing to the imagination. When you are naked, everything is out in public, there is nothing to make any judgements on. I became instant friends with many of the people staying at the resort. It became such a big thing we had to create a WhatsApp group to stay in touch. We did dinners together, explored town, went on adventures; it was a great experience.
Now as for the resort offerings itself, they were great for the resort type. Of course, this is not a 5-star accommodation but it's not subpar by any means either. There are two bunk rooms of 6 and 9 beds ($20 - $35 USD a night), two bungalows in the back of the property ($110 - $150/night) and about 8 various rooms of different sorts ($100 - $200/night); some with private outdoor space and wet bars. I was thoroughly impressed by the property itself, but the staff really brings it home. Everything is clean, attended to, and the staff is one of the friendliest that I have ever met at a hotel; and I travel 100+ days a year. Additionally, at the resort, since they do not have a kitchen on site, they have relationships with two neighboring restaurants which deliver directly to the resort. All the items on the menu are relatively well priced and the chicken wrap; BEST CHICKEN WRAP OF MY LIFE! All food items are around $5 - $15 USD and cocktails are roughly priced the same with most in the $5 - 10 USD range. Try the Caipirinha and Margarita if you get a chance, both are excellent choices. Just a few things to note about the resort, the mosquitos are relentless in Zipolite so make sure to use that mosquito net! Additionally, since Zipolite is a developing city, everything is on septic tanks so you cannot throw anything in the toilet; including toilet paper. This is something that is somewhat normal for rural Mexico but it is something to keep in mind and is definitely a learning curve for the first few times you are in the bathroom.
Let's talk about Zipolite! What can I say about the town, but the fact that it is stunningly beautiful in terms of culture and being unspoiled by an overload of tourists. You truly get that authentic small Mexican town feel, which is exactly what I was looking for on this trip. First let's start with the beach, which from point to point, is roughly a mile and a half long (Shambhala to Playa Del Amor) and NUDE! The naturalness of everyone on the beach was great to see. Nobody shaming, no weird stares, just individuals of all shapes, sizes, and ages, enjoying themselves at Mexico's only nude beach. If you have never been to a nude beach, this is the one to be liberated at.
How can this get even better? The sunsets! I have been fortunate to travel to many locations around the world and I will say, the sunsets here are top 3 that I have ever seen in my lifetime. You have so many vantage points that you can change them every day on your trip and get a completely different view each time. I highly recommend taking a look from the middle of the beach, Playa Del Amor, as well as the watch point which is on the opposite end of the beach above Shambhala. This would be the highest point to see the sunset and it is completely unobstructed. There is also a fire pit up there which I suspect can be used at your leisure. Just beware, it takes about 100 very steep steps to get up there; you will end up out of breath no matter how physically fit you are.
So, we all know that everyone speaks about Playa Del Amor after sunset and I can attest from my daily visuals that this does happen nightly as boys will be boys. While we were there though, it is worth mentioning that there was a police raid one night where the cops waited until it was dark, snuck onto the beach and then all simultaneously turned on their flashlights to catch people in the act. I was told that it was 5,000 pesos to bribe them to be released or you went to jail. The cops were also there three other nights playing watch but no arrests were made on those occasions.
Okay, now that we have finished the beach component; let's move onto the food. Fresh ingredients, perfect sized portions, and great usage of spices; it's the quintessential combination. The variety surprised me heavily as I did not think there would be that many choices; even though I read up extensively on everything Zipolite before my trip. From Mexican and Italian, Mediterranean and Pizza; to even Burgers and Thai; there is something for EVERYONE! I highly recommend the following restaurants:
El Alquimista Restaurant
Amazing breakfast, I did it three days in a row. The omelets were surprising good as were the pancakes, croissants, breads, fresh fruits, fresh juices (orange was amazing) and any of the eggs to order and breakfast meats. If you want a nice kick with your eggs, get their home made brown hot sauce; you will thank me later. Also, their fresh made jams; gosh damn! I believe one was green apple and for the life of me I still cannot tell you what the dark purple one was; it was seemingly a very very sweet hybrid fruit of a grape and maybe a blackberry jam? Breakfast with eggs, breads and a few glasses of Orange Juice usually ran me about $20 USD. This would be one of the more expensive restaurants since it is attached to the highest end hotel in town.
Orale Cafe
Another great breakfast spot was Orale Cafe which is off the dirt road. It is a little bit of a walk but well worth it. It is perched in the base of the woods and gives you a tree house effect. The breakfast menu here is very simple but all selections are worthy. Favorite dish was their breakfast sampler, which changes daily but, on this occasion, included their French toast. They use a French bread which is very different and incredibly fluffy. Breakfast here ran me about $12 USD with a glass of juice.
La Fenice
The best pizza in town. Rumor has it that a bunch of Italian citizens have moved to Zipolite which has led to the great Italian food scene. If you like the spicy options, try their spicy sausage or salami, you'll love them. Also, for more spice, ask them for their "chili paste" and then add their hot chili oil and you will find perfection. Pizzas here are $5-10 USD.
Clan Destino
Remember that amazing chicken wrap I referred to earlier? It is from here. This is one of the partner restaurants with Casa Nudista, so you can order their full menu from the hotel with free delivery. All the items are $5-15 USD.
Mao Mau
If you like Thai food, this might be your spot. The Cha Giò (egg rolls) and Crispy Wings as the appetizers were great, my Grapow was not that great as the chicken was dry; but the spice combination was perfect. I will not say this was my favorite restaurant but I think over time they will be able to perfect the dishes. Dishes here were about $7 - $12 USD.
Burger Restaurant
This is next Door to La Christorra & across the street from Panadería Pan de Vida Bakery. This is the closest you will find to an American burger in town and it is worth a visit. They also make hand cut fries which are super thin and crispy. Burger and fries is $8 USD.
Taco Spot
At the end of Avenue Roca Blanca, as soon as it turns into a dirt road. The restaurant is unmissable because of it's teal blue chairs. They are also known for their coffee since they open at 6am. I did not try the coffee as I am not a coffee drinker. They have one taco option and it is marinated meat with a side of the marinade sauce. They are the very definition of street tacos. Their combo for 3 tacos and a drink is 60 pesos..... $3 USD; get them!
Nightlife anyone? The nightlife in Zipolite is rather tame to be honest unless it is a popular weekend, but that does not mean that you will not find anything to do while you are there. My two favorite spots are below.
ChiZme Café & Bar
This is very reminiscent of an old school piano bar. They are known for their cocktails but I cannot attest to how good they are as I only tried one and it was not good; actually, rather dismal to be honest. But the live music was worth the subpar martini. Also, it's intimate; probably only sits about 30 people and it's on the sand but not the beach, so it's definitely a vibe. Cocktails are rather expensive $10 - $15 USD if I recall.
Maxima Bar
This is the drag bar in town. Now, I should preface by saying I am not a drag fan; nothing wrong it, just not my scene; but this bar was awesome. It is literally on the beach and the whole bar is in the sand. The set up is a small bar and a small stage and there are live performances each night with the weekend being the most popular. Ironically, while I was there, Friday nights were more popular than Saturday nights. I obviously have not been enough times to determine if this is the norm, but that was my observation while I was there. Drinks are well priced like most of Mexico; its simple mixed drinks and beers.
In addition to Zipolite I wanted to explore the neighboring towns. I had heard a lot of good things about Mazunte so I made my way to the little town via motorbike; which I rented from the rental spot next door to Panadería Pan de Vida Bakery. The rentals are $30 USD a day. I drove up and down, right and left, through the mountains and windy road, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way and feeling like a truly acclimated local. After all, at this point, I have already been here a week and I have seen more than most people would in a year; so, I was feeling rather confident. After 20 minutes I arrived to Mazunte and.... it was worth the wait. People tend to visit this location as the beach is much easier for swimming and doesn't want to kill you. As a result, the surf is calmer, there are more places to swim and enjoy the beach, and more people are present. Mazunte is very similar to Zipolite beaches in the sense that they are somewhat expanse but they also have many different sections which are usually separated by rock formations. It also has many different restaurants and bars on the beach so you will never go hungry or thirsty. Just remember, this is not a nude beach so keep your clothes on people! Also, make sure to visit The Punta Cometa Whirpool aka Jacuzzi Natural. It is about a 20-minute hike from the Mazunte beach but well worth the views and experience. Make sure to bring sandals or water shoes as you are going to need them in some parts.
So that is my review of wonderful Zipolite and Casa Nudista. If you have the opportunity to check these locations out, I HIGHLY recommend it. After almost two weeks of wearing no shoes and minimal clothing (only speedos and open button shirts when necessary), getting ten shades darker, and walking the equivalent of almost 50 miles; I can easily understand why so many people extend their trips or even stay in Zipolite permanently. There is no doubt in my mind that Zipolite will become the next Puerto Vallarta or Tulum once they figure out how to handle their logistics. Most of the hippies that occupied and visited the location from the past have already departed so change is already occurring, and as we know, once evolution begins, it is hard to stop. I implore you; get here before everyone else finds this place! I was torn about posting this review as I wanted to keep this my little secret but since so many people on here have asked questions about it, I decided it was important to share the experience. If anyone has any questions, I am more than happy to answer. Happy traveling everyone!
