Day trip to San Pedro Mixtepec

San Pedro Mixtepec is a town about 20 kms (13 miles) inland from Puerto Escondido. It's just a quiet place, with not much to see, but it's a great place to go just for a day trip to get away from the beach. And along the way, there's the University's Botanical Gardens.

So just for something to do, we hopped on the collectivo and went for a ride.

First, we had to find our way to the "Terminal Turistica" bus station. It's at the north end of town and it is really the second class bus station. From there, collectivo taxis run every few minutes up to San Pedro Mixtepec. The taxis cost 15 pesos ($1.28) per person for the 20 km ride.

But we only wanted to go as far as the botanical garden which is a little under half way. Because the taxis only leave when they're full, we didn't get much of a discount to go the halfway point. We paid 28 pesos ($2.38) to get the two of us to the gardens.

At the entrance.

 A guard came out at the entrance. He radioed to someone else that we were here, and wanting to see the gardens. It turns out that the gardens are free, and you get a one hour guided tour. The tour is only available in Spanish. We were the only ones there at the time, and our tour guide Sylvestre walked down the path to meet us.

Our Spanish is not great, but we were pleased that we could understand most of what he was telling us. If your Spanish is basic or less, they will still show you around even though you won't understand much.

Ruth and Sylvestre on the path.

He was really good at explaining some interesting facts about which plants you can use for medicinal purposes and which ones are poisonous.

There are a few sign boards along the way.

One section of the garden is dedicated to plants that live on other plants...

This fern grows 1 cm per year. Sylvestre says this plant is over 100 years old. They have two of them on the garden property.

We enjoyed our walk around the gardens. Something different to do for an hour. Then, we had to wait outside the front gate for a collectivo that had room for us. Fortunately there are also some camionettas (small pick up trucks with benches) that do this route and one came along after 15 minutes or so. We hopped in with the locals and made our way on the very twisty windy road to San Pedro.

It cost us another 7 pesos each for the ride in the camionetta. 

The church in San Pedro Mixtepec.

View from the church.

We paid a "moto-taxi" (three wheeled taxi run by a small motorcycle engine) 10 pesos (85 cents) to take us to a restaurant by a river that had been recommended.

Relaxing at the restaurant by the river.

Beers, only 16 pesos ($1.36) each. Meals were cheap as well. Ruth had the garlic shrimp and I had garlic fish fillet. Nice meal, with drinks and tip for only 200 pesos (($17.00).

Lunch is served!

Nice!

If you brought your swimsuit, you could even go for a refreshing dip in the river.

We walked back to the center of town and took a collectivo taxi back to Puerto Escondido for 15 pesos ($1.27) each, then a different collectivo for another 7 pesos each to get back to our room. Nice day out!

And another great sunset last night!