When to Come

Any time of year can be wonderful at Posada Arigalan. The most crucial factors to consider are temperature, rainfall, crowds, and the peak or off-peak season.

Weather — There are two sharply defined seasons in Mazunte (as in most of Mexico) - the tropical/moist weather of summer and early fall, and the dry weather of winter and spring. In July, August, and September the increase in cloud cover can push the average daily temperatures below those of the very warm late April, May and early June. The advantage of visiting in the summer/fall is the lush, green landscape. During the winter/spring you will experience the green and brown combination of dry landscape.

Peak and Off-Peak Season — Our peak season is from mid November through mid February, and the off-peak Season is from late February through early November. Do not let the peak season scare you away. Peak Season includes the merriest and most colorful times in the area. Although there are two periods when the beach area is more populated — Christmas to New Year, and Semana Santa, the pre-Easter Week — you will never have crowds like those in places like Cancun.

If you like crowds and want to experience more local color, then come during one of the many local festivals. If you shun crowds but enjoy the sunny, temperate weather then January is a good bet. October through mid-December is a good time as the landscape is still very lush, the beaches are beautifully uncrowded and it is cooler. The occasional showers of July, August and September frequently cool things enough to make your stay enjoyable. No matter when you come, the sky is always blue, the water turquoise, the people friendly and the food outstanding.

How to Get Here

Driving to Posada Arigalan — It is possible to drive to Posada Arigalan from just about any place on the continent. If you are driving from the United States or Canada, you will need to have a passport and tourist visa as well the original title of your car, and it must be in name of the driver. If the title is in the name of a lender, you will need a notarized letter from the lender authorizing you to take the vehicle into Mexico. There is a small entry fee for each vehicle that can be paid with cash or a credit card in the name of the driver. Additionally, you will need Mexican insurance purchased from an authorized company such as Sanborns.

Once you enter Mexico you will find outstanding roads (some toll roads), which offer some of the most panoramic views of this beautiful country. Gasoline is controlled by the government and Pemex gas stations are plentiful on the main roads leading to Oaxaca and Posada Arigalan.

Although the rules of the road are not much different from driving in Canada or the United States, there are a few things one should know. Do not drive at night, if avoidable. Many of the free roaming cows are black and difficult to see standing on the warmth of the road at night. If you see a small stack of rocks in the road, there may be a hazard ahead. Unfortunately, most people don't take the rocks away once the hazard is cleared, but as they say, better safe than sorry.

In order to stem the flow of guns and drugs around Mexico, the government has moving checkpoints where machine-gun toting soldiers check the contents of vehicles for contraband. If you are waved to the side of the road, simply obey the soldiers and allow them to search your vehicle. Be sure to keep you eye on them and do not leave any valuables unattended.

Mexico is a beautiful country with the most wonderful scenery that can be found. From the high and low deserts, the snow-capped mountains and jungles you will find thousands of reasons to drive your own car, which allows you to stop and enjoy the scenery. Keep your camera handy as you will need it around every bend.

Take the Bus — Mexican bus services are some of the best in the world, as this is the main transportation in this country. The trains were privatized years ago and today only transport freight. The bus is the king of the Oaxacan road, with a number of lines connecting virtually every community. There are three levels of service on most bus lines —luxury or super-class, first class, and second class.

Our luxury buses — best in North America

Luxury Class: Usually this is referred to as Ejecutivo or Primera Plus, these are normally super-deluxe express coaches that speed between major towns with fewer stops. The price is only slightly higher, such as $50 from Oaxaca to Mazunte as compared to $40 for First Class. Most Luxury Class passengers enjoy the faster trip time and airline-style amenities such as plush reclining seats, air-conditioning, on-board toilet, video, and an aisle attendant. First Class: Although slightly less luxurious, First Class service costs less, is frequent, and always includes reserved seating, which will guarantee you a window seat if you buy early enough. Additionally passengers also enjoy reclining seats and usually air-conditioning. These buses, however, make frequent stops at many small villages to pick up and drop off passengers, so your trip is slowed tremendously.

Second Class: The seating on these buses is unreserved and sometimes you will find yourself standing in the aisle or stuffed into a non-reclining seat for hours on end. These buses are not for most tourists.

Always carry bottled water, snacks, one-peso coins for the pay toilet at bus stops, and toilet paper when traveling by bus. While perhaps more time-consuming than flying into the area, taking the bus will allow visitors to see much more of beautiful Mexico.

Flying — The majority of foreign visitors to Mazunte arrive here by air. Most will travel through Mexico City and then transfer for flights to Huatulco, the nearest airport. Two exceptions are flights from Los Angeles and Dallas (as well as other cities on occasion) direct to Huatulco. Most flights will circle the airport in order to land, giving those passengers on the left side of the plane a much better viewpoint.

Once in Huatulco, you have several choices for ground transportation to Posada Arigalan. The cost of taking a taxi directly from the airport is higher because of the tariff the taxis must pay to pick up and drop off passengers at the airport, which is not too different from in other cities in the world. Budget travelers usually elect to take a short walk to the airport exit and catch a non-airport taxi to Posada Arigalan. The cost of a non-airport taxi from Huatulco to Posada Arigalan is about US$50 depending on the number of passengers and the time of day.

Alternatively, you can catch a bus from the airport to Pochutla for about US$25 and then take a taxi from Pochutla to Posada Arigalan for usually no more than $5 to $10 depending on the number of passengers and time of the day, with night arrivals being slightly higher.

What to Bring Posada Arigalan is located in the small ecological reserve of Mazunte, and as such, it is protected from "development" by the big hotels. More important than what Mazunte has is what it doesn't have. Non-existent are the sounds of bulldozers, traffic congestion with the honking of horns, and loud stereos. There are no rows of giant chain hotels along the roadside or on the beach, with their massive towers blocking the view of the tropical forest or the sea. There are no big stores such as Walmart or Costco nearby, with their huge parking lots covering acres of Mother Earth. We are a place to get away from the worries of the rest of the world. Here you will find tranquility, peace, and quiet.We are a place to get away from the worries of the rest of the world. Here you will find tranquility, peace, and quiet. With detachment comes the difficulty of finding certain items. Of course, one can travel to Huatulco or Oaxaca and find almost any desirable product, if need be, but you will find it useful to bring these items:

Birdlovers — Bring your binoculars!

• Flashlight or Penlight - This will come in handy for your return to Posada Arigalan after an evening of dining in town. It is only a short stroll, but there are no street lamps to light your way.
   
• Mosquito Repellent - Although the mosquito population is not too severe, we are in a sub-tropical area with lots of tropical vegetation which promotes the life of many living things. We exterminate regularly at Posada Arigalan for pests to make your stay enjoyable and trouble free, but you may find mosquitoes joining you for dinner at one of the restaurants in town.
   
• Sunscreen - Don't forget sunscreen if you aim to spend time on our beautiful beaches.
   
• Electrical Adapters - Mexican electricity is supplied at U.S.-standard 110 volts, 60 cycles. Plugs and sockets are generally two-pronged, non-polar. A two-pronged polar plug has different-sized prongs, one of which is too large to plug into the non-polar sockets in use in Mexico. You must bring adapters if you are going to use appliances with polar two-pronged or three-pronged plugs.
   
  
• Cameras / Computers - Although film is available, it is desirable to use digital if possible. We have free Wi-Fi for our guests traveling with their own laptops. There are Internet cafes in town, with access to scanners, copiers, SKYPE telephone and other amenities available at a reasonable cost.