Lagunas de Chacahua National Park

About this place

Lagunas de Chacahua National Park lies on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca, about 66 km in a straight line west of Puerto Escondido, near the village of Zapotalito, and was created in 1937. It is reached by Federal Highway 200 or by boat from Puerto Escondido. The park covers about 133 square kilometres, around 30 of them taken up by lagoons such as Laguna de Chacahua, Laguna de La Pastoria and Laguna Las Salinas, linked by narrow channels. It has ten types of vegetation, including mangroves, savannah, palms and coastal dunes, and 246 species of flowers and 189 species of animals have been recorded. Small boats glide through tunnels of mangroves into still lagoons that mirror the sky, where storks, herons, pelicans and spoonbills stand in the shallows. Sand dunes separate the lagoons from a long, almost empty beach, and three species of sea turtle come to the park to lay their eggs. Boat tours usually start from Zapotalito, and services in the small beach villages are basic. Bring insect repellent and sun protection; the dry season from November to April is the best time to visit.