Nowadays, there are a plethora of apps at our disposal while on the road. We use a variety of tools to navigate, look at the weather, edit photos, gather information of places we plan to go, communications or to keep a journal while on the road. Here are those we are using or have been using.
Navigation
OsmAnd – Our preferred app for getting around. The free version contains road surface (asphalt, gravel, paved etc… ), road type (main or secondary road, street, state road etc… ), hill and gradient profiles total meters of ascending and descending. It’s possible to add map markers, easy to add intermediate steps on a route and importing/exporting gpx files is flawless. Most of the point of interests (hostels, fire stations, restaurants etc…) are located accurately on the map. Best of all, the app works offline. The free version allows for 7 downloads (mostly maps), but for long tours, the Live version is worth purchasing as it allows for unlimited downloads. There are a number of interesting plug-ins (purchase, for a couple of dollars), hillsides and contours lines being our favourite.
Google maps – We use it to complement OsmAnd when searching for points of interests. We use it only when we have a Wi-Fi internet connection. Downloading maps for offline use proved to be a hassle from my end and led to frustrations.
Maps.me – Also used to complement OsmAnd to complement points of interests location. We used it for a while but route mapping proved to be annoying. The hill profile only shows the highest and lowest points of a route, not the total of ascending/descending meters which we’re more concern with.
iOverlander – This app is essentially a database of places for overlanders; campsites (wild or paid), hotels, restaurants, water collection points, petrol stations etc… We primarily use it to know places people camped and read comments on previous travellers. It’s possible to add and amend places as well as post comments on places. The definition from their website is “iOverlander is a tool, by and for overlanders, which enables its users to submit, amend and find information and opinions, primarily about places that are essential for the act of overlanding, and secondarily non-essential places that are of interest to a significant group of overlanders.”
Weather
Windy – Available on Android and iPhone, this is a great app to look for wind and most importantly the wind direction. The radar is super intuitive and has all the bells and whistles any weather should have.
AccuWeather – Available on Android and iPhone, This is the second app we go after Windy mostly to “confirm” what the would be like.
Communications
WhatsApp – The most commonly used app in the country we went through to communicate with locals we meet on the road and want to keep in touch with. We also share photos and join/create groups of other cyclists we meet on the road.
Google Translate – Awesome tool when we don’t understand what others are telling us in their own language. The camera feature is useful as we simply activate the camera in the app and point it to the text we want to translate like a menu or a street sign.
Journaling
Polarsteps– Polarsteps app uses your device’s GPS location to plot a route on a world map. It’s possible to control the frequency at which the app uses your device’s GPS so you’re not using too much battery. Easy-to-use and the interface are super user-friendly. Offline use is pretty useful and it auto-syncs steps when connected on the internet. On every step (essentially, a GPS point recorded by the app) you can add photos and write text. You can also add points of interests/activities/landmark etc… but it requires internet connection. It’s possible to follow other travellers, share steps to your other social media platforms and the app calculates stats as kilometres travelled, countries visited and a number of hours on the road. We use this app as our online travel journal, add photos and share it with other social media. It is the preferred way for our friends and family to follow our journey via the website.
Social Media
Instagram – This one doesn’t need an introduction. We use it to let our audience know what’s going on and post photos of our journey. Handles are @pace.lach (for cycling stuff) and @pascallachance_photography (for my photography focussed content)
Facebook – We created a page for our friends and family to follow us, but proved super complicated and time-consuming. Since discovering Polarsteps, we no longer update it to but whenever we post on Instagram, a new post is created on our page so those not using Instagram can still see what we’ve published on other media.
JotterPad – This a word processing/note-taking app we use to write new Instagram posts before posting. This is also where I keep and manage all the hashtags we use on our Instagram posts or taking notes as we ride. User-friendly interface and the free version allows you to change appearances, fonts and has presets.
Photo Editing
Snapseed – Available on Android and iPhone, this is one of the most popular photo editing tools for photo editing and it is free. I use this directly on my phone to adjust some of the photos I took with my phone before posting on Instagram or Polarsteps.
Lightroom – I use Adobe Lightroom to import, manage, backup and export all the photos we take, both from our phones and my Canon 7D SLR. As far as editing goes, I use Lightroom for editing RAW files only mostly coming from my Canon 7D SLR.
Instagram – I find the editing tool on Instagram before posting really good for quick edits before posting.
Let us know if you know or using other apps than those mentioned here!
This is the third and last article about our time on the Nicoya Peninsula.
Our first 10 days on the Nicoya Peninsula were marked by steep and challenging steep sections and superb beach riding, camping by beaches and being kicked off by police officers and celebrating NYE in Samara, a popular ex-pat town on the peninsula. I go in more details in the first part and second part of this series of 3 articles, so I would recommend reading those before continuing on.
After a great night sleeps at the back of Locos Cocos restaurant, right by San Miguel beach, we pushed our rigs through the sand for a short section of beach riding. Waiting for us that day was a flat-ish route to Playa Coyote, our next stop. The southern part of the Peninsula sees much fewer travellers, a good thing for us. Finally, a little break from heavy traffic and dust. We were pleased to discover it was free to use the campground at Playa Coyote. We only had to pay for amenities. For the better part of the afternoon, we admired the view and chilled before crossing the 2 large rivers the following morning. Apart from the track of their tires on the road, there were no signs of our friends until after sunset when their headlamps give them away. They were stationed on a nearby beach for most of the afternoon when 2 men arrived during sunset. Looking suspicious and dodgy, Aaron and Emily decided to pack and come to a safe place for the night.
The following morning we were out of our tent by 6, gearing up for the day. I was looking forward to the river crossings while Tiph was a little anxious, maybe because of the presence of crocodiles in those rivers. I reassured her that at low tide, chances were little of coming face to face with one. Our first stokes brought us at the top of yet another hill before descending on the flat ground leading to the river crossings. With water coming up to our knees, we pushed the bicycles steadily traversing the rivers without many efforts. On the second river, I went across to set the camera to take photos as we walked across. We needed to immortalize this much-anticipated part of the journey!
Following the second crossing was a long stretch of spectacular beach riding which could only be done at low tide. There is a section with rocks which becomes impassible at high tide. For the better part of an hour, we leisurely pushed our pedals on compacted sand, scaring crabs as we passed by.
At the end of the beach, we embarked on a single track road following the ocean. Devoid of vehicles, our shoes soaked and sandy like never before, we cruised on the best part of the Peninsula so far. By mid-afternoon, we approached Santa Teresa town, the most popular in this part of the Peninsula. With it came to traffic, ATVs going at alluring speed and the bloody dusty roads again. As we closed the town centre yoga retreats, cafes, restaurants and boutiques lined up the main road. There was dust everywhere yet people sat on terraces, sipping coffee or having lunch. How can they enjoy being in this dust storm, we did not know. We set our aim was a campground a little before Malpais. For the first time since leaving that morning, we saw Aaron and Emily, who just arrived at Alimar campground. It was full of tent and people so they decided to settle at a campground a little further down the road. We took the rest of the afternoon to dry some of our soaked gear and relax by the sound of the ocean crashing on the rocky beach.
The following day was our last on the Pacific side as we crossed a mountain range at the southern end of the Peninsula before arriving along the Gulf of Nicoya. The track led us in beautiful lush jungle, small river crossing and ridiculously steep hills, in the 30% this time. Imagine you are cycling on a 15% gradient when suddenly appears a wall as if you were on a flat surface, you know it’s steep. We helped each other pushing the bicycles up and it was hard going. But there wasn’t any cars, nor dust, making for a more enjoyable experience.
We took a quick break after descending in Cabuya, a quiet and lovely town on the fringe of the Gulf of Nicoya. We passed a huge, tall ceiba tree. This kind of tree, common in Central America, engulfs other trees by wrapping their branches around and outgrowing them. This particular one was the largest tree in Costa Rica. We continued on to Montezuma, the busiest town on the East coast of the Peninsula. Filled with yoga retreats, cafes, restaurant and whatnots, it was much quieter than Santa Teresa. Waiting for us at the end of town was you guessed it, a hill. We had lunch midway up so we could split it in two.
We rolled on the busy main road for a little while before veering right into a track going through farmland. It was a pretty section with stunning views of mountains, the ocean showing itself between trees and not much climbing, for once. The track eventually led us down to the waterside and quickly became a trekking path in the jungle, but still navigable with loaded bikes. As red macaws flew above our heads, we passed one beach after another, families of howler monkeys and spider monkeys jumping trees in the canopy and dodge our way between tall lianas.
At the end of the path was Playa Tambor where we elected to spend the night. There was a large public park with tables and looked like a nice place to camp. We watched the sun go down as Aaron and Emily walked toward the beach. They made it too! They arrived earlier and were offered a room in a hostel if Aaron agreed to play American country music at dinner for guests. Being a musician, he agreed on the spot. We talked for a little before we prepared dinner and pitched our tent. We were so knackered after a long and difficult day that we fell asleep as soon as we hit the pillow.
The following morning we woke up with items missing; our sandals, Tiph’s hat, towel bikini bottom were gone. That didn’t start the day too well. Tips got over it quickly, but not me. After losing my GoPro and having my shoes stolen earlier, this act of theft had a stronger effect on me and I started to get irritated with losing or having our things stolen. After reflection, this public park was, in fact, the worst place to camp. Not hidden, everyone could see us hence making it easy for someone with bad intentions to simply grab stuff as they pass by as we sleep. Never again, we told ourselves.
The long-awaited tarmac was welcomed as we started our second last day on the Peninsula. Again, steep climbs were part of our day but we had become used to it by now. Only this time, the brand new asphalt made it “easier” for us. The soft carpet under our wheels wouldn’t last as the dirt and dust reappeared once passed Paquera, on the other side of the Gulf. We were doing groceries at Pali when Aaron passed by closely followed by Emily. It would be the last time we see each other as they took the ferry to Puntarenas while we kept on cycling around the Peninsula. We hugged and said goodbye before we disappeared in a dust cloud. Luckily though, there was much less traffic compared to our first days but the mercury showed 40 degrees Celcius. It felt like Baja once again and without shade, it was tough going. After yet another set of steep hills, we arrived at a small hamlet where a restaurant had camp spots available, right by the water. The beer that night tasted better and was more satisfying than anything else we’ve had on this journey. We collapsed in bed not long after dinner, watching the sun disappear behind the hills for one last time on the Nicoya Peninsula.
We were up earlier the following morning, light barely illuminating the sky. It was our last day in this beautiful part of the world. We knew there were hills ahead of us and we didn’t want to climb under a searing sun. We gulped down breakfast, packed up and got going early. Quickly, the last set of steep hills were behind us. At the top a magnificent view of the Gulf with the mountains in the background waited for us, rewarding us after all the efforts. We flew downhill and reached Playa Naranjo in no time. With it came permanent asphalt, flat terrain and tailwinds carrying us toward our next stage on this journey; the central highlands and Lago Arenal.
The Nicoya Peninsula route is mostly on dirt roads, steep hills and could be extremely dusty. I would not recommend it for beginners for cycle-tourers with fully-loaded bicycle mostly because of near-impossible steep hills on loose dirt and rock. However, it is a fantastic route for bikepacking of any level. The heat could be unbearable by midday and everything is more expensive than anywhere else in the country.
Camping under a tall palm tree on underdeveloped beaches stretching for miles, dipping in the warm Pacific waters, the chance to witness sea turtle hatching or nesting, riding on jungle paths where howler monkeys and red macaws watch you pass by and riding on the hard, compacted sand right on the beach are only some of the highlights.
We followed the Gira Costa route available on bikepacking.com, from Liberia to the Amistad bridge. The GPX file from the other route, “Nicoya Peninsula Dirt Road Odyssey”, proved to be harder to follow on our routing applications but essentially is the same. There was only one section we couldn’t follow around Playa Junquillal because the road had been taken away by floods during the last wet season. For more about the route, visit bikepacking.com.
This is part two of a series of three articles about our time on the Nicoya Peninsula.
Our first couple of days on the peninsula proved harder than we imagined. The dust lifted by cars zipping was unbearable at times and the tough climbs saw us pushing our bikes on several occasions. We arrived in Samara tired but could rest a couple of days and celebrate NYE. I go in more details in the first part of this series of 3 articles, so I would recommend reading the first part before continuing on.
After arriving in complete darkness at Playa Islita the night before, we were woken up by warm sun rays touching our face through the meshing of our tent. Before us was a bright orange sunrise over a quiet beach. This place was magnificent. Amongst the apps we use to navigate and find places to stay, iOverlander (link here) proved very useful to know where to spend the night. Reviews for this little paradise said there was a hotel with a public area where we could collect water, have an outdoor shower and access toilets. There was even wifi. Some people have reported staying for a week. As we ate breakfast, Tiphaine looked at me and said: “Why don’t we stay here today?” Why not, indeed. As we made our decision, a red macaw came flying and grasp a branch on the tree right above us. There were a rescue and rehabilitation centre for the large colourful birds nearby and they often came to have breakfast on the beach too.
Our neighbours, Carlos and Diana, both from Spain, had stationed their van and hadn’t move for a month. Carlos offered to recharge our electronics if we needed to; his solar panels we laid facing the sun the entire day. Staying several days suddenly sounded pretty good. This was the perfect place to recover from the gruelling hills and the traffic would diminish as people went back home while we rested.
We spent the following 3 days reading, going for a dip in warm ocean water, eat and relax. I took the time to learn a little Spanish and take photos of the sunset. The waves were clean one late afternoon so I decided to body surf with my GoPro. A large set came and knocked me off the bottom, losing my grip on the stick holding the GoPro. Just like that, the little camera disappeared never to be seen. I was fucking pissed at myself to be such as idiot and bring this camera in high swell without securing it on my wrist. I walked the beach several times hoping the tide would bring it back but in vain.
By the end of our third day, locals showed up and set up camp around the parking lot. The place was suddenly buzzing with 15-20 overnighters. That night, a police truck came by to investigate, red and blue lights flashing for a short moment before disappearing. We were in our tent while others had fires going, enjoying a fine evening on the beach. The following morning, several police vehicles arrived. They started to talk to Carlos and Diana followed by to the other tents behind before coming to us. They informed us it was illegal to camp on the beach and we needed to leave. It was almost 11 AM when we started packing and the taught of leaving was far in our mind. Carlos approached and told us the hotel manager called the police because some people apparently used the pool, chairs and accessed private areas of the hotel without the right to do so. The police came down and told everyone to piss off. The Spaniards could stay as it wasn’t technically camping but needed to move their van in the parking area if they wished to stay. Carlos confirmed seeing the police car several times and they never asked for anything. As Carlos suggested, we decided to stay a little further down the beach, under the palm trees. So we pushed our bikes on the beach, choose a spot and stayed for one last night in this perfect place.
After a few relaxing days in Playa Islita we were back on the road. This time, there was less traffic but the steep hills remained. After climbing the first one we came to an amazing viewpoint where we could see Playa Islita in its entirety. The sunset from there is said to be breathtaking. Not long after came our second climb of the day, the gradient in the mid-20%. Our clothes were drenched with sweat as we reached the top and we’d been on the road for an hour only.
I was photographing howler monkeys several meters from the top when Aaron and Emily pushed their loaded bikes up. From the USA, they were on holidays and decided to bikepack the Nicoya Peninsula. Having a bikepacking setup meant they were much lighter than us and yet, they were having a hard time pushing up the hills. We talked a little before they disappeared in front of us. We would pass each other several times over the following days and stay a couple of nights at the same spot.
We were having lunch at San Miguel beach when Aaron and Emily rolled in. They went for a swim before heading to a nearby soda, the term in Costa Rica for a local restaurant, where they planned to stay for the night. We discussed our strategy for the following days. Ahead were 2 large rivers to cross, about 20kms away. Both were tidal, meaning we ideally needed to cross them at low tide, either early morning or at dusk. We decided to cross around 8 AM and the best day to do so was in 2 days time. Staying for the night seemed reasonable, evermore so that iOverlander had comments of a restaurant allowing people to camp on their backyard so we shoot for that. To our little surprise, we saw Aaron and Emily sitting at a table, finishing their meal before asking if they could pitch their tent for the night. For 4000 Colones, the equivalent of $9 CAN, we could pitch our tent in the backyard and use the outdoor shower. Again, the ocean was only a few feet away.
The Nicoya Peninsula route is mostly on dirt roads, steep hills and could be extremely dusty. I would not recommend it for beginners for cycle-tourers with fully-loaded bicycle mostly because of near-impossible steep hills on loose dirt and rock. However, it is a fantastic route for bikepacking of any level. The heat could be unbearable by midday and everything is more expensive than anywhere else in the country.
Camping under a tall palm tree on underdeveloped beaches stretching for miles, dipping in the warm Pacific waters, the chance to witness sea turtle hatching or nesting, riding on jungle paths where howler monkeys and red macaws watch you pass by and riding on the hard, compacted sand right on the beach are only some of the highlights.
We followed the Gira Costa route available on bikepacking.com, from Liberia to the Amistad bridge. The GPX file from the other route, “Nicoya Peninsula Dirt Road Odyssey”, proved to be harder to follow on our routing applications but essentially is the same. There was only one section we couldn’t follow around Playa Junquillal because the road had been taken away by floods during the last wet season. For more about the route, visit bikepacking.com.
This is part one of a series of three articles about our time on the Nicoya Peninsula.
The Nicoya Peninsula is located on the north-western end of Costa Rica. The region has been recognized as one of the Blue Zone by National Geographic, regions where the concentration centenarians are higher and where “people had grown old without health problems like heart disease, obesity, cancer, or diabetes.” It is a popular destination not only for those visiting the country but also a top choice amongst Costa Rican going on holidays. Activities abound; quad-bike (known as ATV) tours, surfing, trekking, taking a yoga class, watch sea turtle nesting in one of the wildlife refuges, visiting animal rehabilitation centres and access secluded and pristine beaches where you could spend an entire day in a hammock. And for the crazier ones, there’s cycling around the Peninsula.
From Liberia, we took the busy Ruta National 21 and turned right towards Sardinal before hitting the hard compacted dirt surface heading towards our first climb on the Peninsula, probably one of the easiest although it didn’t feel that way then. We were gasping for air, giving us time for a break and admire the scenery.
It wasn’t until we arrived in Playa Potrero that we understood why so many people visited this part of the country. Amazing beaches with a laid-back atmosphere is often a combo people lean toward. Add to that an abundance of wildlife and jungle treks and you have a winner.
From Potrero, the road became super dusty leaving a cloud after each car. It was so thick we often had to stop to let it settle. People drove as if they were still on asphalted highways, following each other at super close distances. Sometimes there would be a convoy of 5 cars zipping by, leaving us in the dust with zero visibility. How could they see the car in front of them let alone the road, left us in shock. On our second day on the Peninsula, the road became even busier. The main reason being the holiday season. We were between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, probably the busiest time of the year. The traffic was unbearable at times with some driving fast on loose gravel and dust, powdering the air to a point where the trees and leaves were covered red-brown instead of showing their luxuriant shades of green.
It was off the main road the Peninsula shined. It was much quieter than the main road making for a much more enjoyable adventure. We rolled along grassland with cows gazing at us as we passed by, used single-lane paths going through jungles as howler monkeys laid on branches or, even better, cycled directly on long stretches of beach lined with palm trees we so often see in brochures.
We couldn’t escape the bloody hills, though. There were killer ones, without a doubt the hardest we had dealt with so far. On many occasions, we had to unsaddle and push our loaded bikes up. It was hard going. Many sections were slippery because of the loose dirt surface. Cars didn’t slow down though, passing us as they looked in amazement. Some even photographed us from their air-conditioned interior. Most hills were short but left us panting when reaching the top. It was often followed by short but tricky descends on loose dirt and rocky surfaces only to go back up again. Some days we did 20 km and it felt like 100. Add to that temperature of 40 degrees Celsius and it makes for pretty hard going.
Pitching our tent by a pristine beach at the end of a hard day was the perfect reward. There was nothing to beat this feeling of accomplishment after a tough day. Dinner tasted better and tea was delightful. Sunset was extraordinary, sleep was deep and remedial. Waking up as the sun came above the horizon, we started our routine of packing up and eating breakfast before getting back in the rollercoaster dirt roads once again.
One of the toughest section was before Samara, a small town packed with ex-pats and tourists. We arrived on the 29th of December and decided to spend New Year’s Eve in town. The only room we could find was in a nice El Cactus Hostel owned by a Swiss man who has been living there for nearly 15 years. We enjoyed a nice dinner in an American wild west looking bar and a much earned day off at the beach. On the morning of 31st, I opened the door to find my cycling shoes missing. They were soaking wet after crossing rivers before Samara so we placed each our pair to dry outside of our door. The burglars jumped the huge gate to steal the laptop at the reception and took my shoes along the way. Pierre, the owner, had screwed and locked his laptop on the reception desk but they still took it. That was frustrating as I had to resolve to my non-clipping trekking shoes from now on. For NYE we were invited to join Pierre’s friends in the hostel garden. Everyone cooked a little something and we shared a large communal dinner with drinks before heading to the beach and watch the fireworks into 2020.
Not surprisingly, we woke up with a headache the following morning. Since we couldn’t find any room anywhere in town, we had to leave on that day. What a way to start the year; cycling steep dirt hills with a hangover. We stayed until about 2 PM before going. Like many have suggested, we were to cycle to the next beach only a few kilometres away from where we could camp. To our surprise, the beach was a protected wilderness area for turtle nesting and it was not possible to sleep anywhere, not even close to the reception area. The security guards were adamant; no camping allowed. We had no other choice but keep going. It was passed 4 PM, the sun was going down and still had to cycle a few kilometres, including a steep hill but we had no other option. As we pushed our rigs up, darkness rose. With our headlamps on, we kept rolling into the evening, our head still throbbing from the night before. We arrived at Playa Islita in total darkness, chose a spot by the beach to pitch the tent and ate pasta after completing the toughest day of our journey so far.
The Nicoya Peninsula route is mostly on dirt roads, steep hills and could be extremely dusty. I would not recommend it for beginners for cycle-tourers with fully-loaded bicycle mostly because of near-impossible steep hills on loose dirt and rock. However, it is a fantastic route for bikepacking of any level. The heat could be unbearable by midday and everything is more expensive than anywhere else in the country.
Camping under a tall palm tree on underdeveloped beaches stretching for miles, dipping in the warm Pacific waters, the chance to witness sea turtle hatching or nesting, riding on jungle paths where howler monkeys and red macaws watch you pass by and riding on the hard, compacted sand right on the beach are only some of the highlights.
We followed the Gira Costa route available on bikepacking.com, from Liberia to the Amistad bridge. The GPX file from the other route, “Nicoya Peninsula Dirt Road Odyssey”, proved to be harder to follow on our routing applications but essentially is the same. There was only one section we couldn’t follow around Playa Junquillal because the road had been taken away by floods during the last wet season. For more about the route, visit bikepacking.com.
Along the Pacific coast, in the region known as the Pacific lowland, a succession of volcanoes naturally created millennia ago is becoming a popular destination for backpackers and tourists in search of adventure. There are active volcanoes to climb, dormant giants we can slide down from and others to simply admire as we cruise by. The 2 main lakes in Nicaragua, lake Managua and Nicaragua, are the two largest in Central America. They also provide for the main resource of this nation; water.
We made our route based on these volcanoes and took secondary and tertiary roads as much as possible to get ourselves near those giants. Unlike El Salvador where cobblestones dominated secondary roads, stepping out of the main roads brought us on compacted dirt, gravel and sometimes rocky surfaces. This made for great cycling.
After only 2 full days in Honduras, we crossed the border and entered Nicaragua with the hope of getting on quiet roads. The last couple of days were spent on super busy highways with trucks overtaking us at high speed. We longed for dirt roads with less traffic where we could ride side by side and talk.
Our plan was to ride south before turning left on a tertiary road following a chain of volcanoes. Just before the turnoff, we started looking for a camp in a sugar cane field when a motorbike came from the opposite direction and stopped, asking what we were doing there. After telling him we were searching for a camp, he strongly advised to not stay there as it was dangerous. Instead, we followed us to his house in the nearby village where we could pitch our tent in the large backyard. First night in Nicaragua and already a warm welcome. This looked promising. With a dozen kids observing our every move, we set up the tent and prepared dinner. They were particularly interested in our Helinox chairs. Over time we got up to either fetch something in our bag or deposit something in our tent, a couple of kids would skirmish to grab and sit on the chair. It was funny. Our tent and mattress we also of strong interest. One kid after another laid on our comfy bed preferring Tiph’s mat over mine, making me slightly jealous. One kid, in particular, was more curious than the others, touching everything, asking questions on the utility of every single object including the obvious ones like our hats and gloves.
The following morning was Tiph’s birthday and for the occasion, we were served two freshly cooked empanadas on a plastic plate. We prepared tea and coffee and cooked oats, our breakfast of choice which didn’t seem too appetizing to the rest of the kids gathered around. Then came the baseball bat and gloves, something I couldn’t resist so I joined in with the kids and played catch for a moment. Baseball is Nicaragua’s national sport, most likely brought by Cubans during the 1970 and ‘80s revolutions.
After experiencing Nicaraguan hospitality, we said goodbye to our new friends and rolled on a nicely paved and quiet road following the volcanoes of San Cristobal, Chonco, Telica and Santa Clara standing out amongst a series of mountain peaks. It was superb riding on a road we had been dreaming of for a while.
Before knowing it we approached Leon, a colonial city we would stay for a couple of days. We decided to get to Granada through to mountains in the north rather than staying on the busy highway linking the two cities. And it would give us a different perspective of the volcanoes as well as the country in general. It also meant going in a known coffee region, called Matagalpa. We cycled by large fields used to spread the beans on the ground in order to dry them before packing. Guarded by armed security personnel, the beans are certainly of high value for these companies. The delightful odour filled our nostrils as we zipped by, just like the plantations up in the hills in front of us. And for the first time in a while, we got caught by heavy rain on the way down toward Granada. We intended to take a dirt road on the way down but the rain made it so muddy that we changed our plans and stick to the main road, luckily not too busy.
After a few days of rest and exploration of the ancient colonial town of Granada, we set out for a ride toward the beaches along the Pacific Ocean. Again following quiet but sometimes challenging roads, we were welcomed by a Warmshowers host living right by the beach in Playa Gigante. It was a kind of paradise on earth. Life was indeed very hard. It consisted of getting up when we felt like it, eating and relaxing on the beach in a repetition pattern, day after day. It was hard to leave this place!
Our next stretch was riding around the island of Ometepe. It’s possible to ride around the small island and get really close to the 2 volcanoes present on this path of land. Some sections were rocky and bumpy, but, once again, the riding was sensational. The road followed the base of both volcanoes, giving an unreal view of the natural wonders. Once in a while, we went through small authentic villages with friendly locals. For the first time since arriving in Nicaragua, Tiph wasn’t whistled at of was told demeaning words. If there was one negative aspect of Nicaragua it would be the behaviour of some men towards Tiph, something she didn’t experience anywhere else in Central America.
Back on the mainland after circumventing the island we stuck to the main road until the border with Costa Rica. Back in heavy-ish traffic, we pedalled past a wind turbine field following lake Nicaragua. By 2020, the country aims to use 90% of its energy coming from renewable sources like solar and wind. Those huge turbines were spinning at full speed as we passed by, an encouraging sight for the poorest country in Central America. With the long chain of volcano with its spectacular landscapes it provides and the Nicaraguan friendliness and hospitality now thing of the past, we arrived at Costa Rica border only to see a long queue of people waiting to get their stamps. We would have to wait almost 2 hours before seeing the lush Costa Rican lands.
The epicentre of Mayan Civilization, before the Spanish landed in Mesoamerica, was located in today’s Republic of Guatemala. It is a wonder to explore and loads of places to discover. For us, the best way to reach out remote villages, climb and descend mountains, explore local markets and get close to volcanoes was with our own legs by either pushing the pedals or trekking. We spent about a month in Guatemala and there were many highlights. Here they are.
Tikal
From Belize, we crossed the border into Guatemala at Melchor de Mencos. We spent the afternoon at the fire station because of heavy rainfall and decided to go the following day rather than getting wet yet again. With Oleg, we pedalled to the road junction leading to Tikal where Oleg decided to skip the famous site and go toward Flores on his own. I’ve already mentioned how Tikal was our favourite Maya site in a previous article and I invite you to read that and have more details about the site itself. Tikal is a standout highlight in Guatemala and a must-see Maya site.
Mountains and its villages
From Tikal, we rode to Flores before going south toward Coban and the mountains where traditional villages rarely see foreigners apart from the windows of speeding buses. The sections going through the towns of Xuctzul, Coban, San Cristobal Verapaz, Sacapulas, San Pedro Jocopilas, Chichicastenango and Solola were spectacular despite the ridiculously steep gradients going between 16 – 25%. The highlands offered stunning views, sections of trafficless roads, lead to traditional villages, lively markets and friendly locals albeit being yelled “gringo”, the kid’s national sport. Everywhere we passed, colourful indigenous clothing was worn by the ladies. The different styles, colours and patterns changes from region to region, something the Spanish established to differentiate communities.
Lago de Atitlan
Our Warmshower hosts in Panajachel, located right beside the lake, was pure ecstasy. The Mooney’s, as they identify themselves in Warmshowers (https://www.warmshowers.org/user/218594), have an amazing place overlooking the lake and accepted to host us for a couple of days. Lago de Atitlan is blessed with a breathtaking view with volcanoes as its background, clear water and numerous little towns accessible by boat rides. It is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.
Antigua
The first Capital city of Guatemala, Antigua is a colonial-style city with a rich history, many churches, a cathedral facing a large central park and the Santa Catalina arch dating back to the 17th century. Its UNESCO Heritage site recognition attracts many tourists all year round. The short hike up the popular Cerro de la Cruz gives a wonderful view of the city. Cyclists navigating the city find the cobblestone streets painful, especially those on fully loaded bikes. Yet, we absolutely loved the city.
Hiking Acatenango
By far, our top highlight in Guatemala. Near Antigua, it’s possible to climb up Acatenango volcano with an organized tour for an overnight trip. About 5 kilometres away from Acatenango is Fuego volcano. The particularity about Fuego is that it erupts on average 13 times a minute, sometimes proposing lava high in the air. From Acatenango basecamp, as the night takes over, the red molten rock becomes a spectacle. On every explosion, the crowd goes wild. We spent the night in a tent on Acatenango and the following morning we rose at 4 am for a hike up to the crater and witness one of the most spectacular sunrises on Earth. With Fuego spitting out its lava, the sun comes up above the horizon with its hues of red, orange, pink and blue over the valley down below. Seeing an active volcano over sunrise would be a highlight in any place you’d go, wouldn’t it?
I hope you enjoyed this article. Please, leave a comment below whether you liked it or not. More photos in my Guatemala Photo Gallery
Right from the beginning, Belize felt strange. At the border we were energetically welcomed in English, the official language of the country, by an officer of African ancestry, an Ethnic group called the Garinagu forming a small proportion of Belizean population. A few kilometres later we rolled in Corozal, our first Belizean town. Most shops were closed as it was Sunday and the food stalls didn’t have food anymore. We found a Chinese fast food place where a teenage Chinese girl welcomed us. We both ordered stir-fried rice with shrimps. As we sat down to eat the enormous serving of rice older man with what we thought was Creole background wandered the streets on old bicycles or simply walking the streets. Two white ladies walked in Chinese fast food store an also ordered stir-fried. They seemed to know the young girl very well which indicated they were living in Corozal.
Formerly known as British Honduras, Belize used to be a British colony from the late 19th century until its independence in 1981. By then people from Mayan heritage, Africans, Creole, Mennonites, East-Indians, Chinese and Indians were already part of the multiculturalism that exists today. This mixture of ethnicities is extraordinary in this small country and sometimes felt strange. On several occasions we walked into a store where the Chinese owner – most of the stores are owned by Chinese or Indians – would sit on a comfortable chair watching Netflix or Skyping on his phone with the volume cranked up to the roof while Mayans employees would unload the boxes full of items to place them on the shelf. When disturbing the Chinese man by asking if they had a gallon of water he would inform the Mayan in a disrespecting way to help me. I felt like the boss had no respect for their workers. It was strange.
We opted for a secondary road along which we planned to camp for our first night in the country. We arrived at a large dirt pit where a guard called Oscar welcomed us and accepted our demand to camp nearby. The gravel was owned by a road-building company who hired Oscar, from Mayan origin, to look after the pit so no-one would come and steal the dirt. Oscar alternated day and night shifts with his brother and was paid a few dollars a week for their 7 days a week, 24 hours a day service. In the morning we sat down with Oscar and could talk as we ate breakfast. To kill time, Oscar shoots birds with a compressed air lead gun or makes sure the 5-foot crocodile living in the puddle of water down the pit doesn’t go out too far. On a night shift, he saw a plane coming down the dirt road and landed within a kilometre from his shack made of steel. It was a narcos plane from Colombian delivering a load. Police officers were present to make sure the drugs would make it to Mexico, so he told us.
After Orange Walk, we veered off the main road and chose to ride the Old Northern Highway and avoid heavy traffic, see what this country was like and have a little off-the-beaten-track experience. The road became rough at times but very manageable. We hardly saw any cars and stopped by the road to pick oranges on numerous occasions. The old highway goes for about 65 kilometres and is the pathway to Athun Ha Maya site, the only site we visited while in Belize. I already talked about this site in a past article which gives more details about this beautiful site.
We skipped Belize City and took the highway straight to Hattieville. The traffic was insane and the road didn’t have a shoulder. After 2 days on the sleepy Old Northern Highway, the main road was driving us nuts. After spending a morning at the fabulous Belize Zoo, we took the slightly less travelled road to Dangriga on the coast. The country is well-known for its pristine, crystal-clear water all along its coastline. From there boats leave for one of the many caye or small islands where diving is world-known. However, many have told us it was way overpriced and we’d better go to Mexico to do the same thing for half the price. We spent an afternoon in Dangriga and decided to skip on the diving. Again, the vibe in town was strange and we were surprised to see too many intoxicated people, young and old.
The following day we took on the Hummingbird Highway, our definite highlight in Belize. The road is well-maintained, with a shoulder, without much traffic and goes through rainforests. With a number of rivers along the way, we could go for a dip to cool down from the heat. We camped at Blue Hole National park and did a short trek in the thick jungle the following morning to arrive at a small yet beautiful natural hole with crystal blue water. There are also a number of caves to explore in the park.
Belmopan, the capital city, looks nothing like a capital. With nothing much to do and visit in town, we found it to be non-inspiring, boring and a disappointing capital city. We stayed a day as we were desperate for a break but at $60 US a night, it was way overpriced and would recommend to skip it altogether.
On our way to Guatemalan border we came across Oleg, another cyclist we had met earlier. He surprised us as we took a break in Spanish Lookout, a Mennonite community north of the main road. They have their own electric power, farming that supports the community and even have their own banks. Mennonites tend to not go out of their community unless they absolutely have too as they prefer to remain on the self-sustained lifestyle provided by their community.
With Oleg, we elected to take a secondary road leading us just before the Guatemalan border but dark clouds loomed above us, menacing of an incoming storm. Sure enough, in the middle of nowhere rain started. We found shelter in the small house of a farmer who took us in while the storm passed. It bucketed down for about an hour before we could go back on the muddy road. We had to change our plan and go back on the main road as this track was rendered too muddy by the rain. Just after crossing a bridge leading into San Ignacio, the rain started falling again, forcing us to wait under a narrow awning of a building. The night was coming fast but luckily the rain stopped before sunset so we could push to the town where we searched for the Bomberos who had just moved to another location. We finally arrived at the station where we could pitch our tent.
We only had a few kilometres to do before the border during which Oleg had a mechanical issue; his front derailleur broke. Shimano XTR doesn’t last forever, it seemed. After a quick fix at a petrol station, we arrived at Benque Viejo Del Carmen at the border with Guatemala. The crossing went super well apart from the constant rain. Belize was behind us, a new country waiting to be discovered!
Mesoamerica is a region encompassing central Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and northern Costa Rica. The term is used to identify this vast area on which empires thrived during the pre-Colombian era before the first European landed. Before visiting archaeological sites in this region, it is worth knowing a minimum about the different civilizations that existed in this part of the world and in which epoch. Before reading this article, I encourage you to read my previous post going over the different civilizations in Central America.
Temples on many sites in Central America will often show signs of multiple civilizations in their art, architecture, and layout. Existing structures were used to build a new layer on top. When archaeologists arrived at an Aztec site and started their excavating work, they often discovered a Toltec temple underneath or signs of one or more previous civilization on a single structure.
Our journey brought us to 9 sites so far, all worth visiting. However, the experience on a site could be amazing or bad for different reasons. I’ve listed them in the order we visited them.
Tula de Allende – Mexico
Having been in Mexico before, I visited Teotihuacan but it was the first-ever site for Tiph explaining the excitement in the air! Also known as Tollan, this site became the capital of the Toltecs after the fall of Teotihuacan around 980 AD. There were only 3 other visitors when we arrived in the morning setting us for a quiet visit. Some stalls were opening up as we walked in but the first tourists’ bus arrived as we walked out the site. On top of the main building are tall pillars, beautifully carved in the shape of Toltec warriors. These are referred to as the Atlantean figures and the first to have built such structures are the Olmecs. The base of the Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl – or feathered-serpent – showcases a wall with beautiful bas-reliefs called the “serpent wall”, or Coatepantli. Carvings surround the base of the pyramid, sometimes showing the serpent eating skeletons.
Teotihuacan – Mexico
Ancient capital of the Aztecs, the site is located about an hour bus ride from Mexico City. This is one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico, and it is easily understandable upon arriving on the site. Huge disappointment as sellers were spread around the ruins which was an annoyance at times and kind of ruined the experience for us. Luckily, the site is massive so they are not creating too much of a disturbance. Walking the Avenue of the Dead puts in perspective the enormity of the site. Under a searing sun, we joined the long queue to climb up the Pyramid of the Sun. Only then we saw how enormous the site was, making the queuing, also to come down of the Pyramid worth every minute. Perfectly placed at the centre at the end of the Alley of the Dead is the Pyramid of the Moon, another amazing place to have an overview of the site. Luckily, no queue this time to climb halfway up, the other half to the top not accessible. Most impressive is the symmetry of all the structures in front of us. We wandered for most of the day around the site and looking at the other buildings, some better conserved than others.
San Andres Cholula – Mexico
This site is located west of Puebla and dates back to the 2nd Century BCE. It is also known as Tlachihualtepetl, meaning “made-by-hand mountain” in Nahuatl language and refers to the large pyramid that once dominated Cholula. The pyramid is the largest in the world in terms of volume, but only a small portion has been excavated, leaving how huge it must have been to the imagination. After visiting the small but interesting museum, we entered long tunnels following the side of the un-earthen pyramid. Sometimes we passed the stairs going up and down the pyramid, some excavated to a point where we could not see the bottom or the top. It was indeed super large. After a few turns, we were back outside where we walked around some excavated buildings before walking up to the chapel sitting on top of the pyramid from where a 360 degrees view of the region is a feast for the eyes. Popocatepelt, the active volcano we passed a few days before, is spewing ash in the air and the colonial town of Cholula is visible. Not many tourists were on the site and very few sellers made for a nice visit.
Uxmal – Mexico
This is one of the most important Mayan sites in Mesoamerica where most construction works were done around 850-925 CE. Its UNESCO status makes it one of the most significant Mayan site and comes with a high price tag. However, this was the best architectural design and artwork we’ve seen of all the sites we visited, by far. The rain god, Chaac, with its large nose and two-headed snakes, is omnipresent around the site and superbly conserved. Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, is still a very good shape on buildings around the site. The best thing about this site is that sellers are left at the door, making it a joy to wander around the site. It’s also possible to walk in and around the buildings spread across the site relatively large. Going up the Pyramid of the Soothsayer, the view over the site is truly breathtaking. This was one of our favorite sites.
Coba – Mexico
Located on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, this Maya site has the largest network of stone causeways (called sacbe – plural sacbeob – by the Mayan) of the ancient Mayan world. Walking these paths in the thick jungle was great and really gave the impression of exploring ancient ruins, Indiana Jones style. Except for the tuk-tuks wanting to drive visitors around the site, sellers are left at the door and we could freely wander the large site in peace. It’s possible the rent a bike, but not bring your own which we didn’t try to understand. Some structures are left un-excavated, leaving a huge hill in the jungle as you walk by. The tallest pyramid, Nohoch Mul, is the second tallest on the Yucatan Peninsula. Climbing up is possible, but can give vertigo given its steepness, like Tiphaine discovered. The view from above is magnificent. Around the site are many stelae, some well-conserved are documenting ceremonial life of the time.
Chichen Itza – Mexico
This is a major Mayan site from AD 600 to AD 1200 hence a popular stop for visitors. Located on the Yucatan Peninsula where popular Cancun, Playa Del Carmen and Tulum welcome throng of tourists in their luxury hotels, Chechen Itza sees a lot of tourists. Most buildings are well preserved and maintained. El Castillo also known as the temple of Kukulcan, the Mayan name for Quetzalcoatl, dominates at the centre of it all. The Great Ball Court is the largest and best-preserved of its kind in Mesoamerica. The site is vast and there are lots to see with many of buildings to visit, though, it’s not possible to walk within the buildings just like we could at other sites like Uxmal, Tikal, Tulum and most of the other sites we’ve visited. Its UNESCO tag makes it an expensive site to enter, but the most detrimental to the experience was the sellers along the roads on site. Stalls lined up all along the paths within the place, sellers bothering visitors to purchase their souvenirs completely ruined the experience for us.
Tulum ruins – Mexico
Located on the coast of the Caribbean Sea, this Mayan site felt different from any other sites we visited before because of its location on the coast. We decided to visit the site early morning before the busload of tourists arrived and it paid off. We were mostly alone on the site as we started our exploration. The site is compact with all the buildings close to each other making for a quick visit, but when the busload of tourists is showing up it quickly becomes a nightmare. Luckily, we were leaving as groups after groups started crowding the site like ants. Walking inside the structures was restricted and most are nicely preserved.
Altun Ha – Belize
This was our only visit on an archaeological site in Belize. Located about 50kms north of Belize City, the site is in the jungle but neatly arranged. Right from our arrival, we liked the different look and feel of the buildings. We instantly liked the green, lush grass and moss left on the buildings giving a natural look, as if only parts have been excavated. The buildings blended in with the forest surrounding the site. Some structures had only their top fully excavated. Often, restorations works were done to show how the original wall was made using mud and twigs, using a minimum amount of concrete as opposed to what we saw previously in Mexico. In order to walk on top of the buildings, wooden stairs were made to prevent visitors from walking on the original stones to access the top. It’s possible to freely walk around the site without being harassed by touts wanting to sell a wooden jaguar head or a large blanket; they are outside the site. We visited the site mid-morning which meant bus loaded with visitors had not arrived yet. The small museum at the entrance showing some of the findings on the site is worth going. We had to fight our way around clouds of mosquitoes and the price entrance was reasonable. In general, we really liked the site.
Tikal – Guatemala
Circumstances leading to this site made it our favourite, hands down. On our way there, people from a village we passed had blocked the road, not allowing any vehicle to pass. They were protesting, rightly so, because they didn’t have water for 22 days in a row. Going around the blockade and under the yells, we pushed our bikes in the tall grass a few meters along the road. Back on the road, we were completely alone. We saw very little traffic all the way to the entrance of the national park where Tikal is, another 15 kilometres away. We decided to camp at the site and visit the following morning. On the way there we stop and admire howler and spider monkeys play in the trees or try to identify a kind of bird we haven’t seen before. The following morning, after being woken up by the roar of howler monkeys, we got the confirmation the road was still blocked. This meant no tourist bus had made it to the site and we likely would have the site to ourselves. We went to the gate and were given our wristband as we saw a young couple walking out the site, the only people we saw in the first 2 hours of our visit after which we saw 4 other tourists. We basically had the site to ourselves, making it a VIP experience for such an important site.
Located in the rainforest of northern Guatemala, Tikal was the capital of one of the most powerful Mayan kingdom and dominated the region in politics, economy, and military. Tikal was in contact with many regions in Mesoamerica, including Teotihuacan in Mexico who is believed to have conquered Tikal in the 4th century CE. The tallest pyramid built by the Mayan, reaching 70 meters high, is also the tallest pre-Colombian structure in the Americas. To climb it we used wooden stairs built so tourists are not damaging the original stairs, something we thought to be a great idea. Similar wooden stairs are present across the site, helping to preserve the original structures. Needless to say that the view from up there is spectacular. With nearly a 360 degrees view of the thick jungle all around we could see the other tall temples peeking through the canopy. This was postcard picture material. Similar to Altun Ha, the restoration work gave a look and feel of blending with the jungle which we really liked. Because Tikal is in the jungle and national park, wildlife is everywhere and preserved. There were monkeys going from tree to tree all around the site and countless birds chanting as we walked the path in the jungle from one section of the site to the other. We even got really close to a group of coatis with at least 25 members, digging the ground for food. The 5 hours it took to walk around the entire site and lay eyes on every structure were pure joy.
Conclusion
Visiting an ancient site in Central America is a great experience and everyone should put this on their to-do list, without a doubt. All the sites mentioned in this article are worth visiting, but everyone has their preferred and least favoured. For us, Chichen Itza was the worst mostly because of the vendors on the site. Our favourite, as mentioned earlier, was Tikal. All the other fall within the same category of good to visit.
Visiting archeological sites was on our to-do list ever since we started planning our trip. There are so many of them and choosing which one to visit would dictate our route going forward. Our route would take us to the Yucatan peninsula, passing through Merida, leave Mexico at Chetumal before entering Belize. This meant giving a miss to a bunch of superb sites located in Calakmul National Park where many beautiful ruins are located in the middle of the jungle. Making choices is part of a trip like this and sometimes it involves missing interesting things.
But before getting into the visits themselves, I think it’s worth explaining the complex and sometimes misunderstood civilizations and cultures that populated Mesoamerica, a region compromising central Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador Honduras, Nicaragua and northern Costa Rica over the last thousands of years.
The earliest major civilization to flourish in Mesoamerica is the Olmecs. They occupied the Gulf of Mexico part of today’s Veracruz and Tabasco states in Mexico, appearing around 1500 BCE and survived until around 400 BCE. Apart from the pyramids, drinking of chocolate and animal gods, the most impressive aspect left behind by the Olmecs are those giant heads sculpted on a single boulder. They wear a mysterious hat and some are reaching 3 meters high and weighing 20 tons. The Olmecs were the first to practice a ritual of self-cutting and piercing of individuals and play the Mesoamerican ballgame, a feature of many archeological sites we visited. Subsequent civilizations – the Maya, Toltecs, and Aztecs – derive their culture, religious practices, art and architecture knowledge from the Olmecs. Since rare archeological pieces of evidence have been found about their true origins, the Olmecs remains a mysterious civilization with many mysteries waiting to be discovered.
Following are the well-known and probably most famous Maya. Their territory covered southeastern Mexico, all of today’s Guatemala and Belize and western parts of El Salvador and Honduras. The word “Maya” is a collective term referring to people living in those regions. It encompasses different kingdoms established throughout this vast territory, with a different style of art, buildings and religious beliefs. Mayans were master cultivators using a system called the milpa, meaning “maize field”. The milpa allowed them to primarily cultivate maize, beans, and squashes in mass quantity. Mayan expanded their farming fields and lived together to eventually create the first Mayan cities. The first such city was discovered in Nakbe, in the Peten province of Guatemala, dating back to around 750 BCE. The Maya invented the most sophisticated writing system of the time, the logosyllabic script. Visiting a Maya site will almost guarantee a rock with characters of their language sculpted on the surface. Mayan civilization left behind many aspects of their culture to discover and admire, including architectural designs incorporating art and hieroglyphs, mathematical knowledge including the invention of the zero, astronomical system, the famous calendar and rituals around human sacrifices. Mayan people still exist today and still use farming techniques left by their ancestors, women dress in traditional clothes and their Christian religion practices overlays with Mayan deities.
Around 900 CE, in the regions of Tula and Hidalgo in Central Mexico, the Toltecs started to appear. They incorporated Maya and Olmec’s knowledge into their cultures, establishing their first capital in Tula de Allende where between 30,000 and 40,000 Toltecs lived. The subsequent civilization, the Aztecs, viewed the Toltecs as their cultural and intellectual forefather, describing their culture as the incarnation of their civilization. One controversy surrounding the Toltecs is the iconography and layout of the site at Tula using a grid pattern similar to the Mayan city of Chichen Itza, something today’s scholars are trying to understand.
Finally, the Aztecs appear around 900 CE in the Central region of Mexico but didn’t flourish before the year 1300. The most famous Aztec site is Teotihuacan, north of Mexico City, where an estimated 125,000 people lived. They spoke the Nahuatl language, also known as the Aztec language. Words like chili, avocado, chocolate, coyote, guacamole, ocelot and mescal are derived from the Nahuatl language. For the Aztecs, death was instrumental in the continuation of life hence human sacrifices were omnipresent in their culture. Many human and animal graves with bones were discovered during the numerous excavations done over the years. By the time Hernan Cortes landed on the coast of Mexico and conquered the region, the Aztecs had a rich and complex mythological and religious tradition with more than 200 deities and their art speaks for itself. The calendar stone, or the Sun Stone, kept at the National Anthropological Museum in Mexico City, might be the most famous Aztec sculpture and work of art known today.
There is so much more to say about those civilizations leaving behind a fascinating history for us to discover. I encourage you to do more research online and visit the links below to know more.
Following the coast passed Tulum, in Quintana Roo state, a lagoon splits the mainland. On that thin portion of the coast a road is accessible from Tulum where resorts, trendy cafes, bars, and boutiques attract travelers. Keep going and the tarmac road transforms into a dirt road marking the entrance into Sian Ka’an Reserve. At the very end of this road is Punta Allen, a small fishing village popular, 50 kilometers away. Keep going a little further and the road becomes a single track to an abandoned lighthouse. That’s where we wanted to get and camp.
Passed the traffic leading to the reserve entrance, we eventually found ourselves rolling on a peaceful dirt road. Palms dominated the side of the road, complemented by plants you only find where salt water is. Pacing ourselves at a leisurely 12km/h, we admired the birds flying in front of us, the odd iguana running in the dead palm tree leaves in the thick vegetation and the blue, white and red crabs running sideways in their burrows. It was pretty nice riding, we thought.
Once in a while, there was a sandy track leading to a crystal blue ocean. We planned to take 2 days to cycle to Punta Allen, finding a quiet spot for a night, ideally one right by the beach. In Tulum, we purchased enough water and food until we reached that far outpost.
We were overtaken by minivans and safari looking trucks loaded with tourists not really noticing us. They were more focused on seeing a jaguar, pelicans diving in the water for fish, egrets floating above them, ibis picking their food from the seaweed along the beach. Some were going diving with sharks, dolphins and sea turtles. Parts of the coast are where they nest and if you are in the right season, you might encounter some at night as they come on the beach to lay their eggs.
Apart from the tourists loaded minivans, there were trucks carrying loads of sand or rocks, reserve management vehicles, and the odd car. It was a great change from the long, straight, flat roads of the peninsula we had grown tired of. For the first time in a long while, we had scenery to admire, other than a Mayan temple.
About 15 kilometers in, we came upon a bridge going above a small mangrove area. Just before the bridge, a sign clearly indicated no parking and fishing were allowed. Yet, about a dozen of man had lines in the water and half a dozen cars were parked on the bridge. Another example of disregarding the law in Mexico which seems to be as common as tacos and corona, something we grew annoyed with.
Not long after we passed an open space leading to the beach. It was the perfect spot. We pitched the tent, put our swimming gear on and jump in clear blue water with the perfect temperature to cool us down. We took our time the following morning to enjoy this ideal spot as much as we could. We only had 25 kilometers to cover the following day anyway. But as we packed up, dark clouds formed over the dark blue horizon. It started to rain as soon as we pushed our bikes on the road. That’s when the heaven’s gate opened and the pouring started. We were soaked within the first 200 meters. A typical downpour of the rain season in this part of the world. Complaining shouldn’t even be an idea though, it was one of the first heavy rain we experienced so far.
The sun came out shining again and by the time we got to Punta Allen, we were dry again. Our bikes we dirty after going through endless potholes filled rainwater. There was a track leading to an old lighthouse, making the very end of this narrow peninsula and it was the place we elected to spend the night. Luckily, the track wasn’t too sandy and we could ride amongst mangrove and palm trees going over the road giving the impression of a tunnel. After a short 2 kilometers ride from Punta Allen we arrived at the end of the road, the lighthouse left abandoned in front of us. There were a decrepit building and flat ground beside it, the perfect place to set up camp. As soon as we stopped mosquitoes engulfed us. With dengue common here, those little bastards were not to be taken lightly. We covered ourselves with repellent and cooked dinner while listening to the sound of a quiet ocean. The place we camped the night before left us disappointed with this one. So disappointed we made the decision to return to it the following day and spend an entire day there.
First, we needed to get some water for 2 complete days – at least 12 liters – and get food in a shop where supplies were limited. But most importantly we needed mosquito repellent and fuel. I had run out and Tiphaine’s propane bottle is running on fumes. While sorting out water and food at the Punta Allen’s mini super convenience store, a man walked in greeting us, asking where we were from. As it turned out, he spoke a little English so I took the opportunity to ask him where we could find fuel for my stove. He replied he had plenty and could sell me some. We met him at his house where he revealed tens of large containers full of premium fuel. Victor has a boating business in the town where a fleet of 10 boats goes on the water every day, taking tourists in the bay or in the ocean. He told us to keep an eye open for sea turtles as if was the season they came out the water at night to lay their eggs on the beach. We talked for a while before we got on our way to that ideal spot.
Again, it was empty when we arrived and as pristine as it was when we left the day before. We replicated the setup from our first visit and settled in for a day in paradise, hues of blue ocean as our backyard. For the better part of the next day, we went for dips in the warm water, had fun filming each other being submerged by gentle waves, wrote this article and read observed birds and simply relaxed overlooking the ocean. Life’s difficult.