Ocean Therapy: Finding Renewal on the Oaxaca Coast
Zipolite Revisited: Piercing the Veil of Puerto Paradox, Part II.
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After a decade away from that side of the Oaxacan coast, I made an epic return to Zipolite this year. It's funny now that I think about it, but going back in time, I remember my life in 2016 felt as heavy as it does at this moment.
I have been an ESL teacher for over 15 years, and it hasn’t been an easy ride. For the last 20 years, people have undermined the teaching profession. They mistakenly believe that all of us are simply exchange students who have been abroad for a year, come back home speaking some English, and are suddenly more capable and ready to teach. This is a grave mistake and an awful modern misconception that undermines my career and the careers of others.
Why is the essential skill of teaching so often undervalued? The job of a teacher is multifaceted; it not only involves standing in front of a classroom to teach, maintain order, discipline students, and impart knowledge. A teacher's job doesn't end at school; when you go home, you have to grade assignments and plan lessons, which often takes almost the same amount of time spent teaching. Why is this profession so overlooked and undermined?
The "those who can’t, teach" myth is a lie that refuses to die. We saw its devastating impact firsthand in Mexico after the 1994 crisis. When the economy collapsed, the classroom became a lifeboat for out-of-work doctors, engineers, and artists. They were brilliant in their fields, but they weren't educators. They lacked the methodology, the training, and the craft. The result? Massive learning gaps and a tarnished reputation for the entire profession. Society saw the struggle and drew the wrong conclusion: that teaching is a refuge for the incompetent, rather than a specialized skill worth a fair wage.
My friend Radka, also an ESL teacher, and I often find humor in our teaching lives. We've shared many rewarding and positive experiences, alongside the funny and the atrocious ones. We invariably reach the same conclusion: a teacher's job is both overlooked and underpaid.
Technology was supposed to level the playing field for educators; instead, it’s being used to sideline them. While AI promises the impossible—like mastering a new language in a single month—we’ve seen these hollow gimmicks fail for decades. A robot can process data, but it can’t replace a teacher’s intuition. No algorithm can replicate the years of experience required to anticipate a student’s struggle and pivot in real-time.
History has a habit of repeating itself. Back in 2016, I hit a career crossroads that felt eerily similar to the crisis I’m facing today. I had cycled through three different schools in four years, finally landing at a spot that felt like a "win." The rules were tighter, the students were more disciplined, and the paycheck was a step up—but it still didn't bridge the gap. Even in the best conditions, the pay remained a shadow of the actual effort required to run a classroom.
While I appreciated the new job perks, I often felt disheartened and hopeless. This was primarily due to a severe lack of real coordination, and the figurehead in charge of our area was completely clueless about teaching. Many of our projects were subsequently rejected, again a result of incompetent worldviews held by a non-educator. I was prepared to resign, but my friend's visit to Mexico proved to be the highlight before the school year's collapse and my subsequent departure.
These days, the itch to escape is back, and it’s as loud as it was in 2016. My living conditions have become a cage I need to break out of—so I did. This time, I found my air in Zipolite. It’s one of the most remote corners of the world I know, a place where the noise finally stops.
Reading Radka's blog insights from her trip to Mexico 10 years ago made me relive those experiences, emotions, and cravings. I'd even say it was exactly what I needed to get re-energized about returning to my beloved Oaxacan coast.
Radka’s quote:
"The accommodation is amazing—very, very imaginative and tasteful. We drop our things in the room, put on our swimsuits, and a few seconds later, we’re already losing ourselves in the waves of a nearby beach. It’s great to be here: the beach, the sun, the hot air, hair sticky with sea salt... we’re happy. In the evening, we fall asleep almost instantly. The ocean has overwhelmed us. The next day is purely for relaxation; we wander along the promenade, swim, and enjoy the seaside/ocean life. It's only on the second day that we realize our beach is a nude beach – there are many people in swimsuits, but also a few individuals without them. Even though we're in a foreign country, we don't find enough courage to be in Eve's attire" (Radka).
I couldn't have said it better myself! Zipolite remains remarkably consistent, especially when compared to Puerto Escondido or other neighboring Oaxacan beach destinations. It remains a quaint, low-key beach spot, practically in the middle of nowhere. Prices for goods and lodging are still affordable, even by today’s Mexican standards. And the vibe is precisely the same: to chill, relax, and simply enjoy.
Once again, Jorge was my companion for this trip, and it proved as legendary as the first time. We reminisced about various experiences from our previous journey, but also encountered some crazy new situations on that side of the world!
Prepare yourselves, it's going to get spicy 🍤!
The golden sand, the clear, clean waters, and the tumultuous, pipeline-crashing waves—a marvelous spectacle to witness forevermore. Zipolite's beach is truly tops when it comes to long strolls along its wide expanse, allowing you to feel the waves caressing your feet as you walk the shoreline.
Sunsets in Zipolite are truly unforgettable. The sun gracefully dissipates across the sky, illuminating the enigmatic scene and painting the horizon with orange, yellow, and purple glimmers. In the same orchestrated manner, sunrise breaks over the horizon, flooding the village with light and jolting the world into a new day.
As you might have heard, Zipolite is a popular nude beach. So don’t be appalled if you find this to be the main theme for some, and dare I say, most of the people there. Most hotels do not allow you to be showing your stuff inside their premises, but once you are on the beach, that’s another story.
Even though I’ve visited Zipolite three times before, I noticed a significant shift this time regarding the clothing-optional scene and the presence of the LGBTQ+ community. I recall that previously, perhaps 4 out of 10 people on the beach were nude; now, it’s closer to 9 out of 10. The majority of beachgoers are men who are fully embracing the "naturalist" lifestyle.
While the view was certainly a "taco de ojo" (a sight for sore eyes) at first, the constant exposure to the very forward, "hook-up" atmosphere became a bit overwhelming after a few days.
We witnessed some very high-energy activity, especially at Playa del Amor on the way toward Puerto Angel. While it was quite an experience, it is definitely not a family-friendly environment! If you are a heterosexual individual looking for a traditional "meet-cute" with the opposite sex, this might not be the ideal location. However, for gay men, the area offers an incredibly active social scene with a high level of openness. To put it mildly, some of the public displays we witnessed were far more graphic than anything you would see in mainstream media!
Despite the intense atmosphere, it is well worth the walk—trekking uphill and down to Playa del Amor—to witness the magical sunset. This is a "must-do" if you are an adventurer who loves nature or appreciates the naturalist lifestyle.
What also impressed me this time was the sense of safety compared to Puerto Escondido. We frequently strolled along the beach at night and saw many others doing the same; we didn't hear any concerning rumors or witness any security issues. It was a very positive experience!
I was also amazed by Mazunte, which has significantly expanded its tourism industry. It now boasts many new restaurants, bars, and local ventures that are well worth exploring. I think I’d like to spend more time there on my next trip.
While it can still take some time to reach the town from the nearest airport, the journey itself is part of the great and beautiful adventure! However, this time, we opted for the bus since the opening of the new highway has reduced the travel time to just six hours. It is a very manageable trip that allows you to appreciate the stunning mountain vistas before descending toward the ocean views.
