GU I DE N O. 1
MEXICO
THE GOULET GUIDE TO LATIN AMERICA
When you take off on an adventure into the unknown, it’s useful to have a plan. Figure out the places you want to go, the food you want to eat, the people you want to meet. Sometimes planning is easy, sometimes planning is hard, but in general, planning takes way too long and ends up being a waste of time. It’s a waste of time because the best journeys are often spontaneous. They unravel as they happen and take you along with them. Planning is best used as a structure to support your movement rather than a strict schedule of exactly what you’ll be doing on your trip. We created the Goulet Guide to Latin America to help you as you contemplate and plan out your Central or South American adventure. We want you to use this guide as a way to identify the things that you must do and the things that you definitely shouldn’t do, and then allow your own creativity and sense of adventure to guide you in between. We’re making a TV show about out trip and didn’t get all that much money from our production company for the damn thing. They want it done cheap. What this means is that we’ve been exploring a different side of most places than we’re typically used to. Instead of nice restaurants and cool hotels, we’re camping, eating street food, and sleeping in budget hostels. We’re meeting people who invite us into their homes to eat and sometimes to sleep. Although it has its challenges, it is one of the most rewarding ways to travel, especially when you find that 50 cent taco that blows your mind. How does it work? The Goulet Guide uses a simple 3 triangle rating system: = Awesome = OK = Pass. That’s it. Since we’re on a budget we can’t do everything there is to do everywhere we go, so if there is ever anything major that we miss, we’ll make sure to let you know about it. Oh, and if a major attraction is a museum, you probably won’t read about it here. Museums are great, but they cost money and we’re primarily in search of experience.
If you’d like to learn more about us and the places we’ve been, visit us at www.globalgoulets.com. Without further ado, The Goulet Guide to Latin America.
MO NT ERR EY An industrial capital in northern Mexico. Big producer of beer. We only stopped here as a waypoint before heading further south. We arrived in the afternoon and left early the next morning, so our review of Monterrey is brief. DAYS S P E N T I N M O N T E RRE Y: 1
FOOD
Rey de Cabrito This place is pricey by backpacker standards, but you can order half a roasted baby goat (cabrito al pastor), served to you on two sizzling plates. One plate comes with the body and the other with the skull. They’ll prepare the skull in front of you by splitting it in half, removing the eyes, and making the brain easily accessible. We weren’t fans of the brain, but it was certainly a meal we’ll never forget.
DRINK
Beers from a tienda The tiendas (small convenience stores) here sell the cheapest bottled beers we found in all of Mexico, likely because a majority of Mexico’s beers are actually produced in Monterrey.
ACTIVITIES
Walking around the Gran Plaza We were only here for one night, so we can’t give much of a review, but for an hour or two it was nice to walk around this modern plaza.
SLEEP
Hotel Guadalupe Decent spot with a garden and little tortugas (turtles) crawling around.
WHAT WE MISSED We only had a night here so we couldn’t do much. There’s certainly more to do, especially outside of the city, but we don’t feel like we missed out.
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Z ACATECAS Romantic former mining town in northern Mexico. Beautiful and safe to walk around in day or night. As night falls you’ll be amazed as the street lights turn on, bathing the white walls of the city in an enchanting golden light. DAYS S P E N T I N Z ACATECAS: 3
FOOD
We walked into some of the more busy restaurants, but left without any particularly standout meals.
DRINK
No memorable locations.
ACTIVITIES
Cerro de la Bufa The highest point in all of Zacatecas. Do the work and walk all the way up! Then explore around the Cerro. If you don’t want to make the grueling hike to the top, you can take the Teleferico, a tram that brings you to the peak and provides a nice view of the city.
La Mina Pretty touristy. Zacatecas is a mining capital of Mexico. What was once one of the most active mines in Mexico is now a tourist destination. We took a tour of the mine, which was geared towards children. We learned a bit of history but it was not enough to justify the entrance fee.
Ziplining (Brian) (Alex, Eric). You can do a zipline from the top of Cerro de la Bufa. You’ll get a brief but beautiful view of the city. This one’s mostly for children and old people. And Brian.
SLEEP
Hostel Villa Colonial We got a rustic-looking private room with a kitchen and direct street access. The rooftop of this hostel provides a gorgeous view of this city, which really shines at night. It’s also perfectly located two blocks away from the center of town. The perfect place for Alex to lose his passport.
WHAT WE MISSED It seems like there are some museums we could have visited, but nothing all that exciting.
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G UANA JUATO A picturesque town in the Northern Central Highlands. Colorful and encapsulating, Guanajuato is a can’t miss location on your next trip to Mexico. DAYS SPENT I N G UAN A J UATO : 4
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FOOD
Tacos El Campeon This roadside stall just might serve the best tacos in Mexico. You can find it on the non-tourist side of Tunel Santa Fe. We recommend trying all the tacos they have to offer. But we don’t need to tell you that, you’ll do it on your own.
Abuela’s Home Cooking We don’t actually know the name of this place, but it’s a small tienda/comedor run by an abuela in the middle of a stretch of 4 or 5 tiendas right on the other side of Tunel Santa Fe, next to Tacos Campeon. They make a pretty bomb 15 peso salchicha torta (sausage sandwich).
Cafe Tal Ideal coffee shop in the middle of town, where students and locals go to chat, enjoy the scene and pass the day with a bottomless cup of coffee. They also do in-house roasting in the back of the cafe on a daily basis. The real Tal (the local cafe cat) may likely jump on your lap to say hi.
La Antigua Delicious pizza and homemade mezcal infusions. Tiny spot with great vibes.
DRINK
Barfly One of the main student bars in Guanajuato with one of the best party scenes in the city. Not a “scene” though, feel comfortable coming as you are. It’s got a cool reggae vibe and good drinks.
Los Lobos Local dive bar with homemade mezcal infusions. Great nightlife, and good spot to be before Barfly.
ACTIVITIES
Mercado Hidalgo Booming meat and veggie market in the center of town. Don’t need too much time here, but worth a visit to soak up the local flavors, have a torta and toss back a beer.
Jardin de La Union Beautiful garden square in the middle of the city. Surrounded by food and drink options, but they are sold at tourist prices. Great place to take a break from all of your exploration and have a drink while doing some people watching.
SLEEP
Antonio’s Parking Lot We camped on the other side of Tunel Santa Fe, up a hill, and away from the tourist center. This was a simple parking lot, but it had plenty of space, provided an award-winning view of the city, and had bathrooms and showers with running water.
WHAT WE MISSED You can climb to a peak and get a bird’s eye view of the city. Our campground had enough of a view that we decided to pass, but this is probably worth an hour or two of your time. Museo de las Momias This might be the creepiest museum in Mexico. Deceased relatives were disinterred in the late 19th/early 20th century if their living families couldn’t pay a tax, and it was then discovered that something in Guanajuato’s soil was naturally mummifying bodies. They’re now on display in what some visitors have said is the most terrifying museum they’ve ever seen. If we’d known about it, we probably would’ve had to see for ourselves.
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ME XI C O CITY (D. F. ) There is almost no way to summarize Mexico City, but one local aptly described it to us as the “infinite city.” It’s massive, it’s sprawling, it’s diverse. You could be here for a year and not even scratch the surface. Our experience here is nothing compared to the possibilities that exist. DAYS S P E N T I N M E X I C O C I T Y: 3
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FOOD
Torta man near Plaza Santo Domingo Amazing 30 peso tortas de pierna. Hot sauce is HOT. Owner cuts the meat straight from the leg bone right in front of you.
Street food Just eat it, everywhere. Incredible tacos, tortas and quesadillas on every corner. Don’t be afraid.
DRINK
Patrick Miller Awesome, gigantic nightclub. Everyone here was super friendly and was having a great time. Loud music, laser lights, fog machine, the whole shebang. Random dance circles were consistently breaking out all over the place, and everyone was encouraged to join. Not crazy expensive. Located in a safe area of the city. Fun times for all.
Black Horse Great bar in La Condesa. They were bumping disco and funk music, giving people of all ages a chance to boogie on down.
ACTIVITIES
Anthropological Museum If you want to check out one museum on your trip, make it this one. Enormous and info-packed, you will learn so much about the fascinating history of Mexico that your brain will start to hurt. Set aside at least a few hours to explore the vastness of this rich and beautiful museum and do it at the front-end of your visit to D.F. so you have a strong frame of reference for the rest of your sightseeing.
Lucha Libre at Arena Mexico Make sure to see a Lucha Libre event in Mexico City. If you’ve seen the movie Nacho Libre with Jack Black, you’ll have an idea of what this is about. Basically, it’s the Mexican version of the WWE in the US, but way more fun and even more theatrical. You can buy a ticket ahead of time on their website or buy one at the arena to avoid the service fee. When you go, buy your own luchador mask, put it on, give yourself a luchador name (we named ourselves El Burro Grande, El Jugador Comico and La Tortuga En Fuego), and start screaming for the wrestlers as you take part in some real Mexican culture.
Mercado Senora An ultra diverse, sketchy market way outside of the city center. Not for the feint of heart. What appears to be a normal market in the front opens up to an exotic animal and Santeria goods market in the back. We thought this would be really cool, but the animal market was more depressing than anything else (they had puppies, cats, birds, goats, sheep, snakes, raccoons, crocodiles and more). A walk here will take you through some semi sketchy neighborhoods and a few red light districts, but we didn’t feel unsafe at any time. Be smart with cameras, cell phones or other electronics.
Plaza Girabaldi A square made famous by the fact that it’s overrun by Mariachi bands at night. Go there for a drink and some dinner, stay for the never ending mariachi music.
Centro Historico Lots to do here. Take a stroll through the Zocalo and surrounding historical center, check out Templo Mayor, which the Aztecs considered the very center of the universe. Then take a guided tour through the Palacio Nacional, where you’ll surround yourself in Mexico’s rich history as told through the jaw-dropping murals of Diego Rivera. Make sure to read up—a lot of history went down here. You’d be remiss to skip.
Teotihuacan A massive ancient city with some of the most impressive ruins you’ll see anywhere in Latin America. To get there you’ll need to take the subway, a great experience in its own right, and then hop on a bus at the surprisingly modern bus station. It’s less than an hour from the city, but this will constitute a solid day’s worth of touristing.
Mercado Abelardo L. Rodriguez A few blocks from the Zocalo is a gigantic local market that sells all kinds of goods. The goods are mostly meant for locals, but spending a few hours meandering down the small alleyways of this market is a wonderful experience. Reward yourself for completing this experience by buying some platanos con crema from a street vendor. Note: It turns out we never actually made it inside the actual market, we just wandered around the outside of it for several hours. The inside is supposed to be quite beautiful as well.
Top of Torre Latino Americano The highest viewpoint from Mexico City. The view is nice, but not spectacular. You can pay for just the view, but you may as well have an overpriced coffee or drink in the top floor restaurant with the same panoramic vista.
SLEEP
Amigo Suites Downtown The location makes this hostel. It’s right in the center of the city near major tourist attractions. Rooms are decent. Dinner is free, but always some sort of lackluster hot dog concoction. If we went back we’d stay in a hostel in either Roma or Condesa, both of which have a much better nightlife.
Hotel Fabiola Bullet holes in the reception glass, prostitutes not uncommon. Unless you are trying to hide from someone, avoid.
WHAT WE MISSED Jules Basement A very hip speakeasy in Polanco, the fanciest neighborhood of Mexico City. It’s hidden behind a taco stand in disguise. A friend of ours loved it so much he made us a reservation and donated some money for us to get a drink there. Unfortunately we tried to go on a Sunday and it was closed, but if we go back we’d definitely check it out. Museo de Frida Kahlo A museum in the former house of artist Frida Kahlo. It’s supposed to be spectacular.
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OA XACA CITY This colonial town has a beautiful charm to it, but there’s not all that much to do. It serves as a great base point from which to explore the surrounding towns and the artisanal products that are produced there. DAYS SPENT I N OAX ACA C I T Y: 2
10
FOOD
Street food in town center Calabasa isn’t the most interesting ingredient, quesadillas are bland (some locals vehemently disagree with us on this fact). Tamales are nice. Go into the restaurants for the world famous Oaxacan dish mole.
DRINK
Beers on the street Why not?
ACTIVITIES
Mezcal Distillery Tour at Mal de Amor Mezcal The owner, Armando, speaks English and can give you a tour and mezcal tasting at this 4th generation mezcal distillery located in Matatlan.
Rug Weaving demonstration at Vida Nueva A lovely women’s weaving collective in Teotitlan del Valle, where you’ll learn how they make traditional Oaxacan rugs with all natural dyes (read: squashed bugs!)
Arbol de Tule A huge tree in the small town of Tule just outside of Oaxaca. It’s huge (supposedly the biggest tree trunk in the world), but that’s about it.
Dance on the street We’re not really sure who organized it, but an evening stroll through the city streets landed us in the middle of a welcoming open-air salsa lesson. Apparently the group that runs this teaches different types of dance most weeknights.
SLEEP
Cielo Rojo No complaints. Decent, well priced hostel in the middle of town.
Pablo’s Parking Lot Standard cement parking lot in the middle of town, but the owner let us set up our tent here for only 100 pesos. Pablo, who runs an ice cream stand at the entrance, gave us some free avocado tostadas and ice cream when we arrived. Gate closes at 10pm so make sure you leave the bars early.
WHAT WE MISSED Mole Poblano Eating street food meant we never had a proper dish of mole poblano, the one food we were most excited for in Oaxaca. We don’t know where the best version of the dish can be found, but we know this is the city where you’ll find it. Hierve El Agua The Frozen Waterfalls. We are so sad we missed this. A series of calcified waterfalls cascading off a cliff with a beautiful pool at the top. Seems to be a unique and beautiful natural wonder. Cooking class Oaxaca has some of the most unique food in the world, and many places offer cooking classes so you can go home and impress your friends.
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P U E RTO ESCO NDIDO A world famous surf town on the Oaxacan coast. Great for beginning surfers and experts alike. The experts surf at Zicatela, while the noobs like us go to La Punta. Partying goes hand in hand with surfing, so you’ll be sure to find a solid party scene as well. DAYS SPENT I N P U E RTO E S C O N D I D O: 4
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FOOD
Cafecito Great cafe with a delicious breakfast. We only had a pastry here, but all of the patrons’ food looked incredible, and they were all smiles, so we imagine they were pretty good.
Comedor around the corner from Tower Bridge Hostel Very cheap plates and generous portions at this basic Mexican comedor.
DRINK
Bar Fly / Casa Babylon The main party bars in town. Both solid with good music. Nothing really distinguished these places from one another. Just follow the crowd on the night(s) you’re out.
ACTIVITIES
Surfing We learned to surf on the beginner beach, La Punta, from a teacher named Pechuga (chicken breast). Experts go to Zicatela, but you’ve got to be a true expert. All Puerto locals know someone who has died surfing this perilous break.
Releasing baby turtles into the Ocean So. Freaking. Cute. On Palmarito beach, just outside of Puerto Escondido, you’ll find a beautiful beach that is completely abandoned except for a small turtle hatchery. Come here to relax on the beach for a few hours, and then as the sun is setting help the Campamento Tortuguero Palmarito in releasing baby sea turtles into the ocean.
SLEEP
Tower Bridge Hostel Great party scene and pool. We spent a few days here chilling and drinking with the sociable crowd. Ask about Chinese Sunday!
Z I P O LITE A very tiny, quiet beach on the Oaxacan coast. Clothing is apparently optional. There is not much to do here besides chill, so that’s what we did. DAYS SPENT I N Z I PO L I TE: 4
FOOD
Random Comedor Ask the people at the campsite for cheap food and they’ll point you across the street to a woman who will be making one dish. Get it.
DRINK N/A ACTIVITIES
Chill. Goulet!
SLEEP
Villa Escondida Campsite and Cabanas Nice little campsite on the sand. They also had cabanas, bathrooms and showers. There’s nothing better than falling asleep and waking up to the sounds of the ocean.
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SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS A beautiful colonial city in the heart of the mountainous state of Chiapas. Delicious food, even better coffee and a political history that will enchant you and keep you around for far longer than you expected. DAYS SPENT I N P U E RTO SAN C RI STO B AL: 4
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FOOD
No Name Quesadilla Our favorite restaurant in all of Mexico. Open every night, except Wednesday, from 8pm until 10pm or until the food runs out. Be there promptly at 8 so you don’t miss out. There’s no sign in the doorway, so you may need to ask around. The menu rotates every night with fresh ingredients found in the local market. Over the course of two days we had quesadillas stuffed with steak, octopus, green chorizo, baby shark tamale, duck and more. Quesadillas are massive and only 30 pesos. Also try the atole, a hot corn drink that is the best we’ve ever had.
Tierradentro Come here for the food, stay for the story and the atmosphere. A huge cafe with live music, Tierradentro is actually a Zapatista run collective, and the proceeds from the cafe go back into local Zapatista communities.
Carajillo Cafe This cafe is pricey, but the iced coffee is on point.
Cafe Yak Decent food, solid coffee. Not distinguishable from other cafes in town.
DRINK
Cerveceria Artesanal Bruma Brand new microbrewery. We tried some of the first beers they’ve ever brewed. It’s really a homebrew, not a formal brewery, but a nice change of pace from your standard Mexican cerveza.
ACTIVITIES
Canyon de Sumidero Make sure to take this amazing boat ride through the Canyon Sumidero, a solid hour outside of the city. As you pass through the massive canyons, you’ll easily be able to imagine what it would be like exploring Middle Earth in Lord of the Rings.
Walking around This is an incredible place to walk around. Plenty of bars, restaurants and cafes to check out, and the weather is fantastic. Just be careful of becoming a Zapatourist (aka people who love Zapatista products but don’t do anything to support the cause).
SLEEP
Rancho Camping San Nicolas Great campsite to meet other overlanders. They also have a few cabanas. A bit out of town if you’re just backpacking, but very relaxing if you’re not looking to stay in the town center.
PALENQ UE Palenque es magico! Palenque town proper is kind of run
down, but go two miles outside of town to El Panchon and you’ve got an awesome little neighborhood in the middle of the jungle, within walking distance of the Palenque Ruins. The social scene revolves around the restaurant Don Mucho’s, which isn’t a bad thing. DAYS S P E N T I N PAL E N QU E : 5
FOOD
Don Mucho’s Amazing restaurant with great food, live music, dancing and fire twirlers every night. The thin crust pizza is particularly delicious- try out the jungle pizza, a delicious vegetarian pizza that rivals anything else you’ll find in Mexico or Central America.
Torta Lady Stand About 2 minutes walking from Don Mucho’s, you’ll find a lady cooking up a little small-kitchen cuisine. The 30 peso tortas will stuff you enough for a full meal.
DRINK
Tent Bar Right behind Don Mucho’s is a bar with a tent-cover, complete with basic picnic tables and chairs. The beer is slightly cheaper than next door and there’s also a makeshift grille at the back.
ACTIVITIES
Roberto Barrio A series of amazingly beautiful pools and waterfalls in the middle of Zapatista territory. Great place to spend an entire day. Ask locals about where you can go exploring as this place has much more to it than meets the eye. You’ll need to find a ride - it’s about 45 minutes outside Palenque.
Palenque Ruins Ancient Mayan ruins in the middle of the jungle. This place has a magic to it that you can feel. Don’t be hesitant to climb every ruin in sight. You’ll be exhausted but you’ll be able to imagine the views that Mayan royalty had, looking out over their city.
Magic Mushrooms ? Known locally as hongas, they grow naturally here after a light rain, and can be bought from pretty much any local, or picked from the ground, if that’s your thing.
SLEEP
Mono Blanco This place is bare bones. A raised platform where you can set up a tent to sleep in, but it does the job and it’s in the heart of the jungle. They have cabanas to sleep in which get mixed reviews.
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G LO BA LG O U L E T S .CO M