Playa Zipolite is a Feeling

I won’t be saying much about Playa Zipolite because it is not a place that holds up to description. You’ve just gotta get here and feel Zipolite. It is probably the only place I cannot imagine forgiving myself for missing precious minutes of time each day; I made sure to wake up before 7am every morning in order to get the most out of the sea and morning light.

Our bed & breakfast is perched on the hilltop overlooking the sea. The main beach of Playa Zipolite is to the East, just around the bend from the private beach we have access to. In the mornings, I go with the intention to “swim out to the rocks”, but there is so much sea life, I wind up floating, and bobbing, and snorkeling and getting lost on the surface of the wonder-world below.

Zipolite has a rich history of tolerance and openness, and since the 1960s has been place for young families, retirees, nudists, artists, surfers, etc. My first visit in 2018 was the result of taking Spanish classes about an hour up the road in a place called Playa Zicatela. I chose a week in an Eco-Lodge with Spanish lessons everyday. Hammocks, completely open-air rooms with mosquito netting over the beds; until one night, in the middle of the night, I flicked on the light en route to the bathroom as a too-large-for-my-taste scorpion was crossing the room at the same time.

I promptly transferred myself to this bed and breakfast here in Zipolite knowing one cannot escape scorpions in this region, but you can offset the terror with a bit of pampering . . .

On the first day of this trip (Gap Year 2.0), I was relaxing on the beach, having a little mezcalito, as they are called . . .

. . . when I see this guy approaching who looked a lot like Orion, my Playa Buddy from my second visit to Burning Man years and years ago.

And of course it was. We hadn’t seen each other sine 2006.

And he promptly invited us to lunch with his wife, 2 kids and a couple of other friends here in Zipolite. My best friend at Burning Man in 2006 welcomed us into his home: built, moulded, and conceived by him, to share a meal of roosters slaughtered that morning which his wife cooked to perfection, and we all held hands to give gratitude for the friendships, and the food, and shelter, the land provides.

And that general feeling of gratitude and contentment traveled with us throughout the week in Zipolite. From early morning sunrises, to afternoon siestas, and evening adventures.

It wasn’t my first trip to Zipolite. But this trip confirmed for me that this little gem of a spot will have a few more visits from me over the coming years.

Very few places on earth are on that list.

NEXT UP: The Yucatán Peninsula/Gulf of Mexico!