“Día completo increíble. Chacahua se siente como el fin del mundo en el mejor sentido posible. Playas vírgenes, laguna de manglares, almuerzo local fresquísimo. Nuestro guía hablaba español e inglés y fue super atento todo el día. Se merecen las 5 estrellas.”
Tours
Chacahua Tour
Chacahua National Park, Puerto Escondido
Duration
9.5 hours
Departs
12:00 PM
Returns
9:30 PM
Location
Chacahua National Park
From
$2,000 MXN
Trusted by travelers from around the world
Gallery — 7 photos
Lagunas de Chacahua National Park is one of the wildest and least-visited coastal reserves on the Oaxacan Pacific — a labyrinth of mangrove lagoons, nesting birds, crocodile-inhabited waterways, and virgin beaches. This full-day tour from Puerto Escondido takes you from afternoon through nightfall, ending with the magical experience of swimming in bioluminescent waters that glow electric blue with every movement.
Your experience
What to Expect
We pick you up at 12:00 PM from your hotel or Airbnb in Puerto Escondido and drive approximately one hour west to Zapotalito, where you board a boat and enter the national park. You cruise through mangrove channels teeming with wildlife — crocodiles sunning on the banks, eagles soaring overhead, parrots, ducks, and dozens of other bird species (especially spectacular during migratory season, November to March).
The boat takes you to the Main Lagoon where the lagoon meets the sea, with time to swim in crystal-clear waters. Then you enjoy free time in the village for fresh fish, seafood, coconuts, and local snacks (at your own expense). As the sun drops, you head to the natural Stone Arch for one of the most beautiful sunsets on the Oaxacan coast. After dark, the real magic begins: the lagoon lights up with bioluminescent plankton, and you can swim among millions of glowing blue stars. You return to Puerto Escondido by 9:30 PM.
Hour by hour
Detailed Itinerary
12:00 PM
Pickup from Your Hotel
Your driver and certified guide pick you up from your hotel or Airbnb in Puerto Escondido.
1:00 PM
Arrive at Zapotalito and Board the Boat
After an hour's drive, arrive at Zapotalito and board your boat to enter Chacahua National Park.
Mangrove and Lagoon Exploration
Cruise through the park's vast mangrove channels and lagoon system. Your guide points out crocodiles, iguanas, eagles, parrots, ducks, and dozens of other bird species hiding among the tangled mangrove roots. During migratory season (November–March), the birdlife is especially spectacular.
Main Lagoon — Swimming
Reach the Main Lagoon where the lagoon connects to the sea. Observe the dramatic meeting point of fresh and salt water, and swim in the crystal-clear waters.
Local Gastronomy Break
Free time in the village to enjoy fresh fish, seafood, coconuts, and local snacks from the fishing community. Meals and tips are at your own expense.
Sunset at the Stone Arch
Head to the natural Stone Arch formation for a stunning sunset over the Pacific — one of the most photogenic spots on the coast.
Bioluminescence Experience
After dark, the lagoon comes alive. Enter the water and swim among bioluminescent plankton that glow electric blue with every movement — described as "swimming among millions of stars." An unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
9:30 PM
Return to Puerto Escondido
Boat back across the lagoon, drive to Puerto Escondido, and arrive at your accommodation by approximately 9:30 PM.
What makes it special
Highlights
Bioluminescence swimmingSwim in lagoon waters that glow electric blue with bioluminescent plankton after dark
Mangrove lagoon boat rideGlide through waterways where crocodiles, eagles, and tropical birds thrive undisturbed
Sunset at the Stone ArchWatch the sun set through a dramatic natural rock formation
Birdwatching paradiseEagles, parrots, ducks, herons, egrets; migratory species peak November to March
Wild Pacific beachChacahua's coastline is raw and uncrowded, a stark contrast to resort beaches
Crocodile sightingsThe lagoons are home to a healthy population of American crocodiles
All set
What's Included
Round-trip transportation from your hotel or Airbnb in Puerto Escondido
Boat ride through the mangrove lagoon system
Certified bilingual guide for the full tour
Bioluminescence experience
Pack light
What to Bring
Swimsuit and towel — you will swim in the lagoon and during the bioluminescence
Insect repellent — essential for the mangrove lagoons
Sunscreen and hat
Camera — for the sunset, wildlife, and scenery (bioluminescence is hard to photograph but worth trying)
Cash for meals, drinks, and tips — food is not included
Light jacket — evenings on the lagoon can be cool
Binoculars if you have them — for birdwatching
Before you book
Good to Know
This is an afternoon-to-night tour;
we pick you up at 12:00 PM and drop you back by 9:30 PM. The tour is timed so you experience the mangroves in daylight, sunset at the Stone Arch, and bioluminescence after dark.
Bioluminescence is included in every tour;
it is not an optional add-on. The glowing plankton are visible year-round, but are brightest during new moon phases and from June to January.
Minimum 4 participants;
if your group is smaller, message us on WhatsApp and we will try to pair you with another group departing the same day.
Meals are not included;
there is free time to buy fresh fish, seafood, coconuts, and local snacks from the fishing community. Bring cash for food and tips.
The lagoon waters are calm;
this tour is suitable for all ages. Crocodiles are observed from a safe distance and pose no risk to passengers.
Best birdwatching:
November to March; migratory season brings endemic and migratory species including eagles, parrots, and ducks. Birdlife is present year-round but peaks in winter.
Bring insect repellent;
the mangrove lagoons have mosquitoes, especially in the evening hours. Long sleeves are also helpful after sunset.
The tour operates year-round;
bioluminescence, wildlife, and the stunning scenery are available every season.
Real traveler stories
What travelers are saying
“Full day trip worth every minute. Chacahua is a tiny fishing village with a huge empty beach and a lagoon inside a national park. We did the boat ride, swam at the beach, had incredible fresh fish for lunch, and made it back by sunset. Long day but 100% worth it.”
“This was our favorite day of the trip. You get the boat through the mangroves, the empty beach for swimming, surfers doing their thing at the point break, and then the most amazing ceviche I've ever had at a little palapa on the sand. Go.”
4.9 (185)
5.0 (140)
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From
$2,000 MXN