Southern Mexico (Oaxaca, Chiapas, Campeche)

Started by corco, December 08, 2016, 10:01:44 PM

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kphoger

I've only bribed my way out of a speeding ticket, never encountered an illegitimate stop.
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Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.


kphoger

Quote from: US 41 on January 05, 2017, 02:57:16 PM
Yeah Mexico really screwed up on this one.

I don't know all the details, but here's my opinion. They needed to have a transition of American (or elsewhere) companies actually building gas stations down there before they got rid of the regulated max price. Now they have a big problem because now Pemex can charge whatever they want because there is no other competition.

Quote from: kphoger on January 05, 2017, 05:08:18 PM
Why would Conoco (for example) want to build gas stations in Mexico while the state franchises still had prices that were set artificially low?

I forgot to add...  Foreign firms don't need to actually build gas stations in order to start selling gas.  They could instead buy existing Pemex stations and re-brand them.  Also, not knowing the details of Pemex's legal existence, I wonder if they might be able to supply the fuel to Pemex-branded franchises–leaving Pemex stations selling Mobil gasoline, for example.
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Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

US 41

I'm not sure. There's part of me that wonders if maybe they should have just left it alone and then there's another part of me that feels like this will end up being better for Mexico (and Mexican drivers) in the future.

I think within a couple of years we will begin to see quite a few non-pemex stations in Mexico. I also think that we might end up seeing some real truck stops in Mexico (ex: Pilot, Loves, etc), which would be great for Mexican truck drivers. I don't think Pemex offers any really good truck stops in Mexico.

So this is probably going to be a good thing for Mexico in the long run, but currently it is kind of a mess right now and people are understandably angry about the prices going up over 20% in one night. Maybe gradually raising the max over several months would have been the correct response, until it was high enough that they could just get rid of the max without too many people caring. Just getting rid of the max overnight was kind of iffy I think.
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kphoger

Quote from: US 41 on January 06, 2017, 11:20:32 AM
I also think that we might end up seeing some real truck stops in Mexico (ex: Pilot, Loves, etc), which would be great for Mexican truck drivers. I don't think Pemex offers any really good truck stops in Mexico.

There are plenty of awesome truck stops in Mexico.  But only the gasoline part is branded as Pemex.  The restaurant, motel, and lounge areas carry other branding because they are not operated by Pemex.

So, for example, the truck stop between Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo has a Pemex gas station, a Subway restaurant, a Church's Chicken restaurant, an Helados Sortana smoothie vendor, a nice sit-down restaurant with awesome restrooms, the El Rancho motel (closed, last I knew), plus a US driver's insurance vendor.  If, say, this Pemex were to be taken over by Texaco, I'm sure all those 3rd-party enterprises would still carry their own branding.
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Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

Jbte

Surprisingly I just did something really close to what you have in mind this last December, right before the petrol prices protests. My trip was this route; https://goo.gl/maps/rXZBmdQRRYu

DAY 1
My trip started from Puerto Escondido, I decided to take the road from Pochutla to Ocotlán, because its considered by many an very scenic route with so many flora diversity. Road conditions in this area may vary with some few potholes, but many speed bumps in towns. I just drived to "Hieve el Agua o Cascadas Petrificadas" or Petrified Waterfalls in English, there are some ugly cabins which I used just for sleep, as little as 15 dollar night.


This is the petrified falls during in the morning;


DAY 2
In this day I took the road to Tuxtepec as you have in your plans, definitely it's a good choice, unfortunately for me I, there was a cold front which was raining all the road, even there was some ice which caused my car to slice for a second in a curve segments. The road it's in good conditions, the pavement it's new, however there are so many curves in route, which will make the trip longer and will take you all day to cross the mountains. I did 10 hour drive from Oaxaca to Tuxtepec. And another 2 hours to Tlacotalpan. In Tlacotalpan I suggest you to stay at Hotel Doña Lala and its restaurant, its a great deal and confort (comparabvle to a Holiday Inn stanrads...)


DAY 3
Tlacotalpan it's in the UNESCO list as a cultural town, definitely worth the visit, and to the Eyipantla falls and Catemaco lake. Roads are bad in Veracruz state, so I warn you to drive slow and watch all time for potholes. If you believe the main toll highway 145D it's fast and free of potholes... you're wrong (yeah you're paying for a terrible road), the worst segment it's the libre segment past Minatitlán, with huge potholes, where you can't travel fast until you arrive to Tabasco state.

Tabasco state has nice roads (almost no potholes) and they have better infrastructure for traveling in the state, in the same day I managed to travel to Palenque, but you can stay in Villahermosa.



DAY 4
If you're going to visit Bonampak and Yaxchilán mayan ruins I suggest to to depart early in the morning from Palenque, the road to the ruins Bonampak and Frontera Corozal it's in good conditions except for the speed bumps in towns (even in really small towns not noticeable in the area), the road past Benemérito it's in terrible bad conditions until around Las Nubes and there are more than 3 military checkpoints, I got a revision, so no problem, and I feel safer in this area even I drove at night. If you plan doing this I suggest you to stay at eco-tourist area of Las Nubes. It's a long drive in this remote area. There are few services in area, but 2 gas stations at Benemerito town.

However in your plan, you plan driving in a difficult area controlled by the Zapatistas between Palenque and San Cristobal, I drove this area in April 2015, was exhausting long because the road it's full of speed bumps (topes) all the way (6 hour drive), even in middle of nowhere... the road it's occupied all segment by illegal construction of indigenous people. Some are brave which I suggest caution and not to mess with them, I found a drunk pedestrian in middle of road.... so watch out... lol, some which have their own rules and laws such for speeding for example, where they impose arbitrary fees of about 500 pesos (20 dollars). There are sections where you might find arbitrary checkpoints (in my case I found some girls doing it, lol), where you MUST pay a low fee, about 1 or 2 pesos for allow to pass. In security it's all good, no problem, but just in caution.



DAY 5
In this day I drove to Lagunas de Montebello National Park, its a really beautiful area next to the Guatamala border, I found this area similar to Lake Tahoe in CA, Chinkultic Mayan ruins, Tenam Puente and Cascada El Chiflón (El Chiflon Waterfalls), road it's in good conditions, few topes, no problem. Comitán it's also a big town with many services such Walmart, hotels, etc. In the same day I managed to drive to San Cristobal.



DAY 6
In San Cristobal there are many places to visit in town, such the chuchrcs and plazas. Early in the morning I left the town to Grutas Rancho Nuevo (Rancho Nuevo Caverns) somewhat like Carlsbad caverns in NM, but smaller. Also I recommend you to take 190D to Chiapa de Corzo, where you embark to see the canyon walls of Sumidero, woth the visit. You pay a national park fee where they place a paper bracelet, which its valid for the viewpoints north of Tuxtla in the same National Park. Road conditions are good all in this area.


DAY 7
I did all travel back to Puerto Escondido from Tuxtla. The roads around Istmo are in good conditions (no problems), Salina Cruz it's a big town with good hotels comparable to holiday inn standards, shopping malls, etc. And a sunset in Puerto Escondido;


As you route to Campeche state, you should not worry about anything. Campeche its a really safe state in Mexico and roads and in good conditions, there are services in big towns. In my opinion I recommend you to visit Yucatán state too, the best place to visit in my opinion (except for the Chichen-Itza) its the Grutas de Calcehtok in Calcehtok town and Grutas de Loltún in Oxkutzcab, both amazing caverns you can ever visit in world!... worth visit!

As for the petrol prices protest... well it's a mess nation wide, but by June I think it will be calmer, so just wait for now.
Here some more details in spanish of this travel I did;
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1509907&page=117

Cheers.

corco

This is really good stuff- gracias! I'll be doing the trip in late February- I already have plane tickets, otherwise I would consider waiting for summer. Do you think it'll be advisable to travel in five weeks?

I really want to get to Tlacotalpan - and may shift some things around to do so.

I will keep in mind that I may have to pay some informal tolls between Palenque and San Cristobal - I was kind of expecting that anyway as a gringo. As long as they will take my money and let me pass, I'm okay with that within reason.

Jbte

Quote from: corco on January 10, 2017, 06:54:02 PM
This is really good stuff- gracias! I'll be doing the trip in late February- I already have plane tickets, otherwise I would consider waiting for summer. Do you think it'll be advisable to travel in five weeks?


Honestly... I don't know, everything can happen, last year was the teacher protests for the educational reform, this time is for the petrol prices but haven't hear anything horrible for now in Oaxaca and Chiapas states for the petrol prices rather than protests, worst things were last week in Veracruz and Mexico state were many stores looted, but by February I guess (and hope) things will be calmer, even this week it's getting calmer than it was last week but still many gas stations closed according to this article.

http://eleconomista.com.mx/industrias/2017/01/10/van-180-gasolineras-cerradas-desabasto-e-inseguridad

Even there are people buying gas in the US and selling it in northern Mexico... lol

Problem I fear for the coming months basic products will rise in price due the petrol prices, which probably will cause some more protests from rural communities and poor people. EPN promised to enforce to keep same price to basic products, but can't believe his promises were he had said things that were not possible to achieve. If it happens, well consider not traveling between Palenque and San Cristobal or either around Oaxaca city communities, there are many conflictive people which will be mad for this.

I'll keep you informed.

Jbte

I guess It's calmer by now, honestly If you go there, most likely everything will be alright, just travel and have fun.

kphoger

corco...

I've slacked off in preparing info for you.  The main culprit is that I've been needing to use up a bunch of PTO, so I've taking off work early instead of piddling around working on maps for you.  Secondly, I've frankly been more concerned with planning a trip of our own in June and one for our best friends in April.

I had already prepared detailed info from Oaxaca to Campeche, but not from there down through Chiapas and back to Oaxaca.  Included would be distances, locations of toll booths and inspection stations, guide signs, and locations of "last chance" gas stations–all overlain onto official state maps.  I'm also not sure if you've amended your travel plans since reading some of Jbte's recommendations up-thread.

What I'd like to know is how useful any or all of that info would be to you.  I still plan to send you a document describing Mexican driving from an American's perspective–what to expect, tips and warnings, laws and conventions, etc.–but I don't know how much research you've already done on your own ahead of time.

Let me know, OK?
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

corco

Thanks Mr. Hoger! As of now my plans are the same - it seems like things have settled down down there enough that there's no point in changing plans.

I've done a good amount of research myself, but am definitely also interested in your perspective... so anything you've already put together is greatly appreciated, but probably no need to do too much more.

I appreciate your help!

kphoger

Roger that.  I might go ahead and put things together through the state of Campeche.  There are a lot of forks in the road.

Several days in advance of your trip, feel free to send me a PM and I'll give you my cell phone number to have with you.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

Jbte

You might find this useful...
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1polzeQWNjUoK1CKL6L-NNPs06V8&usp=sharing

I did somewhat according you have in plan, added some must go places in Yucatan state.

corco

Whoa, very cool - thank you! That's going to give me a lot to chew on.

kphoger

When do you leave, corco?  I have maps prepared from Oaxaca to Escárcega, but that will probably be as far as I get.  I'll also hunt down a file of driving tips and expectations and edit that for you.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

NE2

He's bedding Mexican crime bosses as you speak :D
pre-1945 Florida route log

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corco

I'm actually in Villahermosa right now! So far all has gone smoothly - though has been somewhat interesting. Will post a detailed trip report when I get back.

In the meantime - still absolutely interested in your thoughts because I feel like I have a lot to learn!

kphoger

My main thing to tell you, then, is that gas is very infrequent between Campeche and Escárcega. Some stretches are more than 100 miles between stations along your route.

Secondly, the road between Campeche and Xpujil has a million bypasses of tiny towns, so you might get confused once or twice. Follow signs for Dzibalchén and then Xpujil, and that should straighten out... all but one on them.

Thirdly, there is a large customs and immigration facility shortly after crossing into Chiapas, just past the cutoff for Emiliano Zapata and Tenosique. It was recently reconstructed, and I'm not exactly sure how it's to be navigated in the southerly direction.

Lastly, if you suspect you've gotten a bad tank of gas (small town stations and all), then you might consider a fuel additive to clean it (depending on your confidence with the rental agreement).

Other than that, if you've made it to Villahermosa in one piece, then you're probably good to go. (Did you miss your turn in Valle Nacional?)
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

corco

#42
Very cool - thanks! My rental Spark made it from Oaxaca to Mintatitlan on 3/4 of a tank, so that is good - I suspect I'll be able to make it from Campeche to Xpujil on less than half a tank. The Spark has held up surprisingly well.

Quote(Did you miss your turn in Valle Nacional?)

Yep! And then ended up in tope hell trying to get back on the main street (why they put particularly steep topes across intersection legs is beyond me).

kphoger

The answer to that, I believe, has to do with a the general rule of "uno y uno," b meaning that people take turns at intersections. This general rule can even trump signs. Speed bumps at intersections slow you down so you actually do take turns.

In Ciudad del Carmen, there are two important traffic circles to turn at. Go right at the one with a digital clock tower on the middle. Go left at the one with a big squares-and-half-circles monument in the middle.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

kphoger

I'm going to assume you'll have an internet connection to see this tonight.

You'll probably be leaving Campeche by way of Avenida Gobernadores, signed for Mérida.  The last gas station before leaving town is about four or five blocks past the point where the raised median ends.  From there it's 81 km to the next station.

Distances below are measured via the bypass routes; they will vary slightly if you go through towns instead.  In case you're wondering, the letter X in these place names is pronounced as "sh," which is a centuries-old way of pronouncing that letter and therefore the way that sound is written in the local indigenous languages.

Campeche – Hopelchén via Mex-261
77 km from the Periférico (Campeche bypass) to the Hopelchén bypass
Veer left to go through Hopelchén or veer right to bypass it

Now entering the Tierra de Mil Periféricos (Land of a Thousand Bypasses).  Most of the towns bypassed are dinky; they're probably not worth seeing, unless you really want to see small-town life in Campeche.  The state highway department must have a bunch of extra money or something, to have built bypasses for such insignificant villages.

Hopelchén – Dzibalchén via Camp-261
11 km from the Hopelchén/Dzibalchén split to the Xcupil bypass (left to bypass, right to go through town).
7 km from there to the Komchén bypass (left to bypass, right to go through town).
13 km from there to the Pakchén [a.k.a. Pac-Chen] bypass (left to bypass, right to go through town).
11 km from there to the Dzibalchén bypass (right to bypass, left go go through town).
Gas is available on the Dzibalchén bypass, last station for 143 km.

Dzibalchén – Xpujil via unnumbered tertiary highway
This route is signed with state highway shields, but I find no record of it being commissioned as a state highway.
53 km from the Dzibalchén/Xpujil split to an unmarked Y in the road; keep right, avoiding Xmabén.
88 km from there to Xpujil.

Entering Xpujil from the north, turn right at the first signalized traffic mini-circle; this is not well marked.  The other legs of the intersection have the only examples I've found of the correct shields for the road you just came down:  unnumbered "Rural" shields.  Gas is available shortly after leaving town to the west, last station for 148 km.

Xpujil – Escárcega via Mex-186
Not much to see through here, just a handful of small towns.
Gas available immediately upon entering town.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

corco

Just made the drive from Palenque to San Cristobal, and it was completely roadblock free which was kind of disappointing - after having read the horror stories on the road both here and elsewhere on the internet. I was actually kind of excited about it.

I had folded up in each pocket clockwise around my body a 50 peso bill, a 100 peso bill, a 200 peso bill, and a 500 peso bill, prepared to negotiate and whip out one of them once we agreed on a price without them seeing how much money I actually had on me.

kphoger

Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.



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