8 Day Mexican Beach Week and Cooking Vacation in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca

Facilities

Day 1, Friday: Welcome to paradise!

Welcome! Guests arrive at PXM (Puerto Escondido) airport. You will be picked up and brought to the house (a 20-minute drive). Let the ocean breeze sweep your cares away.

Guests will be greeted with delicious cocktails as you get accommodated in your room and stroll the property. Snacks will be available throughout the day, and dinner will be served in the late afternoon / early evening depending on the arrival times. You will talk about the week to come!

Day 2, Saturday: Fresh catch

Today you start early with a light breakfast at 6 a.m. so that you can be present at the Bahia Principal when the fishermen arrive with their catch. Chef Ana will teach you how to select the best fish.

You will then go to the main market for a tour and selection of fruits and vegetables followed by traditional Oaxacan lunch at Las Juquileñas. You will return to the house with some time to relax before your first cooking session for dinner at 3 p.m.

Let´s get started! Today you will prepare fresh tuna tostadas, Amarillito with fresh shrimp and Lechilla for dinner at 8:00 p.m.

Day 3, Sunday: Manchamanteles - an Oaxacan Classic

Breakfast will begin at 9 with a new main dish each morning, fresh fruit, yogurt, granola, fresh biscuits. At 11 a.m., the class will begin with the preparation of the classic Oaxacan dish Manchamanteles with pork, Chiles Rellenos with fish, and a fresh mango dessert among other side dishes.

You will have lunch at 2 - 3 p.m. and then guests will have time to enjoy the beach and house until you have gourmet dinner at 8:00 p.m.

Day 4, Monday: Eat local! Tapistes de Pescado, Aguachile, Chileajo

After breakfast at 9 a.m., you will begin the cooking session at 11 a.m. to prepare Aguachile, Chileajo, an assortment of Oaxacan ceviches, and Escabeche de Pescado for lunch. Today is a double cooking session, and you will also prepare Tapistes de Pescado, black rice with fried plantains, nopal salad, and corn cake for dinner.

You will have lunch at 2 - 3 p.m. Later in the afternoon, La Villa Bonita will organize an excursion to go shopping in the artisan’s market and to see the release of the baby sea turtles. Enjoy dinner of dishes previously prepared will be at 8 p.m.

Day 5, Tuesday: Chacahua National Reserve day trip

Today you will have breakfast at 9 a.m. Today you are going to really see what this area is all about. You will take a trip to Chacahua National Reserve.

You will take a boat ride through the mangrove tunnels and see all of the life that lives where the freshwater meets the sea – birds, crocodiles, mussels (that you use in the tichinda tamales), fish, and shrimp.

You will make your way to Chacahua Beach which is populated by descendants of African slaves who live there and run small palapa restaurants. If you would like to surf or swim, this is the place. The surf is great all day and it is also a suitable beach to swim in. It is an incredible journey.

Day 6, Wednesday: An exotic delicacy - Mussel Tamales or Tichinda

After a fabulous breakfast, you will start the cooking session at 11 a.m. Today is Oaxacan tamale day with freshwater mussel tamales, rice with chepil, cold avocado soup, and strawberry tamales.

Today you will also begin a spectacular Mole Negro that will cook for two days in preparation for your Champagne dinner on Thursday evening. Lunch will is served at 2 p.m. You will have a light dinner with cocktail service at 8 p.m.

Day 7, Thursday: Board games, coconuts, oysters and beach

After breakfast, you will have a relaxing rustic palapa / hammock / beach day at Aguas Blancas Beach and have fresh oysters, lobster, and fish. However, today is your day to decide what you like to do (additional charges apply depending on what you would like).

You can take a surfing lesson, go shopping in Puerto Escondido, read a book by the pool. It is a day to rest, explore or shop. You can go with others to Aguas Blancas or do what your heart desires. There will be a tour guide available as well if you would like to choose from a variety of options.

Later in the day, La Villa Bonita will schedule a visit to a local Mezcal producer to try the different varieties. Your farewell Champagne Mole dinner will be served at 8 p.m.

Day 8, Friday: Departure

Parting is such sweet sorrow! Today you have breakfast and be transferred to PXM airport. La Villa Bonita knows that many of the flights are early to go to MEX so whenever your flight is, they will get you to the airport at the appropriate time. La Villa Bonita looks forward to seeing you again on another culinary adventure with Chef Ana and La Villa Bonita.

Note

This schedule is posted to give the guest a general idea of Cooking in Paradise Week in Puerto Escondido. The schedule may change to take advantage of seasonal dishes, ingredients or the interests of the guests. LVB reserves the right to modify this schedule and the dishes contained therein. Seven-night is the only package available.

• Trip to the Bahia Principal to select fish from the fisherman's boat as they come in with their catch
• Excursion to the main market to select ingredients for the dishes to be prepared
• Trip to Chacahua National Mangrove Reserve to see the wildlife and also arrive at a beautiful surf and swimming beach that can only be reached by boat.
• Relaxing visit to Agua Blanca for a rustic beach day to chill and play board games.
• See the daily sea turtle release and support the local conservation efforts
• Tasting at a local mezcal producer with explanation of the different types of Mezcal
• Trips to meet local providers and purchase local artisan products
• Day trip to Aguas Blancas beach for a rustic palapa, hammock and seafood day

Puerto Escondido is really one of the great “undiscovered” beach towns in Mexico earning distinction by the New York Times as one of the “places to go” in 2017. Located on the Pacific coast in the state of Oaxaca, Puerto Escondido is known for its fishing and laid-back surfer environment.

It has numerous famous surf beaches where you can take a lesson or just sit in your palapa and watch the waves come in on beaches such as Carrizalillo, Zicatela, and Punta Zicatela. Puerto Escondido hosts numerous international surf competitions throughout the year like the ESPN X Games and the MexPipe Challenge.

Puerto Escondido was actually first named “Bahia de la Escondida” or “Bay of the Hidden Woman” because it got its name from a Mixtec woman who was captured by the feared pirate, Andres Drake (brother of Sir Francis Drake).

Drake used the bay to hide, rest, and anchor his ship. As legend has it, he captured the Mixtec woman in Huatulco and kept her in a cabin onboard. The local woman escaped her capturers and dove into the bay. She swam to shore and hid in the jungles.

Drake sent a party to find her but never did. Even later, Drake would return to look for her but never found her. Bahia de la Escondida eventually became Puerto Escondido.

Puerto Escondido is also known for its diverse wildlife with freshwater lagoons in the town of Manialtepec where there is a variety of animal life. The lagoon is full of mangroves with a variety of birds such as pelicans, seagulls, ibis, storks, cranes, jacanas, buzzards, kingfishers, and swans along with a variety of animals such as raccoons, weasels, deer, wild boar, foxes, and crocodiles.

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La Villa Bonita can accommodate special diets. Please contact them prior to arrival so that they may accommodate your diet. There is dinner on the first night which is prepared prior to your arrival. Please let them know if you have anything you do not eat.

La Villa Bonita will stock the house with food for all of the meals, drinks, and snacks during your stay. If you would like them to have a particular item on hand, please let them know a week prior to your arrival to assure that they can stock your item.

Your itinerary is a very complete one but you have time to enjoy the beach and house. During this holiday, you can enjoy activities that are not included in the package that La Villa Bonita can arrange for an additional fee.

Yoga will be available for an additional fee every day. Please let La Villa Bonita know if you are interested so that they can schedule accordingly. Massages can also be scheduled a day in advance at any point during the week. The house is yours to enjoy as well as the kitchen.

• 4 hands-on Oaxacan Central and coastal cooking sessions with trips to the daily market, the fisherman to select fish, and tortilla mill
• 7 nights stay in a luxurious beachfront mansion
• All meals and drinks included in the house
• Puerto Escondido Airport (PXM) pick up and return
• Day trip to Chacahua National Mangrove to see nature and surf or swim on a gorgeous beach
• Trip to release baby sea turtles from the hatchery
• Make incredible Oaxacan dishes such as tamales de tichinda (freshwater mussels), manchamanteles, ceviches, tapistes de pescado, mole negro oaxaqueno, pasilla chiles stuffed with fish picadillos, and many more
• Ground transportation in Puerto Escondido throughout the week
• Rustic beach / palapa day in Agua Blanca Beach
• Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks in the house
• Pdf manual with recipes
• Mezcal tasting at a local producer
• Wi-Fi, daily maid and table service
• 16% sales tax

• Any meals outside of the house
• Tips for staff
• 16% Sales tax
• Airfare
• Pickup and return to the Huatulco airport (HUX)
• Additional activities such as yoga, massages, or surfing

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• A reservation requires a deposit of 100% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.