🌊 Hierve el Agua: Petrified Waterfalls Without the Tour Group Drama

Mexico’s “fossilized waterfalls” at Hierve el Agua are otherworldly—limestone cliffs frozen mid-cascade over 50 meters high! 🌋✨ 🚌 Why We Skipped Tours: Group tours tack on tacky stops (tequila factories? 🤢). Life’s too short—we opted for freedom! 🚍 Public Transport Nightmare: Buses + pickup trucks + language barriers = stress， guides contradicted each other, and cramped seats? No gracias. 🚫💺 🚕 Taxi Win: For 3 people, a private taxi was the sweet spot: 💵 Cost: 350 pesos/hour (≈$20) ⏱️ Total: 5 hours roundtrip +sightseeing = 1,800 pesos (≈$105) Haggling Tips: 1️⃣ Street Side Deal: We scored a driver near our hotel for 350 pesos/hour (max 6hrs = 1,800 total). 2️⃣ Hotel Taxi: Same rate, but they take 10 mins to arrive. We stuck with our street deal! 🗺️ Itinerary: 🚗 8:40 AM: Depart Oaxaca 🌳 10:00 AM: Arrive at Hierve el Agua ⏰ 12:00 PM: Leave (after 1.5hrs of photos + pool time) 🛣️ 1:45 PM: Back to hotel via Árbol del Tule (world’s widest tree! 🌳) 🛀 Site Info: 🎫 Entrance: 50 pesos/person (yes, drivers pay too! 😅) 🚽 Facilities: 5 pesos to pee, 20 pesos to shower. Bring your own towel! 👟 Footwear: The limestone is sharp—wear water shoes (locals do it!). ⚠️ Hidden Fees to Watch: 🛣️ Toll Roads: 160 pesos each way (negotiate to include this in your taxi deal!). 💸 Town Toll: 20 pesos/person when passing through Mitla. ⏰ Time Math: Our driver tried to overcharge us by 30 mins! 🧮 Pro Tip: Track time relentlessly. 🌳 Bonus Stop: The Tule Tree is 5 mins off-route—worth a quick “wow” for its 42m circumference! #HierveElAgua #OaxacaAdventures #MexicoOffTheBeatenPath 🇲🇽💦