Hierve el Agua
Get to Hierve el Agua
Natural wonder Hierve el Agua is one of those beautiful sites in the world most of us never heard of, including many Mexicans, too. I guess it is due to its location in the mountains of one of the poorest but most beautiful states of Mexico – Oaxaca. Situated about 70 km from the Oaxaca capital, just a few km from archaeological site of Mitla on a hill with a difficult way to get there. Curves, curves and more curves up the mountain to get to the parking lot. Sometimes a bit scary to see the whole valley from that height. But then just pay the entrance fee of around 2 euro and start walking down 5 minutes.
Hierve el Agua consists of two waterfall-like rock formations. The first one after the entrance is called Cascada Chica – Small Waterfall, or sometimes Amphitheatre; the second one is Cascada Grande – Big Waterfall which is more vertical.
Cascada Chica is a 12-metre cliff, rising 50 metres above the valley, while Cascada Grande is a cliff of even 30 metres high and 90 metres wide. There are trails to get from Cascada Chica to Cascada Grande but you can’t swim in the Grande one.
Formation of Hierve el Agua
Hierve el Agua means in Spanish water boils but there is no water boiling there. It is just bubbling springs because of some underground water current so they look like boiling, hence the name. The calcium carbonate and other minerals included in the springs have formed this beauty for over thousands of years in the same manner like stalactites are formed in the caves. Due to the minerals, the rocks are of almost white colour and from far away one could think they are big waterfalls. Personally, they reminded me of a huge white candle wax set in the mountains.
Nowadays, there are still 4 springs which form some small natural pools where you can dip the feet in. And two swimming pools were man-made in 2007, one of them is very close to the edge so a bit dangerous as it’s slippery. The water has healing qualities and very nice temperature – 22 to 27 degrees Celsius. So actually, you can enjoy swimming in the pools with the natural water full of minerals in this jaw-dropping piece of nature. Just one more place in this world similar to this one can offer its beauty to us humans – Pamukkale in Turkey.
The nature around took my breath away. I bet it will to you, too. And then the swimming pools … the best thing to do in the typical Mexican heat.
My trip to Hierve el Agua was a press trip organized by Hotel Aitana in Oaxaca together with Oaxaca Místico and done by the best tourist guide Victor. A huge thanks to both of them. However, all the opinions in the post are honest and just mine.
Jo
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Great re-cap. Hierve el Agua was my favourite thing in Mexico!
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
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Wow, so you visited Hierve el Agua, too? Know a very few travelers who’ve even heard of this place :)
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler via Facebook
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I was in Aqua Azul too, of course!
Ivonet Ellis via Facebook
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It’s a beautiful place in Oaxaca :)
Travel with Kevin and Ruth via Facebook
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Did you make it to Agua Azul in Mexico? Beautiful spot. https://www.travelwithkevinandruth.com/2009/01/agua-azul-waterfalls.html