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Welcome travelers!
We can't wait for this summer's mushroom adventures with you! May we present your guide for just about everything we think you need to know, and probably more. Please peruse this page at your leisure. If you forget where to find it, just remember "IMPORTANT:" thefungivore.com/important We will be adding some updates here, or clarifying as folks reach out and let us know how to be more clear, but you should find all the pertinent info already here and catalogued below. If we haven't answered specific enough questions within this document, please let us know, and we will get back to you quickly. About a month before your trip, we will be starting a WhatsApp group (for each of our Adventures), which will help communications be fast and efficient for all of us, as well as opportunities to share photos quite easily. Reach out via email (info@thefungivore.com) or WhatsApp/Text: +1 (510) 899-2343 to ask any questions or if you have any problems accessing this page. --Zack & Kim |
General Housekeeping: Traveling to MexicoWe recommend using skyscanner.com to find the cheapest flights, and then buying your flights through the airline (instead of a third party like Kayak). Most US cities with large airports have direct flights to Mexico City [MEX], Guadalajara [GDL], Tijuana [TIJ], or Cancun [CUN] and all of these cities--more on that in a second--fly direct to Oaxaca [OAX] or Tuxtla Gutierrez [TGZ], depending on your trip. It is totally up to your comfort with self-guided travel, but we have found that buying separate round-trip flights (such as Chicago [ORD] to Mexico City [MEX], round-trip) and then a separate domestic flight from Mexico City [MEX] to Oaxaca [OAX] or Tuxtla Gutierrez [TGZ] (which are often under US$100) can save serious dollars. However, this requires you to be aware of time between flights when booking. This lower price can evaporate if you are checking bags. In this case, a direct flight will usually get you where you are going cheaply. Which brings us to Cancun [CUN] and Tijuan [TIJ]a. Cancun has made it quite affordable for Americans on the East coast to travel to Mexico; Cancun is a major international hub. Once there, the domestic round trip flight to Oaxaca [OAX] or Tuxtla Gutierrez [TGZ] can be quite affordable. Watch for hidden costs (seat fees, bag fees, breathing fees, etc.). For our West US folks: Tijuana is connected to the US by a walking bridge crossing called CBX--or Cross Border Exchange. Coming from the CA side, it is barely different than taking a cab to any airport: you arrive at the 'terminal,' pay the US fee to cross (with proof of a flight within 4 hours), walk about a half a mile (luggage carts were free last time we went through), proceed to go through Mexican customs, and without ever being outside, you are in ticketing and bag check at the Tijuana Airport [TIJ]. Coming back from Tijuana, just run it in reverse: you land at Tijuana [TIJ], gather your bags, pay the fee to cross (within 3 hours of landing, last time we went through), walk about .a half a mile, go through US customs, and walk out into the San Diego sunshine without ever leaving the secure airport setting. Easy-Peasy. Tijuana [TIJ] also flies direct to Oaxaca [OAX] or Tuxtla Gutierrez [TGZ]. Portland [PDX] flies to Guadalajara [GDL] (which flies to Oaxaca [OAX] or Tuxtla Gutierrez [TGZ]); Seattle [SEA] may have other connections via Alaska/Aeromexico; Most California Airports fly to Guadalajara [GDL] or Mexico City [MEX]; Los Angeles [LAX] has infrequent flights (not every day) to Oaxaca [OAX], but for now, Tuxtla Gutierrez [TGZ] is a strictly domestic airport within Mexico. Central: Direct to Mexico City [MEX], or through Dallas [DFW] or Houston [IAH]; East Coast: also Dallas [DFW] or Houston [IAH], or Cancun [CUN], as discussed (or Direct to Mexico City [MEX]). We (Zack and Kim) are always here to help, send us an email (info@thefungivore.com) and we will guide you through the process or answer any questions you may have. We recommend using skyscanner.com to find cheap flights, and then buying your flights through the airline, instead of a third party like Kayak. Most US cities will connect you to Bangkok, and even on to Chiang Mai. You will see many airlines come up that you have probably never heard of, these are EVA, ANA, China, etc. We haven’t had any trouble on any particular airline. Super cheap flights can take up to 40 hours and route you through some empty Chinese airports. Direct routs can get you from San Francisco to Chiang Mai in just 19 hours. Pay attention to airport layovers! The most important thing to remember when booking flight to Thailand, is that due to both the long overseas trip and the International Date Line, it is not uncommon to arrive two days after you take off. Since we are asking that you meet us for dinner on the night of August 15th, please plan to leave the US on August 13th or earlier when coming to Chiang Mai. We are happy to help orient you to arriving earlier if you would like. The fun part is, on the way home, it is not uncommon to arrive before you left. Last January we had a full Wednesday in Japan, left at 11:59pm, and arrived in SFO at 1:15pm on Wednesday. Daylight Savings doesn’t have anything on this! We (Zack and Kim) are always here to help, send us an email (info@thefungivore.com) and we will guide you through the process or answer any questions you may have. Most banks give the opportunity to let them know (usually through your online account access) that you will be traveling in a foreign country and please don't cancel my card or flag it for fraud. Highly recommended that you communicate with your bank in this regard and let them know you will be traveling for the time you intend to be out of the country. Many phone companies allow you to add Mexico and Canada for a small additional cost for the month. Some phone companies will charge you $5/day (24 hours starting from your first use of the phone internationally. T-Mobile includes service for our plan, and though they will throttle the speed, it usually takes several weeks. We should not be out of WiFi service areas for very long, except during forays, of course. If you like maps, download your google maps for offline use. These days, there are a lot of eSIMs being offered, and frankly, they can be difficult to sort out. Mexico offers IRL SIM cards for $200 pesos/month, which is decidedly cheaper than many eSIMs, but must be purchased from an official TelCel shop. We can give limited guidance on eSIMs in Mexico, as none have been spectacular. In Thailand, you will want to purchase an eSIM at the airport. There are 14-day tourist eSIMs available for an affordable price. They are not ripping you off, from our most recent experience, and though you can wait to get into the city to buy an eSIM, better to get right on it. Most attendants speak some English to be able to help you. We recommend using an ATM to pull out Pesos and Baht as you need them. There are several in the CDMX, OAX, TGZ, and CNZ airports upon arrival. There can be pretty hefty fees on both the US and Mexico side of transactions, depending on your bank and ATM you use. As a practice, we will usually pull out as much cash as we think we will need to avoid being charged fees for multiple ATM runs. Remember to click “Decline Conversion” or "Use US Dollars" toward the end of the process to let your bank do the math and avoid excessive fees & lower exchange rates. There is a Charles Schwab Banking card that actually refunds all fees for atms used. One must have an investment account with Charles Schwab (though this can be a very small amount of money) and the Checking Account becomes available (for a nominal fee). For us, since we live in Mexico and often use cash to pay our rural vendors, it is worth it. We DO NOT recommend bringing American Dollars and trying to exchange for pesos or baht, you will lose more money than in ATM fees, furthermore, nowhere we go accepts US Dollars (as payment that is…as gifts, dollars are happily accepted). In the cities, debit and credit cards are accepted just about everywhere. If you want to buy anything outside of what is included, having cash is great for food stands, quick buys from local artisans on the street, etc. When you land at the Oaxacan airport you will gather your bags at baggage claim: from here, you will either go through customs first–unless you have already done so in Guadalajara, Cancun, Tijuana or Mexico City–and make your way to the line for Taxis. The stand is before you exit on your right. The line can be long, but moves pretty quickly, and assuming you are heading to the hotel in Centro, it should cost you $125 pesos only to get a colectivo (a ride with other people in a van) to drop you directly at the hotel *see below). Sometimes it is a circuitous route. Enjoy site-seeing in Oaxaca. They do this everyday all day, and are very helpful. We recommend using the ATMs at the airport to pull out some cash, maybe $2000 pesos (about $120). The Taxi Stand takes cards. And you won't need cash much, but can be useful for little things you find at the markets. If you want to pay for your own personal taxi, you have two options: 1) pay the $400+ pesos at the stand, or 2) walk yourself (many people from your flight will be doing this) out of the airport all the way to the highway to hail a cab. It is about half a mile. The Hotels for our summer Oaxaca Adventures are as follows: Wild Orchids of La Chinatlan: Comala Bed & Breakfast April 13th & April 20th MyComida: Rupestre: Hotel Parador del Dominico (July 13th & July 22nd, 2026) MyCongreso: NAMA_MX26 -Return Ixtlan - September 6th & September 12th, 2026; In 2026 we will provide hotels room at specific hotels for attendees and mycologists as part of the package. We will not compensate you if you decide to stay elsewhere (such as an AirBnb, etc.) We will announce the hotel when we have confirmation. When you land at the Tuxtla airport, which is quite small, really cute and easily navigable, you will collect your baggage and make your way to a TAXI stand where 4 different women will each try to get you to buy from here instead of the others. There is a difference. For our MycoChiapas Adventure we will be staying our first night (September 30th, 2026) in Chiapa del Corzo, at Hotel Mansión Chiapa right on the city square (Plaza de Armas Angél Albino Corzo (incidentally, the same name as the International Airport). Take a taxi or shuttle to Hotel Mansion de Chiapa For our MyColores Adventure we will be staying our first night (October 11th, 2026) in San Cristobal de las Casas, at Hotel Sombra del Agua right downtown. Take a taxi or shuttle from Tuxtla Airport to Hotel Sombra del Agua To recap: We will be staying at the following hotels for our Chiapas Adventures: MycoChiaps: Hotel Mansión Chiapa in Chiapa del Corzo (September 30th) MycoChiapas: Sombra del Agua (San Cristobal, October 1st-October 8th (check out) MyColores - Chiapas: Sombra del Agua (San Cristobal, October 11th-October 19th (check out) All the Hotels that we use in Chiapas will have your names and room assignments soon, and you should be able to reference this booking should you want to extend your stay on either side of the trip. Both MycoChiapas and MyColores: Chiapas end in San Cristobal with Checkout on October 8th. We are more than happy to help you arrange your own transport back to the airport in Tuxtla Gutierrez [TGZ] if you are not extending your stay. When you land at the Chiang Mai airport, which is relatively small easily navigable, you will collect your baggage and make your way to a TAXI stand where 4 different women will each try to get you to buy from here instead of the others. For our MycoThai Adventure we will be staying our first night (August 15th, 2026) at Petcharatana Court south of the old city. Take a taxi or shuttle to Petcharatana Court We will let you know when we have secured our final hotel in Chiang Mai (for August 21st, 22nd, & 23rd) if you’d like to stay after our trip ends with check out on the morning of August 24th. All the Hotels that we use will have your names and room assignments several months before our trip, and you should be able to reference this booking should you want to extend your stay on either side of the trip. As far as finding your own accommodations before or after, these are the most useful services that we have found that don’t require anything other than English! See the hotels for the trips above if you want to extend your stay on either side and keep the same Hotel. Booking.com is a great resource for booking hotels, as you don’t usually have to pay in advance. We use it frequently for our smaller groups all throughout Mexico; though it is always best to make sure the hotel saw your booking through the service. There has been only one time where they didn’t see it, but enough to warrant double checking. AirBnB has a lot of really great options in Mexico: Mexico City, Oaxaca and San Cristobal de las Casas. DO NOT book one where the host doesn’t respond, or there are very few reviews, for your own safety. But do have a look around. Oaxaca Centro and San Cristobal de las Casas are small, relatively walkable cities, though both also have innumerable day trips and overnight trips available out of town. If you decide to take some time to visit the magnificent Mexico City on your way in or out (not a bad idea!), it is recommended to search in Colonia Condesa, Roma Norte and Roma Sur for solid and wonderful surroundings. Airbnb conveniently lets you search by neighborhood. The Colonias of Juarez & Cuauhtemoc are fast-growing surrounding neighborhoods. We love Mexico City… we think you will be amazed by this North American "Paris.” Chiang Mai is a wonderfully deep city with endless things to see, do and eat, and Bangkok is that times 1000, not to mention the rest of Thailand or SE Asia at large. Please let us know if you have travel plans before or after the MycoThai Adventure, and we will be as helpful as we can, if you need. We are most knowledgeable about Thailand and especially Chiang Mai. |
Health and SafetyThe general rule of thumb is don't drink public water in Mexico or in Thailand. However, we (Zachary and Kim) have never had a problem brushing our teeth with it or showering in either country, though some people take more extreme precautions and use only bottled water to brush their teeth. That said, Chiapas does have a reputation for getting people sick, so extra precaution on the water in Chiapas can be warranted. Almost all hotels and AirBnBs provide clean water for you to fill your water bottle. Please bring a reusable water bottle (or two) for our forays. We provide large garrafones (20L) of clean water for everyone in our Vans every day. A recent guest recommended traveling with a self contained filtering water bottle, CNET made a list of their recommendations in July 2023. We (Zack and Kim) have had our fair share of tummy troubles in both Mexico and Thailand. But to try to claim it was street food versus a restaurant is dubious. In fact, all the vendors we have visited take pains to put on a plastic bag before handling cash, provide hand wash stations and are very sanitary when it comes to food safety. Ice at restaurants is safe. The touristed parts of Mexico and Thailand know how to treat their guests. If on your own, and worried about the options, a good rule of thumb is only eat things you have seen be cooked right then and there to a high enough temperature to kill any pathogens. This means food sitting out (and to be eaten as such) should be avoided if you are the most cautious eater. There is an over-the-counter mild antibiotic that we began using and recommending for people with tummy issues called Treda. We always have it on hand for our adventures. Please let us know if you have a Sulfa-antibiotic allergy. An attendee in 2023 told us that they started taking Webber Naturals Probiotic capsule once per day for a month leading up to the trip, as well as during the trip, and had zero problems with anything while here. Some weird quirks: In some rural areas of Mexico, some of the toilets do not have seats, and this can be a little awkward when first encountered. And in similar areas in Thailand, you might find some stalls with a mysterious floor contraption that has you stand and squat… both of these are infrequent encounters, but if necessary, it's a kind of a learn-to-squat thing, or just sit on the rim and go for it. In addition to this, we will have plenty of toilet paper available. The only time you may experience this is during our forays or emergency stops while en route somewhere. Toilet paper ALWAYS goes in the trash! Thailand and Mexico! Public toilets in Mexico usually charge $5-$10 pesos, even if you don’t use the toilet paper they provide. Most public toilets are operated privately as a business. We will try to have sufficient change in the van, but it doesn’t hurt to keep a little bit with you as well. Public toilets in Chiang Mai are also around, and may or may not charge, depending on where you are, a few coins. As far as mitigating discomforting factors, there are several items we recommend for personal medical stuff: Tummy/Pain Stuff * Activated Charcoal (the best thing for loose bowels, which definitely can happen in Mexico)... some western medication can constipate you, and this can actually make it worse, whereas charcoal binds up the bad stuff to get it out!) * Tylenol or your preferred painkiller for whatever pains may arise (headaches, etc. you know yourself better that we do!); * Benadryl: useful if you have any allergies to stings or bugs or happen to attract Mosquitos or react strongly. In the previous 4 years of leading we have only had one sting incident, mosquitos are pretty common during the rainy season, though decreasing significantly with altitude. * Emergen-C or Nuun Tablets for electrolytes, and anything else you normally need to feel comfortable. * Treda: Treda is a combined medication specifically for Tummy issues: Kaopectate and Sulfa-antibiotics are the active ingredients. Sulfa-Allergies please take note. We always have this with us and it works wonders. * Emergen-C or Nuun Tablets for electrolytes, and anything else you normally need to feel comfortable. Altitude and Bus Travel Cordyceps Mushroom Supplements: Mountain Mexico is on an elevated center of two mountain ranges. For example, Mexico City is at 7500ft, Oaxaca City at 5000ft, and our time in the mountains at times could be above 8000ft, and up to 10,700ft (so far!). Chiang Mai is considerably lower, but we may find ourselves at 5200ft during at least one excursion in Thailand. Cordyceps has been used to help with altitude adjustment. Reportedly, this is best achieved if you start taking them regularly a couple weeks before you travel. Please ask your healthcare provider if you have questions, and refer to recommendations on for the supplement you purchase. This is not medical advice. We do not provide supplements. Dramamine to be taken about 30-45 minutes before our van rides, if you get carsick (the drive up and down the mountain can be a bit swervy); We will have a well-stocked First Aid kit as well for nicks, dings, and splinters, including benadryl for stings, and dramamine for travel. We are not prepared for everyone to need everything, so bring what you need to guarantee your comfort. If you need anything specific, it is better to bring it yourself rather than rely on the local pharmacies, even though they have always had the basics when we’ve needed, supply runs do happen here. And nothing is guaranteed (steroids creams in the mountains, for example, are not to be found). Chiang Mai pharmacies are usually pretty stocked, but it is always better to bring any crucial medicine with you in your carry on or personal bag to make sure you have what you need when you need it. The most commonly reported crime in touristed Mexico is having things swiped from hands when they aren't paying attention, and in crowded areas, pickpockets. This can happen in any Mexican city, as it can in virtually any city on Earth. We always stay in the safest parts of the cities, but it is still on you to check your belongings and be aware of your surroundings: don't leave your backpacks sitting somewhere without attending, wear your hanging bags in front of your body in crowded areas no matter what urban setting you are in, if you are particularly vulnerable to being targeted (it's happened before), divide up you cash between your wallet and a money belt. Most of safety in Mexico, like anywhere, comes down to awareness. Oaxaca can be quite abuzz during the days and we have never once felt unsafe during the day, and well into the evening (until the bars close). And, as outlined above, personal vigilance is your number one safety protocol no matter where you go. If you find yourself–even if there are several people–out late at night in Mexico City or Oaxaca, get a ride. Uber and DiDi phone apps are safe, fast and cheap. (see above in Arriving in Mexico City). Oaxaca has only recently implemented DiDi, but there will be cabs to hail early everywhere you are likely to be. Both Chiapa de Corzo and San Cristobal are smaller cities, and tourist hotspots. We have not heard of crime beyond pickpockets on very busy holidays, and never experienced it ourselves. As above, personal vigilance and awareness is your best guard anywhere you are. The rural villages that we visit are as safe as it can be. There is next to no crime, and people are happy to host, provided you’ve made arrangements in advance. We will be with guides and folks familiar to the area, and familiar to the community, and some of these twins we have been visiting since 2019. That said, suddenly popping up in a random pueblo is not recommended without sufficient Spanish, a specific person you are meeting, a very good reason to be there, and a good sense of humor and humanity. Like many countries, Thailand is large and varied in it’s urban and rural areas. Bangkok is a vast city, home to more than 18 of the 72 million people that live in Thailand. Chiang Mai is the second largest in Thailand after Bangkok… at 630,000 people, and felt very safe for us when we were there a year ago. Safety in Thailand is an entirely different matter to Mexico, Bangkok and surrounding areas are more akin to Any City, World, but the rest of Thailand, even on the coastal areas, can be honest to a fault, and theft very, very rare. Violence or yelling, even more rare. The rural villages that we visit are as safe as it can be. There is next to no crime, and people are happy to host, provided you’ve made arrangements in advance. We will be with guides and folks familiar to the area, and familiar to the community. Being a friendly ‘falang’ (‘gringo’ in Thai) in rural Thailand is a lot of fun, and people are fascinated to see you. If they speak any english, they’ll be thrilled to practice. They probably don’t. Thailand is known as the land of smiles, and if you smile first, they almost cannot resist and return it. We recommend that everyone have Travel or Trip Insurance. Things happen. You can use this service to compare Travel Insurance from many providers at once! Traveler’s Insurance comes in a lot of different flavors, and covers different needs. Please have some sort of plan for any medical emergency that may happen while you are out of the country. We will be circulating a form for emergency contact information. Your safety is of the utmost importance to all of us. By now we assume you have informed us of any medical issues that may come up, if not, please let us know for the safety of the group. Trip Cancellation insurance may protect your non-refundable deposits if you must cancel before departure. Trip Interruption insurance provides for covered disruptions during your travel, such as flight interruptions that have a cascading effect. Coverage can be customizable, with medical tourism booming with medical or dental insurance; protection for baggage, delayed air travel, or even Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) insurance. We strongly recommend securing Trip Cancellation travel insurance. It is so hard every year someone is forced to cancel–usually medical or a family emergency–within the period in which we can no longer provide refunds. Please consider that you might be risking the full cost of your trip without it. Other insurance can reimburse you for missed portions due to injury. We have not yet found a company we can recommend, but we do recommend looking around to see what fits your needs the most. If you have good experiences with any company, credit card or policy, please let us know so we can recommend it to others! If you already have medical insurance, it is possible that overseas emergency medical travel insurance is included with your policy. Additionally, some credit cards may provide travel insurance for purchases charged on their account. We have successfully been reimbursed by a United/Visa card for significant (3 days) of trip delay in the US without much difficulty. Thai is one of the most difficult languages to learn to read and to speak, due to the tonal nature of the language. You can use this link to subscribe to Pimsleur, which will help you feel less blind-sided by the otherness. Both Zack and Kim will be refreshing themselves using Pimsleur. Before our trip in August. We will have our guide Tieu with us for the time we are together, and in Chiang Mai, many people speak English. Many people in Mexico City speak English and often like the chance to practice their English, which makes it funny when you are trying to practice your Spanish. I would say an equal amount of urban peoples in Oaxaca also speak some English. Rural people do not necessarily speak English very well, if at all. For many, Spanish is their second language. Google translate is pretty fantastic, and can be used to read signs, menus, and supposedly even translate in real time conversations (though we have never successfully done this). For typing, translating, responding by text or email, it is all you need. Many of our partners, guides, and mycologists speak excellent English. The communities will have Spanish as their second language, too. We recently visited the last Matlatxinca speaking village in the world. The languages in Mexico spoken today number in the high three-hundreds. If you have time to take some basic language classes, such as the Pimsleur Language Program, or Thoughtco.com. Learning some Spanish really isn’t necessary, but it might help you feel more comfortable when buying water at OXXO, or trying to book a hotel, buy a book or piece of art. We’ve had guests say they wished they taken the time to learn a little more. There are many tutors that you can find online for conversational lessons, as well, from many Spanish speaking countries. Pimsleur is a program that we have used to the fullest extent, and it is quite astounding how quickly you can learn a language using the online program. It is divided into FIVE lessons block of THIRTY Progressive 30-minute Listen & Repeat audio lessons; not to mention all kinds of games and reading activities to sharpen your skills. We’ve successfully used Pimsleur in conjunction with flash cards and Thoughtco.com, and are being told we speak Spanish quite well as of late. Highly recommended! Full disclosure, we are an affiliate with Pimsleur.That is because we feel Pimsleur is one of the most effective programs. Between Kim and Zack, w have used it for Spanish, Japanese, Thai, Mandarin, Brazilian Portuguese, and toyed around with other languages like Russian, Arabic, and Dutch. A subscription gives you access to 51 languages, so why not? |
What to Expect / What to BringOur orchid trip in April will be mostly hot. Oaxaca City will be hot and dry, and the Jungle will be hot with humidity. Two of our evening we will stay in the Sierra Nortes, reaching up to 10,000ft elevation, and may experience some chill during nights 1 and 7. Layers are recommended. For our mushroom specific trips, both southern Mexico and Northern Thailand will be in the throes of rainy season… which is good, since that is when mushrooms come up! Both areas are subject to monsoon type rains that tend to build throughout the early afternoon and clear by 9:00pm, but it is also not unheard of to have rain all day long for at least one day. We will try to be home by the early evening storms. A light rain jacket is a good idea, Zack always brings rain pants, but hasn’t used them. Waterproof shoes are a must. Two pairs of shoes are recommended. It is rare that the rains are an all day affair. According to various weather sites, the average high temperature during this time ( is about 79-81°F during the day, and at night cooling down to 59-61°F. It will be cooler in the mountains (down into the high 30s or low 40s!), a long sleeve shirt and sweatshirt can come in handy. Amazingly, this is true for both Thailand and Mexico, though Thialand can feel hotter due to higher humidity. Expect rain nearly every day, and bring appropriate light clothing that is generally waterproof, or have a change of clothes afterward. Pack layers. Bring a beanie. You won't regret it. We recommend bringing a camera that satisfies your needs. For Zack, an iPhone 16 is sufficient, but if you want to bring something else for your own use, please do. We will create a way for us all to share photos of our finds at the end of the trip as well, so if you don't want to bring any camera, you won't miss out on the memories. We also highly recommend making an iNaturalist profile, if you don't have one already. iNaturalist is an incredible app for photographing and identifying all manners of flora, fauna, and funga. In addition, it is a publicly shared app where people from all over the world will be able to see and comment on your posts, and it is a wonderful citizen science tool for logging the natural environment all over the world. With so many of us exploring, we may contribute greatly to the knowledge of the area just by making and posting observations… …HOWEVER… In some communities, sharing locations of mushroom or plant finds is considered disrespectful. So when we are in the community land specifically, we will ask their permission, and it is expected that ALL participants respect the wishes of the community. We have been assured that fines will be enforced. For our mushroom folks: the equipment you need for a foray is up to you: if you are checking a bag, you can bring a pocket (or mushroom knife) with you. We (Zack and Kim) have traveled with our mushroom baskets as our carry on before–a smaller backpack conveniently fits inside of some baskets for convenient overhead compartment storage. There are baskets for purchase everywhere we are visiting if you are arriving early. We strongly recommend good sturdy ankle-supporting hiking shoes as well as layers for warmth adjustment, sunhat, sunscreen, water bottle(s)extra water bottle(s); sunscreen; camera equipment; your favorite snacks from home; mushroom knife (check it!!), a blacklight, if you have one, travel binoculars, etc.. Tthere may not be an opportunity to take many mushrooms with us from the community, so please consider this opportunity to observe, eat, experience and learn rather than a collect-and-take-home type of adventure. Generally speaking, it is rare to see shorts or open-toed shoes in the larger cities (or anywhere, really) in Mexico. Bangkok on the other hand is hot and sweaty and tropical and anything goes, though temples require shoulder coverings, and provide them, tanktops are very common, as are hawaiian shirts, shorts, dresses, etc. In Mexico, no open-toed shoes is for good reaso: sidewalks are unreliable with sharp pieces of cut metal, holes, dog doodoo, or missing manholes. Wear sturdy shoes, and watch your step. Seriously. Thailand, and Chiang Mai in particular, is another monster altogether. Open-toed shoes–flip-flops–are VERY common in Thailand, and simultaneously, nowhere in my life have I ever experienced dirtier feet. Shoes are recommended, but please be aware that there are absolutely NO SHOES anywhere inside Thailand, even convenience stores, so shoes that slip on and off are useful if you plan to be in public. Feet in general are a thing in Thailand, and it is rude to pint the bottoms of your feet at anyone, especially the Buddha. When in Oaxaca City & San Cristobal, the center of the city is cobblestones or paved sidewalks, and though we will be enjoying a couple nights on-the-town together, it is not recommended that you wear heels or slippery shoes of any kind, as the ground can be wet and slippery on its own. Chiang Mai and Bangkok are more concrete and actual sidewalks. Often the hotels will provide umbrellas, but if you have one that is easy to pack, it is advisable that you bring it just in case, as well as shoes that are either water proof, or shoes that you don't mind getting wet and dry easily. It is not uncommon for there to be rivers in the streets during heavy rain in all three of our main cities: Oaxaca, San Cristobal and Chiang Mai. Dining out in Mexican and Thai cities is generally smart-casual, but with many tourists, anything goes. You do you, depending on your venue and your company. No one will think you are overdressed except maybe you. You are invited to present your best self to the world. In Mexico, our time in the mountains is going to be at or above 8,000ft for the duration of our time, so there isn't much atmosphere to protect you from the UV rays of the sun. Just being exposed to the reflection off the concrete can be quite burning. Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide, as funny as it makes you look, works wonders. Additionally, altitude is very real. Take it easy, ask for help, ask to rest, be vocal with what you are able to do and not able to do. We are here to help you have a comfortable time, no need to grin and bear it. See our recommendations for dealing with altitude further up in this guide. It is unlikely that anyone in Thailand will experience altitude problems, as one of our hikes goes about 5000ft, but only that one day. We will be walking around in fairly easy to navigate wood with our guides, and we will be looking for mushrooms. Hiking shoes, or comfortable shoes with ankle support is recommended. We will potentially get rained on in the woods or be inside of clouds, so light water repellent clothes are a good idea in this case. We obviously will find other activities if it is pouring down so hard there is some danger we will be washed away. Long pants and light sleeves are strongly recommended for our foray days. As well as shoes with socks, due to biting things (mostly bugs). Sleeping Accommodations In Oaxaca, the middle 6 nights of our trip we stay in beautiful cabins within or just outside of the closest mountain town, or with a family in private bunk rooms, in the case of our Orchid Adventure. You will be in cohabitation, generally two to a cabin, with a few exceptions. Most cabins have fireplaces and plenty of blankets and hot water (conditionally), and the hosts will light our fires for us when we request to build up the heat for the night time, and fans when it is hot, are are in proximity to a central kitchen, meeting space, or restaurant. On our first and last nights in Oaxaca–and all our nights in Chiapas and Chiang Mai–we will staying in nice hotels. We are excited to share these places with you, and there should be no issue with hot water, power, towels, etc. What to do Before or After your AdventureOne of the drawbacks of our tours is that we do not spend much time in downtown Oaxaca. While we do eat at two great restaurants and stay in Centro, the focus is on the mountain communities. We cannot recommend enough coming a few days early or staying a few days--or more, if you can afford it--to give yourself time, especially after the deep dive into the mountains, to explore the enduring wonder that is Oaxaca. Here is our Guide to Oaxaca, which is being updated fairly frequently as we ourselves discover new places and new spots open up. Feel free to stay in the same hotel, or pick from the many available, or an Airbnb for more comfort. We will do our best to help you book at the same hotel as the adventure before or after, should you need, if we are available. For our July 15th Adventure, make sure to look up the Guelaguetza festival, slated to begin the Monday suring our adventure begins, and will officially continue through July 28th. Staying Late for our July experience is very much recommended, and booking your place NOW is critical. Guelaguetza gets packed! In early February 2024, Oaxaca opened the toll road to the beach, shortening the travel time from 9 hours to just 2.5... this project has been in the works for 15 years, and it is amazing and so easy to access the beach from City Center (ADO Bus is MX$300 ~$US17... that's cheaper than gas, never mind the rental car!). For everyone coming to Oaxaca, we also have contacts for mountain biking, further trekking, mezcal adventures, and more, so don't hesitate to ask! From the moment you leave your plane in Tuxtla Gutierrez, you will see that Chiapas is the land of nature and adventure travel. There is so much to see and do in Chiapas, and almost all of it has to do with water. There are also numerous tour agencies that will take you all over on various day and overnight excursions. By the end of the trip, you’ll have an idea of what you want to do. We will be visiting the Sumidero Canyon for the MycoChiapas, but NOT for MyColores! Feel free to stay in the same hotel, or pick from the many available, or an Airbnb for more comfort. We will do our best to help you book at the same hotel as the adventure before or after, should you need, if we are available. What can we say… we lived in Chiang Mai for a year and half and still want more. And Thailand is magical up, down and all around. And that’s just one country in SE Asia. What we’re saying is, no amount of time you stay after will be enough. We will be as helpful as we can in helping you make a plan, but the magic of self-guided travel, even sometimes accidental discoveries, in Asia are part of the journey. Whatever it is you're thinking about doing in the area, we say go for it! |
