Hello travelers! Welcome to my article on Hierve el Agua. My name is Charlie Martinez (@deftony83) and I’m a drone pilot that loves to travel the world in search of all the unique places that our planet has to offer.
I was born and raised in this tiny but amazing country called Panama. If you haven’t traveled there, I recommend going because I’m sure you will fall in love with this destination that links Central and South America!
My first camera was a polaroid from my sister. I used to take pictures of my classmates when I was at school to practice my photography. I fell in love with this art form but not from a technical point of view just as a hobby. My passion for travel then started when I was 18 after visiting friends overseas.
The first destination I traveled to was Ottawa, Canada. From then onwards, I became addicted to traveling. Social media became the catalyst for my travels as I wanted to document and share my stories with other people.
Drone photography came into my life in 2015 when I purchased my first drone. After that I never looked back as I knew this was going to be my new passion. I didn’t just want to travel to the same locations most people travel to. I actually yearned to capture new destinations from a unique perspective and share these points of view that my drone captured.
Two Incredible Weeks in Mexico
Back in 2019, I asked my wife (she is from Mexico) that she had two choices for destinations: Dominican Republic or Mexico. She wanted to visit family that she hadn’t seen in years. I agreed but at the same time I knew this was a huge opportunity for me to travel and explore the many beautiful locations that Mexico has to offer. I was not disappointed at all!
We went to Mexico in September, 2019 for two weeks and visited nine states in the south: The State of Mexico, Puebla, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Campeche, Veracruz, Tabasco, Yucatan and Tlaxcala. The trip was insane! We used three different rental cars because of various breakdowns and vandalism. These crazy occurrences on the road made for amazing stories.
My Experience at Hierve el Agua
I once saw a friend post a photo on Instagram from a location called Hierve el Agua. At that point, I had never heard about it. I decided to do research on this destination because of how different and unique it looked. Indeed, I found out that it was one of only two petrified waterfalls in the world!
Once we had made plans to visit Mexico I knew that Hierve el Agua would be at the top of my bucket list. Our road trip through the country was crazy awesome and these waterfalls/rock formations were one of the highlights.
My experience at Hierve el Agua was incredible for many reasons. While I was traveling in Kuwait months before, I had dreamed of visiting this place to propose to my wife. I imagined a sunset with amazing colours and recording everything with my drone while I was on my knee proposing.
Unfortunately, the sunset didn’t quite work out. I decided to wait for sunrise the next day. We drove there in the morning and waited for sunrise. In the meantime, I was capturing some beautiful shots with the drone. But my wife stayed inside the car because there were stray dogs around. So the proposal had to wait for a more suitable and romantic moment.
In the end, I proposed to my wife in Hierve el Agua and she said yes! I will never forget the excitement on her face. She couldn’t believe what was happening. Of course, this was my favorite moment from our Mexico trip.
We spent five hours in Hierve el Agua in total and enjoyed taking in the views, doing some hiking, finding photography spots and even found time for a proposal! It was a wonderful day and one that we will cherish forever.
If it wasn’t for the fact that we needed to go to Chiapas that same day we would have stayed for longer. The security guard allowed me to take the drone inside because I told him that I was planning on proposing to my wife. He allowed us to take the shots because we were the only ones there.
Best Things To Do at Hierve el Agua
The petrified waterfalls were the main reason I wanted to visit Hierve el Agua. I had the goal of capturing as many unique viewpoints of them as I could. Just admiring the falls and taking photos is the number one activity.
Then you can take a dip in the thermal waters which overflow over the edge. These waters are beneficial for your health. Normally, there is enough water for several pools to fill up but sometimes the water levels are low during the dry season. The colors of the pools are epic – yellow and green!
Lastly, there is a hike you can do which takes you on a loop under the falls. This trail should take you 15-20 minutes and leads you to another viewpoint with small natural pools/holes in the ground. From here you can continue hiking or head back to where you started – it’s totally up to you.
Basing yourself in Oaxaca, Mexico
I recommend staying in Oaxaca in a nice hotel or Airbnb while you visit Hierve el Agua. The trip from the city takes about one and a half hours and is not a burdensome journey. You can enjoy exploring this beautiful city and then take a trip to Hierve el Agua. Make sure you take the federal highway if driving yourself. It’s more secure and gives you peace of mind.
Need to Know Before you Go
Hierve el Agua is only accessible to the public from Monday through to Thursday from 9am to 6pm. Make sure you plan accordingly. I suggest packing your own breakfast, lunch and dinner if you plan on spending the whole day there. You can’t find any cafes, restaurants or supermarkets.
Don’t be in a rush like I was! Let Hierve el Agua soak into your soul. You won’t regret visiting this beautiful destination. Thanks for reading 🙂
