Laguna de Manialtepec, Coastal lagoon near Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Laguna de Manialtepec is a coastal lagoon in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, separated from the Pacific Ocean by a narrow strip of land. Mangrove forests line much of its banks, and the water shifts between shallow coves and wider, deeper sections depending on where you are along the shore.
The lagoon fed indigenous communities in the region for centuries before Spanish colonizers arrived in Oaxaca in the 1500s. After the colonial period, it remained a working resource for coastal populations who kept fishing and gathering traditions alive across generations.
The name Manialtepec comes from Nahuatl and roughly means "place of water near the hill," pointing to a long indigenous presence along this stretch of coast. Small fishing boats still move across the water daily, and the communities nearby organize much of their life around what the lagoon provides.
The lagoon sits along the coastal highway roughly one hour from Oaxaca city, and it is easiest to reach by private vehicle or an organized tour. Boat trips usually depart from the small town of San Jose Manialtepec, and visiting in the dry season tends to give calmer water and better visibility.
On certain nights the water of the lagoon glows faint blue-green when disturbed by a paddle or a hand passing through it. The effect comes from tiny living organisms called dinoflagellates, which produce light when they move or are touched.
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