We are located in Xalapa—or Jalapa—which is located in the state of Veracruz on the east coast of Mexico. It is about a 4.5-hour bus ride from CDMX and a 2-hour bus ride from Veracruz.

The current metro area population of Xalapa in 2023 is 811,000.

Xalapa has an average temperature of 68°F or 20°C with a slight humidity that means most days are like the last as far as weather goes. In the “winter” months of December and January, it is very rare for the temperature to dip below 50°F or 10°C. Likewise, during the “summer” season around July and August, it is rare for the temperature to rise above 90°F or 32°C.

Known as the “Athens of Veracruz” with three universities, Xalapa is a hub of cultural production. From poetry and literature to art and music, Xalapa is home to a number of well–known Mexican cultural producers. The name Xalapa roughly means “spring in the sand” according to the name’s Nahuatl roots, and from it have sprung things like the Xalapa Symphony Orchestra and Yuyi Morales, children’s book writer and illustrator, to name just a few. Also, a fun fact: the word “jalapeño” means “from Xalapa” in Spanish. Read this article by Alan Chazaro in the LA Times about the origins of this world–famous pepper.

We welcome guests to stay in 7–day increments—including arrival and departure days. Speak to us though if you are looking for a longer stay and we can likely work something out.

Generally we recommend arriving on Monday and departing on Sunday but life happens so just let us know what works best for you and we can work something out.

No, airfare is not included. Depending on where you are, the time of year, or the airline, airfare for an economy ticket can range from 320 USD on the low end to 700 USD and up. You may already have your preferred way of searching for tickets but we have had really great experiences with SkyScanner.

Either Veracruz or Ciudad de Mexico (CDMX) are the best airports to fly into. It is a 2-hour bus ride from the Veracruz airport and a 4.5-hour bus ride from CDMX.

You will be in the main house with a bedroom, bathroom, living room, dining room, office, kitchen, and inner courtyard. The host will be staying in the casita at the top of the property.

e TAPO or Terminal de Autobuses de Pasajeros de Oriente. View it on Google Maps here. This is a major transportation hub that thousands of people use per day.

CAO or Central de Autobuses de Oriente. View it on Google Maps here.

ADO GL buses are highly recommended whether you are taking a bus from Veracruz or Mexico City. You can book your tickets here. ADO is simply the name of the bus company.

No. Any water that goes in your body should be filtered water. That includes water for drinking, cooking, or brushing your teeth. We will provide an ample supply of filtered, safe water and when you are out there are tons of places to buy bottled water—or you can bring your filled bottle from home.

Yes, there is a strong water filter in the kitchen and there are tons of convenience stores very nearby that sell bottled water and everything else convenience–y that you might want in case you are out walking around the city and do not have your reusable water bottle with you.

Montezuma’s Revenge is travelers’ diarrhea caused from bacteria found on unwashed food or food that has not been disinfected well. It is common for first–time travelers to get this and local folks can get it as well. It is usually accompanied by abdominal cramps, nausea, fever, headache, or bloating and usually goes away in 3–5 days. We will be here to help you through the experience if it happens and have a number of things on hand that help. It is not inevitable that you will experience this though but it is very likely if you drink water from the tap.

Yes. Restaurants have a high incentive to not get their customers sick so the vast majority are buying ice from the store or using filtered water to make their own ice. If you want to err on the super safe side you can always opt out of ice—“sin hielo, por favor.”

It’s best to use filtered water or just rinse afterward with filtered water.

Yep, totally safe! We just recommend not taking huge gulps of the water :)

Yes. From experience, you will have a much better time here if you just follow the above guidelines and practice caution—unless your idea of a good time is running to the toilet every three minutes.

Yes, between roughly May and October there are mosquitos, after which time they drop off significantly, if not altogether. Xalapa is too high an altitude for malaria, which is great news. They can be a nuisance at times though so we will provide a natural repellent but you are welcome to bring one that you prefer, too.

No. There are lots of insects but they keep to themselves —aside from the mosquitos at certain times of the year—and we treat for cockroaches so they are very seldom seen. There are some amazing birds that visit throughout the day, including a pair of beautiful wild parrots, so look forward to enjoying their sounds throughout the day.