The Soul of Zipolite: Beyond Elon Musk and Starlink
By Tina Winterlik (Zipolita)
Response to GQ’s “How Elon Musk Changed Mexico’s Most Famous Nude Beach”
Articles can capture a headline, but they can’t always hold a place’s soul. I lived in Zipolite. I heard the water trucks, I watched new pools fill while taps ran dry, and I felt the town shift under the weight of attention, technology, and money. This is my response — not to argue with anyone, but to witness what many of us saw and felt.
Water, Noise, and the Cost of “Comfort”
People bought property, put in swimming pools, and the truth is: there isn’t enough water. The pumping trucks are loud — a constant reminder that comfort for some is scarcity for others. My landlord had to order water to be pumped in. It’s not just noise pollution; it’s imbalance made audible.
When Violence Shatters the Illusion
Last year, terrible things happened. A crime ring. Young people went missing — they weren’t from there — and later a car was found with bodies inside, hands cut off. That’s not a rumor for tourists to trade; it’s pain a community carries.
A woman named Gabi — a Canadian from Calgary who’d lived there around ten years — was robbed, shot, and murdered driving home to Canada at night. We were acquaintances; we had exchanged social media info. Everyone knows the rule: never travel at night. But knowing a rule doesn’t undo grief.
What the Nudist Festival Was — and What It Became
The nudist festival was never meant to be sex tourism. Freedom without exploitation. But “anything goes” is not freedom — it’s disrespect. The shift hurt people, and it hurt the place. Old timers know exactly what I mean.
Gloria, Memory, and Meaning
Those who remember Gloria (de Shambhala) know she was part of the spirit of Zipolite. People say she’d be rolling in her grave to see what’s become of some parts of the beach — but she was cremated. The point remains: elders and founders held a line. When that line was crossed, something essential started to fray.
Playa del Amor, Agatha, and the Warnings We Ignore
A few years back, when orgies were happening at Playa del Amor, and after Gloria passed, Hurricane Agatha tore through and blew everything apart. I’ve said before (thinking of Deepak’s teachings): we are not outside of nature. This year, storms hit again. Whether you read that as climate reality, spiritual warning, or both — the message is clear: a place is not a toy.
“We are not outside of nature. When we forget that, nature has a way of reminding us.”
Tech Arrived — But at What Price?
Starlink brought connectivity. Yes, it opened doors for remote work and made it easier to stay in touch. But connection without caretaking can accelerate extraction: more speculation, higher rents, deeper divides. Not all change is progress when the roots are drying out.
What Respect Looks Like (For Visitors, Nomads, and Newcomers)
- Water is sacred: Don’t build or fill what the aquifer can’t support. Conserve. Always.
- Quiet has value: Think about generators, pumps, parties, and late-night noise. People live here.
- Safety isn’t a rumor: Don’t travel at night. Don’t flash money. Don’t assume you’re invisible.
- Consent & culture: The nudist tradition is about freedom with respect — not commodified sex tourism.
- Give back: Pay fairly, hire locally, support community initiatives, ask what’s actually needed.
The Car, Pueblo, and a Line in the Sand
Even small symbols matter. When the car was moved up to the Pueblo, it felt like a message: “Don’t do that here.” Lines were being drawn, however quietly, to say: this place deserves care.
Why I’m Writing This
I love Zipolite. I always will. This isn’t about blaming one person or one company. It’s about saying out loud what many locals, workers, and long-timers know: if a place is treated like an endless resource or a playground, it breaks — first in spirit, then in body.
