Puerto Escondido
Mexico's best wave and the town around it
Puerto Escondido is the Mexican beach destination that has grown most in the last decade, and the one changing fastest. It is still a town, still cheap compared to the Caribbean, and still home to one of the most serious waves on the planet. But it is no longer the secret it was.
Why everyone talks about Puerto
Three reasons that combine well: the Zicatela wave, which is world-class; the price, which still allows a long trip without ruin; and the Oaxaca coast, with lagoons, bays and villages half an hour in any direction. Add that it became fashionable with digital nomads and younger travellers, which brought specialty coffee, yoga and a nightlife scene that did not exist before.
The beaches, each for something different
- Zicatela — the famous one. The "Mexican Pipeline" is an enormous, dangerous wave breaking almost on the shore. It is not for swimming. It is for watching, photographing and, if you truly know what you are doing, surfing.
- Playa Carrizalillo — a small cove reached down a long staircase. Calm water, the best for swimming and for a first surf lesson.
- Puerto Angelito and Manzanillo — two sheltered coves with palapas and food, ideal for families.
- Playa Bacocho — long and open, with strong currents; this is where the sunset turtle releases happen.
- La Punta — the southern end of Zicatela, with a far more manageable left-hand wave and the most relaxed neighbourhood in town.
The warning is serious: the sea at Puerto Escondido kills people every year. Rip currents are strong and the bottom drops away suddenly. Ask before getting in and respect the lifeguards.
What to do besides surf
Head out at dawn for dolphins and, in season, whales. Go to the Manialtepec lagoon for bioluminescence on moonless nights. Spend a day in the Chacahua bays inside the national park, one of the loveliest places on the Oaxacan coast. And eat: Oaxaca has the best cooking in Mexico, and here it arrives in its coastal version, with fish, tlayudas and mezcal.
When to come
November to April is dry and sunny with smaller swell: the best season for an easy trip. May to October is rainy and humid, but that is when the southern swells arrive and Zicatela reaches its peak. Come in summer to surf seriously, in winter for a holiday.
Getting there and around
The airport (PXM) is small, with flights from Mexico City and Oaxaca and more routes every year. You can also drive from Oaxaca city; the new highway cut the old mountain journey dramatically. In town everything happens by moto-taxi or on foot; for the lagoons and Chacahua, take a tour or a car.
Where to stay
La Punta if you came for surf and a young crowd — the most walkable and liveliest area. Zicatela to be near the wave and the restaurants. Rinconada is more residential and quiet, close to Carrizalillo. The centre and the Adoquín are the old part of town, with lower prices and less international tourism.
One piece of advice
Puerto Escondido is not a resort destination and does not try to be. Services are small-town, power cuts happen and the sea is in charge. Go expecting Cancún and you will be frustrated; go expecting a coastal town with the best wave in Mexico and it is one of the best trips in the country.
