Mexico’s Laid-Back Beach Town
Puerto Escondido is a charming coastal town located on Mexico's Pacific coast in the state of Oaxaca. It has a population of around 45,000 inhabitants and attracts tourists year-round. Despite its relatively small size, Puerto Escondido has a lively atmosphere. In addition to the locals, the town has a thriving expat community consisting of retirees, digital nomads, artists, entrepreneurs, and individuals seeking a more laid-back lifestyle. This community has driven the development of amenities, including international cuisine, cafes with good WiFi, and improved English in local businesses.
Puerto Escondido is renowned among surfers for its world-class waves. Playa Zicatela, known as the "Mexican Pipeline," attracts experienced surfers from around the world who seek the challenge of riding its massive waves.
The climate in Puerto Escondido is tropical and hot throughout the year, with average temperatures ranging from 24 to 32°C (75 to 90°F). The town experiences a dry season from November to April and a rainy season from May to October. Even during the rainy season, there is plenty of sun with regular daily showers, usually at the end of the day. The sea temperature stays warm all year round. In the dry season, temperatures are at their lowest, yet still not going any lower than 24°C (75°F).
Puerto Escondido's culinary scene, based on both its coastal location and its cultural heritage, offers a delightful fusion of Mexican flavors and international cuisines. From fresh seafood to street food, visitors can savor an array of authentic Oaxacan dishes, including delicious seafood tacos. The bustling markets and streets are great places for food enthusiasts. Additionally, the town's diverse dining options cater to international tastes, with restaurants serving everything from Italian pasta to Japanese sushi, guaranteeing a diverse culinary experience suited to all preferences.
The town is also renowned among backpackers for its vibrant nightlife. While it maintains a slow, laid-back atmosphere during the day, certain areas come alive at night. Zicatela Beach, in particular, is home to many bars and beach clubs that attract both locals and visitors.
In essence, Puerto Escondido's enchanting beaches, renowned surf spots, vibrant nightlife, and proximity to neighboring towns like Mazunte, Zipolite, and Chacahua make it a sought-after destination for travelers seeking sun, surf, and adventure along Mexico's coastline.
Puerto Escondido's Waves and Beyond
Puerto Escondido is perfect for sun-seekers year-round, offering beautiful beaches and warm weather anytime. It's also a place to slow down and unwind, away from the rush of everyday life. Here you can relax and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere that's typical for this place.
Puerto's main beach is Playa Zicatela, which is stretching 5,6 km (3.5 miles) from the Zicatela neighborhood until La Punta. The season for Zicatela biggest waves typically coincides with the southern hemisphere's winter months, roughly from May to August. During this time, swells originating from the southern Pacific Ocean generate large and consistent waves, creating ideal conditions for experienced surfers seeking challenging breaks. However, for both professional and beginner surfers, Puerto Escondido offers ample opportunities. With numerous surf schools and several beaches, everyone can either try surfing for the first time or improve their existing skills.
Next to Zicatela beach, Puerto Escondido is home to several other beautiful beaches, each with its own unique charm. Playa Carrizalillo is known for its tranquil waters and is ideal for swimming and snorkeling, while Playa Principal offers a more traditional beach experience with seafood restaurants lining the shore.
In addition to its beautiful shores, Puerto is also home to the Manialtepec Lagoon, a must-visit spot in the evening or at night. Here you will be able to see the magical glows created by bioluminescent organisms in the water. A short drive will take you to the lagoon, where you can hop on a boat that will take you to the right place in the lagoon.
Similar bioluminescence can be observed in the lagoon of Chacahua, located two hours from Puerto. Chacahua is not only known for its bioluminescence but also for its charm as one of Mexico's most captivating coastal towns. Much smaller than Puerto, it offers a more traditional and local experience.
Other attractions around Puerto that are great for nature lovers include wildlife tours, turtle conservation centers, and hikes through the jungle and along the river. And of course, Puerto is also a great place to immerse yourself in Mexican culture. Experience the culture by trying the local food, meeting Mexican people, and experience any of the traditional festivals hosted throughout the year.
Where to Stay: Best Neighborhoods for Slow Travelers
We started our first day in a private room in a hostel in the busy center of Puerto (called "centro" on the map). We had seen that Puerto could be divided into multiple neighborhoods, and since we knew we wanted to stay here a bit longer, we first wanted to get to know the areas firsthand.
Zicatela is famous for its surfing beach and vibrant nightlife. Rinconada is a quieter residential area near Playa Carrizalillo, featuring cafes, restaurants, and shops. La Punta, with its bohemian vibe, attracts backpackers and offers hostels, surf schools, and beachside eateries. And Centro, the bustling downtown, is filled with markets, shops, and a variety of dining options.
During our first days, we started looking for places on various platforms. We saw a post on Facebook about a place close to La Punta, but just outside of the busy area. We had visited La Punta, and we liked the idea of being able to walk there while not being in the midst of the touristy area. Additionally, the place was only a minute from the beach, which was a great feature too.
This place had actually just opened. It was a house made of bamboo and natural building materials. The idea for the house was to become a coliving space, a modern housing concept where individuals share communal living spaces. It goes beyond just renting a room; it emphasizes community, social interaction, and collaboration among its residents. This was very much the case here: it didn't feel like just renting a room; it felt more like entering a very friendly community of like-minded people. The house had several private bedrooms but a shared kitchen and lounge area.
We agreed to stay for a week at first because we needed to know if the WiFi would work properly. Puerto Escondido, and especially La Punta, is known for WiFi that tends to go down every now and then. The first week turned out great though. We loved the house itself, the location, the proximity to the beach, and the people. We extended our stay and ended up staying here for five weeks.
We were in Puerto at the end of the high season, with the rainy season about to kick in. We only had one shower during our whole stay, and we welcomed it with open arms after all the heat and drought. For the rest of our stay, it was warm, day and night, with sunshine every day.
Embracing Life in Puerto Escondido
Getting around Puerto Escondido is quite straightforward. The town's layout is simple, with a single long street connecting all neighborhoods, making it easy to access the main street and catch a colectivo. Colectivos are shared vans with designated routes that run throughout the day, minimizing wait times. These vans display their destinations on their windows, making it easy to identify the right one, or you can always ask where they go and hop on when needed.
Within each neighborhood, walking is a convenient option, as most places are within easy reach. Many residents and visitors also opt to rent scooters or bikes, which can be a quicker and more convenient way to get around, especially when exploring different parts of the town.
The official currency of Mexico is the Mexican Peso (MXN). In Puerto Escondido, you'll find several banks, ATMs, and currency exchange offices where you can withdraw cash or exchange foreign currency. Many businesses also accept major credit cards, but it's advisable to always carry some cash for smaller establishments and local markets. In general, in Mexico, they often have a hard time with change if you give them bigger bills when paying for something small. Always have small bills and coins to avoid difficulties with change.
Inside the town's largest supermarket, you can find ATMs from various banks, offering the convenience of accessing cash during your shopping trip. We discovered that Citibanamex and Santander had the lowest fees, making them the best options for withdrawing cash. Additionally, these two banks have other locations where they provide ATMs inside their branches.
This largest supermarket is called Chedraui and is located in the centro (downtown) area of Puerto Escondido. Since we were staying on the opposite side of town in La Punta, we visited Chedraui maybe once a week to buy groceries that were not available in the smaller stores. Chedraui provides a much wider range of products compared to the smaller tiendas, making it a good addition to our shopping options in Puerto Escondido.
In Puerto Escondido, there are also several markets where you can find fresh produce. When we stayed in the center of town, we often visited the Benito Juárez mercado, a sizable partly-indoor market offering a diverse array of products. However, since it was quite far from La Punta, and thus our coliving space, we opted to get most of our fresh products from the El Adoquín mercado in Zicatela. This market was more conveniently located for us and also offered handicrafts, clothing, jewelry, and other souvenirs in addition to fresh produce.
In La Punta's main street, we discovered a store called "Frutas y Verduras de la Costa" with a great selection of vegetables and fruits at reasonable prices. This store became our go-to spot for fresh groceries during our stay in La Punta.
In La Punta, there are numerous small laundry facilities around. As we explored the neighborhood, it was easy to spot the various lavanderías thanks to their prominent signs. We stumbled upon a local laundry place just around the corner from where we were staying. The service was efficient and reasonably priced, with the average rate being around 20 pesos per kilo. Typically, we'd drop off our laundry, and it would be ready for pick-up the next day.
As mentioned before, there are many different beaches in Puerto. Staying in La Punta, we were only a minute away from La Punta Beach and would often go there. It depends on the season, but it is generally not the best place for swimming. You can take a dip and enjoy the ocean, but you have to be careful and watch the sometimes strong currents. The beaches that are more suitable for swimming are the ones in centro, because they are the best for swimming, they are also always fairly busy.
Local bars & restaurants for food and drinks;
La Olitá - for great fish tacos and drinks
Mercado Zicatela - many lunch options
Alaburger - for drinks, burgers and pizzas
Espacio Cometa - outside food court with different cuisine options
Nodo Brewhaus - for beers and food
Pepe's fish tacos - for more fish tacos
El Cafecito - for coffee (to go) and lunch
Dulce Tierra - for coffee, lunch and pastries
Our Experiences on the Mexican Coast
We embraced a very slow pace of life here, which was fitting given the intense heat, that persisted even at night. We were there during March and April, which marked the end of the dry season. During the day, the streets and some beaches were usually quiet due to the heat. However, as evening approached, especially around sunset, the beaches would become much more crowded. The expansive beach running from La Punta to Zicatela became our favorite spot to witness the sunset, and we made it a ritual to go almost every single night, sometimes with beer, sometimes with friends.
We were invited to join a night tour to the Manialtepec Lagoon, a lagoon just 20 minutes away from our coliving space, where the water was filled with bioluminescent organisms. These organisms made the water glow and light up in the dark upon touching or moving the water. This phenomenon depended on certain factors such as weather and moon phase. We were picked up at our place and driven to the beginning of the lagoon, from where we took a 30-minute boat ride to the right part of the lagoon. Swimming at night while the water around us lit up was a surreal experience.
During our six-week stay, we embarked on a weekend trip to Chacahua, a hidden gem on the coast of Mexico. This untouched place quickly became one of our favorite spots in Mexico. It was still untouched by tourists, allowing us to experience local life at a slow pace, which was vastly different from what we were accustomed to back home. We camped right on the beach, hosted by a local family. Chacahua is renowned for its waves, making it a surfer's paradise. The village is small, with a few shops offering basics. The early sunrise over the bay and the mountains behind it was a beautiful way to start the day.
On another weekend, we took a bus trip to Mazunte, a coastal town on the other side of Puerto Escondido, known for its hippy vibes. We enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and spent time on the calm, clear beaches. We decided to take a boat tour to see if you could see any ocean wildlife. While we just arrived in Mazunte we were walking on the beach, and a boat owner asked us if we wanted to join his tour. We arranged to join the tour the next day. During the boat trip we encountered some turtles and many dolphins. The dolphins were swimming in large groups around the boat. We observed them from the boat, but also from the water. Mazunte also has a lovely spot of a sunset, however as it's quite popular, this spot gets super busy. It's a 20 min walk from the centre of the town, but it's a nice activity and offers some beautiful views.
Despite the heat here in soutern Oaxaca, we pursued our love for hiking. We ventured into the hills behind Puerto, hiking up to natural hot springs. The springs were beautiful nestled in nature, but they were actually hot. Some of them even too hot to enter. The hike itself was beautful, though a cooler bath would have been welcome too during this hike. On another day, we joined some fellow travelers on a car ride into the countryside along a river. We took a short hike to a river spot, where we enjoyed a refreshing swim in the cool water.
We also tried surfing several times, although we went to less crowded beaches outside of Puerto to catch some waves. The waves were smaller and easier and there was almost no one of the water, which made it easier to practice. Towards the end of our stay, the bigger wave season began at Zicatela Beach, attracting experienced surfers from around the world. We woke up early in the morning during our last week to walk to Zicatela Beach, grab a coffee, and watch surfers tackle the big waves.
We really enjoyed our time here, for several reasons. Partly due to the nice routine we had created for ourselves here, the proximity to the beach, the kindness of the people, and the overall feeling of finding a home away from home all contributed to our fondness for this place. While we entertained the thought of extending our stay, it was also time to move forward with our journey.
