Mexico · Oaxaca Coast
Puerto Escondido
Home of the Mexican Pipeline, one of the heaviest beach breaks on earth, in a town that still feels like a beach village.
Puerto Escondido is a small port on Oaxaca's Pacific coast, famous for Zicatela, the heavy beach break surfers call the Mexican Pipeline. Around it sits an easygoing town of sheltered coves, a backpacker village at the point and quiet streets above the cliffs, with mangrove lagoons, turtle beaches and Afro-Mexican fishing villages along the coast either side. Most visitors split their days between surf, swimming coves and sunset, and the evenings between fresh fish and mezcal.
Suggested stay
4–10 days
Language
Spanish
Currency
MXN
Timezone
UTC-6
Why you'll love Puerto Escondido
The Mexican Pipeline Zicatela throws thick, fast barrels onto the sand, and watching the best surfers ride it from the beach is a show in itself
The coves Carrizalillo, Puerto Angelito and Manzanillo are small sheltered bays with calm water, a world away from the open surf beach
Lagoons and wildlife glowing plankton in the Manialtepec mangroves, turtle hatchlings released at sunset, and dolphins and winter whales offshore
The pace a beach-town rhythm of early surf, long lunches and sunset on the sand, with a lively bar scene at La Punta when you want it
Best time to visit
Nov-Apr
Dry, surf · 31-33° days
15.869° N, 97.073° W
UTC-6 · America/Mexico City
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Weather & when to go to Puerto Escondido
Month by month: typical highs and lows, rainfall and rain days.
✓ Best Nov-Apr
Surfing prime Apr-Aug
Activity seasons none fair good prime
Conditions Jan Dry, surf · Feb Dry · Mar Dry & hot · Apr Hot & dry · May Hot, big surf · Jun Wet, surf · Jul Wet · Aug Wet, big surf · Sep Wettest · Oct Wet easing · Nov Drying · Dec Dry
Watch for Jun-Nov cyclones & hurricanes risk
Cards tinted by verified verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions
When to avoid Puerto Escondido
September is the month to skip: it is the wettest and stormiest of the rainy season, when tropical storms are most likely. The bigger swells that draw expert surfers arrive in the rainier months from late spring, so surf-first trips and fair-weather beach trips want different times of year.
Top things to do in Puerto Escondido
-
Zicatela - watch the Mexican Pipeline
surfing scenic 👍 PopularA long, open beach where deep water runs right up to the shore and swells jack up into heavy, hollow barrels that close out on shallow sand. It is for experienced surfers only and dangerous to swim; everyone else lines the sand and the beachfront terraces to watch, best on a big swell in the late afternoon.
-
La Punta - learn on the left point
surfing 👍 PopularThe rocky point at the far south end of Zicatela bends the swell into a long, softer left-hander that suits beginners and intermediates far better than the main beach. Surf schools and board rental cluster in the village behind it, and the line-up is a sociable mix of learners and locals.
-
Playa Carrizalillo - steps down to a sheltered cove
surfing scenic 👍 PopularA small horseshoe bay below the cliffs of Rinconada, reached by a long flight of steps. Gentle waves make it the town's classic place for a first surf lesson, the water is calm enough to swim, and the climb back up is the price of the view.
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Laguna de Manialtepec - bioluminescence by night boat
nature wildlife adventure ⭐ Highly recommendedA mangrove lagoon west of town where, after dark, plankton in the water flash blue-green around oars, hands and fish. Night boat trips go out on dark evenings, brightest away from the full moon; by day the same lagoon is a birdwatching trip among herons, egrets and kingfishers.
-
Puerto Angelito and Playa Manzanillo - calm water for swimming
scenicTwo small neighbouring coves just west of the main bay, sheltered enough for children, snorkelling round the rocks and an easy day under a shade umbrella. Walk over from the centre or take a fishing boat across from Playa Principal.
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Playa Principal - boat trips for dolphins, turtles and whales
nature wildlifeFishing boats pulled up on the town's main beach double as tour boats, heading out to look for dolphins and sea turtles, and for humpback whales in the winter months. Go in the morning, when the sea is usually calmer.
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Playa Bacocho - turtle hatchling releases at sunset
nature wildlife scenicA long, wild beach west of Rinconada, too rough for swimming but the place to be at sunset. In nesting season, local conservation groups release olive ridley hatchlings here in the evening and let visitors watch them scramble down to the sea.
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The Adoquin and the beach shacks - Oaxacan food on the coast
food nightlife musicThe pedestrian strip behind the main bay fills at night with restaurants and bars, while palapas on the sand serve the day's fish and shrimp. Mezcal, tlayudas and moles come down from the Oaxaca valleys, so the coast eats like the rest of the state with a seafood twist.
Best areas to stay in Puerto Escondido
$ Budget $$ Mid-range $$$ Premium
Zicatela
Surfers and first-timers $$Surf strip facing the Mexican Pipeline
Explore hotels in Zicatela →
La Punta
Backpackers and learners $Backpacker village at the point
Explore hotels in La Punta →
Rinconada and Carrizalillo
Families and longer stays $$Quiet streets above the coves
Explore hotels in Rinconada and Carrizalillo →
El Centro and the Adoquin
Town and calm beaches $Old town on the main bay
Explore hotels in El Centro and the Adoquin →
Live nightly prices from Booking.com, Agoda and others, centred on Puerto Escondido
Getting to & around Puerto Escondido
Getting there
Fly into PXM just outside town, a few minutes by taxi from the beaches
Flight
Puerto Escondido International Airport (PXM)
The small airport sits on the coastal highway just north-west of town, with flights mainly from Mexico City and small planes from Oaxaca City. Taxis and shared vans reach the centre, Rinconada or Zicatela in about ten to fifteen minutes.
Coach
Bus terminals above the centre
Long-distance buses run along the coast highway from Huatulco and Acapulco, and overnight services connect to Oaxaca City and Mexico City
Drive
Shuttle vans and cars cross the Sierra Sur from Oaxaca City on a winding mountain road; bring motion-sickness tablets
Drive
Some travellers fly into Huatulco instead and come west along the coast highway, roughly two hours by road
Getting around
Taxi
Plentiful and unmetered; agree the fare before you get in, and take one after dark between Zicatela, the centre and Rinconada
TBC
Colectivo
Shared vans and pickups run along the coastal highway to Manialtepec, Mazunte and the villages; flag them down and pay the driver in cash
TBC
Walking
Zicatela to La Punta is an easy walk along the strip; the centre, the coves and Rinconada are hillier and further apart
Free
Day trips from Puerto Escondido
Laguna de Manialtepec
Half dayMangrove lagoon
A mangrove-ringed lagoon with herons, egrets and ospreys by day and bioluminescent water by night. The night boat trip, when every paddle stroke glows, is the one most people come for; a dawn birding trip shows the other side.
Getting there
car | tour
Around half an hour west by car or on an organised tour
Lagunas de Chacahua National Park
1-2 daysLagoons and surf village
A chain of lagoons and mangroves ending at a sandbar village with a right-hand point break, simple cabanas and fish grilled on the beach. Afro-Mexican fishing communities live around the lagoons. Doable in a long day, but better with a night.
Getting there
car | bus | tour | ferry
Around two hours west by car, colectivo or tour to Zapotalito, then by boat through the mangrove channels
Mazunte, Zipolite and San Agustinillo
Full dayBeach villages
Three small beach villages close together: Mazunte with its sea-turtle centre and sunset walk out to Punta Cometa, San Agustinillo's gentle bay, and Zipolite's long, rough, clothing-optional beach. Many people stay a few nights rather than returning.
Getting there
car | bus
Around an hour east along the coast by car, bus or colectivo
A little history of Puerto Escondido
The coast and hills around Puerto Escondido were Mixtec and Chatino country long before the Spanish, and for centuries the bay was little more than a fishing beach. Local legend says the name, the hidden port, comes from a woman who escaped pirates and hid near the point. The town grew in the 20th century as a small port shipping coffee grown in the Sierra Sur, and it still sits within the municipality of San Pedro Mixtepec rather than being its own.
The coastal highway opened the town to the outside world, and from the late 1960s travelling surfers found that Zicatela produced some of the heaviest beach-break waves anywhere. Word spread through the 1970s, and the surf, backpacker and later remote-work crowds turned a fishing village into one of Mexico's best-known surf towns while it kept its low-rise, small-town scale.
Mixtec and Chatino peoples live along the coast and in the hills behind it
Puerto Escondido is established as a port for shipping coffee from the Sierra Sur
The coastal highway links the town to Acapulco and the rest of the Pacific coast
Travelling surfers spread the word about Zicatela's waves
Hurricane Pauline strikes the Oaxaca coast, causing heavy damage
Know before you go
Payment
Cards & cash mixed
English
Widely spoken
Wifi
Workable
Power
Type A / B
127 V, 60 Hz
Dialing
+52
Cyclones & hurricanes risk in this window; check current conditions before you go.
The months our climate read flags to avoid: the wettest, lowest-rated weather of the year.
Mobile network & SIM card
Get an eSIM before you fly
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FAQs about Puerto Escondido
▸ When is the best time to visit Puerto Escondido?
For weather, November to April: dry, sunny and warm, with the calmest days for the coves. September is the wettest, stormiest month and the one to skip. Surfers think differently: the big southern swells that make Zicatela famous arrive from late spring through summer, which is also the rainy season.
▸ Can you swim at Zicatela?
Not safely. The waves break hard right onto the sand and the currents are strong, and drownings are not rare. Swim at Carrizalillo, Puerto Angelito or Manzanillo instead, and treat Zicatela and Bacocho as beaches for walking, watching and sunset.
▸ Is Puerto Escondido good for beginner surfers?
Yes, but not on the main beach. La Punta at the south end of Zicatela and the cove at Carrizalillo are where surf schools teach, and the smaller winter swells are friendlier for learning. Leave the main Zicatela peaks to experienced surfers, especially on a big day.
▸ How do you get from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido?
The quickest way is a short flight on a small plane. Overland, shuttle vans and cars cross the Sierra Sur on a winding mountain road, and overnight buses take a longer route. The mountain road is scenic but full of curves, so take motion-sickness tablets if you are prone to it.
▸ Zicatela, La Punta or Rinconada?
Zicatela if you want to be on the surf strip with cafes and bars on the doorstep. La Punta if you are younger, learning to surf or after a hostel scene and nightlife. Rinconada if you want quiet streets, families and a swimmable cove below you.
▸ When can you see the bioluminescence at Manialtepec?
It is strongest in the warmer, wetter half of the year and on dark nights away from the full moon, when the glow shows best. Tours run through much of the year, but intensity varies night to night, so ask the boat operators how it has been looking before you book.
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