Read on for seeing one of my favorite beaches, Puerto Escondido, on a budget. If you just want the low-down on surfing and the waves, check my Puerto Escondido surf guide here.
WHY PUERTO?
In my lifetime I’ve now experienced a few of the most touristic Mexican beaches (Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Tulum/Playa del Carmen), but Puerto really stands out both as a more economical and a less Americanized destination. Although of course, that's quickly changing. in Mexico. It turns out that about 85% of visitors to Oaxaca come from Mexico itself, so it has a bit more of a local vibe and a lot lower prices.
The place is homey. After a few strolls down the main road in the Punta part of town, I could nod hello or give a greeting to some familiar faces. I was happy to have people speak to me in Spanish and not just English as so many touristy towns have reverted to doing. I've now been to Puerto Escondido twice for an extended stay (once during the pandemic, and once post pandemic) and think I can offer quite a few tips for maximizing your stay here!
Here I'll highlight some of my favorite parts and things to do:
THE BEACHES
While I covered the surf spots in the last post, many people are just looking for a good view and atmosphere and maybe not trying to get barreled lol. Lucky for you, the whole city of Puerto Escondido has a beach not far away and there is something for everyone!
Probably the most beautiful beach is Playa Carrizalillo, in the northern part of town. This is a surf beach and family-friendly beach, but it is also pretty nice to swim depending on the wave size.
Puerto Angelito is another beach just a short walk away, where you will find beachside vendors and food for cheap. It gets pretty busy with locals, which is a fun change from the more touristy beaches.
And just around the corner is Playa Manzanillo. This spot is a little more calm and secluded, and has some cool rocks and reef where I went snorkeling!
Playa Bacocho goes on for miles and miles at the top of the town. It's a bit of a walk, but you will be greeted by expansive sand and some strong waves (not for surfing or swimming, though). You can also pay to "release" baby turtles on the beach every evening. While I personally didn't partake, it sounds like a ethically and locally run activity!
From here, you can rockhop over to Playa Coral just to the south, or pay 80 pesos direct entrance through Villa Mexicana hotel. For the entry fee, they will give you two beers OR a beer and hamburger. The hotel was super funky and run-down, with some defunct waterslides. I had the pool to myself though, so can't complain.
Playa Zicatela is big, hot, long, and sandy. You are best off heading out here in the early morning or for sunset because there isn't a lot of shade. And of course, it has the famed Zicatela wave that is worth watching for several hours if you want to spectate on world-class surfing! I would not recommending walking down the whole beach unless you have proper hydration and sun protection-- trust me, it's several miles long!
La Punta Zicatela is simply the whole end part of Zicatela beach, but it is the most trendy part of town and has a great intermediate point break. There are fun rock caves to explore at low tide if you walk all the way to the point!
WHERE TO STAY & NEIGHBORHOODS
I've tried a little bit of everywhere in Puerto Escondido, but I've had the most luck with Airbnb. The shared hostel dorms throughout town are very pricey, and the cheap ones seem really dingy. For me it has made the most sense to book a place on Airbnb which has private rooms but a shared kitchen and communal space, giving the illusion of a true hostel.
La Punta :)
If you want to be in the heart of backpacker and boho surf vibes.... look no farther than La Punta aka "Brisas de Zicatela." I recommend staying within 4 or 5 blocks from the beach entrance/ southern edge of the neighborhood. The road into the neighborhood is super long, so you'll be doing lots of walking otherwise!
If you want to eat street food and have a more authentic Mexican experience... stay in Downtown Puerto Escondido. It is very centrally located in the city and has a neighboring beach, but you will need to walk or travel farther to surf. Every night there is a market on the street where you can buy your souvenirs and local goods, and there are bars with fun music, dance, and lots of cerveza.
If you want to be away from the party and in a residential neighborhood... stay in Bacocho neighborhood. There are plenty of beautiful beaches within 15-20 minutes walk, and it's not too far from the airport or downtown.
If you want to have the clubs at your doorstep or charge Zicatela's big wave, you'll want to stay along Playa Zicatela's commercial zone. There are a good number of restaurants here, but not as many as La Punta.
There is a whole neighborhood with no businesses between the main Zicatela and La Punta commercial areas. It can be nice to walk through or to save a few pesos, but it really isn't an ideal location and you'll probably just be walking a lot in the sun. That being said, you get a little more local experience!
FOOD AND DRINKS
There are tons of tasty cafes, vegan restaurants, Mexican restaurants, fish tacos, etc. etc. I don't think you will struggle too much here! My personal favorites have been Lychee Thai in the Punta if you are looking to splurge. Also, you must eat a tlayuda (Oaxacan kind of thin pizza dish) at the daily night market in downtown. Otherwise, if you're traveling on a shoestring budget, you'll want to get most your food at the one big supermarket in downtown (Chedraui) and cook for yourself!
THINGS TO DO
Well fam, I don't think I have to tell you I spent most my time in Puerto either surfing or resting from the surf BUT I was able to spend a little time exploring some of the local scene...
GO HIKING. I stumbled upon a hiking Facebook group (just search for "Hikers of Puerto Escondido") and got to go on a really lovely 10km walk up through the jungle just south of town. It was an awesome group of strangers from around the world and it was my first time riding in the bed of a pick up truck (which I was way too excited about lol)!
WATCH THE SUNSET. I also checked out Mirador Las Tortugas one day for sunset, which would be a great view to enjoy with a loved one. You can walk down to some bluffs and basically see all the way down the beaches of Puerto Escondido as far as the horizon goes.
WATCH THE SURF. And last but not least, every trip to Puerto Escondido should include at least a few hours of watching the big wave surfers out at Playa Zicatela's main wave. Whether or not you surf, you gotta know that this is one of the most iconic waves in the world and the surfers there are some of the very best.
SHOP AT THE MARKET. Biggest on Sundays, but it has fresh produce everyday of the week, too. It is easily accessible off of the main road.
TAKE A DAY TRIP. An easy one is Mazunte/ San Agustinillo/ and Zipolite (check out my blog post!), three adjacent beach pueblos. They're only about 1 hour south and easily accessible on transportation. Chacahua and it's lagoon are another great day trip or overnight, with great surf as well!
GO SKATING! The Boneyard is a dope public skate bowl in the Punta that sells food and drink inside. I have yet to skate here but I saw the famous Tony Hawk made a stop here, so you know it's gotta be good. Even if you don't skate, skating is super fun to watch at an environment like this!
GO CLIMBING?! While finishing up this blog, I just discovered there is now an impressive bouldering wall steps from the beach. That's pretty enticing to me..
So that's the scoop on Puerto Escondido, feel free to leave a comment if you need more tips :)
