What You Have To See In Puerto Escondido

The town of Puerto Escondido is a popular vacation spot for Canadians and is also home to a world-renowned surfing spot. Aside from relaxing and surfing, you can take a trip to the nearby waterfalls or just stroll along the local beaches, of which there are several within walking distance of the centre. But we’ll save what captivated us the most for the end of this article.

How to get to Puerto Escondido

Puerto Escondido is easily accessible by air from Mexico City. The flight takes approximately one hour.

If you’re in another city, you can use the services of ADO Bus, which have their network across Mexico. There are usually several direct services a day.

We traveled from Huatulco (article coming soon) and the trip took approximately 2 hours and cost 224 MXN. You can easily find out the availability of connections from where you are on the ADO Bus company website. You can also easily purchase tickets on the company’s website.

Accommodation

A cheaper but less comfortable accommodation option is the Oyo Hotel Arena Surf. It is also a short walk from the bus terminal and supermarket. However, it’s quite a distance to the sea and the Wi-Fi is unusable. You’ll pay 380 MXN for a night for two here. Contact is +52 954 103 0497.

Much nicer and more comfortable accommodation is offered by the Rincon del Pacifico hotel. It is right by the beach and in the centre of everything. The Wi-Fi works great and there is free water available. The price per night for two is 557 MXN. Accommodation can be contacted on +52 954 582 0101 or booked at www.booking.com.

Things to do in Puerto Escondido

Beaches

One of the biggest attractions of this town is definitely the beaches. If you’re just learning to surf or are already an experienced surfer, you definitely need to visit Zicatela Beach, which is renowned for its perfect waves.

If you’re more into calmer bays, then be sure to visit Playa Manzanillo, Puerto Angelito and Playa Carrizalillo. These beaches have several restaurants, various water attractions and also lots of locals and it really comes alive. They are in very nice coves and are definitely worth a visit. In addition, you can enjoy beautiful sunsets every evening at Zicatela and Playa Carrizalillo.

We’re keeping Playa Bacocho and Playa Coral separate on purpose because they’re a bit different from the ones mentioned above. They are right next to each other. It is located outside the city, so you won’t meet many people here, but it is possible to walk here from the city centre. The beaches are a bit wilder and there are strong sea currents. For us, though, they are among the nicest in all of Puerto Escondido. Don’t forget to take your snorkel to Playa Coral. It’s very lively underwater.

Sea Turtle Rescue Station

What has captivated us the most and is also our favourite thing to visit on our travels are the rescue stations. There is a turtle rescue station on Playa Bacocho. Head here before 5pm.

Volunteers go out every evening to look for turtle nests, then take their eggs to this station where they supervise the hatchlings. They then release the turtles into the sea. You can not only be there, but also release one of the turtles and learn about their lives at the same time. For this experience, you contribute only 150 MXN to the operation of the station and that’s it. For those who love animals and it’s an incredible experience.

Cascada La Reforma Waterfall

Roughly 40 km from the city is the Cascada La Reforma waterfall. We skipped it because of the price, however, if you are coming here on vacation, a visit will definitely be nice. You can take a trip either with an agency or even on a rented scooter. The cheapest trip is offered by agencies at Zicatela beach for 600 MXN. Agencies in the city centre offer the same trip for 1,100 MXN per person. Renting a scooter is definitely cheaper at 350 MXN per day. However, you have to leave a deposit of MXN 3,000 which will be given back to you when you return the scooter.

Tips for visiting Puerto Escondido

All of the aforementioned beaches can be reached on foot from both accommodations, and can make for a nice day trip. The route can be planned along the coast. Along the way you will visit the Mirador Un Sueno Posible viewpoint. You can have lunch on one of the beaches and in the evening take part in the release of baby turtles into the wild at Playa Bacocho. Then, on your way back from the beach, stop for dinner at one of the restaurants on Benito Juárez Street. It’s all easily done in one day.

Right on Benito Juárez Street there are several great places of different price ranges with great food. We personally recommend a visit to El Cafecito. Then enjoy a sweet spot at Helados Palma Negra Rinconada, where they have delicious vegan ice cream.

Our little tip for releasing turtles -> name your turtle. It will give the launch a whole new dimension and make you even more happy.

Watch out

Don’t underestimate the sea currents on the beaches here. Especially at Playa Bacocho, Playa Coral and Playa Zicatela, they are often very treacherous and you can easily get into trouble in the water. If you want to go for a swim, or if you’re here on holiday with children, head for Playa Manzanillo or Playa Carrizalillo, where the water is much calmer.

And if you are also planning trip to Yucatán, don’t forget to check out our articles and tips here!