Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting? My Honest Opinion

Wondering if Puerto Escondido is worth visiting in Mexico? You’re in the right place!

I spent 2.5 months exploring Mexico and ended up spending 6 weeks in Puerto Escondido. The city has this insane blend of dolphin and sea turtle encounters, scenic beaches, salsa dancing, surfing, and the most stunning sunsets of your life… all in one place! It quickly became my favourite destination in Mexico. 

You’ve likely already got the impression that I believe Puerto Escondido is worth visiting, but every traveler is different. So, I’ve put together a full breakdown of who usually likes Puerto Escondido, the pros and cons of visiting, and some of the things to do there. To help you make your most informed decision! 

Where is Puerto Escondido?

Puerto Escondido is located along the Pacific Coast in Mexico’s Oaxaca State. It’s about 3 hours drive/bus from Oaxaca city. It’s close to other popular destinations like San Jose Del Pacifico and Mazunte.

To give you a clear view of where Puerto Escondido sits in comparison to the most commonly visited spots, here is how far it is from each:

From Mexico City: 452 km (281 miles), nonstop flight for 1 hr 20 min.

From Cancun/Tulum: About 1200 km (700 miles), usually 2 short flights with a layover in Oaxaca City or Mexico City.

From Merida: 970 km (602 miles), usually 2 short flights with a layover in Oaxaca City or Mexico City.

From San Cristoabl de Casas: 483 km (300 miles), flight from Tuxtla Gutierrez which is 1.5 hours from San Cristobal. Or a 14 hour direct overnight bus.

From Sayulita: 1,042 km (648 miles), usually an hour drive to Puerto Vallarta and then a flight.

From Puerto Vallarta: 1,010 km (627 miles), direct 4.5 hour flight.

Pros of Visiting Puerto Escondido:

1. The INCREDIBLE Wildlife Encounters (Dolphins and Sea Turtles!!)

The first time I came across Puerto Escondido as a destination was in a video of a baby sea turtle release on Playa Bacocho. I was sold when I saw that it is also one of the best places in the world for dolphin watching tours. 

After visiting it for myself, I can say with 100% certainty that if you love wildlife, then Puerto Escondido is a MUST. I saw dolphins, baby sea turtles, pelicans diving into the water to catch fish right beside my surfboard, and I even came across a full-grown sea turtle while independently snorkeling at Carizalillo beach.

🐬The dolphin tour I did with a local operator (that includes swimming with the dolphins if conditions are right): Dolphin Watching Tour

🐢 The baby turtle release: Playa Bacocho Turtle Release and Transportation!

2. The Beaches Are Some of the Best in Mexico

Puerto Escondido has 7  beaches all along the impressive Oaxaca coast. They are (in order of my top favourite to least favourite):

1. Zicatela Beach

2. La Punta

3. Playa Carizallilo

4. Playa Bachoco

5. Playa Coral

6. Playa Angelito

7. Playa Manzanillo

Playa Zicatela is extraordinary for its MASSIVE size that allows you to stretch out with lots of space. It has perfect yellow sand and you can watch incredibly talented surfers and bodyboarders perform on the “Mexican Pipeline.”

La Punta is the best for enjoying the social scene, scenery, and trying out surfing. The sunset vibe here is top notch, with local vendors walking the beach with snacks like empanadas, cakes, and even sushi for an impromptu picnic.

Carizallilo is in my opinion the most scenic beach of them all. It’s small with golden sand tucked into a bay with green cliffs on either side of it. This is also the best beach for swimming.

3. The Food Scene is Amazing

Puerto Escondido has about every type of cuisine you could hope for and an insane number of high-quality restaurants for a relatively small city. My favourites were Malagua Cafe, Fish Shack, Chilli Garden, and La Mariinera for the beach view.

If you want the most authentic food you can find, there are markets like Mercado Benito Juárez and Mercado de Zicatela with small shops you can order from.

There are also small food stand restaurants dotted along the main roadway in Puerto. You won’t have the best view, but they have the most delicious, cheap, and authentic dishes you can find.

4. There Are Lots of Adventurous New Things to Try (Salsa, Surfing, Surfskate, etc.)

There are activities happening in Puerto Escondido every night of the week. Salsa dancing is one of the most popular and you can take classes and join social events almost any night. I highly recommend checking out Nectar’s class on Saturday nights. They host a social after too. 

There are also surfskate community lessons, where you get to meet other travelers while trying a new idyllic skill. There are beach volleyball games regularly set up at Zicatela. Food tours. Surfing. Shopping. Horseback riding tours to hidden hot springs. Yoga classes. 

👉 Here’s the best food tour that takes you to the best local spots to try authentic Oaxacan food: Puerto Escondido Authentic Food Tour

5. You Can Immerse Yourself in Surfing Culture

Surfing is a huge part of Puerto Escondido’s local culture. You won’t go anywhere in this surf town without seeing locals and travelers driving their scooters with a board attached to the side of it. 

It is home to the Mexican Pipeline, which is a world famous wave. Surfers travel to Puerto Escondido specifically to surf this beach and they host world surf competitions there every year. The Mexican Pipeline is at Zicatela beach, which can only be surfed by experts because it is a dangerous wave. It makes it a really thrilling spot to sit and watch.

Beginners or intermediate surfers can ride waves at La Punta beach, where there are tons of lessons offered. There is also Carizallilo for the true beginners with much softer waves. There is truly a wave for everyone in Puerto Escondido!

The surf instructor that I used and LOVED is Javier from his surf school Ponte Chingon! You can send them a dm or Whatsapp to book a lesson.

6. Party Animals Love the Nightlife Scene!

The nightlife in Puerto Escondido is a huge attraction for some travelers. My favourite club in Zicatela was Mar y Wana, which is an outdoor club with a tree sprouting up from the dj stand in the middle of the sandy dance floor. There is also Cactus, which is a club right on the beach sand.

There are open-mic nights every Thursday at Food Park for a more relaxed, pre-party vibe. Plus tons of cool bars to hang out in like Gallo in La Punta, Punta Vida for the volleyball, and Espacio Cometa for the cocktails.

7. There’s a Mix of Tourist and Local Culture

I really liked the blend of tourist and local culture in Puerto Escondido. There is a huge community of digital nomads living in the city and lots of tourists in La Punta, which can be great for meeting other travelers.

However, it doesn’t feel completely overrun by tourism and you can still meet and spend time with locals, especially in the surfing community. 

I liked getting to choose between more touristy restaurants and the local food stands at the markets. Or booking a dolphin tour and then spending the afternoon hanging with my local friends in the waves. 

8. Easy to Get to From Oaxaca and Mexico City

A lot of people make their way to Mexico City and/or Oaxaca city which makes it really simple to get to Puerto Escondido. 

You can get cheap flights directly between Mexico City and Puerto Escondido. And there is an easy bus/mini-van ride from Oaxaca.

Cons of Visiting Puerto Escondido

1. Not 100% Off the Beaten Path

If you’re hoping to visit more truly authentic Mexican towns that feel really removed from tourism, Puerto Escondido is not it. You can still enjoy some authentic food and hang out with locals, but the town has been touched by tourism.

2. Requires Some Planning to Get There if You’re Not in Oaxaca / Mexico City

If you’re not travelling to Mexico City or Oaxaca City first, you’ll need to take several steps to get to Puerto.

However, it’s not overly complicated. I flew from Cancun airport into Oaxaca city, and then took a 3 hour direct colectivo into Puerto Escondido. 

3. You Need to be Open-Minded to Get Around in Puerto

Puerto Escondido is big enough, spread along the coast, that it’s not a walkable city. You can easily get taxis around the city, but if you want a more budget friendly option, you’ll have to make do with a scooter rental or the shared colectivos.

The scooter rental is my personal favourite option. They are so fun to drive around the city with friends and really easy to learn. I had never driven one until I arrived in Puerto Escondido, but learned immediately and had no problem.

The colectivos are also really simple too if you understand that there are no official stops or schedules. There’s a main road that runs throughout the town, so you can just stand on a street corner along this road and flag one down by holding out your arm when you see one approaching. They only cost 10 – 20 pesos and you just let the driver know when you want to hop off. 

4. Not the Best Place for Swimming in Calm Waters

As such a popular surfing destination, Puerto Escondido’s beaches are not known for the calming beaches that other parts of Mexico may have, like Isla Holbox. There are still swimming spots, you just need to know which ones.

For example, some people swim at La Punta, but I wouldn’t venture too far from shore unless you are a really confident swimmer. You can swim at Carizallilo and Bacocho, but there can sometimes be some bigger waves. Playa Coral is in my opinion one of the calmest spots to swim. 

How many days to spend in Puerto Escondido?

I recommend spending at least 3 – 4 full days in Puerto if you are doing it as part of a longer road trip. Or an entire week – 10 days if you are just going there. 

👉 I wrote a guide that breaks down itineraries for between 3 – 10 days in Puerto Escondido, based on all my favourite activities and food spots from 6 weeks there!

Alternatives to Puerto Escondido

FAQs About Visiting Puerto Escondido

Planning Your Trip to Puerto Escondido

Puerto Escondido has a million and 50 amazing things to do. The next step to planning your time there is to get an itinerary together.

After staying there for over 6 weeks, I kept a list of all my favourite activities, restaurant spots, and social hangouts. I put them all into this Puerto Escondido itinerary that has options for shorter itineraries, like 3 – 5 days, and longer itineraries, like 6 – 10 days.

👉 Read Next: The Perfect Puerto Escondido Itinerary For 3 – 10 Days

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