How to Take the Bus From Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido

Traveling from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido?

You’re in the right place because I live in Mexico, and I’ve done this trip before. One of the easiest ways to make the trip is the bus from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido — because all you have to do is kick back and relax.

It is, however, the longest way to get to Puerto Escondido from Oaxaca City, but it is economical. ✈️ Note: The Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido direct flight is the fastest way to make the trip, but it will cost much more than the bus.

While the bulk of this article covers taking the bus to Puerto Escondido from Oaxaca, it also has info on other ways to get there as well, like the shared van (colectivo). Without further ado, let’s dive in.

How do I get from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido?

You basically have five options when traveling from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido Mexico. Check out all your options below, with some info on the cost and amount of time each will take.

• Private car with a driver: 7+ hours, about $359 USD per car for up to three passengers
• Rent a car in Oaxaca City and drive: 7+ hours, about $30 USD per day (not including gas)
• Flight to Puerto Escondido: 45 minutes, about $150-200 USD per person
• Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido Bus: 10+ hours, about $50 USD per person
• Shared van (AKA Colectivo or Camioneta): 8+ hours, about $15 USD per person

If you’re traveling to Puerto Escondido on a budget (or traveling to Oaxaca on a budget), you’ll save some money by taking the colectivo. For more info on this cheapest way to get to Puerto Escondido from Oaxaca, head here.

ADO Bus From Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido

The ADO bus takes about 10 hours to get from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido. Note: ADO is pronounced ahh-day-oh in Mexico, not a-dee-o.

There are daytime and overnight buses on this route, so you can sleep on the bus. The cost for a one way ticket is about $1,000 pesos ($50 USD), but prices vary throughout the year.

🥶 Oaxaca Travel Tips: Bring a sweater because they keep these buses from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido freezing cold.

The bus will drop you off at the ADO Puerto Escondido bus station (📍 here), located about 10-20 minutes from all the best beaches in Puerto Escondido.

There’s no Uber in Oaxaca state, but there are always plenty of taxis waiting outside of this bus terminal. The taxis in Puerto Escondido won’t take dollars, so make sure to have pesos to pay them.

You can check the Puerto Escondido ADO schedule on their website, but know it’s not very user-friendly. It glitches a lot and doesn’t take United States credit cards, so I always use GuateGo when I book my Mexico bus tickets.

Bus From Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido

Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido Van (Colectivo)

You may hear the van from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido Mexico called a colectivo or camioneta, but they all refer to the same thing.

With the colectivo, you’ll be in a shared passenger van that seats between 10-12. Most companies in Oaxaca use Nissan Urvans or Dodge Sprinter vans on this trip. The vans themselves are comfortable enough, and well-maintained.

There are a few companies, like Lineas Unidas, Transportes Villa del Pacifico and Service Express Arista, to choose from. Their offices are located in downtown Oaxaca City, and you’ll have to go there to book your tickets in person.

A one-way ticket is about $300 pesos ($15 USD) — but do know that the bus is much more comfy, and only about $30 USD more for round-trip tickets.

🚌 Prefer to take the more comfortable Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido bus? Book your Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca bus tickets here.

⏰ How long does the van trip take?

The van from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido takes about 8-9 hours.

This is a bit longer than going via car ride because the van makes 1-2 stops in small pueblos like San Jose del Pacifico (the famous Oaxaca mushroom town), San Pedro Mixtepec or San José del Progreso.

Here, you’ll have a bathroom and snack break, and may also pick up other passengers for the remainder of the drive to Puerto Escondido.

🎟️ TIP: Buy your tickets in advance

As this is the cheapest way to get from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido, van companies offer several trips daily, though do tend to be at full capacity.

You can buy your ticket in advance, or wait until the day of the trip; though there’s always a chance of the van selling out.

💡 Oaxaca Travel Tips: For those prone to motion or carsickness, reserve the front seat so your journey time is more pleasant. Don’t forget your non-drowsy Dramamine, as it’s a winding drive on bumpy mountain roads.

Bus From Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido

How to get from Oaxaca to Chacahua

Headed to Lagunas de Chacahua National Park near Puerto Escondido? Smart choice! Chacahua has some of the best beaches in Oaxaca, and the smallest crowds. It’s one of my favorite places in Oaxaca State.

There are no direct Oaxaca City to Chacahua transport options (yet), so you’ll want to take the bus or colectivo to Puerto Escondido, or book this private car from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido.

From Puerto Escondido, you can book private transportation to Chacahua, or take a taxi or colectivo to the small town of Zapotalito, then the boat to Chacahua.

🏝 Looking for the best Chacahua hotels? Check out Porã Chacahua, Cabañas La Isla Chacahua and Cabañas Alta Mar Chacahua.

Bus From Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido

Driving from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido

After reading this guide, you may now want to rent a car in Oaxaca City and drive yourself, rather than taking the bus. If so, here’s more info on what you need to know about driving to Puerto Escondido.

You can use this map to understand what the drive from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido will look like. Note: Make sure to download the offline map if you want access to it on the road, as your cell signal will likely go in and out.

As you can see on the map, for much of the drive, you’ll be on winding roads that aren’t well-maintained or well-lit in all areas. If you get car sick or are prone to motion sickness, remember to bring Dramamine.

Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido Map

🚧 Highway 175 or Highway 131: Which is better?

There are two main routes to take when getting from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido — Highway 175 and Highway 131.

Highway 131 is the faster and shorter route at 160 miles (258 km), however Highway 175 is better maintained. It is 197-miles-long (317 km), and takes about 30-60 minutes longer than Highway 131.

⚠️ oaxaca to puerto escondido new highway

This has been in the works for decades, but there has been progress made on the new highway from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido. You can read the details in the linked article.

Once completed, the Oaxaca-Puerto Escondido Highway will not only shorten drive times — it will cut the drive duration in half! It will also give travelers a much more comfortable road to drive on.

Keep in mind that this highway has been “in progress” since about 2010, so don’t hold your breath. There have been delays for many reasons, including land disputes, environmental hazards and broken contracts.

Bus From Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido

5 Tips for Driving to Puerto Escondido

1. Start the drive early so you arrive in Puerto Escondido before the sun goes down, as it’s not safe to drive at night. The drive takes 7-8 hours, so hit the road by 10am to be safe.

2. Consider a full size car or SUV, as the roads are bumpy in many areas. If you’re visiting in the Oaxaca rainy season (April to October), a larger car really helps for driving on the muddy roads that can get washed out in some places.

3. Don’t forget to bring non-drowsy Dramamine if you get car-sick, motion-sick or travel-sick often.

There are also homeopathic remedies, like anti-nausea ginger chewables, anti-motion sickness wristbands and the anti-motion sickness patch, if you prefer natural remedies.

4. Have at least two drivers in the car, just in case one gets car-sick while driving from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido. It will also help to pass the travel time if you have someone to talk to.

5. Double check the rental car fees if you don’t plan to drive back from Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca City. Many Mexico car rental companies charge a hefty fee when you don’t return the car to the same place you rented it from.

🤔 Is the Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido Drive safe to do alone?

While I am a huge proponent of Mexico solo travel, this isn’t a drive to do alone. Since a lot of people get sick on this drive, you’ll want to have at least two people who can drive.

If this all sounds too risky, book the Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido private shuttle instead.

⚠️ OAXACA Bloqueos (Road Protests)

Though not common, road protests in Oaxaca (known as bloqueos, or blockades) do happen from time to time, and can add hours to the trip.

These bloqueos happen when locals are protesting and essentially shut down the road that passes through their part of town. Unfortunately, there’s no way to predict these, and no way to tell how long they will last when they do happen.

As an absolute worst case scenario, I have heard of people having to stay the night in the town the bloqueo is happening in — though this is extremely rare.

🚙 How far is Puerto Escondido from Oaxaca City?

The Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca City distance is about 160 miles (258 km), or 197 miles (317 km), depending on the road you take.

The Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca City drive time is about 7-8 hours — which is why many opt for the private driver to Puerto Escondido.

Bus From Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido

To get to your Puerto Escondido resort, you can book a private airport shuttle, rent a car or take a taxi.

🚕💨 Note: There’s no Uber in Puerto Escondido, and no Lyft in Puerto Escondido.

It can rain quite a bit during the Oaxaca rainy season of April to October, when it’s also quite humid and buggy (so don’t forget your mosquito spray 🦟).

November to March is also the Oaxaca high season, or busy season — so expect larger crowds and higher prices. October and April are considered Mexico shoulder season months, where you’ll likely have nice weather, but also lower price tags.

🌡️ Puerto Escondido Weather

🐳 Best time to see whales in Puerto Escondido

The Oaxaca whale season runs from about November to April, when several species of whales migrate past the coast of Oaxaca State.

The best time to see whales in Oaxaca is from December to March, when you can book a Puerto Escondido boat tour to see them.

Bus From Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido

The best beaches in Puerto Escondido Mexico are Playa Zicatela, Playa La Punta, Playa Carrizalillo, Playa Bacocho and Playa Manzanillo.

🏝️ Hotel Escondido ($$$$)

Though the decor is rustic-chic, the service is 5 Star luxury all the way at Hotel Escondido, one of the best Oaxaca boutique hotels in the entire state.

It is the perfect place to disconnect from it all, in one of their private beachfront bungalows.

This is a gorgeous boutique hotel with an on-site restaurant, located on a private beach area about 30 minutes from Puerto Escondido near Casa Wabi art gallery.

Do note that Hotel Escondido is on the outskirts of town, so you’ll want a rental car to get around.

🏝️ VILLAS CARRIZALILLO ($$$)

Villas Carrazillio overlooks Playa Carrizalillo below — with million dollar views at a reasonable price tag.

Each villa has a dining area and seating area with TV; some also have a terrace and a kitchenette. There’s a gorgeous pool and restaurant onsite with complimentary breakfast.

🏨 CASA UMI ($$-$$$)

I stayed here for about a week, and highly recommend Casa UMI.

It is located just four blocks from Playa La Punta in the boho chic La Punta neighborhood. The room was huge, with cold AC and a comfy bed, high end finishes in the bathroom, and a private hammock by the pool.

🏝️ SelIna Puerto Escondido Hostel ($-$$)

One of the top names in hostels worldwide, Selina Hostel has a location in a quieter area of Playa Zicatela.

They are known to have the best WiFi in Puerto Escondido, as well as a tropical garden with swimming pool and a restaurant/bar. Private rooms and shared dorms available.

Final Thoughts: Bus From Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido

For travelers who don’t like to fly, or don’t want to spend $350+ to hire this private car with a driver, the buses from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido are a great option.

While a budget-friendly option, it does take the longest of any of these Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido travel options.

At about 10 hours, many opt for the overnight Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido bus with OCC to sleep through the trip. 🥶 Pro Tip: Bring a sweater to sleep comfortably, as they usually keep these buses super cold.

There’s also the ADO bus to Puerto Escondido from Oaxaca.

ADO is Mexico’s largest bus company. They have a daytime trip to Puerto Escondido from Oaxaca City, and the night bus from Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca. This trip is via ADO GL, the luxury bus from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido.