Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting? (My Honest Answer)
Want to know: Why visit Puerto Escondido?
You’ve landed on the right article because we’re about to do a deep dive into the reasons to visit Puerto Escondido to see if this is the best Mexico destination for you (or not).
If you’re wondering Is Puerto Escondido worth visiting?, keep reading! As someone who lives in Mexico, and has spent plenty of time in Puerto Escondido, I’m going to show you why it is.
Puerto Escondido Mexico is a beautiful coastal town in Oaxaca state. It’s known for gorgeous beaches with turquoise water, surfing, snorkeling, whale watching in winter, delicious food, gorgeous resorts, and friendly locals.
Puerto Escondido is perfect for those who want to venture slightly off the beaten path in Mexico, but not too far off. While not one of the most-visited places in Mexico, it’s also not totally unknown either.
For some, that might be a perfect mix. Other travels might find there aren’t enough things to do in Puerto Escondido to keep them entertained. If you’re ready to discover if Puerto Escondido is for you, let’s dive in!
Where is Puerto Escondido Mexico located?
Puerto Escondido is located in southern Mexico, in the state of Oaxaca. It is located on the Pacific Ocean, about six hours by car from the state’s capital, Oaxaca de Juarez (AKA Oaxaca City).
Puerto Escondido Map
🏨 Need a place to stay? Check out all the best Puerto Escondido Mexico resorts and best hotels in Puerto Escondido!
You can easily travel from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido by private shuttle, plane, rental car or bus — but we’ll get into Puerto Escondido transportation later.
WHAT’S THE OAXACA PRONUNCIATION?
If you’re wondering, How do you pronounce Oaxaca?, you’re not alone! Let’s actually clear up the Oaxaca pronunciation before we go any further — Oaxaca is pronounced waa-haa-kah.
What is Puerto Escondido known for?
Three things: Beautiful beaches, great surf waves and bioluminescence. It is one of the few places on Earth you can see this magical phenomenon.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
Huatulco vs Puerto Escondido: Which is better?
While Huatulco is popular with honeymooners, families and the 30s-50s demographic, Puerto Escondido might be better for the 20s-30s crowd, and anyone who wants to surf.
Comparatively, Huatulco is much more relaxed than Puerto Escondido, so if you’re looking for some rest and relaxation, Huatulco might work better. However, if you want a lot of nightlife options, Puerto Escondido will work better.
If Huatulco sounds like it’s more up your alley after all, check out this Ultimate Huatulco Travel Guide to help you plan your trip.
What’s the best way to get to Puerto Escondido from Huatulco?
If you’re not getting a rental car, the best way to get from Huatuclo to to Puerto Escondido is this private shuttle service. This is the safest way to make the journey, and most comfortable because you don’t have to do the driving.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
What are the best things to do in Puerto Escondido?
Wondering about the best Puerto Escondido things to do for your itinerary? Below you will find a list of the Top 5 Puerto Escondido attractions, but for a more complete list, hare’s the 30 Best Things to Do in Puerto Escondido.
1. Visit the Best Beaches in Puerto Escondido
🏝️ Playa Carrizalillo: Best Beach in Puerto Escondido
As a beach town, exploring the beaches is of course one of the top things to do in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca.
You’ll likely never see a list of Best Puerto Escondido Beaches that doesn’t have Playa Carrizalillo Beach as #1. It’s quite simply the most beautiful beach in Puerto Escondido.
🏩 NEED A PUERTO ESCONDIDO HOTEL? Check out Villas Carrazillio which overlooks Playa Carrizalillo below. This amazing resort has million dollar views, but a reasonable price tag.
Carrizalillo Beach offers a bit of everything — gorgeous turquoise waters for swimming, manageable waves for surfing (perfect for beginners), healthy reefs just off-shore ideal for snorkeling, and even a few restaurants.
Wondering about the water temperature? The average yearly water temperature in Puerto Escondido is about 82°F (28°C).
🏝️ Playa Zicatela Beach (Surf Beach)
Puerto Escondido is known as the surf capital of Mexico, and that’s largely thanks to this beach. In fact, if you’re looking for the best beach for surfing in Puerto Escondido, you’ve found it.
Playa Zicatela is especially popular for surfing, but the beach itself is very nice, and there are a lot of restaurants, bars with live music and shops all along the sand.
Curious about other surf towns in Mexico? You’ll find some of the best surf spots in Mexico in Sayulita, Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, Todos Santos, Mazatlan and Troncones.
🏄♀️ Mexican Pipeline Wave in PUERTO ESCONDIDO
Playa Zicatela Puerto Escondido is best known for the Mexican Pipeline — a wave that regularly reaches 10-feet in height (3 m). The wave is most active in summer, when you’ll see international surfing competitions in Puerto Escondido.
It is said to be one of the largest surf waves in North America!
🏄♀️ PUERTO ESCONDIDO Surf Lessons
Aside from simply enjoying the beautiful beaches, surfing is one of the best Puerto Escondido things to do. Now, Pipeline isn’t a wave for beginner surfers, but there are other places to go.
You can book surf lessons with Ari at one of the best surf schools in Puerto Escondido. For people new to surfing, he’ll take you to enjoy the smaller waves at Playa La Punta, Playa Carrizalillo and Playa Marinero.
🏝️ Playa La Punta Zicatela
Technically a part of Playa Zicatela, the eastern edge of this beach is known as La Punta. While Zicatela Beach itself can be crowded and touristy, La Punta has a laid back, bohemian feel to it.
There are plenty of beach clubs and palm trees here, which add to La Punta’s tropical vibes. Many also head to La Punta to watch the sunset in Puerto Escondido, then stick around for dinner and drinks.
🏩 LOOKING FOR THE BEST PLACES TO STAY IN PUERTO ESCONDIDO? I spent a week at Casa UMI in La Punta, and absolutely loved this charming boutique hotel.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
3. Laguna Manialtepec Bioluminescence Tour
Just 30 minutes north of Puerto Escondido is Laguna Manialtepec Lagoon. You can visit the lagoon on a SUP paddle boarding tour by day, or head there at night to do the famous Puerto Escondido bioluminescence tour.
This is one of the top things to do in Puerto Escondido — as Laguna de Manialtepec is one of the few places in the world where you can swim in the water with bioluminescent plankton.
The plankton in the lagoon only emit light when they’re disturbed, so if you want to see them glow in the dark, get ready to jump into the water! Also, the bioluminescence is strongest in the center of the lake, so you must go by boat.
This highly-rated nighttime boating excursion is one of the best ways to experience this natural phenomenon. The local guides not only know the perfect place to go swimming, but they also keep an eye out for crocodiles.
👀 Best time to see bioluminescence in Puerto Escondido
The best months to see these phosphorescent plankton are July, August, November and December — although you can see it year-round. However, if it’s raining or there’s a Full Moon, skip this tour.
To see the glow of the plankton in all its glory, you’ll need to be in complete darkness. This is why you don’t want to go during the Full Moon, as you won’t see as much if moonlight is strong.
Last but not least, if you plan on heading to Laguna Manialtepec, remember to pack a swimsuit, quick-dry towel, flashlight or headlamp, insect repellent, and some long-sleeved pants and a shirt to ward off insect bites.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
4. Release Baby Sea Turtles in Oaxaca
The Sea Turtle Release is one of the top things to do in Puerto Escondido. As the name says, you’ll help newly hatched sea turtles make their way into the Pacific Ocean for the first time.
🐢 Note: If you plan on going on any turtle tour in Puerto Escondido, always go with a responsible tour company that has great reviews (like this one). Also, don’t ever use flash photography.
For many visitors, this is a Puerto Escondido must do, and a true Mexico bucket list experience. This Sea Turtle Release in Puerto Escondido Tour also offers hotel pick-up, a nice perk.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
5. Best Puerto Escondido Food Tours
🌮 When in doubt: One of the best things to do in Puerto Escondido, day or night, is eat!
Oaxaca food is arguably one of the best regional cuisines in Mexico. The region is famous for various dishes and drinks, including mole, tlayudas, memelas, chocolate, mezcal, garnachas, nieves and tacos.
🍽 To try it all, book your spot on the best food tour in Puerto Escondido — the Made in Oaxaca Food Tour (Rated 4.91/5 Stars)
Organized by local guides, Alex and Ricardo, guests are taken on a food journey through the streets of Puerto Escondido to try some of the region’s best dishes from a few places on Oaxaca’s Southern Pacific Coast.
From small secret spots to famous local restaurants, foodies will experience it all, tasting tacos, fresh seafood, salsa, quesillo (AKA Oaxaca cheese), and chocolate, all with a side of local history and storytelling.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
What’s the best time to visit Puerto Escondido Mexico?
Weather-wise, the best months to visit Puerto Escondido and the beaches of Oaxaca and Oaxaca Coast are November to April during the dry season.
You’ll have no rain (or very little), low humidity, and no mosquitoes (or very few) in these months on the Oaxacan Coast.
With perfect weather, however, comes larger crowds and higher price tags. To avoid the large crowds and higher-than-average prices, skip the weeks of Christmas, New Year’s and Semana Santa (Holy Week).
If you’re traveling to Puerto Escondido on a budget, you’ll want to visit during the slow summer season.
For the best value, but still nice weather, plan your visit during what’s called the shoulder season, a magical time right in-between the high season and low season.
- Puerto Escondido Busy Season: November to March
- Puerto Escondido Slow Season: May to September
- Puerto Escondido Shoulder Season: October and April
- Puerto Escondido Rainy Season: April to September
- Puerto Escondido Dry Season: October to March
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
What’s the Puerto Escondido weather like?
Huatulco has a topical climate, so you can expect hot days and warm nights. Average temperatures in Puerto Escondido hover around 75-95°F all year (24-35°C).
🧳 Not sure what to pack for Puerto Escondido Mexico? Check out this guide to Packing for Mexico, and for outfit inspiration, head to Cute Outfits for Mexico.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
What’s the best time to see whales in Puerto Escondido?
The Puerto Escondido whale season runs from about November to April — but the best time to see them is from mid-December to March.
This is one of the most popular Puerto Escondido things to do in winter, as you will not see whales year-round.
During winter, you can take this Puerto Escondido boat tour and venture into the Pacific Ocean to (hopefully) see Pacific gray whales, orcas (killer whales), humpback whales, sea turtles, mobula rays and more.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
What’s the best way to get to Puerto Escondido Mexico?
The best way to travel to Puerto Escondido is by flight. There are direct flights to Huatulco from Mexico City and Guadalajara, or you can take this Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido flight from Oaxaca City.
What’s the best airport for Puerto Escondido?
There is a Puerto Escondido airport, located about 20-30 minutes from the beaches, called Puerto Escondido International Airport (code: PXM).
It is a small airport, and very easy to navigate. If you’re booking a flight to Puerto Escondido, make sure you’re flying into Puerto Escondido Airport PXM.
How far is Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido?
The distance from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido Beach is 161 miles, or 259 km. It is the same for the Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca route.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
What are the best places to stay in Puerto Escondido?
When choosing where to stay in Puerto Escondido, remember that this is one of the best Mexico beach towns. You really do want to stay on the beach, or as close to it as you can get.
What are the best Puerto Escondido neighborhoods?
The best neighborhoods in Puerto Escondido Mexico are Zicatela, La Punta and La Rinconada (near Playa Carrizalillo). If you’re doing Puerto Escondido budget travel, you’ll find some inexpensive places in Downtown Puerto Escondido.
Best Hotels in Puerto Escondido
Now that you know where to stay, check out the best Puerto Escondido hotels below, with options in all price ranges.
Hotel Escondido ($$$$)
Though the decor is rustic-chic, the service is 5 Star luxury all the way at Hotel Escondido, one of the best Oaxaca boutique hotels. It is the perfect place to disconnect from it all, in one of their private beachfront bungalows.
Hotel Escondido is located on a private beach area about 30 minutes from Puerto Escondido, near the Casa Wabi Artist Residence. Do note that Hotel Escondido is on the outskirts of town, so you’ll want a rental car to get around.
VILLAS CARRIZALILLO ($$$)
Villas Carrazillio overlooks Playa Carrizalillo below — with million dollar views at a reasonable price tag.
Each villa here has a dining area and seating area with flat screen TV. Some of the villas also have a terrace and 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. My 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, so this is a popular spot for digital nomads.
Selina Puerto Escondido hostel is centered around a lush tropical garden, complete with a swimming pool, restaurant and bar. They have both private rooms and shared dorms available.
Note: If Selina Puerto Escondido is full, check out Casa Losodeli & CoWorking, another one of the best hostels in Puerto Escondido. This adults-only space is popular with long-term travelers and digital nomads in Puerto Escondido.
Is Puerto Escondido expensive?
No — “Expensive” is a relative term, but compared to most beach towns in Mexico, Puerto Escondido is on the cheaper side.
🤑 Traveling to Puerto Escondido on a budget? Opt for Selina Puerto Escondido Hostel or Casa Losodeli & CoWorking. Both of these best hostels in Puerto Escondido have private rooms and shared dorms for a good price.
Even if you don’t want to stay in a hostel, many of the best hotels in Puerto Escondido average about $75 USD per night, so your money still stretches pretty far when traveling to Puerto Escondido Oaxaca Mexico.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
What’s the best way to get around in Puerto Escondido Mexico?
Should I rent a car in Puerto Escondido?
A Puerto Escondido rental car is definitely the best way to get around because you’re not dependent on anyone, you just come and go as you please, staying anywhere you want for as long as you want.
As one of the safest cities in Mexico, you’ll be fine driving in Puerto Escondido Mexico. 🚙💨 For more info, head to Renting a Car in Mexico: Everything You Need to Know.
When it comes to Mexico rental cars, I recommend and also use Discover Cars. Their search tool checks both international companies and local Mexican companies so you get the best rates.
🚕 Taxis in Puerto Escondido Mexico
You might be wondering, Are taxis safe in Puerto Escondido? For the vast majority of travelers, yes, you will be safe using taxis in Puerto Escondido.
You can use them to get from Point A to Point B, but some drivers will also negotiate a day rate for you, and they will take you all over town for the day.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
Is there Uber in Puerto Escondido?
No — There’s no Puerto Escondido Uber, and there’s no Lyft in Puerto Escondido either.
If you don’t have a rental car, you’ll have to use taxis or public transportation. Taxis will cost more than public transport, but they’re much more convenient.
They do have DiDi Taxi through the DiDi Rider app, which lets you call a taxi via the app. It’s basically like using Uber or Lyft, but you will get a regular cab.
🚌 Public Transportation in Puerto Escondido Mexico
Puerto Escondido public transportation is good, though unlike taxis, don’t expect bus drivers to speak English. (Not that all taxi drivers in Puerto Escondido speak English, but you usually have a better chance).
If you do want to use public transport in Puerto Escondido, make sure you have change and small bills to pay the driver; as many won’t make change for large bills.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
Is Puerto Escondido safe for travelers?
For the vast majority of tourists, Puerto Escondido is quite safe to visit. As safety is a complex topic, head to Is Mexico Safe to Visit Right Now? for a deep dive.
In general though, Oaxaca is among the safest states in Mexico, and the Mexican government wants to keep it this way.
Aside from big surf waves, mosquitoes, sunburns, and not drinking too much Oaxaca mezcal, you’re in little danger in Puerto Escondido. However, no place on Earth is 100% safe.
You’ll still want to take the same general travel safety measures you would anywhere else. Also, register for the U.S. STEP Program for international travelers, and put your mind at ease with Mexico travel insurance.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
Mexico Travel Insurance for Puerto Escondido
Just as you insure your car, home and body, you can also insure your luggage, belongings and health while traveling.
If Puerto Escondido travel safety is on your mind, get a FREE quote below from two of the biggest names in travel insurance for Mexico.
- World Nomads: Perfect for general travel coverage, and those who want to do adventurous activities while visiting Puerto Escondido, like surfing.
- Safety Wing: Perfect Mexico digital nomads who plan to be in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca state or Mexico for an extended period of time.
Can you drink the water in Puerto Escondido Mexico?
One of the most common questions I get is, Can I drink the water in Mexico? The answer is NO, unfiltered Mexico tap water isn’t safe for human consumption — not for locals and not for visitors.
For more info, head to Can You Drink the Water in Mexico? for a complete guide to this topic. To be as safe as possible, you’ll want to get one of these Water-To-Go Bottles that have a built-in, three-stage water filter.
Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
Final Thoughts: Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?
Puerto Escondido is a very special place, and provides a very unique experience, as far as Mexico beach towns go.
Its nature is very well preserved, yet there are beautiful accommodations; it’s a beach town, yet still maintains an authentic, cultural feel.
For surfers, it’s a paradise, and known as one of the best Mexico surf spots. Even if you don’t surf, you can relax on the beaches, piña colada in hand, or enjoy these amazing Puerto Escondido tours.
If you’re still wondering, Is Puerto Escondido worth visiting? — the answer is that nature lovers will enjoy it, travelers who want a relaxing vacation will enjoy it, and anyone who loves the beach will also love Puerto Escondido Mexico.
More Puerto Escondido Travel Blogs
Looking for more info on traveling to Puerto Escondido Mexico? Check out these additional Puerto Escondido travel guides:
- Renting a Car in Puerto Escondido
- Best Puerto Escondido Luxury Hotels
- Best Puerto Escondido Hotels
- Best Puerto Escondido Tours
- 30 Best Things to Do in Puerto Escondido
- Best Beaches in Puerto Escondido
- Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido Private Car
- Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido Flight
- Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido Transportation Options
- Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido Bus
- Ultimate Guide to Puerto Escondido Mexico