180 miles from Oaxaca the state capital, At the of the end of the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range that snakes through Oaxaca, Mexico, and down to the Pacific Ocean, lies the coastal resort of Puerto Escondido. Puerto Escondido is one of the most important tourist attractions on the Oaxacan coast. About ten km from Puerto Escondido is the Laguna de Manialtepec. There is a small village on the way called Bajos de Chila as well as a small archeological zone of the Chatina culture. This site has a Sun Stone which represented the solar deity and a statue of a high-ranking priest. Known for its huge, powerful waves, this Oaxaca-state idyll is popular with surfers from all over the world. A stroll along Zicatela provides the chance to enjoy the spectacular performances of surfers skimming atop the crests of colossal waves. According to experts, Puerto Escondido is among the ten best surfing sites on the planet.
Puerto Escondido (“Hidden Port”) remains an irresistible location for most travellers to Oaxaca. With direct flights from the capital, kilometres of sandy beaches and an international surf reputation as home of the “Mexican Pipeline”, Escondido has firmly established itself as a destination: you’ll find the standard strings of souvenir shops, crowded bars, internet cafés and no-frills restaurants along the Adoquín (the main pedestrian strip). This said, the town has retained a somewhat languid air; small-scale, casual and uninhibited, there is still the hint of the village it once was, and it’s a world away from resorts such as Cancún. This is most evident in the early morning, when fishermen return to Playa Principal, their boats laden with marlin and red snapper, and while there are a tremendous number of hotels to choose from, the majority tend to be small and basic, catering to long-stay travellers.
Puerto Escondido became famous due to surfing competitions held at Zicatela Beach every year in November. The competition brings competitors from various countries. A number of international competitions such as the ESPN X Games, and the MexPipe Challenge have taken place. Most of the visitors are young, with surfing high on their agendas. Indeed, it is along the surf beach, Zicatela, less than a kilometre away from the centre and divided from the main beach of Playa Principal by a rocky outcrop known as Rocas del Morro, that most of the recent changes have taken place. Where once stood just a few weather-beaten huts, there’s now a thriving community with a clutch of hotels most with pools, since the sea is almost always too rough for swimming and open-air rustic restaurants serving everything from burgers to fresh fish and Mexican staples. Puerto Escondido has several beach areas, beginning with the town beach (Playa Principal), which stretches round to the east and south from the old town centre, frequented primarily by Mexican families. The sand here is perhaps a little overused, and shared, too, with the local fishermen and the activities of the port. A little to the east, beyond where the Laguna Agua Dulce occasionally reaches the sea, Playa Marinero is quieter and sometimes graced with gentle waves it’s a good place to learn to surf.
Non-surfers and surfer groupies have also latched onto the relaxed pace, and Zicatela is now as much a destination as Escondido town itself, especially between August and January when the weather is ideal. During the rainy season the town has a much more vacant, lacklustre air – the oppressive humidity creates a marshy, mosquitoridden beachfront. At either end of the dry season, Escondido is packed for surf tournaments. Despite Zicatela’s laid-back atmosphere, muggings have occurred in the past, and bright new lighting has been installed in many areas – it’s inadvisable to walk in any dimly lit areas at night, but if you use the normal precautions, there shouldn’t be any problems. The Fiestas de Noviembre (Festivals of November) are held during the month into the beginning of December. Events are scheduled in both the San Pedro Mixtepec and Santa Maria Colotepec jurisdictions and there is little coordination between the events.
Puerto Escondido can be loosely divided into two zones. The old town sprawls across the hill behind the bay, separated by Hwy-200 from the newer tourist zone along the coast. This starts at Playa Principal and Avenida Pérez Gasga behind it, the town’s main thoroughfare. Half of the latter street is pedestrianized and known as El Adoquín – Spanish for “paving stone”. Playa Marinero separates Playa Principal from Playa Zicatela (hidden behind rocks at the east end of the bay), which runs east and then south from here. West of Zicatela over the El Moro rocky outcrop is Playa Marinero, which is the best beach for swimming as the surf and undertow are much less. There is some surf, but gentle enough for beginning surfers and bodyboarding. Just northwest of the main beach, several lovely coves are just right for boogie boarding on junior-size waves or just paddling around. Both Puerto Angelito and Carrizalillo are great for swimming, and beach-goers can walk here from town, ride a bike, or take a brief cab ride. Continuing up the coast, Playa Bacocho is a long, flat beach above which perches a mixed neighborhood of hotels like the Best Western, along with homes and a few restaurants and nightclubs.
Apart from shopping for international surf designs, beachwear and crafts, Escondido offers little beyond the standard beach activities: swimming, surfing, lazing on the sand, eating, drinking and watching beautiful sunsets, though if you have time there are a growing number of places offering everything from salsa to cooking lessons, in addition to the usual Spanish. The choice of beaches, even within a couple of kilometres of town, is impressive. Note that wherever you are, the surf should be treated with respect the waters along Zicatela, especially, have a lethal undertow. It’s possible to take a boat to all the beaches below, and some further afield, from the beach in front of the Hotel Rincón del Pacífico on Playa Principal. It should then return to pick you up at an agreed time. The same boats charge for a full tour of the coast, beaches and local turtles (45min), while specialized turtle tours are available.
Birding tours of Laguna de Manialtepec (16 km) and Chacahua (60 km) to the northwest make for awesome day trips. Migrating birds hide out within the mangrove canals during the winter months, but there are hundreds of species yearround. Even non-birders enjoy a boat ride through the mangrove swamps, most of which end with a visit to less touristy beaches between Puerto Escondido and Pinotepa Nacional, near the Guerrero state border. Just 20 minutes north of Puerto Escondido, birders can rent kayaks or motorboats to view the pelicans, hawks, hummingbirds, spoonbills and more that inhabit the mangrove forests of the Manialtepec Lagoon. The town has a small museum housing typical pre-Hispanic weapons, tools and other artifacts as well as ancient stone carvings representing ancient deities.