Layout of Puerto Escondido
Puerto Escondido sits on a headland where the Sierra Madre del Sur meets the Pacific in the south-west of Oaxaca, in the municipality of San Pedro Mixtepec. It grew from a coffee-shipping anchorage in the 1930s into a surf town in the 1970s, and it is still built on two levels. The upper town straddles Highway 200, which runs straight through it and carries the market, the bus terminals, the banks and most of the resident population — about 30,000 people in 2020. The lower town runs along the water, and everything a visitor uses is strung out east to west along about 5 km of it.
At the centre is Playa Principal, the old harbour beach where the fishing boats land, backed by the Adoquín — Avenida Pérez Gasga, the paving-stone street closed to traffic in the evenings and lined with restaurants and shops. East of it the coast bends south into Playa Marinero and then Playa Zicatela, a 4 km beach with the Mexican Pipeline break at its northern end and, at its far southern end, La Punta, a low-key quarter of small guesthouses, surf schools and sand streets that has grown quickly since 2015. West of the centre the shoreline breaks into coves: Puerto Angelito and Playa Manzanillo share one small bay reached down a steep lane, and Playa Carrizalillo, further west, is a half-moon of sand at the bottom of a stairway of about 170 steps, with the calmest water and a beginners' surf break. Beyond it the residential district of Rinconada runs out to Playa Bacocho, a long open beach with heavy surf where turtle hatchlings are released.
Puerto Escondido International (PXM) is 4 km west of the centre, close enough that its single runway is visible from the coast road, with flights from Mexico City and Oaxaca City. The town's isolation ended in February 2025 with the opening of the Barranca Larga–Ventanilla highway, a 104 km road across the sierra that cut the drive from Oaxaca City to about three hours; the older routes, Highway 131 through Sola de Vega and Highway 175 through Pochutla, took six hours or more of mountain switchbacks. Highway 200 remains the coastal link, west towards Acapulco and east towards Huatulco.
Distances from Puerto Escondido
| Place | km | Time | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Escondido airport (PXM) | 4 | 10 min | Coast road, taxi |
| Playa Zicatela | 3 | 10 min | Local road or on foot |
| Lagunas de Chacahua national park | 70 | 1 h 30 | Hwy 200 west, then boat |
| Pochutla | 70 | 1 h 15 | Hwy 200 east |
| Mazunte and Zipolite | 70 | 1 h 20 | Hwy 200, then coast road |
| Huatulco | 110 | 2 h | Hwy 200 east |
| Oaxaca City | 260 | 3 h | Barranca Larga–Ventanilla highway |
| Salina Cruz | 270 | 4 h | Hwy 200 east |
| Acapulco | 400 | 6 h | Hwy 200 west |
| Mexico City | 720 | 9 h | Via Oaxaca and Hwy 135D, or 1 h by air |
Beaches and the coast either side
The beaches divide neatly by what the sea does at each of them. Zicatela faces open ocean with deep water close in, which is what produces the Mexican Pipeline: a short, heavy, hollow wave that breaks in shallow sand and draws professional surfers each November. It has a permanent lifeguard service and a strong rip, and swimming is not advised along most of it. Carrizalillo and Puerto Angelito are protected by rock points and are the swimming beaches; La Punta, at the south end of Zicatela, has a gentler left-hand break used for lessons. Sunset boat trips from Playa Principal look for dolphins and, between December and March, humpback whales.
West of town Highway 200 runs past the lagoons of Manialtepec, 15 km out, where bioluminescent plankton is visible on dark nights, and reaches the Lagunas de Chacahua national park at 70 km, a system of mangrove lagoons and sandbars with a small Afro-Mexican fishing village. East, past Pochutla, the coast road serves Mazunte, home of the national turtle centre, the clothing-optional beach at Zipolite, and the cove at San Agustinillo; Puerto Ángel is the old port between them. Huatulco and its nine bays are two hours on. The beaches map sets these against the rest of the Pacific shore, and the Southern Mexico page covers the states behind it.
Questions about Puerto Escondido
Where is Puerto Escondido on the map of Mexico?
On the Pacific coast of Oaxaca at 15.86° N, 97.07° W, on Highway 200 about 110 km west of Huatulco and 400 km east of Acapulco. Oaxaca City is about 260 km inland over the Sierra Madre del Sur.
What is the Mexican Pipeline?
The beach break at Playa Zicatela, a 4 km beach south-east of the town centre where deep water close inshore produces a heavy, fast barrelling wave. It is a break for experienced surfers only; the international contest is held here in November.
How long does it take to drive from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido?
About 3 hours since the Barranca Larga–Ventanilla highway opened in February 2025, over roughly 260 km. The older mountain routes, Highways 131 and 175, took six hours or more. Flights from Oaxaca City and Mexico City land at PXM.
Which beach is best for swimming in Puerto Escondido?
Playa Carrizalillo and Puerto Angelito are sheltered coves with calm water; Playa Principal in front of town is also protected. Zicatela has a strong shorebreak and rip currents and is not a swimming beach.
Is Puerto Escondido safe to visit?
It is a long-established surf and beach town that receives visitors year-round, and the main documented hazards are in the water — rip currents at Zicatela and the open beaches. Oaxaca as a whole carries a moderate US State Department advisory; check the current advisory before travelling.