Puerto Escondido
With a major airport right in town, easy access to the southern points, a booming nightlife packed with beautiful people from all over the world, and of course, Playa Zicatela, one of the biggest, baddest beachbreaks on Earth, Puerto Escondido is the undisputed power center of Mexican surfing.
The Waves
Puerto Escondido
Commonly known as the "Mexican Pipeline," it's not a random coincidence that this heavily photographed spot is compared to another gigantic, awe-inspiring, fearsome Pacific wave. A deep off-shore trench helps focus and amplify southerly swells, which explains why Puerto's two main waves (a left called Far Bar and a right called Carmelita's) seldom dip under head high all summer and occasionally max out at 40- to 60-foot faces. Despite breaking over a sandy bottom fairly close to shore, when it's big, you better know what you're doing out there. Hazards include, but aren't limited to: strong currents, inescapable rips, and board-snapping duck dives. It's a minefield out there, but if you connect with the right wave, you'll know the true meaning of the word "cavern." LOCAL RESOURCES: Puerto Lifeguards | The Ahava Project *WORLD SURFING RESERVE* This break sits in a protected surf ecosystem — preserving the coastline, culture, and access that keep it working. Here's why this break matters.
La Punta
Located at the far south headland of Playa Zicatela, La Punta is the every surfer's option when Puerto Escondido is too nuts. The headland does a good job of absorbing and refracting raw swell energy (which helps the chargers up the beach), making for a ridiculously fun lefthand pointbreak that pumps out barrel sections, ramps, steep walls and crisp shoulders with every wave. The water is pretty much always a deep turquoise and bathwater warm. Plus, when Zicatela blows out, La Punta will handle the wind far better and all day long. *WORLD SURFING RESERVE* This break sits in a protected surf ecosystem — preserving the coastline, culture, and access that keep it working. Here's why this break matters.
When the swell is just right you’ll have A-frames up and down the beach at Playa Zicatela. It can be a very fun, rippable kind of wave.
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Puerto Escondido According To...
Coco
Nogales
The Puerto Escondido icon shares decades of knowledge and perspective on what it means to travel in Mainland Mexico today.
What makes Mainland Mexico, and in particular Playa Zicatela and Puerto Escondido, a special destination for surfers?
It’s a special place because of the great waves and warm water. That’s the dream for surfers, right? Warm water and good waves. People may think of Puerto and think it’s heavy and scary, which it can be, but there’s a lot of opportunities when the swell isn’t pumping.
What kind of waves can visiting surfers expect?
When the swell is just right you’ll have A-frames up and down the beach at Playa Zicatela. It can be a very fun, rippable kind of wave. Then when it gets bigger things start to move around a lot more. There are other waves up north that are more user-friendly. The points have become really popular in the last few years.
What’s the vibe?
The vibes are pretty good here. The area has become a bit like Bali in that it’s become a popular destination for international travelers and it’s more crowded than it used to be. But people in Mexico are happy and friendly, so if you’re friendly you’ll have a great time. It’s pretty simple, just like traveling anywhere, respect the local people and culture and it’s all good.
What should surfers bring?
For me a must is always good sunscreen and some Prana CBD cream for your shoulders after a long day of paddling. As far as surfboards, you’re going to want to have whatever you ride every day, your usual shortboard. Then for the bigger days at Playa Zicatelayou can just keep stepping up from a 7’6” to an 8’0” to a 9’0” or 9’6” or bigger. You’re going to want a bigger board for all the current and water moving as the swell increases. If you’re taking a trip to the points, that’s a different story. You can ride anything from longboards to high-performance shortboards. It depends on what you’re after.
When is the best time to score?
From the early-season south swells in May through the late season in September, that’s the best time for waves. It can be very consistent and dependable.
What else is there to do when you’re not surfing?
There’s great fishing around here. That’s a big one. And there are some good spots for snorkeling and diving as well. We have a couple of jujitsu places here there are a good places to train. And there’s a lot to do if you want to explore the surrounding area.
What’s your favorite local cuisine?
There’s the traditional rice, beans and pescado, and then the tacos, enchiladas and all that great local Mexican food. There is a mercado here that has some really good authentic, local food. But you can find it all here. With more people coming here from around the world there are a lot of options—good pizza and stuff like that. But the fish here is really amazing.
Where can people learn to surf? Any surf schools you’d recommend?
I’ve been doing some surf camps with small groups myself, but there are a bunch of surf schools here. There are a few that are really good. It’s worth doing your research so you get the best, most experienced instructors.
What are some things people should be aware of when it comes to local culture and customs?
Just like when you travel anywhere in the world, respect the local people and culture. If you are friendly and happy and respectful, the locals will be very welcoming. That being said, you have to be very aware of your surroundings and keep your guard up. Don’t take dumb chances, don’t act dumb, and stay out of trouble. Having that respect for the people and place is the most important thing.
Any other local tips?
Spend your money with the local businesses and people. Tourism is an important livelihood here, and your trip will be so much better if you support the locals. From the restaurants to the guys that fix boards—you can break your board in the morning and they’ll have it looking like new by the end of the day—it’s just really important to support the local economy and the people that make this place what it is. That’s what makes it so special here, the people.
Travel Essentials
Culture & customs
Puerto Escondido has been a major surfing hub since the 1970s, when the waves at Playa Zicatela began attracting the world’s hardest-charging surfers. Located in the southern state of Oaxaca, the city has a population of over 20,000, but the area we think of as “Puerto” is much smaller, mainly consisting of the strip of hotels, restaurants and clubs lining the beach at Zicatela. Nearby, La Punta has developed an active backpacker scene, albeit more laid-back than the adrenaline and bravado circulating at Zicatela. But both zones are very much the domain of tourists, most of whom are there to relax, party and live the gypsy dream, blissfully unimpressed by the giant barrels breaking just offshore.
Local scene
Zicatela in particular is a nonstop party, but don’t stay out too late. The dawn patrol is essential because the surf tends to blow out by noon. Outside of Zicatela and La Punta, though, the rest of Puerto Escondido is pretty typical for a Mexican city of its size. The people are friendly, the food and accommodations are cheap, and the waves are world-class. The lineup at La Punta gets pretty busy with local and visiting surfers (not to mention backpackers taking surf lessons) riding a good left point that won’t kill them like Puerto can, but the vibe is pretty friendly. Zicatela can also get a bit overrun when it’s “small” — which is still overhead to double-overhead — but a small day at Puerto is still heavier than almost anywhere else with a sand bottom. And between the strong currents, huge waves, broken boards and requisite skills and equipment, the bigger days regulate the crowd naturally. Then there’s the XXL days, which are reserved for experts only.
What to bring
If you intend to surf Zicatela properly, you will need a quiver full of step-ups and mini-guns, at least one 8’0” rhino-chaser (much bigger if you want to surf the XXL days), and preferably an impact vest. La Punta, on the other hand, is surfable on just about anything, depending on the size of the swell: longboards, shortboards, fishes and mid-lengths are all equally represented in this lineup on most days. The other waves in the area are best surfed on a shortboard or step-up, and if you plan to head south to the points, you’ll want both of those, plus a fish or a twinnie.
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How to get there
Puerto Escondido’s airport receives a handful of international flights each day, plus a constant stream of connecting flights from Mexico City, Tijuana and other major Mexican cities. You can also fly into Huatulco (depending on schedule, flight availability and cost), then rent a car or hire a taxi to take you the two hours west to Puerto.
Downtime
There isn’t a lot of downtime in Puerto during the main surf season, April through September. An offshore canyon magnifies the constant barrage of southerly swells that hammer the coast, and even the smallest days are head-high. That being said, the surf tends to blow out by noon, so be prepared to spend your afternoons lounging and your evenings socializing. The club and party scene is pretty much nonstop, and there is a great selection of restaurants. The ocean, rivers and lakes offer lots of adventure for the non-surfing (or surfed-out) members of your crew, including bioluminescence tours, dolphin watching, sport fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, crocodile tours and turtle sightings. You can also head to the mountains, check out La Reforma Waterfall, zip-line through the jungle, experience a temescal (traditional Mexican sweat lodge), check out the cultural hub of Oaxaca City, or wear yourself out shopping. Pretty much everything you’d expect from a major tourist hub is available here.
Quick Tips
Travel Time
LAX: 4 hrs
JFK: 5 hrs
Heathrow: 12 hrs
SYD: 40 hrs
Connectivity
If you’re looking for full connectivity (and limited extra charges), it’s best to talk to your cellular provider before taking off and establishing an international plan. Besides that, you’ll likely find WiFi at hotels and other establishments.
Currency
Mexican Peso. At the time of writing, $1 USD = 20.32 MXN
Avg. cost of...
Cup of coffee: $2.00
Lunch: $8.00
Beer: $2.00
Hotel room: $75.00
Visa Requirements
No need for a visa, unless you plan on staying for more than 180 days.
Drinking water quality
Bottled only. Seriously.
Hazards
Petty theft, getting ripped off, overestimating your abilities, broken boards, foodborne illnesses, partying too hard.
Cash, card, crypto
Most places in Puerto Escondido will take card, but having cash on you for a roadside taco or cerveza isn’t a bad idea. ATMs are available in hotspot areas.
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