Photo: https://www.flickr.com/ph…, CC BY-SA 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons
Four days on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca. Three go to Puerto Escondido, its bay, its small coves and the long surf beach of Zicatela (to watch, not to swim), plus a mangrove lagoon. One long day goes down the coast to Mazunte.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: warm, sunny days with little rain score highest (the air stands in for the sea, which is not included). Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
How much walking? On foot, about 0.5 to 2.7 kilometers a day, and 97.1 kilometers by car in all across 4 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
An easy first day on foot and by short taxi hops. The town beach with its fishing boats, a sheltered bay for a careful paddle and the pedestrian street where the town comes out in the evening. Little shade, so start early.
Steamed corn tamales, wrapped in leaf or in banana leaf, with a cup of hot chocolate atole, a thick, warm drink of corn and cocoa, a gentle start to the morning on the bay.
Local tip Ask what the tamales are filled with and eat them hot.
The town beach on the bay of Puerto Escondido, where the fishing boats are pulled up on the sand and the town begins. It is a working beach more than a resort one. Walk along the water, watch the boats, and keep to the shore if the swell is up.
Go when Early morning, when the boats and the first walkers are out.
Local tip Walk the whole bay once and stay on the sand if the swell is up. Ask a local about the water before you swim, and carry water, since shade is scarce.
A small sheltered bay beside the town centre, with calmer water than the open beaches and rocks at either end. Many people swim here, but waves and currents change from day to day, so ask a lifeguard or a local before you go in.
Go when Late morning, before the day gets hot.
Local tip The bay is more sheltered than the open beaches, but not always calm. Ask a lifeguard or a local about the day, and stay close to the shore.
Crisp tostadas topped with fresh fish ceviche, raw fish cured in lime juice with onion and coriander, a cool lunch for a hot day.
Local tip Ask what came in that day, and go easy on the chile.
The cobbled walking street of Puerto Escondido, a stretch of Pérez Gasga closed to most traffic, with open air tables, small shops and craft stalls. It is where the town gathers once the heat goes, so come as the light fades.
Go when Evening, once the heat has gone (about 6:14 PM).
Local tip Walk it slowly from end to end, then choose a table. Carry small notes for the stalls, and keep a hand on your phone in the crowd.
A whole fish split open, rubbed with a red chile paste and grilled over coals, served with rice and salad. A dish of the Pacific coast, eaten with the hands.
Local tip Share one fish between two, and squeeze plenty of lime on it.
A day of sea and sand. A small cove at the foot of a long staircase, a second sheltered cove next door, then the long beach of Zicatela in the late light. Zicatela is a surf break for experts, so watch from the sand.
A plate of tropical fruit and a licuado, a fresh blended drink of fruit and milk or water, to start a day of walking down stairs and across sand.
Local tip Ask for it without added sugar if you like it plain.
A small cove of pale sand tucked below the cliffs, reached by a long staircase from the street above. Local fishing families and surfers share it. The cove is more sheltered than the open beach, but check the waves and ask a lifeguard before you swim.
Go when Morning, when the cove is quiet and the light is soft.
Local tip The staircase is long and uneven, so wear shoes you can climb in, and leave nothing of value on the sand. Ask a lifeguard about the water before you go in.
A small, sheltered cove west of the main bay, with a short stretch of sand between two headlands. Boats rest here, and the water is generally calmer than at the beaches around it. Ask locally about the day, and wear a hat, since shade is scarce.
Go when Midday, for a short swim if the water allows.
Local tip Go in only where the water looks calm and others are swimming, and ask a lifeguard or a local about the day. Keep away from the rocks at either end.
Soft corn tortillas with fish, cabbage and a squeeze of lime, eaten at a table near the water. A simple lunch after a morning at the coves.
Local tip Add salsa a little at a time.
The long beach south of the bay, a surf break known across Mexico. The waves are fast, heavy and break close to the shore, and strong currents run along it. It is for experienced surfers only, so do not swim here. Watch from the sand and let the light fade.
Go when Late afternoon, for the light on the waves (about 6:14 PM).
Local tip This is a break for experienced surfers only, with strong currents. Watch from the sand and never swim here. If you want to surf, ask a local surf school about a calmer beach for lessons.
Shrimp cooked in butter and garlic, with rice and a salad, eaten with the sound of the waves behind you.
Local tip Ask for the shrimp with the shell on if you like the flavour it brings.
A day west of town. A tidal lagoon of mangroves and birds, reached by a short drive, then two long beaches on the way home. Go with a local guide on the water, take insect repellent and check ahead on what is running.
A memela is a thick, flat corn cake with beans and fresh Oaxaca string cheese, called quesillo, cooked on a hot griddle, a morning dish of the whole state.
Local tip Add a spoon of salsa on top.
A large lagoon behind the coast west of Puerto Escondido, ringed by mangroves and fed by the sea at its edge. Local boatmen take visitors out to see the birds that use it. Some nights the water can glow, but only sometimes and never on demand, so check ahead and do not count on it.
Go when Early morning, when the birds are active and the water is still.
Local tip Go with a local boatman, wear insect repellent and keep to their advice. Do not swim, and check ahead on what is running. Any glow on the water is rare and never promised.
A whole fried fish with rice, tortillas and a squeeze of lime, eaten at a plain table in the shade near the water.
Local tip Eat after the lagoon, and drink plenty of water.
A long, open beach west of the bay, backed by dunes and palms, where the surf is strong and the currents run hard. It is a place for a walk on the hard sand and a look at the sea, not for swimming. Take water, a hat and your own shade.
Go when Late afternoon, for a long walk (about 6:14 PM).
Local tip Walk the hard sand and look at the sea, but do not swim, since the surf and the currents are strong. Take water, a hat and shade of your own.
A quieter stretch of sand and rocks at the western edge of town, away from the busiest beaches. Walk the edge of the water and look at the rocks and the birds. Waves can be strong here, so ask a local before you go in.
Go when Afternoon, when the light is warm on the rocks.
Local tip Watch your footing on the rocks, and ask a local before you swim. Take your rubbish with you.
A tlayuda is a large, crisp tortilla spread with black bean paste and topped with Oaxaca cheese, lettuce and a meat of your choice, a supper from the city of Oaxaca that is eaten along the coast too.
Local tip Share it, and fold it like a book.
A long day by road down the coast to Mazunte, with a drive each way. A centre for sea turtles, a quiet beach on the way, and a headland walk to end the day. Start very early, keep to main roads in daylight, or sleep a night in Mazunte.
Pan de yema is a soft, golden egg bread from Oaxaca, good dipped in a cup of strong coffee from the mountains of the state, a light start before a long road.
Local tip Carry a second roll in your bag for the road.
The Mexican Turtle Centre, the Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga, a research and conservation centre in Mazunte with tanks of sea turtles and other species of the coast. It grew out of a place where turtles were once hunted. Check ahead on when it is open.
Go when Morning, before the heat.
Local tip Look and do not touch. Ask the staff how the centre works, and check ahead on when it is open. It is a research place, so keep your voice low.
A quiet beach west of Mazunte, with a long, open shore and a few simple places to sit. The surf is strong and currents run along this part of the coast, so walk the sand and look at the sea. Do not swim unless locals say the day is safe.
Go when Midday, for a long look at the sea.
Local tip Bring water, shade and food. The surf and currents are strong, so walk the sand and do not swim unless local people tell you the day is safe.
A whole fish grilled with garlic and chile, served with rice, salad and warm tortillas at a simple table with the sea in front of it.
Local tip Ask what was caught that day.
A rocky headland that marks the southernmost point of the Oaxaca coast, reached by a footpath from Mazunte. The path is rough and has little shade. Go in good shoes, take water and watch the sun go down over the sea. The rocks can be slick, so keep well back from the edge.
Go when Late afternoon, so you see the sun go down (about 6:14 PM).
Local tip Wear closed shoes, take water and a torch for the way back, and keep well back from the cliff edge. The path is rough and the rocks can be slippery.
A coconut chopped open for you on the spot, with a straw, to drink the water and then scrape out the soft flesh with a spoon, a cool pause on the walk to the headland.
Local tip Drink it before you walk out onto the rocks.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, January to March are the best months for a beach trip to Puerto Escondido. This plan is built for november to April, which is a good month. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 4 days in Puerto Escondido, planned for november to April. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
On foot, about 0.5 to 2.7 kilometers a day, and 97.1 kilometers by car in all across 4 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
4 days of nine bays, quiet coves and old ruins in HuatulcoAbout 90 km awayAn easy add-on
6 days of slow eating in OaxacaAbout 140 km away
3 days of mole, tiles and a pyramid in Puebla and CholulaAbout 380 km awayMake it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated November 2026
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