Puerto Escondido is a large coastal town on Oaxaca’s Pacific coast, best known for its surf and popular beaches. It has a very different feel from Mazunte, with much more movement, traffic, people and tourism, and a much more urban atmosphere.

How We Got There

Mazunte → San Antonio → Puerto Escondido
We took the local truck from Mazunte’s main square to San Antonio and then changed to Transportes Delfines towards Puerto Escondido.

Puerto Escondido in one night

We only spent one night here as a stop between Mazunte and Mexico City, so we didn’t have enough time to explore the town properly. We arrived in the afternoon and used the few hours we had to walk around, visit some of the beaches and have dinner before heading to the airport the following morning.

Although it wasn’t our favourite stop in Oaxaca, we were glad we had a little time to see it for ourselves. The beaches were beautiful and there were plenty of places to eat, but after spending several days in Mazunte, the difference in atmosphere was very noticeable.

A More Urban Coastal Town

Puerto Escondido has a much bigger and busier feel than Mazunte, with plenty of movement, traffic and tourism throughout the town. It is particularly well known for its surf and attracts many visitors looking for beaches, restaurants, nightlife and surf activities.

For us, it didn’t have the calm atmosphere we enjoyed in Mazunte, and accommodation close to the beach can be quite expensive. We would mainly consider Puerto Escondido as a practical stop if you need to use the airport, rather than somewhere we would choose to spend several days.

Getting to the Airport

We walked from our accommodation to Puerto Escondido airport early in the morning. The walk took around 20-25 minutes and was easy, with mostly flat roads. It’s a good option if you have light luggage and prefer to avoid a taxi. If you have more luggage or prefer not to walk so early, a taxi is also a quick and affordable option.

Our cost

Would we
recommend it?

We didn’t enjoy our short stay as much as Mazunte. It feels like a big and busy town with lots of tourism and a more urban atmosphere Accommodation near the beach can be quite expensive. We would only recommend it if you need to fly from the airport or if you’re mainly interested in surfing.