Puerto Escondido

• 🌍 Puerto Escondido International Airport (PXM  ^IATA) (is very close to town), ☏ +52 951 516 4982. Four daily flights from Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX ^IATA) in Mexico City. (updated May 2022)

Another alternative is flying into Huatulco (HUX ^IATA) and taking a taxi to Puerto Escondido (~90-min drive, US$50-60 if you negotiate in advance).

Shared taxis (called colectivos) from the Puerto Escondido airport are cheap - about M$35 per person- and reasonably quick. The airport is close to town, but you may have to wait a few minutes as the colectivo driver waits to get a few more passengers, or drops one or two off ahead of you.

TuriStar and Estrella Blanca from Mexico City are the most comfortable and most expensive way to get here (M$500-900, 12 hours), traveling via Acapulco. These buses only leave from the South (Taxqueña) bus terminal. Other first class buses leave from both the North and South terminals, traveling via Puebla and/or Oaxaca City, and taking several hours longer than the buses via Acapulco.

More comfortable but longer are the buses leaving from the 2nd class bus station. Do not take a 1st class bus because the trip is over 15 hours – it takes the longest route. 2nd class buses take around 7-8 hours. There are also many buses from Acapulco. For example, the AltaMar bus line leaves from the Ejido terminal 7 times a day and takes 7-8 hours.

A less expensive and faster alternative to the bus, two shuttle van companies do multiple daily runs between Puerto Escondido and Oaxaca (city). The very scenic route winds directly through the mountains with hairpin curves and takes about 6-7 hours depending on road conditions. Passengers who are inclined to get car sick should definitely take motion sickness tablets. There is a toilet and snack break about midway.

• 🌍 Servicio Express (Express Service), Av 1a Norte s/n (ground floor of Hotel Luz del Ángel, on the corner of Av Oaxaca), ☏ +52 951-516-40-59. Hourly from 04:00-23:00. Offers daily service in 15-seat vans. M$209. 
• 🌍 Transporte Villa del Pacifico, Av. Hidalgo No.5 (between 2a Poniente and Tercera Ponienta, next to Cuff Minimart), ☏ +52 954 103 3134, lauren.zarate@hotmail.com. Hourly from 03:30-23:30. Offers daily service in 15-seat vans. M$170. (updated Apr 2023)

Highway 200 between Puerto Escondido and Acapulco is in fair-to-good condition and can be confidently driven with reasonable care - but watch for speed bumps. Highway 131, the direct road to Oaxaca, is in mediocre-to-poor condition, especially west of the mountains where the rains often wash away the highway. Do not attempt this road after nightfall, as there are sudden craters where the surface has slid away down the hillside, and it will be a serious accident if you tumble down after. Reckon 6 or 7 hours, do not hurry even though local traffic often overtakes you - they know where the booby-traps are.

Frequent local buses (urbanos) ply the main roads. There is no route map, but all buses have their destination painted on the windscreen and pass through the 🌍 crucero (at the intersection of Carr. Costera and Av. Oaxaca). The fare is M$5 (Sep 2014) for a single ride, no transfers.

The fixed price for a taxi in town is M$30-50 (Sep 2014) for the airport and Bacocho beach. Night rates are M$35 (Sep 2014). Some taxis will charge more than the going rate if you do not specify M$30 before the ride. A taxi from the airport to Punta Zicatela should cost you M$200 (Nov 2021), although this very much depends upon your Spanish negotiating skills and will often cost significantly more. You may be able to hire a cab driver for the day for about M$800 (Jan 2008).

Shared taxis (colectivos) travel along fixed routes that can be difficult to decipher, but all tend to travel through the crucero in El Centro and can be easily caught along the main road by giving a wave. The fixed price is M$10 (Nov 2021) within town.

There are lots of great spots to visit if you have a vehicle, such as the nearby lagoon of Chacahua, the nudist beach of Zipolite, beach towns like Puerto Angel and Huatulco, all within two hours of Puerto Escondido.

• Budget Rent-A-Car, charge hefty rental fees for their fleet of subcompact manual transmission cars. They may also have some minivans available.

You can take lessons if you're a beginner – try one of the friendly surf instructors on any beach or at one of the surf shops. Female instructors are available for those who may find the roaming hands of some of the male instructors a bit more than just being friendly.

• 🌍 Playa Zicatela. This is the location of the famous Mexican Pipeline, with several international surfing competitions being held here annually. This beach is only for expert surfers and very strong swimmers; even experienced surfers have been injured here, and many people have drowned. The southern end of the beach near Punta Zicatela has consistently good waves. If you don't surf, you should at least make it over to the beach restaurant Los Tios and have a beer on the beach while you watch people surfing in the sunset. This is also a good place from which to watch over breakfast when there's a surf competition on. 

• 🌍 Playa Carrizalillo. The most scenic and safest beach for swimming is Playa Carrizalillo. Take a taxi unless you want a half-hour walk. Carrizalillo is small, gorgeous, and not too crowded, 167 steps from street level down to the beach (then back up again). There are some surfers and some boats, but mainly swimmers enjoying the waves. This is a good beach for swimming or learning surfing with few restaurants. (updated Jan 2022)
• 🌍 Playa Manzanillo. A good, pleasant beach for swimming, with a few beachside restaurants with loungers. Visitors can use the loungers for free provided they purchase a drink or food from the restaurant. The rocky area between this beach and neighboring Playa Puerto Angelito is probably the best place in town for snorkeling - sea turtles and stingrays can often be seen here. 
• 🌍 Playa Principal. This beach is good for swimming and boogie boarding, and very popular with locals. 

You're in the Pacific for heaven's sake. If you don't try scuba-diving here then where? And Pacific Mexico is an example of a place where diving really scores over just snorkeling. That said, do check on day-to-day conditions - sometimes the Pacific really isn't terrific, as storms far out to sea can kick up the visibility. But when it's good, it's great.

• Deep Blue (dive shack is within Hotel Ines on Playa Zicatela beach strip). Two-tank dive US$70, single dive $40. 

• Temazcal. Try an indigenous type of steam-bath known as a temazcal. Sit in a small building with heats that go up to 49°C and then either be covered in towels or dunked into cold water. 
• Boat trip. One of the most exhilarating experiences for non-surfers is the boat trip into the ocean to catch a glimpse of the wildlife; in particular, the turtles and dolphins. A few tour operators run similar trips out into the Pacific in search of the animals. More often than not, you get a glimpse of the turtles and, if you're lucky enough, the tour guide sometimes jumps in and catches hold of one! Unperturbed, the creatures come onto the boat for some photos and free food courtesy of the tour guide. It's kind of surreal, but incredible. Less often, you will get to see the packs of dolphins arching over the surface. Again, it is an amazing experience and well worth the money. About M$300 on average. 
• Fishing. Another good ocean-based activity is the regular fishing trips you can go on. For the keen fisherman, this is a dream activity. The waters host vast amounts of species of fish including tuna, marlin and red snapper. It isn't the cheapest (some operators can charge around M$1,000) but you can sometimes get a deal that your catch gets cooked at a local restaurant for your eating pleasure in with the cost. 
• Skydiving. During the high seasons you can do a sky dive at the Zicatela beach for M$2600. It's one of the nicest places in the world to do this. They're just left of Café Babylon. 
• Cascada de la reforma. Cool down from the heat in Puerto Escondido in a waterfall located about one hour outside Puerto Escondido. There are tours which will take you all the way but it's a bit inaccessible due to quality of the road. The waterfall offers basins in which it's possible to swim and a simple restaurant which serves local food. 
• Turtle sanctuary. From July to September thousands upon thousands of olive ridley sea turtles wade ashore to lay their eggs at Playa Escobilla, between Puerto Escondido and Mazunte. Prices vary, and you can shop around, but from Puerto Escondido day trips normally cost around M$500. Regardless of your tour operator, you will be escorted by a friendly but watchful local guide. 
• Lagunas de Chacahua National Park (about 45 miles west of Puerto Escondido). Coastal area with 5 lagoons, sandy Pacific beaches, dense mangrove swamps, a Mixteco archaeological site, a crocodile nursery, and more. Small hotels and waterfront restaurants are in the area. To get there from Puerto Escondido, use a colectivo going toward Rio Grande. Tell the driver you going to Chacahua National Park and need to exit at El Zapotalito. (updated May 2023)

• 🌍 Chedraui, Av Oaxaca 105, ☏ +52 800 925 1111. Daily. The largest grocery store in town, this carries all necessities and also has a pharmacy. 
• 🌍 Mini Super Rubi (Brisa de Zicatela). Daily. A well-stocked smaller grocery store which caters to the gringo market. 
• 🌍 7+1 Mini-Super (Brisa de Zicatela). Daily. Mini Super Rubi's twin, across the street. 

• 🌍 El Sultan, Benito Juárez, Rinconada. (updated Aug 2022)
• 🌍 Comedor Tere, Del Pacífico 407. (updated Aug 2022)
• 🌍 Pepe's Fish Tacos, Primera Sur 127. (updated Aug 2022)
• 🌍 The JP Bunker, 71980, Calle Primera Pte. 305. (updated Aug 2022)
• 🌍 Antojitos Regionales Las Juquileñas, Calle Octava Nte.. (updated Aug 2022)
• 🌍 Tacos Paco, 71984, Frente Al Sol. (updated Aug 2022)
• 🌍 Comedor doña China, 17 de Octubre 708. (updated Aug 2022)
• 🌍 Taqueria Rosy, Av. Oaxaca 103. (updated Aug 2022)

• 🌍 Chilango-Taco, Calle Alejandro Cardenas Peralta (Brisas de Zicatela). M-Sa 13:30-23:00. An authentic (and authentically cheap) family-run Mexican restaurant worthy a try for its flavor, prices and lovely service. A nice break from the gringo-oriented restaurants in La Punta. M$15–80 mains. 

• 🌍 La Galería, Av Alfonso Pérez Gazga s/n (Adoquín), ☏ +52 954 582 2039. Daily 08:00-23:00. Good Italian food, especially pizzas. (updated Aug 2022)
• 🌍 Restaurante de Hotel Santa Fe, Calle Del Morro s/n (in the Hotel Santa Fe), ☏ +52 800 712 7057, info@hotelsantafe.com.mx. Daily 07:30-23:00. Set beneath a palapa with great ocean views, this places serves not only Mexican favorites but also an extensive listing of vegetarian dishes. M$100-150 mains (Sept 2014). (updated Aug 2022)
• 🌍 Restaurante El Cafecito, Calle del Morro s/n (Playa Zicatela, near Rinconada), ☏ +52 954 582 0516. Daily 06:00-23:00. Has great club sandwiches with fresh avocados, good salads, and even soy burgers. Good coffee. Very popular for breakfast, expect to stand in line to get seated at late mornings. M$58-128 (mains). 
• 🌍 Flor de Maria, Calle 1ra. Entrada a Playa Marinero s/n, ☏ +52 954 582 0536, pajope@hotmail.com. Hotel restaurant, open only during the high season from mid-December to mid-March. A half-liter of the house wine is more expensive than any of the meals. Service is very good. (updated Apr 2022)

• 🌍 Almoraduz Cocina de Autor, Benito Juárez 12. (updated Aug 2022)