The Oaxacan Coast I: Puerto Escondido

After a fun month in Oaxaca de Juarez, we wanted to get to the ocean. We decided to spend 1 week in Puerto Escondido and another one in Huatulco.

Getting to the coast: If you use Google maps, the shortest route from Oaxaca city to Puerto Escondido is the north eastern route, road 131 through Villa Sola de Vega -> DON’T take that route. Many locals said it is VERY windy. Hence we opted to take a bit longer route using road 175 through Miahuatlan. I can’t even imagine what the other road is like, as this was a very slow and windy trip down to the ocean (all kids needed Dramamine, which is unusual). It is a beautiful drive and there are several places to stop for a break, including Miahuatlan (we stopped at Rayito de Sol where the coffee, hot chocolate and sandwiches were delicious!).

In Puerto Escondido we wanted to be walking distance to the ocean. We opted for the area called Brisas de Zicatela. This is south of Puerto Escondido and the very popular Playa Zicatela, but was perfect for our week long stay. It is a very laid back area, with nice coffee shops, restaurants, boutique hotels and also more tourists we had seen so far. (It was the most Americans we had seen since in Mexico. But also French, German and other European nationalities).

Playa Zicatela and brisas are know for the amazing waves and surfing conditions, however this also made the ocean a bit rough for the kids to enjoy it. However the white sandy beach made it perfect for sand castle building!

As we were there during prime whale watching season (mid December through the end of March), we were fortunate to spot several whales from the beach and loved seeing these magnificent animals in their natural habitat!!

Here are the top activities we enjoyed:

Whale watching: the season for whale watching on the Oaxacan coast is from December through March. As we were there in January, we were lucky to go and see these amazing animals. Besides seeing the impressive humpback whales, we were treated with hundreds of playful dolphins and also sea turtles, sting rays and flyfish. Most boats leave from Puerto Escondido port and take approximately 3 hours.

Playa Carrizalillo: this is a quiet and gorgeous beach. The waves are very mild and perfect for kids to surf, play and snorkel. There are many restaurants and vendors to offer the basics.

Horse back riding to Atotonilco hot springs: This was a highlight for us! Spending the day riding horses and spending hours at the hot springs was adventurous, relaxing and fun! The horseback ride goes through the jungle and crosses several rivers making it a unique experience for everyone. The hot springs are set in a peaceful secluded jungle area with 7 different pools. These vary in size and temperature. The closer the pool is to the hot water source spring, the hotter the pool. We opted for a medium-colder pool as it was bigger and due to the warm weather, was the perfect place for our family. Nearby you can also find natural mud to spread on your face or body for therapeutic purposes. Finally, just a short walk away you will find a river with cold water and fun hot water shower. We spent some time rock stacking, cooling off and enjoying the running water of this river.

Bioluminescent lake: Laguna de Manialtapec is just 15 mins west from Puerto Escondido and known for the amazing bioluminescence at night. The phytoplankton in the lagoon causes this amazing phenomena and attracts many tourists year round. Although it is recommend to go during the new moon. We ended up not going as it was a full moon and it was also said that the best time is during the rainy season (may - November). The lake is also known for great bird watching!

Day trip to Agua Blanca: this beach is about 45 mins east from Puerto Escondido. Our Airbnb host had recommend this beach for great sunsets, tide pools, snorkeling and mild ocean for the kids to play. We were not disappointed. The restaurants are on the beach and offer a good selection of seafood and drinks. The tide pools and rocks were fun to explore and refresh and the sunset was indeed mesmerizing!