Budget,
Backpackers,
Surfers,
Beach Lovers,
Naturalist,
Hippie,
Sun and Sand worshipers,
Off the Beaten Path Paradise! Everyone is welcome at Zipolite!
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A little about Playa Zipolite, The Beach of the Dead . . .
Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca, Southern Mexico, on the Pacific Ocean. A little bit about my favorite little get-away on this small world of ours.
Zipolite, a sweaty 30-minute walk west from Puerto Angel, brings you to Playa Zipolite and another world. The feeling here is 1970's - Led Zep, Marley, and scruffy gringos.
A long, long time ago, Zipolite beach was usually visited by the Zapotecans...who made it a magical place. They came to visit Zipolite to meditate, or just to rest.
Recently, this beach has begun to receive day-trippers from Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido, giving it a more TOURISTY feel than before.
Most people come here for the novelty of the nude beach, yoga, turtles, seafood, surf, meditation, vegetarians, discos, party, to get burnt by the sun, or to see how long they can stretch their skinny budget.
I post WWW Oaxaca, Mexico, Zipolite and areas nearby information. Also general budget, backpacker, surfer, off the beaten path, Mexico and beyond, information.
Puerto Escondido to Huatulco: travel time, road and options
About 120 km east along the coast, roughly two hours by car. What the drive is like, which bay you are really heading to, and how each way of getting there compares.
Travelling with surfboards to Puerto Escondido: flights, buses and transfers
Board bags, airline rules, which airport to pick, buses over the mountains and the last drive to Zicatela: a practical guide to getting your quiver to Puerto Escondido in one piece.
How to Get to Mazunte From Puerto Escondido: Colectivo, Bus, Taxi or Car
To get to Mazunte from Puerto Escondido, travel about 65 km east on Federal Highway 200: roughly 1 hour 10 minutes by car or taxi, or 1 hour 30 minutes by colectivo plus a short pickup ride. There is no direct public bus to Mazunte, so the budget route is a colectivo van heading to Pochutla that drops you at the San Antonio junction, where pickups run down to the beach. If you want zero changes, a private transfer, your own car or a day tour does it door to door. This guide on how to get to Mazunte compares every option, then covers the route and the trip back.
Option
Travel time
Indicative price
Best for
Colectivo to the San Antonio junction + pickup
1 h 20 – 1 h 45
MXN 80–130 per person
Budget and solo travelers
First-class bus to Pochutla + taxi or pickup
1 h 45 – 2 h 15
MXN 110–220 per person + local ride
Travelers with big luggage
Private taxi or transfer, door to door
1 h – 1 h 20
MXN 900–1,500 per vehicle
Groups, families, late arrivals
Own or rental car
1 h – 1 h 20
MXN 140–220 fuel one way, no tolls
Hopping between beaches
Day tour Mazunte – Zipolite – Punta Cometa
Full day, round trip
Per person, transport included
Day trippers who want zero logistics
Indicative 2026 ranges, not published fares. Colectivo, bus and taxi prices move with fuel costs and season, so confirm before you get in.
The cheapest way is the one locals use. Colectivo vans to Pochutla leave from the stops along Highway 200 in the center of Puerto Escondido every 20 to 30 minutes in daytime. Ask the driver to let you off at the San Antonio junction (crucero de San Antonio), about an hour in; pickups and shared taxis wait there for the 10 to 15 minute ride down to Mazunte. If you prefer a reserved seat, first-class buses run to Pochutla; check times on the official ADO website, then take a pickup to Mazunte via Zipolite. Before you go:
Say the junction clearly: tell the driver San Antonio, entrada a Mazunte, or you will end up in Pochutla.
Carry small bills: drivers rarely have change for a 500-peso note.
Travel light:colectivos have little luggage space, so a backpack beats a suitcase.
Get cash first: Mazunte has only one or two ATMs and they often run dry; withdraw in Puerto Escondido.
Mazunte: a small bay, green hills and no high-rises, about 65 km east of Puerto Escondido. Photo: Hersom Alexander via Pexels.
Taxi, Private Transfer or Day Tour
With luggage, kids or a group, a door-to-door ride is worth it. It takes the coast road from the San Antonio junction and drops you at your hotel in Mazunte with no changes:
Street taxi: agree on the fare before you get in; one way usually costs MXN 900 to 1,500 per car.
Private transfer: a fixed price booked in advance, with pickup at your hotel or at Puerto Escondido airport.
From Huatulco airport: Mazunte is about one hour away, a little closer than from Puerto Escondido airport.
The coast road reaches Mazunte between San Agustinillo and La Ventanilla. Photo: Hersom Alexander via Pexels.
Driving to Mazunte: The Route Step by Step
By car, take Highway 200 east past Santa María Colotepec, Santa Elena and Tonameca. About 55 km from Puerto Escondido, at the San Antonio junction, turn right onto the coast road toward the sea; Mazunte is about 8 km further, just after the turnoff for La Ventanilla. Plan 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes, and there are no tolls.
Watch for speed bumps (topes): every village has them and not all are painted. Avoid driving after dark, when cattle and unlit curves are the main risk, and fill up in Puerto Escondido, since the coast road has no gas station. Parking in Mazunte is informal along the main street; if you stop at La Ventanilla lagoon on the way, it has its own lot.
Punta Cometa, a 15-minute walk from the village, is the reason to arrive before sunset. Photo: Armando Belsoj via Pexels.
The return is the same trip in reverse: a pickup from Mazunte up to the San Antonio junction, then any colectivo heading west to Puerto Escondido. Leave Mazunte by 5 or 6 p.m., because service thins out after sunset and night taxis cost more. Staying a few days? Our complete Mazunte beach guide covers what to do there, the Puerto Escondido to Zipolite guide helps if you continue along the coast, and if your trip ends at Huatulco airport, see all the options between Huatulco and Puerto Escondido.
Sunset in Mazunte: watch it, then head back before the colectivos thin out. Photo: Jesus Alfonso via Pexels.
Frequently Asked Questions
About 65 km by road, a drive of 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes on Highway 200 and the coast road.
Once the route is sorted, the fun part is planning your time there. Start with our complete guide to Mazunte beach.
Puerto Escondido buses and colectivos explained: local routes, vans to Mazunte and Chacahua, the first-class terminal and 2026 fares.
Puerto Escondido Buses and Colectivos: Every Route, Fare and Stop
Public transport in Puerto Escondido runs on three layers: local buses and vans (urbanos) along Highway 200 for a few pesos, regional colectivos east to Pochutla and west to Río Grande, and first-class buses from the terminal to Oaxaca, Huatulco and Mexico City. There is no metro, no bus map and no app, but the system is simple once you know that almost everything moves along one road: the coastal Federal Highway 200. This guide to the Puerto Escondido bus and colectivo network shows where to board, what each ride costs in 2026 and when a taxi makes more sense.
Service
Main route
Indicative fare
Best for
Urbano (local bus or van)
Center – Zicatela – La Punta, Bacocho, Rinconada
MXN 10–15 per ride
Short hops between beaches
Taxi inside town
Any point to any point
MXN 50–120 per car
Nights, luggage, groups
Colectivo east
Highway 200 to Pochutla (Mazunte and Zipolite junction)
MXN 70–110 per person
Mazunte, Zipolite, San Agustinillo
Colectivo west
Highway 200 to Río Grande, change for Zapotalito
MXN 60–110 per person
Manialtepec and Chacahua
First-class bus
Terminal to Oaxaca, Huatulco, Mexico City
MXN 450–700 to Oaxaca
Long distances with a reserved seat
Indicative 2026 ranges, not published fares. Prices move with fuel costs and season, so ask the driver or check the operator before you pay.
Local Buses in Puerto Escondido: How the Urbanos Work
The urbanos are small buses and white vans that shuttle along Highway 200 and the main avenues between the center, the market and the beaches. There are no printed timetables: the destination is painted or taped on the windshield (Zicatela, La Punta, Bacocho, Mercado, Centro), and in daytime one passes every 10 to 20 minutes. Wave from the roadside to stop one, and say baja or press the buzzer when you want to get off. Four habits make it easy:
Pay the driver in cash: coins or small bills; nobody will change a 500-peso note.
Check the windshield, not the number: routes are identified by place names, not line numbers.
Ride before dark: service thins out after about 8 p.m.; after that, take a taxi.
Agree on taxi fares first: taxis have no meter, so settle the price before you get in.
Vans are the backbone of local transport on the Oaxaca coast. Photo: Julio Maciel via Pexels.
Colectivos From Puerto Escondido: East and West on Highway 200
For anything outside town, the colectivo is the local workhorse: a shared van or pickup that leaves when it fills up and drops passengers wherever they ask along the highway. They board from stands along Highway 200 in the center; ask anyone for the colectivo a Pochutla or the colectivo a Río Grande and you will be pointed to the right corner.
West to Río Grande: passes the Manialtepec lagoon after about 20 minutes and reaches Río Grande in about an hour; change there for Zapotalito, the boat dock for the Chacahua lagoons.
North to the mountains: shared vans also climb to Oaxaca City in 6 to 7 hours, with fewer stops than the bus.
Luggage: a backpack fits; a surfboard or a big suitcase may cost an extra seat or not fit at all.
Highway 200 links every town on the coast, and the colectivos stop all along it. Photo: Heriberto Hernández via Pexels.
First-Class Buses: The Terminal and Long-Distance Routes
Long-distance buses leave from the first-class terminal in the upper part of town, a short taxi ride from Zicatela and La Punta. The main routes run to Oaxaca City over the Sierra Madre del Sur, east to Huatulco along the coast and on to Mexico City and beyond. Buy online or at the counter and pick your seat; check live departures and fares on the official ADO website.
Puerto Escondido airport sits right on Highway 200, northwest of the center, so vans heading into town pass the entrance. With luggage, though, most travelers take the airport shuttle, a taxi or a pre-booked transfer; if you land late, read our guide to arriving at night at Puerto Escondido airport. Public transport is widely used by locals and generally safe, but keep your phone and wallet in front of you in packed vans and avoid roadside waits after dark. If you are a group or carry boards, a door-to-door ride is often cheaper per person than four colectivo seats plus taxis at both ends.
From Chacahua to Mazunte, the whole coast is reachable by colectivo before sunset. Photo: Mikhail Nilov via Pexels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Local buses and vans (urbanos) run along Highway 200 between the center and the beaches, colectivos go to nearby towns and first-class buses leave for Oaxaca, Huatulco and Mexico City.
Now that you know how to move, pick where to go. Start with the most popular day trip by colectivo: our guide to getting to Mazunte.
