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10 reasons to pack your bags for Puerto Escondido
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The sunset silhouettes a monument on the beach at Puerto Escondido, Mexico.
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Mention "Oaxaca," and most travelers think of the justly famous capital city, but the state's unspoiled beaches and famous surf breaks are equally worthy of your attention.
The de facto capital of Oaxaca's coast, Puerto Escondido ("Hidden Port"), didn't really come into being until the 1920s, when local farmers found that coffee thrived on the Sierra Madre del Sur's ocean-facing slopes and began shipping beans out of the port. Wave-seeking surfers showed up in the late 1950s, with non-surfers arriving in the 1970s, when the highway finally penetrated the then-remote coast.
Modern Puerto Escondido has come into its own in the past decade, offering moderate prices, good food, a wide range of restaurants and hotels, and just enough nightlife. Driving down the coast from Acapulco is less harrowing than scaling the mountain roads; these days, many tourists fly into Huatulco to the south and make the short drive north to Puerto. No matter how you make the trip, here are 10 great reasons to spend a vacation in Puerto.
All of Puerto's beaches invite lounging in the sun, but not all are safe for swimming; get some local advice before taking the plunge. Ask Gina (see No. 9) about the surfing competition in August, Fiesta Puerto Escondido in November, and the surfing exhibition and competition during Carnival in February.
The de facto capital of Oaxaca's coast, Puerto Escondido ("Hidden Port"), didn't really come into being until the 1920s, when local farmers found that coffee thrived on the Sierra Madre del Sur's ocean-facing slopes and began shipping beans out of the port. Wave-seeking surfers showed up in the late 1950s, with non-surfers arriving in the 1970s, when the highway finally penetrated the then-remote coast.
Modern Puerto Escondido has come into its own in the past decade, offering moderate prices, good food, a wide range of restaurants and hotels, and just enough nightlife. Driving down the coast from Acapulco is less harrowing than scaling the mountain roads; these days, many tourists fly into Huatulco to the south and make the short drive north to Puerto. No matter how you make the trip, here are 10 great reasons to spend a vacation in Puerto.
1. Beauty
Puerto Escondido pours over the hillsides down to a jade-toned bay, its sandy beaches punctuated by secluded coves and a lighthouse whose silhouette adds just enough drama to place the town's sunsets among the splashiest you'll ever see. The hilly, ever-changing vistas invite comparisons to the Rivera or — dare we say it — San Francisco, and without high-rises to intrude, most places to stay and eat offer dreamy views.2. Balance
You're practically guaranteed to run into at least one longtimer who will lament the days when Puerto Escondido really was hidden. More objective travelers find that Puerto's appeal has broadened, offering every comfort and convenience without obscuring its traditional foundation as a fishing port and market town or ruining its relaxed beach atmosphere. Surfing aficionados are in their element, sure, but a string of gentle beaches are just as conducive to margaritas-in-a-beach-chair sojourns and family vacations. You can spend days catching up on your reaching, investigating the alternative therapists that have gravitated here, poking into shops and relaxing in coffee houses along the Adoquín (the main drag through the central tourist area), walking the cliffside trail around the lighthouse or wildlife spotting in numerous natural areas nearby. The town is pretty quiet after dark, but night owls have some elegant rooftop bars, terrific restaurants and funky beach clubs to choose from.3. Affordability
Puerto has been subject to the same inflationary pressures as the rest of Mexico, so isn’t the dirt-cheap haven it used to be. Still, it remains the best overall beach value in Mexico. Lodging options are varied: You can lay your head in a luxe retreat for around $200, or find a basic beach bungalow for as little as $25 in low season. The great gift of the recent tourism boom, though, has been a proliferation of friendly, comfortable and often beautiful mid-range hotels, where $50 to $75 a night will set you up with such amenities as orthopedic mattresses, Wi-Fi, swimming pools, refrigerators and TV.4. Mexican-ness
Unlike Mexico's popular resort cities that were planned from the ground up, Puerto Escondido is a real place with a culture and a history all its own. It's popular with Mexican tourists and a favorite among Mexican college students. Foreign travelers here adapt to Mexican ways rather than the other way around, and have a good time doing it. The natural warmth of Mexican people will make solo travelers feel right at home within hours of arriving. A large percentage of visitors are European, and the polyglot that issues from Puerto's beaches and bars lends a cosmopolitan air.5. Surf culture
Surfers had Puerto Escondido on their radar as long ago as 1959, and by the early 1970s the now-famous Mexican Pipeline off Zicatela Beach had become surfing's holy grail. From May to July, when waves reach 30 feet or more, Puerto Escondido is all about the beach, whether you're on a board or watching in awe from the sand. Zicatela has developed into a popular tourist area with restaurants, bungalows, surf shops, hotels and even a movie theater. Its legendary waves are best reserved for expert surfers, but don't let that intimidate you. Playa Marineros is ideal for beginners, and the Oasis Surf Academy at Playa Carrizalillo will have you up on the waves in no time; if you like, they will teach you some Spanish while you're at it.All of Puerto's beaches invite lounging in the sun, but not all are safe for swimming; get some local advice before taking the plunge. Ask Gina (see No. 9) about the surfing competition in August, Fiesta Puerto Escondido in November, and the surfing exhibition and competition during Carnival in February.
6. Adventure
Puerto Escondido can easily become a cocoon that you never want to leave, but it's also the perfect launch pad for explorating the neighboring jungle, estuary sanctuaries and indigenous mountain villages. Rutas de Aventura in the Hotel Santa Fe offers kayak adventures, hiking excursions, and mountain-bike tours in English. The company's guide also leads waterfall hikes, camping trips, and overnight agritourism adventures to learn about local farming and visit a sustainable coffee plantation. Viajes Dimar Travel Agency can arrange all types of custom or group tours, including Canadian ornithologist Michael Malone’s Hidden Voyages Ecotours, which includes high-season (winter) excursions to Manialtepec Lagoon, about 12 miles from Puerto Escondido. One of the most popular all-day tours is to Chacahua Lagoon National Park, about 40 miles west. Aventura Submarina takes individuals and small groups of qualified divers to the Coco Trench just offshore, including a free refresher scuba course, and also arranges fishing, surfing and trips to lesser-known swimming beaches.7. Day trips
A short trek south takes you to Puerto Angel, a tiny fishing port with beautiful beaches, unpaved streets and budget hotels. It's popular with international backpackers and travelers looking to decelerate. Just north of Puerto Angel, Mazunte Beach is home to the Centro Mexicano la Tortuga, housing examples of all the marine turtle species that live in Mexico. Or venture a little farther south (about two hours from Puerto) to the Bahías de Hatulco, Mexico's newest resort area. Though it came from the same factory that brought us Cancún and Los Cabos, it has benefited greatly from hindsight (and remoteness). Developed gradually and thoughtfully, it encompasses nine splendid bays and three communities on a pristine stretch of coast. In addition to a golf course, cruise-ship pier and scattered resort hotels, the most recent thrust has been soft adventure ranging from bay tours to jungle hikes, diving, river rafting and rappelling.8. Gina
Every town should have a Gina, but she's one of a kind. Officially, Gina is the Oaxaca's state tourism office's representative in Puerto, but to locals she is the Information Goddess. With years of tourism experience, she has her hand firmly on the town's pulse and knows and is known by everyone in town. Operating out of a kiosk on the Adoquín Monday through Saturday, she goes well beyond handing out brochures (though she has plenty). She speaks several languages and will chat with visitors for hours to help them figure how to spend their time, locate a laundromat or plan a wedding. On her own time, she conducts city, agricultural, archaeological and Day of the Dead walking tours, visiting local indigenous families, the Mercado, herbalists, and restaurants serving traditional cuisine. Just ask anyone along the Adoquín where Gina is, or e-mail Gina atginainpuerto@yahoo.com.9. Safety
Oaxaca state overall falls exactly in the middle of the country's rate of drug-related deaths per 100,000 residents, but violence hasn't touched Puerto Escondido or its coastal neighbors. Looking at government figures for fatalities from December 2006 to December 2010, released in January, neither Puerto Escondido, Puerto Angel nor Huatulco made the list. The nearest inland towns recording drug-related deaths are San Pedro Mixtepec (16 deaths), 10 miles from Puerto, and Santa Maria Huatulco (7), 15 miles from the Bahías de Huatulco.10. Lack of traffic
By car, Puerto Escondido is a good seven hours or so from either the capital city of Oaxaca or Acapulco up the coast on Highway 200. It's a long haul, but it's wide open, sparsely traveled highway, and the very definition of scenic. A new, four-lane toll road from Oaxaca and the ongoing expansion of Highway 200 to four lanes between Puerto and Huatulco should cut the trip to and from the capital nearly in half — not because of the extra lanes but because it will straighten out so many curves through the mountains. Originally scheduled for completion in 2010, it was delayed to 2012, and locals are now estimating it will be 2013 or 2014.
Former Chronicle travel editor Christine Delsol is the author of "Pauline Frommer's Cancún & the Yucatán" and contributor to "Frommer's Mexico 2011" and "Frommer's Cancún & the Yucatán 2011
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