| Surfing, seafood and stripping off: a Gen Z guide to Mexico's Oaxacan coast - AOL.com Young people are flocking to Puerto Escondido, Mazunte and Zipolite for boutique hotels, world-class surfing and, of course, the food. Each area has... |
Surfing, seafood and stripping off: a Gen Z guide to Mexico's Oaxacan coast
The sun is setting on the empty beach I'm sitting on near Puerto Escondido, Mexico . My main character moment is interrupted by a text from a friend back in London: “One more Instagram story of your trip, and I might have to block you.”
A winter escape to the coast of Oaxaca will make you the arch nemesis of your friends, and with good reason. Mexico's most diverse state is home to a stretch of bohemian coastal towns brimming with idyllic nature, locally caught seafood, and a dry season that stretches from November to April, promising cloudless skies and temperatures in their 30s.
Forget the shot-swigging, eye-roll-inducing Spring Break-seekers and soulless mega hotels of Cancun. Young people are flocking to Puerto Escondido, Mazunte and Zipolite for boutique hotels, world-class surfing and, of course, the food.
Each area has its own personality and appeal — here's a guide to where to stay, where to eat, and what to do.
Puerto Escondido
Escondido is likened to Tulum before the tourist boom, although, admittedly, it's already teeming with international visitors. The city center is where the locals live and enjoy street food and markets, but its main appeal is Playa Zicatela, a 3km-long white sand beach with palm-shaded streets lined with boutiques, bars and restaurants.
Where to stay
TO House
After a nauseating three-hour bus journey from San Jose del Pacifico, I arrive at the concrete sanctuary that is Casa TO (and want to kiss the ground when I do). Consisting of nine suites, the adults-only hotel is a short walk from Playa Zicatela and has proven itself a marvel of Brutalist design — and a social media favorite. This is mostly thanks to the indoor-outdoor pool, which features striking circular archways, dangling ferns, and tiered sun loungers. It's the most beautiful swimming pool set-up I've ever seen.
My suite is also a vision of concrete. It sounds cold, but it's far from it; the room exudes a minimal take on luxury, and makes the plants on my lush patio feel even more vibrant. Bamboo and other natural materials are found in the artwork and bedspreads, and the carafe of local mezcal is a nice touch.
The area's most acclaimed restaurant, Glou Glou, lives upstairs, and serves a brilliant breakfast with choices like a Japanese-style omelette and custard French toast. Nights at Casa TO are quiet and peaceful, which is perfect for a boutique oasis designed for two reasons: for its beauty to be appreciated, and for its guests to reset.
Rooms from £280, casato.mx
Sforza House
Slightly further out is beachfront paradise Casona Sforza . Designed to complement its tropical surroundings, its 11 asymmetrical arched suites all face the ocean and are astonishing features of traditional stonework.
I instantly felt at ease when I stepped into mine. It could be the sea view from my balcony (which had its own hammock, perfect for watching the sunrise with a coffee), or a combination of the high ceilings, huge stone bathtub, and furniture and textiles handcrafted by Oaxacan artisans. I felt even better when I was told Casona is part of Pubelo de Sol, a community project supporting indigenous communities that provides the hotel with ceramics, coffee, building materials, and some of its workforce.
The vibe is peaceful, the staff are warm, and the facilities second-to-none, including a large pool, sauna, ice bath, and magnificent semi-private beach (with a deck for morning yoga). The latter provides the view for La Bóveda, its open-air restaurant, which uses Mexican ingredients to craft internationally-influenced dishes. Breakfast here is plentiful, and the evening tasting menu that chefs Vanessa and Andres treat my friend and I to is magnificent (we had everything from rib-eye tacos to chilli spaghetti with caviar). I just wish I could've stayed for longer — or forever.
Rooms from £274, casonasforfor.com
Where to eat
The streets of Zicatela boast a range of restaurants, coffee shops and ice cream parlours. The best (and most popular) is Fish Shack, a casual alleyway spot where you'll eat incredible coconut-fried fish and shrimp tacos and sip mezcal Bloody Marys — just don't mind the dogs scurrying around your feet for scraps. La Takera is the spot for cheap, meaty tacos, while at Punta Vida you can enjoy tacos with a specialty cocktail and sunset view from the rooftop, which hosts DJ nights on weekends.
What to do
Surfing
Nicknamed the 'Mexican Pipeline', Zicatela has a huge surfing community and hosts championships throughout the year. For beginners, there are surf schools everywhere — we did a session with Diego from Bazar Surf Lessons for roughly £40, which included 30 minutes of theory and an hour and a half of surfing. Playa Carrizalillo, a smaller beach favored by locals, is another nice spot to get aquainted with the waves.
Nightlife
Escondido has the most options for nightlife out of all three. Bars with golden-hour potential (like Punta Vida) are spread across the sands, while another popular option is Boneyard, a skater's paradise with a bar, restaurant, tattoo studio and skate bowl plonked in the middle. Chula and Mar & Wana (get it?) are backpacker favorites for house and techno DJs playing into the wee hours, or you can find more authentic bars and mezcalerias closer to the city center.
Mazunte
After the buzz of Zicatela, you'll be craving the tranquility of Mazunte. Just over an hour's drive away, the small, spiritual town consists of only a few streets and is one of Mexico's 'Pueblo Mágicos', a town certified by the government for its magical qualities. It's an eco-conscious hippy destination, and is a favorite of barefoot slow travelers.
Where to stay
The Mazunte Suitcase
It took 15 years to build La Valise , the lone hotel on a secluded cliff just out of Mazunte. The site is spread across steep hills, so getting to the reception and restaurant from some suites requires a ride on the back of an ATV down cliff-edge paths. It's daunting at first, but you'll have rock-hard abs when you leave.
When I first laid eyes on the hotel's dramatic private cove, my jaw dropped. Although I eventually closed it, my sight rarely strayed from the incredible Pacific horizon, especially sitting in one of the many infinity pools, where my afternoons were spent watching humpback whales migrate past. The restaurant is communal with just one large table, and the excursion opportunities feel endless. We plodded along the empty shore of Playa Ventanilla on horseback for sunrise, had a full body massage in the treatment room and released baby turtles.
The bedrooms are the epitome of minimalist luxury — ours with shuttered walls and a private terrace allowing the beautiful surroundings to wow. Listening to the waves crash and roar was the perfect live white noise at night. Each area has its own indoor-outdoor lounge, kitchen stocked with beverages, and an infinity pool and sunbeds. It's a place designed so you don't have to leave, and trust me, you won't want to.
Rooms from £300, lavalisemazunte.com
Where to eat
Mazunte's dining scene is laid-back and international with lots of vegetarian options. Doba is the pick for health-focused brunch and smoothies, Moroccan restaurant El Armadillo makes great falafels, or head to beach bar La Tertulia for locally caught seafood — I'd recommend the ceviche. Other unfussy Mexican spots include Los Poblanitos and the Antojitos food stand in the park.
What to do
Yoga
Unsurprisingly, the area is a hotspot for yoga, meditation and other holistic goings on. Retreat and center Hridaya is the most popular choice, offering workshops, silent retreats and Hatha classes, but you'll find flyers for yoga, cocoa, ceremonies tarot readers, sound baths and dance camps stapled to trees and lampposts everywhere. Regarding the latter, some don't even bother with the camp. I spent 20 minutes one morning watching a woman complete an ecstatic dance on the beach, trying her hardest not to get sucked in by the tide.
Embrace your surroundings
Much of the reason why people visit Mazunte is that there's not a whole lot to do but enjoy the habitat. A fairly easy 20-minute hike to Punta Cometa rewards you with a gorgeous view of the town and its rugged coastline, while the main beach is quiet and relaxed. The National Mexican Turtle Center (closed during my trip) rehabilitates the five species that inhabit Mexico, while Laguna Ventanilla — the community-run mangrove lagoon — is home to iguanas and crocodiles.
Zipolite
Mexico's only clothing-optional beach is the main attraction of the wonderfully unpretentious and somewhat magical town of Zipolite, which draws a mix of queer travelers, hippies and older American tourists. A 15-minute collective ride from Mazunte, it's far livelier with late-night bars, restaurants and sunset fire shows.
Where to stay
The area's leading luxury hotel, El Alquimista, is tucked in its own secluded cove at the far end of town, and was sadly fully booked months before my trip. It's clear to see why — rooms range from beachfront cabanas with thatched roofs to elegantly designed traditional Mexican suites, and the hotel boasts its own Shanti-style spa and yoga room.
I stay at Sebastián de los Milagros , a charming queer-owned hotel further along the beach that sets the stage for parties on the weekends and hosts the odd festival, too. It's rustic coastal bliss at its finest, has a small swimming pool, comfy beach beds and a bar and restaurant with delicious homemade juices and cocktails. Other accommodation options include Hotel Nude, Naked, and Casa Nudista for sunseekers looking to strip off whenever and wherever.
Where to eat
Dine at Bruma by Xhuba on the beach for dinner — the white fish tacos, salmon tostadas, creamy coconut mojito were to die for, and the uninterrupted view of the stars really made the experience. Another spot I enjoyed was the no-frills Chiwi's, further along, where you can enjoy tapas and sangria to your heart's content. East-Asian cuisine is especially popular here, the best being Thai restaurant Mau Mao.
What to do
The beauty of Zipolite is that you're there to relax. Wander around and you'll find yoga and beach massages, and spend the evenings bar hopping and catching a Spanglish drag show at La Máxima. At Zipolite beach, swimming is prohibited due to strong currents, but you can walk over to Playa del Amor where the water is calmer. Finally, I'd recommend embracing the nudist way of life, even if you only do it once! I stuck to my Speedos on the first day (before eventually succumbing) and I felt incredibly silly and overdressed.
Getting around
Conveniently, Puerto Escondido has its own airport, with daily flights to Mexico City and Oaxaca. However, with the absence of Uber along the coast, getting around requires a tad more planning than you may be used to.
A private taxi journey from the center of Puerto Escondido to Mazunte takes an hour and fifteen minutes, and will set you back around $1,000 (just over £40). A cheaper alternative involves taking a bus and a collectivo (a rustic minivan). Regardless of whether you're staying in the center or in Zicatela, you'll want to head to Highway 200, which runs along the coast.
If you're in the center, get the bus — final destination Pochutla — from the ADO/CCC terminal. If you're further down in Zicatela, there are stops along the highway where you can hail it down (or you can get a cheap taxi to the terminal). Tell the driver or attendant that you want to get off at San Antonio (look out for other people getting off and the OXXO convenience store on the corner), it's about an hour's drive and should cost $60, cash only.
It's here you'll catch the collectivo, which rides through windy forest roads to Mazunte, with locals hopping on and off along the way. It takes about 40 minutes, and if you want to carry on to Zipolite, a further 15. Be sure to have cash before arriving at either destination, as ATMs are unreliable and few and far between.
If you're ending your coastal trip in Zipolite, you can fly back to bigger cities from Bahías de Huatulco airport, which is an hour away by taxi, and also costs about $1000 (about £42).
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