January 26, 2012 | travelettes
“Let’s leave the Caribbean Sea behind and go suuuuurfing”.
My friend and I spent some beautiful relaxing days at the turquoise Caribbean Coast and thought it was time for some action. To no surprise we found ourselves on a two-days trip towards one of the most famous surfer towns in all of Mexico: Puerto Escondido. It is located at the Pacific Coast in the Mexican state of Oaxaca and even though it didn’t offer the white sandy beaches and turquoise sparkling water of the Caribbean Sea, we still loved it there and would go back anytime.
The beaches of Puerto Escondido are known around the world for their excellent surf conditions and every year in November there is a big competition attracting surfers from everywhere. The waves at the main beach, Zicatela, can be up to 16m high which has made this spot to one of the ‘top 10 surf destinations’. Definitely too big and powerful for me. But luckily there is a small bay, called Playa Carrizalillo, which can be reached within 15 minutes by foot from the centre. This beach is about 300m wide and is shadowed by rocks, which makes the waves smooth and gentle – perfect for beginners and intermediates. Due to the fact that the average annual temperature is 28°C (82°F) you can be sure to wear your bikini (or board shorts) all year long.
Surfing is not enough? Puerto Escondido is also well known for fishing and birdwatching and scuba divers can find themselves in a sea full of lobsters, large oysters and manta rays. Also the nightlife is fantastic with lots of nice outdoor bars, where you can dance away in the moonlight, wishing your stay in Mexico would never end.
Unfortunately my friend and I could only spend two nights in Puerto Escondido, but altough we didn’t get to stick around for too long we will never forget this small, idyllic surfer town.
Here some surf pictures that I took while I was there:
Massive Waves at Zicatela Beach:
The following pictures were all taken at the bay Playa Carrizalillo:
