The town of Puerto Escondido was established in 1928 as a port for shipping coffee, although the area has been inhabited by indigenous populations for centuries. In the 1960's, Highway 200 was built to connect to other coastal towns. Tourists began to discover the town and surfers found its beaches. Its importance as a port diminished as coffee shipments began going by truck instead of boat. The port does continue to support commercial fishing activity.
Today, Puerto Escondido is home to fishermen, surfers, vacationers, and an eclectic expatriot community. It is appreciated for its laid-back, authentic beach ambiance. In 2009, it was attributed the status of "City" of Puerto Escondido, reflecting its rapid growth and importance to the state of Oaxaca. Zicatela Beach is rated one of the top surfing destinations in the world.
What To Do In Puerto Escondido
Puerto Escondido provides an array of activities for everyone.
Learn to surf or boogie board, learn Spanish, dedicate some time to volunteering in the community, snorkel, sky-dive, rent bicycles and pedal around the countryside, hike, shop at the market, visit a traditional cotton textile weaver, and spend time at Casamar taking advantage of our yoga, Oaxacan cooking classes and taking care of yourself with a holistic treatment of massage or reflexology. We also provide services such as pedicure and manicure and child care services.
Day Trips
La Escobilla: 45 minutes south. Release baby turtles and arrivals of turtles laying eggs.
Mazunte, San Agustinillo, Zipolite: 1 hour south. Small, tranquil characteristic coastal villages.
Pluma Hidalgo: coffee plantations, hiking, bird watching, water falls
Aguas Blancas: 30 minutes. Beautiful beach with palm trees and rocks. Great for kids to play in the pools in the rocks.
Chacahua: 2.5 hours. Lagoon, birds, crocodiles, river delta.
San Gabriel: 1 hour. River with waterfalls, small village. Nopala 15 minutes further with coffee plantations.