Puerto Escondido Beaches: All 15, From Palmarito to Zipolite
Puerto Escondido Beaches: All 15, From Palmarito to Zipolite
Puerto Escondido has 10 beaches inside town and at least 5 more within a day trip, and they could not be more different: sheltered coves where children paddle, a world-famous big-wave break where nobody should swim, and wild, empty sand where you walk for an hour without meeting anyone. This guide to all the Puerto Escondido beaches goes west to east, with where each one is, how to get there and whether you can swim.
| # | Beach | Where | Getting there | Swimming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palmarito | Far west, past Bacocho | Taxi, about 15 min | No: open surf |
| 2 | Bacocho | West, Bacocho district | Taxi, about 10 min | No: strong shore break |
| 3 | Coral | East end of Bacocho | 5-min walk over rocks from Bacocho | On small-swell days |
| 4 | Carrizalillo | Rinconada cliffs | Taxi + long stone stairway | Yes, usually calm |
| 5 | Manzanillo | Next to Puerto Angelito | Taxi, about 5 min | Yes, sheltered |
| 6 | Puerto Angelito | Bay west of the center | Taxi, walk or boat | Yes, the calmest |
| 7 | Principal | Town bay, below the Adoquín | On foot from the center | Yes, gentle bay |
| 8 | Marinero | Between the center and Zicatela | On foot from the center | On calm days |
| 9 | Zicatela | South of the center | On foot or taxi | No: dangerous currents |
| 10 | La Punta | South end of Zicatela | Taxi, about 10 min | Only on calm days |
| 11 | Barra de Colotepec | About 6 km south-east | Car, or on foot from La Punta at low tide | No: open sea |
| 12 | Roca Blanca | About 40 km west | Car, about 45 min on Highway 200 | With great care |
| 13 | Chacahua | About 65 km west | 1.5 to 2 h by road + boat | Near the point, with care |
| 14 | Mazunte | About 65 km east | About 1 h 15 min by road | In the bay, with care |
| 15 | Zipolite | Just past Mazunte | About 1.5 h by road | No: notorious rip currents |
The 10 Beaches in Puerto Escondido Town, West to East
The town's coastline runs for roughly ten kilometers. The west side, around Bacocho and Rinconada, is residential and quiet; the center is the old fishing bay; the south is surf territory. Taxis between any two of them are short and cheap, so you can easily see three beaches in a day.
The Wild West: Palmarito, Bacocho and Coral
Furthest out is Playa Palmarito, a long, empty beach about 15 minutes from the center, good for walks and sunsets but too rough to swim. Next comes Playa Bacocho, a wide stretch of golden sand with a beach club and the town's sea turtle releases at dusk in season. At its eastern end, a five-minute scramble over the rocks takes you to Playa Coral, a small cove with calmer, clearer water on small-swell days.
The Swimming Coves: Carrizalillo, Manzanillo and Puerto Angelito
This is where you swim. Carrizalillo sits at the bottom of the cliffs, reached only by a long stone stairway (our guide on how to get to Playa Carrizalillo covers it), and its gentle waves make it the town's surf school. A little further east, Manzanillo and Puerto Angelito share a small bay protected by rocky points: the calmest water in Puerto Escondido, with palapas, snorkel rental and fried fish a few steps from the sand.
The Center and the South: Principal, Marinero, Zicatela and La Punta
Playa Principal is the town bay, right below the pedestrian Adoquín, where fishing boats land in the morning and boat tours leave. Walk east past the rocks and you reach Playa Marinero, with softer waves for beginners. Then the coast opens onto Zicatela, the "Mexican Pipeline": a beach for watching expert surfers, never for swimming. At its southern end, La Punta has a long left-hand point break and a laid-back barrio of cafés and hostels.
5 Beaches Near Puerto Escondido Worth a Day Trip
Once you have done the town beaches, the coast in both directions is full of near-empty sand. These five are the easiest to reach:
- Barra de Colotepec: about 6 km south-east, where the Colotepec river meets the ocean; quiet, open and home to crocodiles in the river during the rainy season
- Roca Blanca: roughly 45 minutes west, named after the big offshore rock turned white by seabirds; simple seafood restaurants on the sand
- Chacahua: a national park of lagoons, mangroves and a sandbar village, about 65 km west plus a boat ride
- Mazunte: about 1 h 15 min east, a laid-back village with a turtle center and sunset at Punta Cometa
- Zipolite: next to Mazunte, Mexico's best-known clothing-optional beach, with powerful surf
Puerto Escondido Beaches: Safety, Season and Sunsets
All of these beaches face the open Pacific, and conditions change from one day to the next. Watch the water for a few minutes before going in, swim where locals swim, follow the lifeguards' flags where there are any, and learn how rip currents work before you go.
- Best season for swimming: roughly November to April, with dry weather and smaller swells
- Big-wave season: roughly May to October, when south swells hit Zicatela and the afternoons bring rain
- Best sunsets: Bacocho, Palmarito and Carrizalillo, where the sun drops into the ocean
- What to bring: cash for palapas and taxis, reef-safe sunscreen and water shoes for the rocky coves
Not sure which one to choose? Our ranking of the best beach in Puerto Escondido picks a winner for swimming, surf, families and sunsets.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many beaches does Puerto Escondido have?
There are 10 main beaches in town: Palmarito, Bacocho, Coral, Carrizalillo, Manzanillo, Puerto Angelito, Principal, Marinero, Zicatela and La Punta. Add Barra de Colotepec, Roca Blanca, Chacahua, Mazunte and Zipolite and you have 15 within a day trip.
Which Puerto Escondido beaches are safe for swimming?
Puerto Angelito, Manzanillo and Carrizalillo are the safest, with Playa Principal a calm option in the center. Do not swim at Zicatela, Bacocho or Palmarito.
Which beach is closest to the center?
Playa Principal, right below the Adoquín. Marinero and Zicatela are a short walk east of it.
Can you walk between the beaches?
Partly: Principal, Marinero, Zicatela and La Punta connect along the sand, and Bacocho connects with Coral over the rocks. For the western coves, a taxi is easier.
Ready to hit the sand? Combine a morning swim in the coves with a sunset in Bacocho, and browse our things to do in Puerto Escondido for everything in between.