Puerto Escondido has one of the biggest reputations in surfing, and it earns it. This Oaxacan town on Mexico’s Pacific coast is home to Playa Zicatela, the Mexican Pipeline, one of the heaviest beach breaks on the planet and a genuine big-wave arena that has humbled and hurt very good surfers. But here is what the highlight reels miss: the same bay also has a fun beginner left point at La Punta and a sheltered learners’ cove at Carrizalillo, so this is a destination for everyone from first-timers to barrel chargers, wrapped in a lively, authentic town of taco stands and cheap board rentals. This is a marquee stop on our guide to surfing in Mexico. Here’s the whole zone, when to go, and how to set up your trip.
Quick surf guide to Puerto Escondido
- Best season: summer (April to October) for the big S and SW groundswells; peaks May to August; winter is smaller
- Best for beginners: Carrizalillo, La Punta
- Best for experts: Playa Zicatela, big-wave only
- Wave type: a heavy barreling beach break, a mellow left point and a sheltered cove
- Water temp: 26 to 30°C, boardshorts and a rashguard, no wetsuit
- Crowds: busy at all the main spots, pros at Zicatela in summer
- Getting there: Puerto Escondido (PXM), or Oaxaca (OAX) and a transfer
- Budget: $50 to $100 a day, great value
Where to surf in Puerto Escondido
The zone spans an enormous range, from the world’s heaviest beach break to a cove where kids learn on foamies. Tap a marker to preview a break, then click its name to jump to my full rundown below.
The main event
Zicatela is why the world knows Puerto Escondido, and it is not to be underestimated by anyone.
Playa Zicatela
Zicatela is the Mexican Pipeline: a thick, ferociously powerful beach break that jacks up out of deep water and unloads in barrels that can hold size most reefs would break apart on. On a big south swell it is a full big-wave arena with a fearsome paddle-out, brutal rips and closeouts that snap boards and bones. I will be completely straight with you: unless you genuinely charge heavy waves, this is a wave to watch from the sand with a beer, not to paddle out at. It has injured and killed experienced surfers, so respect it absolutely.
The friendly spots
The same town has some of the mellowest learner waves in Mexico, which is what makes Puerto such a complete destination.
La Punta
At the southern end of Zicatela beach, La Punta is a completely different animal: a fun, forgiving left point that peels along sand and rock into long, makeable walls and ramps. It is the go-to when Zicatela is maxing out, and the heart of Puerto’s laid-back, bohemian surf scene, full of surf schools and longboarders. It suits improvers and confident beginners on a smaller day, though it gets crowded and there is exposed rock to mind. My favorite all-day fun wave in town.
Playa Carrizalillo
Carrizalillo is a pretty horseshoe cove reached down a long staircase, and it is the best place in the zone to learn. The headlands shelter it, so the waves arrive as soft, waist-to-chest rollers over a rocky-sand bottom, ideal for first-timers, and there is a school and a board rental right on the sand. It is small and it gets packed, so go early and be patient, but for taking your first waves in Puerto it is hard to beat.
Playa Bacocho
Out toward the west, Bacocho is a more exposed, shifty beach break that offers a quieter alternative to the busy central spots, plus the softer inside peaks of Marinero and Principal closer to the bay for improvers. The trade-off is strong rips, so it is one for intermediates who can read a current rather than beginners. Handy to know about when you want a bit more room than La Punta or Carrizalillo.
When to surf in Puerto Escondido
Shoulder
Winter (smaller, best for beginners)
Puerto Escondido is a summer wave. From roughly April to October, big south and southwest groundswells fired by Southern Hemisphere storms march straight into this coast, and that is when Zicatela becomes the heavy, barreling monster it is famous for. May to August is the peak, when the swells are biggest and the world’s chargers descend on the town. If you have come to watch or ride Zicatela at its best, this is the window, though it is also the rainy season, so the mornings are cleanest.
Winter, roughly December to March, is smaller and mellower, occasionally even flat, which paradoxically makes it the best time for beginners: Zicatela calms down, and La Punta and Carrizalillo become friendly, manageable waves for learning. The water stays warm year-round, so it is always a boardshorts trip. Whatever the season, surf the mornings before the wind and, at the beach break, know your limits.
Surf schools and where to stay in Puerto Escondido
Puerto has a deep surf-school and board-rental scene, and where you stay shapes your trip. The Zicatela strip puts you steps from the big-wave action and the best bars and restaurants, ideal if you have come to watch or charge; La Punta, at the southern end, is the more laid-back, bohemian base for improvers surfing the point; and the Rinconada area near Carrizalillo suits learners who want the beginner cove on their doorstep. Board rental is cheap and everywhere, and lessons at Carrizalillo or La Punta are the smart way to start. It makes a brilliant, affordable base for a longer Oaxacan coast trip.
Compare surf camps in Puerto Escondido on BookSurfCamps
What to pack for Puerto Escondido
Warm water, powerful waves and strong sun are what to plan for. My Puerto checklist:
- Boardshorts and a rashguard, no wetsuit needed in 26 to 30 degree water
- The right board for your spot: a soft-top or longboard for Carrizalillo and La Punta, and, only if you truly charge, a step-up or gun for Zicatela; check your board volume
- Reef-safe SPF and a surf hat for the intense tropical sun
- A strong leash and see our best beginner surfboards if you are learning at Carrizalillo
Getting to Puerto Escondido
The easiest way in is to fly straight into Puerto Escondido’s small airport (PXM), which has domestic connections from Mexico City and Oaxaca City. Alternatively you can fly into Oaxaca (OAX) and take the scenic but long mountain drive or a comfortable Mexican bus down to the coast. The town, the breaks and the board rentals are all walkable or a cheap taxi apart, so you do not really need a car, though one helps if you want to explore the wider Oaxacan coast, which has plenty more to offer. If you are planning a bigger trip, pair this with surfing in Mexico.
Frequently asked questions
Is Puerto Escondido good for beginner surfers?
Yes, but only at the right spots. Carrizalillo is a sheltered cove that is one of the best places to learn in Mexico, and La Punta is a mellow left point for improvers and confident beginners on a smaller day. Playa Zicatela is the opposite, a heavy, expert-only wave that beginners must never paddle out at.
When is the best time to surf in Puerto Escondido?
Summer, roughly April to October, brings the big south and southwest groundswells that make Zicatela world-famous, peaking May to August. Winter, December to March, is smaller and mellower, which makes it the best window for beginners at Carrizalillo and La Punta. Surf the mornings before the wind.
What is the best surf spot in Puerto Escondido?
It depends on your level. Beginners should surf Carrizalillo; improvers will love the long left point at La Punta; and only genuine big-wave experts should tackle Zicatela, the Mexican Pipeline, which is one of the heaviest beach breaks on earth.
Do I need a wetsuit to surf in Puerto Escondido?
No. The water is a warm 26 to 30 degrees Celsius all year, so boardshorts and a rashguard are all you need. Bring reef-safe sunscreen and a surf hat, because the tropical sun here is intense during the long summer swell season.
Is Zicatela really that dangerous to surf?
Yes. Playa Zicatela is one of the heaviest beach breaks in the world, with immense power, brutal rips, punishing paddle-outs and frequent closeouts, and it has seriously injured and killed experienced surfers. It is strictly for big-wave experts. If you are in any doubt, stay on the sand and watch.
Can you surf in Puerto Escondido year-round?
Yes. There are rideable waves every month somewhere in the zone. Summer is the big, heavy, prime season driven by south swells, while winter is smaller and calmer and best for beginners. Only the size and power change with the season, not the availability of surf.
Puerto Escondido is two trips in one: a big-wave pilgrimage to watch or ride the mighty Zicatela, and a warm, cheap, friendly place to learn or log fun waves at La Punta and Carrizalillo. Respect Zicatela absolutely, pick the spot that matches your level, come in summer for size or winter to learn, and soak up one of Mexico’s great surf towns. See you in the lineup.
