Puerto Escondido: Mexico’s Windswept Pacific Shore
On Mexico’s windswept Pacific shore, you’ll find Puerto Escondido, a still-sleepy Oaxacan fishing village along the Costa Chica, known for its rugged natural beauty. Here, you’ll also uncover a famed surf mecca where a coterie of expats and locals gather for tasty waves and fresh seafood. Once notoriously difficult to reach (thanks to hairpin turns and crumbling infrastructure around the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains), these days, you’ll find chill hippy charms, fish tacos and a sprinkling of minimalist architecture.
Miles away from the tourist trappings of Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco, the main beach, Playa Principal, features a stretch of white sand framed by sea-leaning palms and a swath of thatched-roof huts. Just behind this beach is the el adoquin, the downtown home to a few eateries and nightclubs. As for the crowd, it's a decidedly diverse crew of hippies, outcasts and of course, serious surfers looking for champion-level waves.
Let’s just say in Puerto (as it’s locally called), surfing isn’t for the faint of heart. If you come here in, say, May or June, you'll find the biggest waves produce an international crowd at La Punta, a southern spot on Playa Zicatela surrounded by cliffs and emerald jungle. Known as the Mexican Pipeline, the waves along Zicatela’s wide three-mile expanse are known to barrel into perfect tubes—and can regularly reach 25 feet, and at their max, 60 feet.
Regardless of your surf ambitions, you’ll stand in awe as the power of the water crashes down with thunderous might. Expect a steady array of broken fins, creased noses and snapped longboards. No worries though, surfers drop their longboards by local ding master Miguel Rameriz who helps piece together the damage.
For calmer morning swims, go to Playa Puerto Angelito, a laid-back beach filled with families, fresh juice stands and fish shacks. Nearby, Los Buzos is a solid choice for oysters, shrimp cocktail and cervezas. Then there’s the more compact, protected bay of Playa Carrizalillo, surrounded by white sands and steep cliffs.
Shalxaly Macías y Quetzalcoátl Zurita
All you need is a towel and some sunscreen. Later, to eat, chefs Shalxali and Quetzalcoatl’s Almoraduz blend modern cooking with Mayan and Mixteco ingredients in earthy, sparse digs. Think grilled oysters with oregano oil, a fried jaiba (blue crab) brioche sandwich with dill tartar and chipotle mayo; and a silky tuna tostada. Refreshing sips include guava water and hibiscus chai. Of course, mezcal and tequila should be enjoyed, as should the local-ish Bendita beer, brewed in the nearby town of Santa Catarina Juquila.
Hotel Escondido, a rustic sprawl from Grupo Habita (who also runs Mexico City’s Hotel Condesa DF), has a cluster of 16-palapas with private saltwater plunge pools, cactus gardens and papaya groves.
A short walk away, the open-air Kakurega Omakase, a 12-seat spot with water views, serves a twist of Oaxacan-meets-Japanese fare.
Then, down a dusty dirt path, you'll come to Cobarde, a wooden, thatched-roof bar with small plates and one of the most interesting mezcal collections in town.
Down the road from the hotel is Casa Wabi. In 2014, Mexican-born painter Bosco Sodi enlisted Pritzker award-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando, to create his airy, wood-meets-concrete home. You can stroll the sprawling grounds and gardens, which also doubles as a studio and coveted artist residency. You'll also find meditation, exhibition spaces and an indoor gallery.
Casa Wabi (Photo: Nicole Ollin)
And, if it’s straight solitude you seek, or you want to finish your novel, or you just want to swing in a hammock with your lover, book the narrow concrete wonder known as Casa Tiny (it also has its own pool).
Surf, sea, sand and sun. This is why we come to Mexico. It’s all there, and it’s all for you. For now, Puerto Escondido gives you that vintage-faded postcard magic, a wrinkle in time where simple and analog charms still reign.
Address Book:
Casa Wabi Salina Cruz - Santiago Pinotepa Nacional Km 113, 71983 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
Hotel Escondido Carretera Federal Km. 113, Puerto, Salina Cruz - Santiago Pinotepa Nacional, 71983 Puerto Escondido, Oax., México
Los Bezos. Puerto Angelito, Playa Zicatela, 71980 Puerto Escondido, Oax., México
Almoraduz, Benito Juárez 12, Rinconada, 71983 Puerto Escondido, Oax., México
Casa Tiny 71847 Villa de Tututepec de Melchor Ocampo, Oaxaca, Mexico
