If time is of the essence and you have limited time to explore Puerto Escondido and you want to ensure you see all the best things this Oaxacan town has to offer then this guide is for you.
Within this guide, we have broken the itineraries into their own sections depending on how long you plan on visiting Puerto Escondido starting from 3 days.
Regardless of how long you’re visiting, we’d recommend viewing all itineraries as you may find different activities more appealing and will most likely want to customize your itinerary.
Unfortunately, if you have less than 3 days to spare then we would probably recommend skipping Puerto for now and coming back at a later date as there is simply too much you’re going to miss out on.
Puerto Escondido Itinerary – 3 Days
Below you’ll find our ideal 3-day itinerary broken down into individual days. This is a ram-packed schedule designed for people who want to get as much out of their time in Puerto Escondido as possible.
It goes without saying that you won’t have to follow the schedule exactly as factors such as the weather, where you are staying, and your interests may make you want to shuffle the itineraries around.
Day 1
Start the day in Zicatela
Zicatela beach is the most famous beach in all of Puerto Escondido so we’d recommend this as the first stop for your adventure.
The beach is renowned for having a massive swell so depending on what time of year you’re here you’ll be able to watch some of the greatest surfers in the world tackling monster waves.
There is 4 kilometer of beach to relax on and if you want to go for a swim Playa Marinero is nearby and offers calmer waters.
Running parallel to the beach you’ll find Av. Del Morro is a street that has many restaurants, shops, and bars so it’ll definitely be worth exploring them while spending the morning here.
The most famous spot for breakfast in Zicatela is El Cafecito which is renowned for its Oaxacan coffee and sweet bread.
Visit Mercado Zicatela – Lunch with a view
After spending the morning in the Zicatela area we’d recommend heading up to Mercado Zicatela to explore the markets and have lunch.
To get here from Zicatela you can jump in a taxi which should cost no more than 50 pesos or alternatively it is a 10 pesos colectivo from the main road Carr. Costera.
The markets will offer a great opportunity to try some local Oaxacan cheese, Mezcal, traditional Mexican sweets, and much more.
After spending some time wandering between the different market stalls we’d recommend grabbing lunch at one of the restaurants as they offer an incredible view looking out over Zicatela and La Punta.
Visit Carrizalillo
The next stop we’d recommend on the list is Carrizalillo which will offer a great opportunity to try surfing if that’s on your list.
Surfing is one of the main reasons people visit Puerto Escondido and if you’re looking to give it a go Playa Carrizalillo is the best place to do it due to its calmer wave break.
Even if you’re not looking to surf we’d recommend going here as it is a gorgeous spot to relax on the beach or go for a swim.
Dinner and sunset at Espadin Restaurant Carrizalillo
If you’ve done everything above up to this point odds are you’ll be exhausted so you may want to have a quick rest before heading back to Carrizalillo to watch the sunset.
We’d highly recommend doing this from the Espadin restaurant as it offers one of the best views in all of Puerto Escondido.
The restaurant is very popular so you’ll want to make a reservation (we’d recommend around 7 pm). This is the perfect way to finish your first day in Puerto.
Day 2
Spend sunrise swimming with dolphins
The perfect start to your second day in Puerto Escondido is to spend the morning swimming with dolphins.
The best way to experience this is on a dolphin tour which we would recommend booking at Viator as they are renowned for offering premium discounted tours.
This is by far one of our favorite activities and we would highly recommend doing this while you’re here.
Although the day starts early you definitely won’t regret it when you’re swimming amongst a pod of thousands of dolphins.
If you’d prefer to observe the dolphins from outside the water the experience is still equally enjoyable and the trip will have you back on shore by around 10 am.
Head over to La Punta
After spending the morning with dolphins we’d recommend grabbing a taxi to La Punta and grabbing breakfast at one of the cafes in the area. One of our personal favorites is Malagua Café which has an extensive menu catering to all diets.
La Punta has many little stores you can explore or you can simply head to La Punta beach and relax for an hour or two.
If you’re feeling adventurous there’s an awesome lookout around the headland from La Punta called Chingabal’e which we’d highly recommend visiting.
You could easily spend most of the day in La Punta before heading back to your accommodation and resting before getting picked up for our next activity recommendation, turtle releasing.
Turtle Releasing
We’d recommend spending the afternoon experiencing the turtle-releasing as it will offer you a gorgeous Puerto Escondido sunset as well as an amazing experience at the same time.
This experience has English-speaking guides that will tell you all about the types of turtles and the reasoning behind why they need to have turtle-releasing camps.
End your day at the only beachfront rooftop in La Punta, Punta Vida a great place to get dinner and drinks for sunset and into the evening.
Day 3
Start the morning doing a coastal walk
The Playa Principal Coastal Walk is probably one of the most underrated things to do in Puerto Escondido so we’d recommend spending the morning doing this.
The walk will take you all the way from Playa Principal to Playa Manzanillo so you’ll be able to experience two more awesome beaches.
We’d recommend finishing at Playa Manzanillo as it will offer an awesome spot to go for a swim after your walk.
It is worth noting that as of 2022 there is one section on the walk that has been washed out so if you aren’t physically able you can walk halfway and back before grabbing a taxi to take you around.
Head to Mercado Benito Juarez
If you’re wanting to get more of an authentic experience then you’ll want to explore Mercado Benito Juarez.
You’ll be able to grab a taxi here for no more than 50 pesos from Manzanillo which is ideal as it’s hard to find a park in the area if you have your own transport.
The market will offer the perfect opportunity to explore the many stalls and try local food as well as buy any gifts you may wish to take home with you.
Sunset on horseback
At this point, you’ll probably be pretty exhausted from all the activities you’ve done up to this point so you may want to rest before getting picked up for your final Puerto Escondido activity, horseback riding.
Sunset on horseback at the secluded beach Playa Puerto Suelo is a great way to finish off your trip as you’ll be in nature away from the crowd.
This activity runs from 4 pm to 8 pm and is a very tranquil experience catering to all ages and experience levels so we’d highly recommend it.
3 Day Itinerary Summary
If you manage to do all the activities above then you have seen all the major Puerto Escondido highlights within 3 days.
We are positive you’ll be exhausted from everything above however if you’re capable of running on no sleep and want to get amongst the nightlife in between everything mentioned then we would highly recommend checking out our comprehensive nightlife guide.
The best part about the guide is that it will break down exactly where to go based on what day of the week it is so regardless of when you’re here you’ll be about to find the best recommendations possible
4 Day Itinerary
A four-day itinerary looks almost exactly the same as a 3-day itinerary however we’ve added an extra day. If you’re on a 3-day itinerary you still may wish to read our 4th-day recommendation as you may want to trade this day for one of those recommended above.
Rent a scooter
Assuming you’re capable of riding a scooter then this is what we’d recommend for the 4th day. A scooter rental will allow you to visit a bunch of awesome places at your own leisure.
If you don’t like the idea of riding a scooter you’ll still be able to visit most of these places via taxi or colectivo.
Explore different beaches
With the freedom of having your own scooter, we would recommend checking out a bunch of the beaches such as Playa Coral – an awesome hidden beach, or La Barra.
You’ll easily be able to spend the day ticking off beaches and epic lookout points such as Mirador Punta Colorada or Mirador Las Tortugas which offer great views and photo opportunities.
Finish the day swimming with bioluminescence
A great way to finish the day is to swim with bioluminescence on a tour that will allow you to not only explore Laguna Manialtepec but also witness the stunning phenomena up close.
5+ Day Itinerary
The above 3 and 4-day itineraries will allow you to see all of the major highlights in Puerto Escondido but if you’re fortunate enough to have 5 or more days then we’d recommend exploring the beaches and adventures section to get inspiration.
We are also aware that the itineraries above are quite intense so if you have longer you can simply spread them across more days.
You may also highly consider visiting Chacahua and Mazunte which can be done on a day or overnight trip from Puerto.
As always if you have any questions or want us to help plan anything for you while you’re here don’t hesitate to contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is Puerto Escondido worth visiting?
Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca is definitely worth visiting as it has a plethora of awesome things to do regardless of your interests or budget.
If you’re in Oaxaca and have a few days spare in your Mexico itinerary definitely make sure you get out to the Pacific Coast for visit.
How many days do you need in Puerto Escondido?
We would recommend at least 3 days in Puerto Escondido however if you have time we’d suggest visiting for 5 days or more.
This will give you ample time to explore all the beautiful beaches while having time to do a bunch of different activities such as swimming with dolphins.
What is the best time of year to go to Puerto Escondido?
The best time of year to visit Puerto Escondido is between November and March. This time of year has an ideal temperature (not too hot) and there isn’t much rain.
The least desirable time of year is May & June as it rains a lot and the heat can be overwhelming if you don’t have air-conditioned accommodation.
