Playa Coral is a gorgeous hidden beach in Puerto Escondido that is located in the heart of Puerto Escondido. As one of Puerto’s best beaches, we would definitely recommend visiting here during your stay.
Where is Playa Coral
Playa Coral is the hidden beach located between playa Bacocho and Playa Carrizalillo.
How to get to Playa Coral
It can be a little frustrating when figuring out how to get to Playa Coral but once you find your way there you’ll realize this is the best part about it due to the lack of crowds and gorgeous beach to relax on and beautiful water to swim in.
There are three different ways that you can get to Playa Coral and to keep things simple we’ll order them from the least to the most difficult.
Pay the toll – Hotel Villa Mexicana
This is by far the simplest way to get through to Playa Coral and it will cost you 50 pesos. You’ll find a number of reviews online debating the ethics of this, however, if you want to get here the fastest and simplest way possible you can let the reception know you wish to visit the beach and they’ll charge a 50 pesos fee per person.
You’ll see that there is a gate to the side that offers direct access to the beach via La Coral Beach house however the gate is almost always shut so you need to go through Hotel Villa Mexicana.
The receptionist will try to upsell you to pay an extra 50 pesos to use their pool that’s located by the beach however we’d recommend against it unless you are not a confident swimmer.
The pool is old and outdated and swimming in the ocean makes for a much nicer experience.
If you do choose this route however it is the easiest walk to Playa Coral for the physically impaired. After passing through Hotel Villa Mexicana you will then come to La Coral beach house which is a great opportunity to snap a photo of the beach from the rooftop.
Walk from Playa Bococho
The second option is to walk from Playa Bacocho and this is a fairly simple way to get to Playa Coral. As long as the tide is low the path from Bacocho is pretty straightforward and it will give you a chance to visit two of the best beaches in Puerto Escondido on the same day.
This walk will take no more than 10 – 15 minutes and it is absolutely free.
Walk around the headland from Mirador Las Tortugas
If you’re up for an adventure you can walk around the headland from Mirador Las Tortugas. This walk will take approximately 30 minutes and it is not recommended unless you are fit and adventurous as it involves some rock hopping.
If you are looking for an in-depth guide on how to get here this way we’d recommend reading our Mirador Las Tortugas guide.
What to do at Playa Coral
Playa Coral is an awesome spot for sunset and the best part is that is hidden away from the crowd and sunsets can be enjoyed almost exclusively depending on when you plan on visiting.
Swim
Playa Coral is the best beach for relaxing so in terms of activities there isn’t much to do apart from swim and suntan. It is definitely not a beach you go to be social or surf. This is an ideal beach for couples who want to get away from the crowd and have a little bit of privacy.
Snorkel
If you have a snorkel and mask snorkeling around either of the headlands at Playa Coral is well worthwhile. Although you won’t see live coral, there are a plethora of colorful fish that can be seen darting in and out of the rocks around the headland.
Where to stay near Playa Coral
There are two main accommodations that are located overlooking Playa Coral and if you want the easiest access to the beach we’d recommend staying at either of these which are:
La Coral
La Coral used to be a popular resort many years ago in Puerto Escondido but the rising beach tide led to the resort being abandoned for years.
The accommodation now has new lovely owners and the accommodation can either be booked for short-term overnight stays for approximately 500-1000 pesos per night.
If you are looking for longer stays they offer longer monthly rentals for 10,000 – 12,000 pesos if you contact them directly.
Hotel Villa Mexicana
Hotel Villa Mexicana is the accommodation you need to pay to walk through if you wish to access the beach so if you want to avoid this and just stay here rooms can be snatched up anywhere from around 800 – 1500 pesos per night.
Playa Coral Summary
Playa Coral is a hidden paradise in Puerto Escondido that is worth taking the time to visit while in this gorgeous Oaxacan town.
Whether you visit here via walking through Hotel Villa Mexicana for a small fee, walking from playa Bococho or walking around the headland from Mirador Las Tortugas, once there you’ll be able to enjoy swimming, snorkeling, and relaxing on the beach.
If you’re looking to stay nearby we’d recommend either La Coral or Hotel Villa Mexicana for direct views and access to the stunning less frequented beach.
