Swimming and beaches in Puerto Escondido
There are many swimming beaches in Puerto Escondido, and some are within a 15-minute walk of Zandoyo Bed and Breakfast. And of course our swimming pool is just a few steps from our guest rooms.
- Pool size 4.5×8 meters/15×25 feet
- Average pool temperature 28 C/82 F
- Average seawater temperature 29 C/84 F
Playa Coral
Coral Beach, located between Mirador Las Tortugas and Bacocho Beach, and just 10 minutes from Zandoyo, is one of the most popular with our guests, mainly because it tends to be less crowded than other beaches. The easiest way to get to there is through the hotel Villa Mexicana. For a small fee you can use the hotel’s stairs to descend to the beach. There are no palapa restaurants or other services at Coral.
Playa Carrizalillo
Swimmers, snorkelers and novice surfers enjoy Carrizalillo Beach, a 10 to 15-minute walk from Zandoyo Bed and Breakfast. Well maintained stairs (167 steps!) provide access to the beach, where visitors will find palapa restaurants offering food and refreshments. Carrizalillo is one of the most popular swimming beaches in Puerto Escondido among guests at Zandoyo. It is also the most difficult to pronounce!
Playa Bacocho
Bacocho Beach is 15 minutes from Zandoyo on foot and best for walking and watching the sunset. The currents can be strong and there are no lifeguards so swimming is not recommended. Two beach clubs are located here, Coco’s and Bacocho (formerly Villasol), as is one of the region’s turtle release centers. For a small fee visitors can participate in the almost daily releases of baby turtles at sunset.
Playa Manzanillo
About 20 minutes from Zandoyo is Playa Manzanillo, which you can reach by going to Puerto Angelito and using the walkway between the two beaches. Manzanillo is recommended for swimming and snorkeling but can be popular, especially on weekends. There are plenty of palapa beach restaurants here and at Puerto Angelito. Manzanillo is probably the better of the two for swimming. Water testing in 2023 and 2024 revealed unacceptable pollution levels at Angelito.
Playa Marinero
About a 45-minute walk from Zandoyo is Playa Marinero, which lies between Playa Principal and Playa Zicatela. The beach can be crowded sometimes, like Playa Principal, but the water quality is probably better. Water testing at Principal has revealed high levels of contamination.
Playa Zicatela
This beach is one of the world’s top 10 surfing destinations and is not recommended for swimming. And only experienced surfers should venture into the waves. Located an hour’s walk from Zandoyo, the 3.5-km-long Zicatela beach is bordered at the west end by Playa Marinero and in the east by La Punta.
La Punta
A somewhat bohemian community has sprung up at the east end of Zicatela beach. La Punta offers a beach for swimmers and novice surfers and a laid-back vibe. In the village of La Punta are countless restaurants, bars and hotels, catering to an international crowd of surfers, digital nomads and backpackers.
Outside town
In addition to the beaches in Puerto Escondido are others such as Roca Blanca to the west and Agua Blanca to the east. If you don’t have a car, collectivos or taxis will get you to either. Farther down the highway beyond Agua Blanca are beaches at Mazunte, San Agustinillo and Zipolite (Mexico’s only official nude beach).
Definitely the place was the best we could have found. Very nice and cozy, in addition to being close to the sights. We would definitely come back. Tony and Mane are very friendly and always answered our questions. The breakfasts were great.
We had an excellent stay with Tony and Mane. The house is very wel located in the quiet part of Puerto Escondido. It’s very well kept and one of the best B&B’s we ever stayed in. The room was clean, the bed was super comfortable and with a good working AC, which is needed in May. The breakfast was incredible, with fresh juice, fruit and local specialties. Tony is very helpful and gave us a lot of tips. The restaurants on the Rinconada are all within walking distance, as well as the beaches. We would recommend this B&B and would come back!