Puerto Escondido means Hidden Port, this might have been true when it was named, but today it is just a name. With one of the heaviest and most famous shorebreaks in the world, it did not take long for Puerto to become a must surf location known worldwide.  In recent years it has also become popular on the backpackers circut, attracting surfers and non-surfers alike.

I went to Puerto for a month starting on the 19th of September, 2009.  There are two main ways to get to Puerto, the first and cheapest is to take a bus from Mexico City through Oaxaca City to Puerto.  The bus ride will take you about 12 hours total, and cost you around $55 US, check Ticket Bus (essentially Orbitz for buses in Mexico).  The other way to get to Puerto from Mexico City is to catch one of the twice daily flights on Mexicana.  This method is a bit more expensive, but it will get you there less than 1/10 of the time (and with some food still in your stomatch, the roads in Mexico need some work), one way should not cost you more than $125 US.

When you arrive in Puerto either by bus or plane you will need to catch a taxi, most likely to either Zicatela or La Punta.  The taxi from the airport or bus station should not cost you more than 50 Pesos no matter where in town you are headed, so try not to get ripped off.  If you are looking for a place stay close to the famous break of Zicatela, restaurants, bars, and the super market Zicatela is for you.  If you are not going to be ripping it up on Zicatela, La Punta has a very nice point break, cheap hostels, a few good restaurants, and numerous small bodegas.  There is also Hostel Shalom which is located a short walk from Carrizalillo, a great beginners break.

More to come…