A new breed of hikers and digital nomads are drawn to Puerto Escondido, an Oaxacan beach town known for its enormous surf.
There is just one location to grab a cup of coffee on Playa Zicatela at 6:30 in the morning, yet the wait at El Cafecito was short despite the crowd forming on the beach. The southern horizon line was rising toward the shore and crashing down like thunder on the sand-bottom beach as everyone sat gazing out at it. The big Pacific surf that drew this early morning gathering intensified the famed waves of Puerto Escondido. They concentrated on the surfers who were already in the sea, waiting to catch a wave just past the breaking point.
While bobbing along on Playa Carrizalillo's novice break, I heard about the incoming swell that had been buzzing around town in the days prior. A seasoned Zicatela surfer and my surf instructor, Jan Bernard, advised me to arrive early, preferably before 10 a.m., when the offshore winds would begin to make the waves unrideable. The Las Vegas fountain shows would be like a dollar shop music box if the waves of Zicatela were a full-size orchestra. The small people swimming into these watery mountains, accomplishing things I thought were only possible in cartoons, were more spectacular than the roaring display of misty explosions, in my opinion.
Puerto Escondido is a small community in southern Oaxaca that is situated at the base of Mexico's sloping Pacific coastline. Ever since the first surfers ventured to ride the 25-foot waves that crashed down on Zicatela, Puerto Escondido's sun-weathered, sand-blasted charm has endured. It's the kind of beach town where you can find a retro green taxi with a surfboard hanging out the window and a kiosk selling coconuts that are sliced open when you buy them.
Overindulged in Beaches
The main beach at Zicatela is generally impassable for swimming due to the power of the waves despite being lined with clubs and hotels, but Puerto Escondido provides a lot of other options for cooling down. Local kids and their families can be seen splashing around in the serene harbor of Playa Principal only a short distance from Zicatela, past the cliffs and in the direction of the fishing boats. Alternatively, you may don a snorkeling mask and explore the undersea marine life in the protected bay that Puerto Angelito and Playa Manzanillo share. If, however, you are captivated by the daring surfers at Zicatela, head across to Playa Carrizalillo for a lesson or simply to check out what many consider to be Puerto Escondido's most stunning beach.
Playa Carrizalillo is a rocky bay with beautiful, blue-green water with a constant right-hand break that is located at the bottom of a steep slope below the Rinconada neighborhood's strip of eateries and shops. It is the perfect place for beginners. I spent the majority of my time here floating out in the sea, attempting to read the waves and occasionally catching them. At high tide, the waterline on the beach reaches the edge of the cabanas. My attention would occasionally wander as I marveled at this tiny sliver of the untamed ocean that I was inhabiting every time someone spotted a sea turtle shell drifting near.
In terms of the coastal communities in Puerto Escondido, Rinconada is laid back, La Punta is where it's at, and Zicatela is old school. Hostels and beach clubs have sprung up towards the end of the longest beach, drawing a younger clientele. Mopeds, stores, cafes, and surf shops adorn the streets. Even off the beach, sports bars, skate bars, and food truck courtyards keep the activity up. The sand stretches from the beach into the first row of eateries. Although Puerto Escondido is a hipster haven on a wild beach, many locals and longstanding inhabitants are concerned that the city is quickly being "Tulumified," or becoming too trendy for its good.
No Longer So Secret
Mexico rose to the top of the list of preferred destinations for digital nomads during the pandemic; many of them arrived at the lax entry requirements and stayed for the tropical climate and food. Puerto Escondido, meanwhile, swiftly gained recognition within the digital nomad community despite being well-known among Mexican tourists and the surf scene.
It was ranked sixth on Nomad List's list of the best places to live in Mexico as of September 2020, and as of right now, it has surpassed popular tourist destinations like Cabo San Lucas, Tulum, and Puerto Vallarta to claim the eighth spot. Reviewers on the platform complain about the sluggish Wi-Fi but applaud the reasonably priced accommodations, welcoming atmosphere, and beaches. I rented an apartment and purchased a 10-pack of private surf lessons due to the latter two reasons.
Although Puerto Escondido is not a well-kept secret, it does need a unique kind of traveler. It's a site where you may board a fishing boat early in the morning to see dolphins offshore and release baby turtles before dinner. The horizon line there charges at you with the full might of the Pacific. If you're lucky, someone might let you in on their favorite sunset site and make you vow to its privacy. Alternatively, you might be called over by a group of strangers to balance the teams in a chance beach volleyball match. You'll eat well and have the option to party hard, but you'll primarily be left daydreaming about the beach bum lifestyle and how simple it may be to stay a little longer than you had intended.
And you wouldn't be by yourself if you did. The infrastructure of Puerto Escondido is straining to keep up with the rapid change, and gentrification and the inflow of tourists are driving up prices, making life harder for residents. Puerto Escondido is still not the most accessible location in Mexico, though. While the ocean may not be as clear and white as those in the Mayan Riviera, it is nonetheless deep, blue, and magnificent. It has a small airport and no direct international flights from the United States, unlike other coastal towns in Mexico that are lined with resorts. It takes at least six hours to drive through the highlands from Oaxaca City, the state's capital, to reach there. All of this serves to emphasize that Puerto Escondido is not your standard Mexican holiday destination; it requires a little more grit from the traveler but pays off handsomely.
The mango season was in full swing when I arrived, and the trees were dripping with the luscious, sun-colored fruit. At least once a day, one would fall from the sky into the street, and people would gather the extra into plastic crates for onlookers to grab. I was instantly made to feel welcome by the abundance of mangoes, but it was only the start of a never-ending marathon of exciting ocean waves, flaming sunsets, and nights spent laughing and dancing with new friends on the beach.