Here’s the way to get to the sand and surf
Puerto Escondido is stretched across a series of beaches, but for our purposes we’ll focus on four. Each has a unique vibe.
First, to the south, there’s the main party and surfing beach, Playa Zicatela, which runs the length of a street called El Morro. This is where you go to find the fiesta. Dance clubs and bars line the white sand, surf shops and restaurants abound and English is in the air.
Continue north and you come upon Playa Principal. If Zicatela is ruled by tourists — and it is — Principal is as local as it gets. Here you’ll find fishermen and their boats, local children swimming and playing, and a string of restaurants and bars along El Adoquín.
Follow the beach west and you encounter a beautiful water’s-edge path cut in stone. This will take you beneath the cliffs and a lighthouse to the quiet cove of Puerto Angelito. This is a good place to enjoy a drink or meal and snorkel away from the crowds of the aforementioned beaches.
Finally, Playa Carrizalillo. The best way to approach this one is from above. Make your way by foot or taxi to a bustling street called Benito Juárez, which is lined with some of the best restaurants in town. The route to the beach is clearly marked. Follow it to a series of stairs, and prepare yourself for uninhibited beauty.
Playa Carrizalillo, a popular surfing spot and relatively untouched with no more than a couple of restaurants, is in my opinion the most beautiful place in Puerto Escondido. When you imagine the ideal tropical beach, you’re thinking of a spot like Carrizalillo.