The Waves

Seasons:

Wave season generally begins when the Southern Hemisphere wakes up from winter dormancy. Around April/May the first south swells start heading up from Chile or over from New Zealand. However, there are waves breaking all winter. If you are looking for a more sedate beach break experience, you can always find waist to shoulder high waves all year.

Breaks:

There are three main break in Puerto city limits:

Zicatela (the beach break) is the famed Mexican Pipeline. It is where the majority of the 'surf scene' is located. The beach break is very similar to the Hawaiian Pipeline in that it breaks the same proximity to the beach and the wave is similar shape and power. The main difference is the absence of rock or coral at the Mexican version. Don't kid yourself though, a soft sandbar can feel like cement if you hit it hard enough.

La Punta is located about a 10-minute taxi ride to the southeast of Zicatela. This wave is a left-breaking point break that is one of the places the local kids learn to surf. On a mellow day when the waves are head high or below, you can rent surfboards and take lessons surrounded by lots of young kids and older kids. However, when the waves are really strong, it is definitely not a place for the beginner. When the swell gets overhead, it turns into a very hollow, fast wave with enough multiple sections to keep even the best surfers on their toes.

One of the mellowest spots to swim, surf, take lessons, and rent boards is Carrizalillo Beach, also located about a 10-minute taxi ride from the beachbreak but to the northwest. It is usually the smallest and calmest beach and, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful beaches in the area. Carrizalillo is a horseshoe shaped bay that has both a 'right' and 'left' breaking waves on the top end of the bay with a tranquil swimming area in the middle.

Both of these waves can get very crowded from tourists and locals, so caution is a must to avoid injuries from loose boards and 'out-of-control' beginners.

Water temps:

Water temps range from upper 70s in the winter to mid 80s in the summer so no wetsuit is needed except for maybe a vest for the chilly offshores in the early mornings.

Equipment:

Equipment for the softer breaks is any type of board you might ride in California. For the beach break however, guns are the norm. You typically want a longer and heavier board than you may be used to riding because when the Mexican Pipeline is doing its thing, your mission is to get into the wave, get into the tube, and get out of the wave. You are not usually hitting the lip or doing cutbacks so don't bring a knife to a gunfight.

Locals:

There are a lot of locals from the hardened Mexican hellmen to the upcoming groms to the sometimes overzealous boogie board crew. As with anywhere, treat them with respect and let them have their waves and you should have no problem. Bringing little gifts to give those who help you out like stickers and t-shirts goes a long way.

Accomodation/Transportation

Where to stay:

Where you stay is entirely dependent on your budget. You can spend $200 per day and live like a king/queen, or you can spend $10 per day and also live like a king/queen. Main difference is proximity to the beach, and the view. If you are traveling heavy and want a reserved place that is ready and waiting upon your arrival, you should just reserve a place for one or two nights with the option of staying longer. Just poke around and ask other like-minded tourists where they are staying and tell them what you would like to spend. You will be surprised at the deals you can find. If you go during the tourist season you should probably book ahead because hotels and everything else fills up quick.

Getting around:

Taxis and walking are the most popular options. Again, it all depends on what your goal is in Puerto. If you just want to surf the beach break (Zicatela) and the other local spots within town limits (La Punta and Carrizalillo), just hail a cab and tell them where you want to go. Keep in mind that it is always a good idea to ask someone who lives there or has been there awhile on what the appropriate fare should be to your desired destination. If you want to explore out of town breaks, you can rent a car or hire a driver with a van (or like vehicle) who can help you easily find where you would like to go.

Featured Resort

Punta Escondida Surf Tours
The camp is located in the town of Salina Cruz a short drive from the nearest surf spots and is fully air conditioned with a central dining area, game room, and 4 bedrooms. Each bedroom sleeps up to 3 people and has a private bathroom, cable TV and DVD Player. The game room has a pool table and ping pong table, and the common area is set up with a table for dining, couches, DVD player, and cable T.V.

Find More Info >

Things To Do

Attractions:

Other than surfing there are many other fun things to do. You can rent horses or ATVs and ride on the beaches or mountain trails all over the city. You can rent a fishing boat (lancha) and try your hand at some of the best fishing in Mexico from Pargo (red snapper) and Roosterfish to Tuna (yellow fin), Marlin, and Sailfish. Best fishing usually is in the winter months, but good fish can be had anytime of the year. Also the winter boasts very clear water - excellent for diving.

For terrestrial adventures, you can explore ruins located about five hours outside of town, or just go kick around up in the main local part of the town for a heavy dose of Mexican culture.

Where to Eat and Drink:

You can choose from hundreds of restaurants with all different prices, but generally speaking you can eat very well for about $20 per day. More if you want to eat at the nicer restaurants in the hotels and in the main tourist part of town. If you are really on a budget, you can go to the Mercado (market place) uptown and buy any kind of food you can imagine and make it yourself. Make sure water you are served is bottled and most restaurants wash all of their vegetables in and make ice cubes from purified water.

Shopping:

Lots of cool shops in both the tourist parts of town and uptown in the more local neighborhoods. Be sure not to miss out on the Mercado uptown. Wednesday and Saturdays are the days when the freshest produce is available.

Nightlife:

There is a lively nightlife that has increased exponentially over the last decade. There are no shortage of bars and dance clubs to keep you going into the wee hours of the morning.

Resources:

Go to www.oglevision.com and check out any one of the Puerto Underground series of surf videos which exclusively feature Puerto Escondido and its surrounding breaks. Puerto Underground 4 is the latest and most up to date. Otherwise just Google Puerto Escondido. There is plenty of info floating around out there just about any question you may have.

Current Surf Conditions

Click to see current conditions

Travel Info

Getting There:

Puerto Escondido used to be the remotest place on earth but now it is as easy as calling a travel agent or Mexicana Airlines. Ticket prices are, as one would expect, seasonal but unlike places like Hawaii, it is the off season that you, as a surfer, want to travel there. The tourist season actually starts in November and goes through about May or June. This is a time when the weather features hot, cloudless days, pretty small surf, and water as clear as a proverbial swimming pool. It is the tourist off season that gets a surfers blood pumping. The rainy season coincides with the wave season, and although there is occasional off season south swell activity, the beach break doesnt really come alive until around May/June when the Southern Hemisphere starts cranking. When the thunderstorms start dumping rain on the parched landscape, tourists dont want to have anything to do with the place. Surfers flock.

Official language:

In Puerto, as with all of the 31 states that make up the United States of Mexico, Spanish is the main language although there are Indian populations in the mountains and remote valleys that speak a multitude of different dialects that sound nothing like the Spanish language as we know it. In the areas frequented by tourists, most of the people and businesses speak English very well and unless you are out in the more local parts of town and her outskirts, communication is relatively easy.

But hey, work on your Spanish a little. Its a relatively easy language to learn, and the locals appreciate it when you try.

Currency:

The Mexican Peso is the monetary unit in all of Mexico, however most of the tourist businesses will accept the US dollar but will usually take about a 10 cents on the dollar commission. But dont think that you can just whip out a $20 and expect them to be able to handle it. If you dont have pesos, (or dont want to change money), it is a very good idea to have lots of ones, fives, and tens as they will usually have problems breaking larger bills.

Exchange rate:

US$1 = 13 Mexican Pesos (as of 21-1-09)

Health and safety:

Well we have two distinctly different areas of health concerns:

Firstly you have bacteria. This is something that everyone remotely familiar to Mexico either knows about first hand or has heard about. Our immune systems are used to the bacteria from where we live. There isnt good and bad bacteria, just different bacteria than our bodies are used to. If we travel to another country, we can get sick from bacteria our bodies have not encountered. It is the same for someone who travels to our country from another. Their bodies are not familiar with the bacteria to which we are accustomed. They can get sick. The sickness varies from mild stomach discomfort to serious dehydration accompanied with violent diarrhea and vomiting. Best defense is to make sure your food is washed with purified water and ice cubes in all drinks are also made from purified water.

The second area of concern is the most fun.
The wave at the beach break, Zicatela, will kick your ass!

Hazards include:

Super shallow sandbars
Huge waves that travel thousands of miles over deep water just to unload their full fury on said sandbars.
Nightmare rip currents
Sting rays
Jelly fish

Expectations:

Most people hear the word Puerto Escondido and get an increased heart rate and sweaty palms. If you head down during the prime wave season, you should plan on really testing your ability as a tube rider. Whenever it gets 8 and above its all about tube riding. When it is 6 and smaller it is still an unbelievable tube, but it may offer up a more playful canvas especially on a higher tide. However, surfing Puerto Escondido doesnt have to be a life or death experience. There are a few waves around the area, which offer a more user friendly environment.