Puerto Escondido
Puerto Escondido is a small, safe and laid back fishing and surfing town of about 45,000 on the southern coast of Oaxaca with a wide range of water related activities, diverse flora and fauna and plenty of restaurants. For serious surfers, Playa Zicatelo on the southern end of town is the Mexican Pipeline. Playa Principal and Playa Marinero share a beach in the center of town where you can rent boats and guides, and going north within Puerto, you will find Playa Manzanillo/Puerto Angelito, Playa Carrizalillo and Playa Bacocho, each with distinctive attractions.
Playa Zicatela
Playa Zicatela is in the top 10 for the worlds best beaches to go surfing. Championships are held in August/September.
The road, which goes along part of this 3 kilometer beach, is lined with small shops, small and mid-size hotels and a large number of good restaurants and bars. As you can tell from the photo, this is not a beach for swimmers or novice surfers who will find the beaches going north more calm and accessible.
Laguna de Manialtepec
20 minutes north of Puerto Escondido is a large fresh water lagoon with hundreds of species of migrating and non-migrating birds – including cormorant, anhinga, herons (great blue, little blue, black-crowned night heron), ibis, parrots, egrets, ducks, jacanas (lily walkers). The lagoon is usually bioluminescent, and, if you jump in the water after sundown, the sparkly plankton will make your body shimmer with what appear to be little stars. Lots of guides with boats line the roadside leading into the lagoon.
Playa Bacocho
The westernmost beach in Puerto Escondido is surrounded by high rocky walls covered with lush vegetation. Other than the bar and restaurant view at Villas Carrizalillo, Bacocho may be the best place to watch the spectacular sunsets.
Chacagua
Chacagua is a Mexican National Park on the Pacific Coast west of Puerto Escondido. The National Park encompasses several lagoons, the Island of Chacagua, and the fishing village of Chacagua. The village has beaches on the Ocean side, the river side and the lagoon side. Cabins are available for rent and you can camp under palm thatched roofs. Services are very limited but the locals cook wonderful meals for you and are extremely friendly.
The Park has amazing populations of birds, crocodiles and turtles (in season). The locals offer tours through the mangroves, bird-watching and night tours to see the phosphorescent plankton.