How to get from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido
Are you wondering how to get from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido?
There’s no denying it; Mexico is one of the best Latin American nations to head to for postcard-perfect beaches and turquoise waters. And within this awesome country, Puerto Escondido ranks as one of the all-time best spots.
This town in southern Oaxaca is known for its long stretch of Pacific coastline and is a great place for hanging out, surfing and exploring the awesome towns close by such as San José del Pacifico and Mazunte.
Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido
In this guide, we’ll explore the 3 different ways of getting from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido.
As well as this, we’ll also look at how to stay safe, when to visit and other good things to know before heading to this popular coastal town.
Puerto Escondido Quick Summary:
- 📍 Where is it: Western Mexico
- 🗺 Difficulty Getting There: Easy
- ⏱ Time needed: 4+ days
- ☀️ Best Time to Visit: November/February
- 🍴 Top Food/Drink: Tlayudas, Mezcal
- 🔥 Our Favourite Gem: Turtle Release
Quick Answer: The Best Way to get from Mexico City to Puebla overall and after having compared all routes (and also making the trip ourselves several times), we’ve found the ADO bus is the best option in getting from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido.
Whilst bus rides between these two destinations are feared by most travelers, ADO actually avoids this stomach-churning route by going the long way around (10-hour bus ride in total – it’s best to take the overnight bus to save daytime).
And at roughly 500 MXP it’s one of the cheapest ways of getting to Puerto Escondido too.
Traveling to Puerto Escondido
Safety in Oaxaca
Puerto Escondido is a really safe town, which has a more all-inclusive feel to it. The different areas of La Punta and Zicatela rarely have incidents targeted towards tourists, and you can head out during both the day and night and feel safe.
Within the town of Puerto Escondido itself, it can feel a little less built-up (after all it is the real town, away from most of the touristy attractions). You’ll want to leave valuables at home when heading out at night, and also to avoid accepting drinks from strangers too.
By far the biggest threat to travelers heading to Puerto Escondido is the Pacific Ocean itself. Many of the beaches here are way too dangerous to be swimming in, with the riptides being too strong even for the best of swimmers. Make sure to ask locals which beaches are safe before going for a dip.
Getting Money Out
There are many different ATMs dotted around Puerto Escondido that you can use. It’s recommended to take out cash instead of using your card, given the extra international charges that can be incurred.
La Punta has the least amount of reliable ATMs available, so it’s best to either use the HSBC in the center or the ATM within the Rinconada Restaurant.
Whilst you can find other ATMs here (as well as within Zicatela), it’s not the best idea to use them as they have higher withdrawal charges!
When is Best to Visit Puerto Escondido?
Puerto Escondido is located along the Pacific Coast, and as such experiences both a dry and wet season throughout the year.
The dry season starts around November and lasts until April. Daily average temperatures range from 83-86°F, with highs of 95°F and lows of 72°F.
Rainfall is very low this time of year, with between 0.1-0.4 inches falling throughout each month. This is the overall best time to come to Puerto, where temperatures are warm and consistent as well as rainfall is virtually non-existent.
The wet season continues from around May and lasts up until late October. Average temperatures range from 85-87°F, with highs of up to 94°F and lows of down to 77°F. Rainfall increases sharply this time of year, with anywhere between 2-7 inches falling within any particular month (September is usually the wettest of all).
This time of year is great for getting hotel and flight deals, and also for those who don’t mind the occasional shower between dips in the sea. Remember to carry a good Poncho if heading during this time of year!
Pre-booking Transport
Whilst traveling is all about the adventure and mystery of what you’ll be getting up to every new day, it’s also a good idea to pre-book in certain instances.
A good example is if you have limited time, and don’t want to waste hours waiting to catch a bus.
If flying, then it’s a good idea to book at least a week in advance (regardless of doing it directly through the airline or on a site like Skyscanner). This way you won’t have to pay hiked-up prices.
With buses you can pre-book, which is best again for those strict on time, however, you won’t be saving that much. If anything, heading to a bus station open to different schedules often leads to saved prices, as almost-full buses drop prices to get passengers on those last seats.
Getting from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido
There are 3 main ways of getting from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido.
Bus from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido
As always the bus remains one of the best options, and especially so for budget travelers looking to keep costs down. ADO is a popular bus provider in Mexico that serves this route well, who makes this journey daily.
The bus takes around 10 hours and costs around 500 MXP. There are other providers who can get you to Puerto Escondido such as Transportes Villa del Pacífico, with the journey being both quicker (7 hours) and cheaper (250 MXP) than the ADO bus.
Whilst seemingly better on paper, the main disadvantage is that you’ll be traveling through the notorious passage of windy mountains, which tends to make a lot of travelers sick.
Given the bus can be somewhat long, we recommend bringing a solid Power Bank with you to keep all of your devices fully charged.
Driving from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido
Those who prioritise independence and true freedom above all else will want to rent a car. Within Oaxaca City, you can find a variety of vehicle rentals starting from 400 MXP per day.
Given you’ll still be within the region of Oaxaca when in Puerto Escondido, there’s no need to worry about extra costs or having to bring the car back to the same station (the same providers can be found in both destinations).
When driving from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido, you can expect the trip to take a total of 5 hours.
Flying from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido
Another popular way of making this trip is by flying. Given the terrain is pretty mountainous between the two, a short plane ride (of just 2-4 hours) will significantly cut this journey, where you’ll also not have to deal with travel sickness caused by the long, unwinding roads.
A one-way flight will cost you between 1250-1650 MXP (without baggage fees), although many will require a stop-over in Mexico City, so it’s worth comparing all airlines and comparison sites before making your choice.
Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido
And that’s all for our guide on how to get from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido.
This beautiful town is well-known for its Pacific coastline, which is great for surfing and all-around good vibes.
You can also head out on day trips too into the region, where you can do everything from hiking within the Oaxacan mountains to releasing a baby turtle out into the ocean.
See our backpacking Mexico guide for more travel tips.
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