Mexico
Puerto Escondido
Pacific swell meets market mornings and small bays along Oaxaca's lively surf town.
Every day at the main beach the fish market assembles at the tideline: sailfish, dorado and huachinango sold off boats whose crews went out the evening before. Zicatela's famous wave thunders one bay along.
Puerto Escondido runs on two rhythms: Zicatela's powerful surf, best left to experienced riders when the swell stands up, and the working waterfront where boats land the day's catch each morning at Playa Principal. Smaller bays offer gentler water that varies by day and season. Watching the big break from shore is its own spectator sport, with none of the risk.
Friends
Watch Zicatela's big days from the sand and surf the gentler bays yourselves.
Solo
Do the dawn fish market, then find the bay whose conditions match your level.
Couple
Pair market mornings with sunset at the lighthouse end of town.
- Zicatela is an exposed, powerful surf beach best left to experienced riders when swell is large.
- A daily fish market on the main beach sells the boats' catch each morning.
- Markets, food and smaller bays with day-by-day conditions round out the town.
Every morning the main beach hosts a fish market: sailfish, dorado and huachinango sold straight off the boats.
Junto al Mar plates the coast's classics: pescado a la talla and whole fish al mojo de ajo.
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