Puerto Escondido Mexico Vacation Rental Oceanfront

If you like sun, surf, near perfect weather, and a beautiful culture of people, Puerto Escondido is a place to visit, get to know, and perhaps stay for a while. Puerto Escondido is a town of about 35,000 situated along a gorgeous stretch of the Pacific Ocean in the southernmost section of Mexico. Puerto is a popular tourist destination especially among Europeans, Canadians, Mexicans, and Americans who are "in the know." I refer to Puerto Escondido as the Un-Cancun. There are no flim-flam tourist attractions here, big-box stores, or Mega Billion Dollar Hotels that ruin the horizon and serve overpriced drinks. Puerto is Real Mexico, with wonderful (fabulous really) restaurants and lots of things to do for the active person — or almost nothing to do for those who are relaxation inclined.

Puerto Escondido used to be a shipping port for the coffee grown in the region. Then commercial fishing became the mainstay of the economy. Today, the coffee growers are still here, as are the fishermen and the sport fishing industry, but tourists are now the mainstay. Many come for the surfing, as Playa Zicatela is said to be among the very best surfing beaches in the world (Top 10).

The tropical climate of Puerto Escondido means that temperatures generally average about 85 degrees, Fahrenheit (30 Celsius) with very little variation from month to month. The rainy season, which has declined in length in recent years, runs from July to October, with September being the rainiest month.

Swimming — Puerto has great beaches for swimming: Manzanillo, Angelito, Carrizalillo, Principal, Marinero, and the eastern edge of Bacocho.

Surfing — The beach at Zicatela draws surfers from around the world. The best surfing is from April through November. Novices can learn to surf near the point or in Bahia Carrizalillo.

Sports fishing — Fish for sailfish, marlin, tuna, dorado and more. Birding and nature tours — a professional ornithologist and guide leads expeditions through the wild lagoons of the area where visitors can see many of the 250 species of birds. If you are lucky, you might even catch a glimpse at a river otter, jaguarundi, crocodile, turtle or iguanas.

Shopping — The local market, Mercado Benito Juarez, features a wide range of food and other products. The Mercado is open every day, but the best days are Wednesday and Saturday when there are the most vendors and the best selection. Check out the Adoquin, or pedestrian zone, of Avenida Perez Gasga. The Adoquin is up from the beach at Playa Principal, and only a few blocks from our villa. It has shops, restaurants, cafes and open-air stalls. Also within a close walk is the Rinconada (Blvd. Benito Juarez (not to be confused with where the Market is)) which is the old airstrip for Puerto Escondido. This year, there is a definite resurgence in this area and it has a wealth of fine and affordable restaurants, as well as surf shops, clothiers, internet cafés and surf shops.

Annual Events — There is always something going on in Puerto. From Carnival to surfing contests, fishing contests, dancing celebrations, religious festivals, cultural events and more — it is a rare week when there isn't something special and unique happening in Puerto Escondido.

Eating — Puerto Escondido has, hands down, some of the best and most varied cuisine I've experienced in Mexico (or elsewhere for that matter). The local cuisine is a mix of traditional Zapotec cooking (moles, herb and broth) and seafood, but you can find anything your heart desires. Sushi, Vegetarian, the best Pizza I've ever had, Asian, Steakhouses, Italian, Rotisserie, etc. . .You definitely won't leave Puerto hungry or disappointed.