Puerto Escondido Surf Spots: The Exciting Ride You Didn’t Know You Needed
Puerto Escondido. Wild Pacific energy, golden sands, and more waves than a caffeine-fueled brainstorming session. If you want to know where the water really comes alive, go to www.latamsurfing.com/mexico/puerto-escondido and start dreaming. But stop daydreaming and get your board waxed and ready for the real dance.
Begin with Zicatela. People in the area nickname it the Mexican Pipeline, and that’s not just a joke. When you paddle out here, you’ll feel the water flexing its muscles. This place is hollow, powerful, and sometimes harsh. It’s where legends are produced and, well, sometimes wiped out. Long lines in the morning, huge barrels by lunchtime, and the sound of empty waves will echo in your ears when you go to bed at night. Are you able to do it? It’s possible. Will you have a fair amount of sand served to you? Most likely. But that’s part of the enjoyment.
Too rough? Do you still feel nervous in your stomach? Instead, look to La Punta. The mood changes here; there are sandy points, soft rights, and lefts with long rides. Longboarders and newbies can relax. Even the sea turtles at La Punta seem to paddle up next to you and give you a kindly side-eye. Foamies and flashier boards move together; everyone is equal in the surf here.
Change gears and head up to Carrizalillo. Going down to this cove is hard on the knees—167 concrete steps and you’re already sweating. At the bottom, you’ll find aqua blue waters and mild waves that are great for anyone who are still fixing their pop-up or looking for their first real drop. There are surf schools all along the shore, and the teachers shout encouragement, albeit they sometimes get their lefts and rights mixed up. It doesn’t matter much; the levels of stoke are through the roof.
Playa Marinero sits in the middle of Puerto and is the place to go for anyone who like short rides, easy paddle-outs, and a front-row seat to the pelicans that think they surf better than you do—debate them if you dare. This area gets playful, and the waves say, “Go again,” until your arms get tired or your pals entice you with tacos and cold drinks.
Leave some time for the less popular breakers farther up the coast. These are locations where people talk about them over cold beers at sunset, where the lineup seldom goes above ten, and the only noise you have to deal with is the sound of panga boats. You brush elbows with both experienced residents and people who are fresh to the area. Each place has its own stories and flavors, and the whole thing is held together by sunburns and high-fives of victory.
Before you take a break, remember to be polite to the people who live there, be patient, clean up after yourself, and keep your ego in check. Puerto Escondido isn’t simply a place to surf; it’s also a chance to play in one of the Pacific’s most exciting playgrounds. When the next wave may be a roaring beast or the ride of your life, who needs to know what’s going to happen?