On the South Pacific coast of Mexico there is a little gem that has resisted the trend to give way to large mega-hotel/resort destination that are so common to Mexico’s tropical paradises. Against the odds, Puerto Escondido has managed to retain its cute, quaint fishing village charm to this day.
Perhaps it is partly due to its name, which when translated to English is “Hidden Port.” The first time I traveled to Puerto Escondido (PE) was 29 years ago. My hotel was on the beach in the middle of the village and the only restaurants available were a few palapas (temporary shelter) where fresh grilled fish was plentiful. Today it is a little larger, but still qualifies as a small town. It retains that quaint fishing village feel, with the local people being warm and friendly. Changes that have happened are all positive with the addition of a variety of ethnic restaurants and the bonus of more activities available to experience.
Puerto Escondido boasts wonderful year round warm temperatures of 25C to 30C, refreshing sea breezes and a complete lack of rain from December through June make it a welcomed break from our wet and bone-chilling winters. Even in summer the rainy season is very pleasant with the lowest risk of hurricanes in all of Mexico.
In the town you will find local markets where fish, meat, organic vegetables and fresh tortillas can be found. Check out the many stands that sell local Oaxaca cheese, dairy products and sweets. It is easy to pick up all the ingredients for your own cosina (kitchen) if you desire to be your own chef. In the evening explore the tourist walking street, Alfonzo Perez Gasga, where you can find all sorts of Oaxacan artisan crafts, souvenirs and food carts with traditional delicious snacks.
During my stay, I had lunch at Espadin Restaurant, overlooking the Playa Carrizalillo. The view of the clear, shallow emerald bay below was breathtaking. To start off I ordered a fragrant mint mojito – certainly a wonderful way to ease into the afternoon as you drink up the scenery. For lunch we were offered the catch of the day – a huge grilled fish on a platter, covered in a roasted pepper sauce. We couldn’t leave without trying their famous coconut prawns and pecan crusted fish – as promised by our guide Jesus - it was amazing!
After lunch we walked down a stone pathway to the pristine beach below. The water was warm and the fine sand felt soothing on the feet. Between the crashing of the waves the air was full of laughter of children playing in the sea. Many palapas populate the white sand cove and you can purchase snacks, fresh coconut water or other refreshments. Be sure to return to Espadin for happy hour refreshments and an evening meal to experience it’s vantage point for the best sunset viewing in town (reservation recommended).
The next evening we had the pleasure to have dinner at Fresh Restaurant & Lounge in the centre of town on Zicatela Beach. The energetic couple that runs the restaurant are originally from Comox, B.C., and have lived in PE for 12 years. Their bearded, soft spoken 17-year-old son was our waiter. I recommend to start off by trying one of their specialty cocktails – frozen mojito or a Margarita Tamarindo, while enjoying the wonderful relaxed atmosphere. Their food is amazing – ceviche, coconut prawns, grilled tuna, steak and extra rich cheesecake for dessert. Make sure to try some local rich Oaxacan coffee with your dessert. I could have sworn I heard Jimmy Buffett’s “ Margaritaville” song drift through the fragrant evening breeze as I took in the complete evening experience on the beach.
Modern day Puerto Escondido has a variety of activities to keep you busy. Picturesque beaches for paddle boarding or surfing and protected emerald sea coves that are perfect for snorkelling and swimming are easily accessible. To the south of the town is the surfing zone of Zicatela Beach, which is rated as No. 3 in the surfing world. Other activities in and around the town include horseback riding, deep sea fishing, ocean safaris, botanical gardens and a half day tour on the lagoon.
I decided on a couple of activities. First was a half day boating excursion on Laguna Manialtepec. An absolute treasure of bird and wildlife make their home there. During the tour we saw many bird species and witnessed their stealth hunting abilities and beautiful courting flights. At the northern end we traveled the meandering river leading to the ocean with it long lush green reeds – leaving only a narrow waterway for our small boat to travel at times. During the rainy season from August to November the lagoon swells until the river overflows the beach head. At that moment the lagoon level will drop over one metre. This would be quite a sight to witness.
We stopped for a while at the beach and drank fresh young coconut juice from straight from the huge green shells in the shade under a palapa. In the noon heat nothing could have been more satisfying. Jesus, our guide, suggested to return again for a night time tour to witness the famous bio-luminescence light show in the lagoon. An hour later we returned back to our launch site and had a delicious lunch at Puesta del Sol restaurant consisting of traditional Mexican empanada’s filled with all sorts of tasty fillings of cheese, seafood and meat.
Lodging in PE can range from backpack hotels to luxury condos and villas. I stayed outside of town at Vivo Resort. The concept and design is from the creative mind of Canadian Olympian, visionary and developer Cary Mullen. This luxury resort offers condos from studios to two bedrooms that give a real at-home feel to luxury. Situated 14 kilometres north from PE – Vivo Resort beautifully fits in to the local warm coloured scenery. Pamarito beach is pristine and offers uninterrupted access for many kilometres in each direction. The majority of the staff come from the nearby village of Chila.
One of the things that attracted me to the resort is their foundation work in the local community. Part of the work of the Vivo Foundation is to support the Palmarito Turtle Camp. This great organization offers protection from local natural predators and poachers to ensure successful cultivation of the turtle eggs and safe release of the babies. Guests are welcome to participate in their release. On average, this usually happens once a week.
On my last day a notice was posted at the resort that there would be a turtle release at 5 p.m. It was amazing to see day-old baby turtles getting their orientation on the beach and then disappearing into the surf. Not one went the wrong way! Since starting the program over three years ago there have been over 300,000 turtles released. The other area that gets high marks is donations to the local orphanage and sports teams, Vivo really is an active partner in PE’s society.
With the devalued peso and the small town existence, Puerto Escondido retains with great value and the traditional beach resort feel of decades ago. Whether you choose to be in town or in the more secluded Vivo Resort, you are sure to hear “Margaritaville” singing along through the refreshing breeze.
