Puerto Escondido is a charming fishing village that offers all the services of a splendid tourist destination enriched with traditional Oaxacan coast culture.

Location: State of Oaxaca, Pacific coast, southwestern Mexico
Distance from Mexico City: 500 miles south
Population: 35,000
Closest major airport: Puerto Escondido International (PXM)
Time zone: Central Standard Time

Puerto Escondido is located 180 miles south of the city of Oaxaca and 70 miles west of Huatulco Bay in an area known as the Emerald Coast for its magnificent jade-green waters. The city, which inherited its name from the local rocks known as "Punta Escondida", attracts tourists from all over the world for its remarkable surfing, natural scenic beauty, extraordinary bays and pleasant tropical climate.

Although Puerto Escondido was officially founded in 1928, it had long since been a shipping point for coffee plantations. During the 1960's, when the coast road was built, tourism began to develop and continued to increase with the opening of a small airport in the 1980s. Today, tourism is one of the city's major industries.

The diverse beaches in Puerto Escondido are one of its major attractions, varying in types of sand, waves and rocky slopes. Playa Principal, for example, is one of the calm beaches in the city, offering kiosks and changing rooms; while Marineros is ideal for novice surfers and Zicatela, known as the Mexican Pipeline, is a surfer's paradise with waves comparable to the Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii. Other popular beaches include Barra de Colotepec, a turtle zone; Bacocho, an open beach with gentle waves ideal for diving; Playa Embarcadero, suitable for skiing and sailing; and Carrizalillo, a bay area perfect for swimming and boat trips. Puerto Angelito, a small bay next to Puerto Escondido, is another great place to visit. Its natural pool, with transparent waters, is ideal for recreational swimming.

Puerto Escondido is also renowned for its Turtle Assistance Ecological Camp, located a few miles from the port, and The Living Museum of Sea Turtles, located on Mazunte Beach. The museum is designed to protect sea turtles and prevent extinction and displays a variety of sea turtles that inhabit Mexico's shores.

Shopping is another diversion in Puerto Escondido. Local merchandise includes everything from leather ware, cotton/woolen textiles, tinwork and ceramics to stone work, jewelry and the black pottery typical of Oaxaca State.

Local cuisine in Puerto Escondido is primarily fish and seafood-based. Following a busy day of beach lounging and handicraft shopping, a scrumptious seafood dinner, with traditional Oaxacan tamales, is the ideal way to end the perfect day. The best places are found at the beach shelters, hotel restaurants and the Alfredo Perez Gasca tourist avenue, better known as, 'El Adoquin.'