Puerto Escondido offers a beach for everyone - from world class surfing to hidden coves and miles of white sand beaches with majestic rock formations. There are many safe swimming beaches in the Puerto area but extreme caution is advised for surfing and swimming on Playa Zicatela - the main surfing beach. There are strong rip tides and the waves are among the most powerful in the world - riveling the famed Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii. Several world class surfers are in wheelchairs with spinal injuries from this huge and shallow surf break. There are several very popular and less dangerous surf breaks for all levels of surfing.

Playa Zicatela was the first public beach in all of Mexico to initiate volunteer lifeguard services and water safety programs. These programs have been aided and sponsored by the Friends of Puerto and the International Lifesaving Federation. Always swim on a guarded beach! It is always recommended to shuffle your feet rather than hi stepping through shoreline waters due to the presence of sting reys. Nothing can ruin a vacation faster than stepping on the back of sting rey. Local lifeguards and hotels will know where to get help. Also, avoid evening walks on unlighted beaches.

Looking NW from the point at Playa Marinaro to Playa Principal and the Puerto lighthouse. Playa Principle is the main beach in the harbor area and includes the "Audoquin" - a pedestrian shopping, eating and nite life area which parallels the harbor. This is a family beach area where the panga and other fishing boats moor and depart from for the daily catch.
The southern end of Playa Principal offers and softer beach for boogie boarding and body surfing. Great for afternoon lazing under a palapa with cooling on shore breezes.
Playa Marinaro offers the great morning off shore breezes with beach front palapas and restaurant services. Check out the Surfing section for some awesome Zicatela surf photos by Woody Woodworth.
Looking SE from the point at Playa Marinaro in front of the Hotel Santa Fe. Playa Zicatela starts about halfway on the photo with La Punta (The Point) at the top. This is a wonderful 2 or 3 mile walk during the day with palapas for food and cold beverages along the way.   View Playa Zicatela Aerial
The Zicatela beach is great for afternoon lunches on the beach.
Further up the coast, below the Riconada retirement area is the emerald green Carrizalillo Cove with Palapa style food and beverage service at the base of 100 foot cliffs. The outer cove has a nice left point reef break for surfing and a quiet interior cove for swimming and snorkling.
Puerto Escondido is home to a beautiful cliffside walk. With its endless expanse of deep blues, the ocean needs no adornment to be appreciated. Yet the sheer audacity of this path rivals the majestic sea. Fashioned out of stone and cement, these steps hug the cliff at sea level, offering tourists and locals alike a wonderful walking experience. The trail follows the natural line of rocks and includes some subtle jags out to look at tidepools.
Playa Bacocho is another white sand beach bordered by massive granite rocks that meanders for several miles and is a favorite for beach walks. Enjoy Coco's Beach Club at the beginning, lower end of Playa Bacocho.