Puerto Escondido / Mexico City (Mexico)

Finding the 90s Backpacker Spirit on Mexico’s Surf Coast

Puerto Escondido, on the southern Pacific hip of Mexico’s Oaxaca region, has long been a legendary mecca for surfers, bar hoppers, and bohemian beach bums.  Once a sleepy, under-the-radar escape, it’s currently navigating a massive boom.  The combination of Instagram overexposure and a global surge in beach tourism has driven up the cost of living here significantly.

Of course, Puerto Escondido isn’t alone in this struggle.  From Thailand’s Southern Islands, Vietnam’s Hoi An, Bali’s Canggu and Ubud, hotspots around the world are facing the exact same pressures.  It’s an issue that’s only going to become more pressing as the global army of travelers and location-independent (digital nomad) workers continues to climb.

Puerto Escondido: Rinconada vs. La Punta 

If you’re heading this way, Puerto Escondido is a solid destination geared entirely toward beach lovers.  For a proper stay, you want to look at two main areas: Rinconada and La Punta.

• The Vibe: Barbie and I spent a month here splitting our time between the two areas.  Each has its own distinct energy, but we both found ourselves leaning heavily toward the setting in La Punta.

• The Neighborhoods: Rinconada offers a slightly more relaxed pace, while La Punta is the heart of the action.

• The Avoid-Zone: Then there’s Centro (the downtown area) sitting right between them.  To be blunt, it’s a real dump.  There is absolutely no reason to spend time there—with two exceptions: hitting up some truly authentic local Mexican eateries, and stocking up on groceries at Chedraui, the only real supermarket in the area, if you’re self-catering in your Airbnb.

A Flashback to our Old Backpacker Days

La Punta is defined by its international, youth-driven crowd and a laid-back, vintage surfer vibe.  Walking the dirt roads, it reminded me so much of my old backpacking days across Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand in the 1990s.  If you live in North America and don’t want to fly across the globe to Koh Phangan or Canggu, you can simply head to the Oaxacan coast for an incredibly similar beach experience.

Being a flashpacker means we enjoy the finer comforts of travel these days, but my roots are firmly planted in the backpacker culture.  One afternoon on the sand, I looked around, turned to Barbie, and said, “I think I’m probably the oldest person on this beach.”

That has honestly never happened to me before!  But even as a senior traveler, I absolutely love being part of that youthful energy.  It put a massive smile on my face to see a new generation of like-minded travelers chasing the exact same freedom I did during my younger days.

The Sunset Ritual (Sans iPhones)

The absolute highlight of our daily routine was the sunset viewing ritual in La Punta.  Every single evening, the entire beach congregates at the water’s edge.  It’s one massive social event set in a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere where everyone—including a pack of loose, incredibly well-behaved beach dogs—is perfectly in tune with nature.

What struck me most was looking around and realizing that hardly anyone was on their cell phone.

People were actually socializing, laughing with friends, and taking in the magnificent colors of the Pacific without the distraction of an iPhone screen.  It is a rare sight in the modern world, where everyone usually experiences life through a camera lens or a social media feed.  It immediately took me back to late-90s backpacking before cell phones existed, when travelers actually engaged with their surroundings and each other.  It was a beautiful reminder of how special travel can be when you disconnect from the noise.

Another massive checkmark in Puerto Escondido’s favor is just how clean the beaches are, particularly our two favorites: La Punta and Playa Bacocho.  Sadly, I can’t say the same for some of my old favorite destinations in Southeast Asia, where pollution and litter have become heartbreaking issues over the decades.  Mexico is getting it right here.

We also checked out Playa Carrizalillo, a stunning, enclosed bay that always gets rave reviews.  Unfortunately, we timed our visit right during the Easter holiday peak, and the beach was simply too jam-packed for my taste.  While it’s likely an absolute paradise during the quieter months, we never made it back, choosing instead to stick to the wide-open sands of La Punta and Bacocho.

The Ultimate Oaxacan Coast Road Trip

If you’re using Puerto Escondido as a base and fancy a beach-centric road trip, the region is ripe for exploration.  You can rent a car and head southeast down the coast to uncover a string of coastal hamlets:

Puerto Escondido ➔ Mazunte ➔ San Agustinillo ➔ Zipolite ➔ Puerto Angel ➔ Huatulco

Just an hour away, you’ll hit the bohemian enclaves of Mazunte, San Agustinillo, and the famous shores of Zipolite.  Keep driving and you’ll encounter the beauty of Puerto Angel and Playa Estacahuite.  For the ultimate itinerary, continue east to explore the untouched waters of Bahia de San Agustin and Playa La India, before wrapping up your journey in the main tourist hub of Huatulco, where you can drop the rental car and catch a flight out.

The secret is officially out on this region, and prices are rising to meet the demand. A major catalyst for this current tourism surge is a massive infrastructure milestone: after 15 long years of construction, the highly anticipated superhighway connecting Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido is finally open.

This new highway completely rewrites the logistics of traveling through Oaxaca.  It slashes the winding, 190 km mountain journey from a brutal 6-to-7-hour trek down to a smooth 3-hour drive.  Complete with 10 bridges, 15 ramps, and 3 tunnels, it’s pouring roughly 4,500 vehicles a day onto the coast.

The Ultimate Trip Combo: Because Oaxaca City is a world-class culinary destination—especially during the vibrant, colorful Guelaguetza Festival in July—combining a foodie mountain escape with a flashpacker beach trip to Puerto Escondido is now easier, and more enticing, than ever.

Heading to the Big City

Our month-long stay in the relaxed havens of La Punta and Rinconada was simple: do absolutely nothing but experience beautiful, slow days in the sun alongside fellow travelers. Mission accomplished.

Now, we have to mentally prepare for a sharp gear shift into big city life.  We are heading to Mexico City for a few weeks, where we’ve traded the rustic surf vibes for a luxury Airbnb in the upscale, stylish neighborhood of Polanco.  Time to exchange the flip-flops for city chic and mucho street tacos!