general info

Location: Oaxaca State, Pacific coast, western Mexico
Distance from:
Mexico City- 500 miles south
Acapulco- 368km (230 miles) SE
Salina Cruz- 240km (150 miles) NW
Puerto Angel- 80km (50 miles) NW
Huatulco- 100 miles NW
Population: About 35,000
Closest major airport: Puerto Escondido International (PXM)
Second closest airport: Huatulco International (HUX)
Time zone: Central Standard Time
Climate: Wet/Dry Seasons with wet season from May 15 through November 15.
Electricity: 110 volts and will run any North American appliance.
Laundromat: There are several around town and on the Zicatela strip. The Laundromat next to Bancomar on Avenida Perez Gasga is a self-serve by the coin laundromat. However, anywhere else is so cheap and fast the extra pesos are worth it.
Telephones: There are many Telephone shops all around town, that provide long distance services, fax and internet. Most likely at any large hotel nearby they provide all services. At any tienda you will be able to find phone cards. The best cards to find are the 2 pesos per min to USA, use them at any pay phone.
Banks: There are many ATM's in Puerto with access to all major systems that link to North American and European banks. There are several money exchange desks that are open from 9 am until 10 pm. Banks are generally open from 9 am until 3 pm. There are two Western Union offices in town.
Internet: There are many Internet cafes around town. The average price for one hour of internet use is from 10 to 20 pesos. In town tends to be cheaper than on Zicatela and on el Adoquin. Arco Iris I found to be the cheapest on the Zicatela strip.
Internet Providers: Email me at info@puertocentro.com for information about high speed wireless internet in town at a great price.
Abarrotes: These are everywhere you look in Puerto. The equivalent of a mini mart, basically a junk food store.

Linguists and archeologists have only recently discovered the meaning of the word "Mexico". An ancient Mayan term, it refers to the moon goddess' navel and implies the essence of fertility. Oaxaca state, the pregnant belly of Mexico, bulges southward, pointing this rural gut of the North American Plate at the Southern Hemisphere. At a certain point here, a branch of the San Andreas Fault emerges from an offshore convergent tectonic plate zone as an underwater canyon. Like a geological umbilical cord, this snaking canyon funnels in any southern swell, magnifies it and feeds the wave energy onto 200 yards of sand. The result is the meanest beach break in the world -- the Mexican Pipeline.

Watch Out!
The Police:
•Marijuana is very present in this part of Mexico. Stay away from the beach and highways with any types of drugs. If the municipal Police pick you up, it means a night in jail and 300 pesos. With Federales it may take a trip to the ATM.
•You can get sent to jail for one night, plus 300 pesos bail for these "crimes":
- Possession of whatever
- Walking around with open beer
- Peeing on the side of the road
- Having "sex" on the beach
Why all this bullshit?
Well basically this side of Puerto is run by a corrupt bunch of cowboys. This little mafia, the heads of the Colotepec municipality are looking to make a little money, and guess what? They target tourist.

In The Water:
•If you don't feel comfortable in the water, watch out for bigger days. This is riptide land, so just take it slow. A riptide looks like a brown river going out to sea. If get pulled out in one, let it take you out then just swim parallel to shore.

Orientation:
Playa Principal area is considered locally the center with a small marina, nightclubs, restaurants and wonderful shopping on the Adoquin. You will find the Puerto Information center at the northwest end of the harbor shopping area and it is recommended to stop by and meet Gina, the ever friendly information hostess. Above the harbor, find the Riconada plateau and the central colony area which adjoins the beautiful Bacocho beach area. South of the harbor, find the famous Zicatela beach area, more commonly known as the Mexican Pipeline, a world class pumping beach break. Further south, along a two mile stretch of white sand beach, you'll find "La Punta", another pristine beach and world class point break.

An aerial view of the area would show the Sierra Madre mountains in the north and a jungle to the south, both coming right up to Oaxaca's Emerald Coast, Puerto Escondido. Puerto has two seasons, the summer/wet season, and the winter/dry season. With temperatures ranging from 75-95 in the summer and 65-85 in the winter, it's the perfect tropical climate. Sunrise enjoyer's will want to bring a sweatshirt for the breezy dawns; otherwise, a wardrobe of swim suits, shorts, and t-shirts will suffice. Most important: bring sun screen.