Located on the southern coast of Oaxaca state, Playa Zipolite is Mexico's first and only legal nudist beach. It is very popular as a clothing-optional resort and is pretty laid back, with the use of marijuana largely ignored. On the first week in February the beach hosts the annual Festival Nudista Zipolite. For a little more seclusion head to Playa del Amor just over the bluff to the east.
The small beach town of Mazunte is just west of San Agustin on the Pacific Coast of Oaxaca. Far from the main tourist route and requiring a rough 8-hour road journey from Oaxaca City, it remains a quiet haven, so you'll only have the company of a few backpackers and locals on this lovely beach.
The 1km long cove is sheltered by the Punta Cometa peninsula and lookout point which is… read more »
A 500 metre stretch of golden sand edged by rocks to either extreme, Playa Tangolunda nestles in the shallow depth of Huatulco Bay just a short drive from Parque Nacional Huatulco. Backed by a mix of high-end hotels, it can be reached via the Acapulco to Salina Cruz Highway (Highway 200) with public parking within walking distance.
Sea breezes help to keep the air on Playa Tangolunda fresh, while there's no… read more »
Playa Zicatela is the biggest and one of the best beaches in Puerto Escondido. It's easy to reach from the town with street parking nearby. The 3.5km long sandy beach is a popular surfing spot with plenty of wave action from the famous "Mexican Pipeline" at the northern end of the beach. This tubular wave can reach up to 20 feet in height providing a spectacle to watch pro-surfers riding… read more »
Located in the popular beach destination of Oaxaca, Playa Puerto Angelito is a small family-friendly beach just to the west of Manzanillo Beach. Together these adjacent beaches stretch for about 120 metres.
Both these attractive beaches curve around the bay and have beautiful white sand, clear aquamarine waters and rocks at either end, but Puerto Angelito is busier with fishermen pulling up their boats and fixing their nets. You can… read more »
Playa Carrizalillo is one of the most popular beaches on the Puerto Escondido coast of Oaxaca. Located at the end of a bay of the same name, Playa Carrizalillo may only be roughly 100 yards in length but has the facilities much larger beaches would be proud of.
One downside is that the main access point to the beach is from the surrounding cliffs, with a set of roughly 150… read more »
Playa La Punta is a semi-officially recognised subdivision of Playa Zicatela in Puerto Escondido. Forming the hook of Zicatela's hockey stick shape, it curves around the Pacific Ocean facing both to the north and the west – making it an ideal spot to check out the nightly sunsets.
Playa La Punta is also a favourite with surfers. Its point creates a consistent wave, and lessons and gear can be… read more »
One of the region's smaller beaches, Playa del Amor, or Lover's Beach, is a great addition to any itinerary. Both secluded and private, it is surrounded by high cliffs covered in jungle sweeping down to golden sands and calm shallows known for their swimming, snorkelling and diving.
The rocks on either side of Playa del Amor are home to all manner of marine species, while the beach itself forms a rough… read more »
The westernmost section of broad sand which stretches for around 500 metres Playa Rinconcito forms part of the crescent of Playa Mazunte.
Sloping gently into the turquoise waters the beach consists of a light golden sand, backed by rolling hills covered in native flora and basic thatched structures acting as cafes and restaurants during high season. The beach is primarily the haunt of European backpackers and independent travellers, who come for… read more »
