Puerto Escondido

Playa Carrizalillo

The most scenic and safest beach for swimming is Playa Carrizalillo. Take a taxi unless you want a half-hour walk. Carrizalillo is small, gorgeous, and not too crowded, 167 steps from street level down to the beach (then back up again). There are some surfers and some boats, but mainly swimmers enjoying the waves. This is a good beach for swimming or learning surfing with few restaurants.

Playa Manzanillo

A good, pleasant beach for swimming, with a few beachside restaurants with loungers. Visitors can use the loungers for free provided they purchase a drink or food from the restaurant. The rocky area between this beach and neighboring Playa Puerto Angelito is probably the best place in town for snorkeling - sea turtles and stingrays can often be seen here.

Playa Principal

This beach is good for swimming and boogie boarding, and very popular with locals.

Playa Zicatela

This is the location of the famous Mexican Pipeline, with several international surfing competitions being held here annually. This beach is only for expert surfers and very strong swimmers; even experienced surfers have been injured here, and many people have drowned. The southern end of the beach near Punta Zicatela has consistently good waves. If you don't surf, you should at least make it over to the beach restaurant Los Tios and have a beer on the beach while you watch people surfing in the sunset. This is also a good place from which to watch over breakfast when there's a surf competition on.

Boat trip

One of the most exhilarating experiences for non-surfers is the boat trip into the ocean to catch a glimpse of the wildlife; in particular, the turtles and dolphins. A few tour operators run similar trips out into the Pacific in search of the animals. More often than not, you get a glimpse of the turtles and, if you're lucky enough, the tour guide sometimes jumps in and catches hold of one! Unperturbed, the creatures come onto the boat for some photos and free food courtesy of the tour guide. It's kind of surreal, but incredible. Less often, you will get to see the packs of dolphins arching over the surface. Again, it is an amazing experience and well worth the money.

About M$300 on average

Cascada de la reforma

Cool down from the heat in Puerto Escondido in a waterfall located about one hour outside Puerto Escondido. There are tours which will take you all the way but it's a bit inaccessible due to quality of the road. The waterfall offers basins in which it's possible to swim and a simple restaurant which serves local food.

Fishing

Another good ocean-based activity is the regular fishing trips you can go on. For the keen fisherman, this is a dream activity. The waters host vast amounts of species of fish including tuna, marlin and red snapper. It isn't the cheapest (some operators can charge around M$1,000) but you can sometimes get a deal that your catch gets cooked at a local restaurant for your eating pleasure in with the cost.

Lagunas de Chacahua National Park

Coastal area with 5 lagoons, sandy Pacific beaches, dense mangrove swamps, a Mixteco archaeological site, a crocodile nursery, and more. Small hotels and waterfront restaurants are in the area. To get there from Puerto Escondido, use a colectivo going toward Rio Grande. Tell the driver you going to Chacahua National Park and need to exit at El Zapotalito.

Skydiving

During the high seasons you can do a sky dive at the Zicatela beach for M$2600. It's one of the nicest places in the world to do this. They're just left of Café Babylon.

Temazcal

Try an indigenous type of steam-bath known as a temazcal. Sit in a small building with heats that go up to 49°C and then either be covered in towels or dunked into cold water.

Turtle sanctuary

From July to September thousands upon thousands of olive ridley sea turtles wade ashore to lay their eggs at Playa Escobilla, between Puerto Escondido and Mazunte. Prices vary, and you can shop around, but from Puerto Escondido day trips normally cost around M$500. Regardless of your tour operator, you will be escorted by a friendly but watchful local guide.

Deep Blue

Two-tank dive US$70, single dive $40.