Where is Puerto Escondido?
With a population of only ~30,000, Puerto Escondido is a small surf town located in the southeastern Mexican state of Oaxaca.
Why did I move to Puerto?
For the past 2 years, I was living in London getting my masters/working, and I eventually got fed up with the dreary weather, high cost of living, and lackluster quality of life.
My fast-paced, money-focused lifestyle in both the states and in London didn’t really align with my values or the type of life I desired. I missed being in nature and longed for the sun.
I always found Mexico to be a magical country, rich with culture, history, and warm welcoming people. I specifically chose to move to Puerto, aka the surf capital of Latin America, to pursue my passion for surfing and experience the beauty of the Oaxacan coast.
Getting my Residency Visa
Before making the big move, I returned to my hometown of Washington, DC to start the process of obtaining my residency visa, so that I could live long-term in Mexico.
There are many different routes for obtaining residency, but I opted for the temporary residency visa which would provide me with full residency after just 4 years of living in Mexico. More information can be found here: https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/leamington/index.php/non-mexicans/visas/115-temporary-resident-visa
Finding a Place to Live
When I moved to Puerto, I had no idea about the different neighborhoods or where I wanted to live. All I knew was that I wanted to be in walking distance to the beach, have good internet so I could continue to work remotely, and live nearby a surf break.
In Puerto, housing can range anywhere from $5000 MXN ($250 USD) a month for a room to $30,000 MXN ($1,580 USD) a month for a house/apartment. I ended up choosing something on the higher end because of the proximity to the beach, and having an extra room for my cat when friends and family visit.
*pro tip: When looking for a place-always try to negotiate! I was able to negotiate my rent when I offered to extend my lease in exchange for paying a lower rent
*pro tip: In Mexico, facebook groups are your friend! Posting in the different housing groups is how I was able to find my apartment.
Settling In
Opening a bank account: I thought by the time I finished writing this blog I would have finally opened a bank account but…….no. However, I heard good things about Santander bank.
Getting a Scooter/Moto: Once I moved in to my apartment, the next piece of business was to buy a scooter for transportation. I was able to find my scooter on facebook marketplace.
I had only rode a scooter maybe once or twice in my life, so I was initially really nervous every time I got on it. After a while, and a couple of falls, I eventually got comfortable, and I’m hoping to transition to a motorcycle within the next year. If riding a scooter isn’t an option, there are taxis and collectivos (shared taxis) that you can catch all over town.
Finding a surfboard: Renting a surfboard in Puerto costs around 100-200MXN per hour ($5-$10 USD). This can obviously get expensive over time, so I needed to find a secondhand board to purchase. Again, the best place to look for this was on fb marketplace. It took me about 3 months to find the exact kind of board that I wanted, so if you already own a board, I would recommend to bring it with if you decide to come to Puerto.
My favorite things to do in Puerto Escondido
1. Surfing
The main reason I moved here-the surf! Carrizalillo is the best beach for beginners and La Punta is more for intermediates depending on the day. Zicatela is for advanced/big wave surfers. I’ve had my fair share of wipeouts and near-death experiences surfing in Puerto, so please take a surf lesson if it’s your first time surfing here!!
2. Beaches
Puerto has some of the best beaches in the Oaxacan coast. There are 8 main beaches all offering different things and activities. Some of them include:
- Carrizalillo-best beach for swimming
- Manzanillo- best for snorkeling and restaurants
- Bacocho-25km long uninhabited beach
3. Watching the sunset
Puerto has some of the best sunsets I have ever seen in my life. Some of my favorite places to watch the sunset are in Zicatela, Bacocho, and Mirador las Tortugas.
4. Going to the market
Benito Juarez and Zicatela Market are the two main markets you can find in Puerto. You can easily spend hours in the market and find almost everything from fresh fruits/vegetables to pet rabbits!
5. Food
Despite being a small town, Puerto Escondido has a wide variety of options when it comes to dining. Below are some of my favorites by location:
La Punta: Fish Tacos, La Cometa, Nu’ó’c Sabor Vietnamita, Chicama
Tamarindos: Sandala Cafe (my favorite place to work from!)
Zicatela: Spirulina, El Cafecito
El Centro: Sal del Mar, Pepe’s Fish Tacos
Rinconada: Sushi en Rinconada, La Spezia, Chill a Kill, Oaxaca Grill
Comments
Great blog/post, very informative. Mexico is my next destination, with my sister from another mista Kay. We visited Tulum last September and went to Chichen Itza which was beautiful.