With the new highway, it’s easier than ever to get to Puerto Escondido by bus. You are only 3 hours from Oaxaca on the ADO bus, or you can fly into Puerto Escondido from Mexico City. But once you arrive, what are the best ways of getting around Puerto Escondido? There are many options, including the local colectivos. You will see using a colectivo in Puerto Escondido is easier than you thought!
Is there Uber in Puerto Escondido?
Sadly, no. There is no Uber in Puerto Escondido (as of May 2024), but iIf you are determined to use your phone to order a ride, download Didi, the Chinese ridesharing app. It works in the city and while there are limited rides, it is possible to call one just about anywhere from the central beach to La Punta.
Price of Taxi Puerto Escondido
You can flag a taxi anywhere in the city central or along the main beach road or Highway 200. Your hotel/hostel can also call a taxi should you require assistance. It’s important to negotiate your price before the ride. Currently (May 2024) rides from the north beach of Zicatela to the airport were 200 pesos. Rides from the airport out to La Punta are roughly 350 pesos. If your negotiating (and Spanish) skills are better, you may receive a better price, but those are rough estimates.
Colectivo Puerto Escondido
The fast and cheap way to get up and down the Zicatela Beach is by a colectivo. Colectivos are privately run 4x4 trucks with a blue tarp draped over the bed (like a 18th century buggy and wagon) and two benches placed in the back. They can usually seat 6 people in the truck bed and 2-4 in the front cab. You can stand if you can hold on! Colectivos generally drive up and down highway 200 (the main road in Puerto Escondido) and can be flagged down just about anywhere, though you will see little stops and benches dotting the road for general stops. Each colectivo will advertise the direction they generally go, so when you see one heading where you want to go, just flag them down and hop on! You can double check with the driver or just jump in and hope your phone alerts you when to hop off! You pay when you exit the trip. As of May 2024, rides around Puerto Escondido are 12 pesos per person. Cash only and small bills or coins. They have little switches in the back cab for you to hit when you want to get off so you don’t have to bang on the cab to stop. I used my Google maps to tell me whenever I was close to my destination and then just hit the button. Colectivos won’t take you door to door, so walking is included, but it’s a cheap and fast way to make it from one end of the beach to another, especially if you are going from Playa Principal to La Punta. Just remember they typically stop running around 9-10 pm so you will have to use taxis late at night.
Renting a Scooter in Puerto Escondido
Assuming you know how to ride them (not me) and have the appropriate licenses, you can easily rent a scooter in Puerto Escondido. Motopuerto will deliver a scooter to your address and Robert’s Eco Tours will give you a discount the longer you rent. Be sure to wear a helmet and lock your bike when parked. Generally speaking, the area is safe, but sometimes large trucks and buses whiz around you, so take care.
Is Puerto Escondido walkable?
Most of Puerto Escondido is walkable. Especially if you are strategic about where you stay and what you want to do. I chose to stay at the end of Zicatela Beach by La Punta because I knew I wanted to spend most of my time at that part of the beach. I took colectivos a few times into town to see Playa Principal and spent a relaxing day at the Playa Carrizalillo cove, which is a wonderful beach with calmer waves for kids or just for you to swim without being constantly knocked down by the waves. It’s much smaller and you must descend about 200 steps to reach the beach, but it was a nice day. There are restaurants and beach chairs available for rent and many surf schools offer classes for beginners.
But if you plan to walk from one end to the other, be prepared! It’s about 4-5 km from Playa Carrizalillo to La Punta. You can walk on the beach for most of it, but I would recommend grabbing a colectivo.
Don’t forget to book some surf lessons while you are in Puerto Escondido as it’s one of the top places to surf in the world!
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