Where To Stay in Puerto Escondido? Best Neighbourhood (2024)

You’ve probably found this post because you’re thinking of heading to Puerto Escondido and want to suss out where the best neighbourhood is. This guide will help you figure out where to stay in Puerto Escondido, a.k.a, the coolest town on the Oaxaca coast.

Before I arrived in Puerto, I assumed it was a small, local fishing town, but boy, I was wrong. It boasts a population of 45,000, spread across five distinct neighbourhoods. Each neighbourhood has its own appeal. It just depends on what kind of traveller you are and what matters to you the most. So let’s get to it.

Downtown - local puerto escondido

Perfect for: authenticity seekers, travellers who enjoy local vibes

Downtown is the local neighbourhood of Puerto. I stayed there for eight weeks while volunteering in a beaut hostel called Puerto Dreams. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for a fun but laid-back hostel in a spot-on location close to Mercado Benito Juarez.

This area is as local as you’ll get in Puerto Escondido, with the average person not speaking English.

Expect lots of cheap juice shops serving delicious fresh coconut water, authentic Mexican eateries with little tables and chairs on the pavement, and thrift shops selling second-hand clothes bulk-bought from the US. This area just has a real local vibe.

Neighbourhood highlights:

Mercado Benito Juarez | local market with fresh fruit and veg, good vibes!
El Bunker | fresh sashimi restaurant next to a car wash
Cocofam | no-fuss veggie Mexican goodness

Stay at:

Rinconada - close to Puerto Escondido's best beaches

Perfect for: beach lovers, chill vibes, remote workers, long stays and families

Rinconada is my favourite neighbourhood to stay in Puerto Escondido. Mainly due to its chill vibe and location next to the best beaches in Puerto Escondido – Playa Carrizalillo, Playa Coral and Playa Bacocho.

If you check out the map, Rinconada is a row of shops and restaurants with many long-term apartments, hostels and hotels. This neighbourhood is spot-on if you’re looking to rent longer. Many dreamy afternoons were spent chilling at Playa Carizalillo, followed by a delish falafel wrap at El Sultan. This neighbourhood is spot-on if you plan to rent a place longer.

It’s also home to Mirador las Tortugas, hands-down the best spot to watch the sunset in Puerto.

Neighbourhood highlights:

Stay at:

Casa Losadeli (Coworking and Coliving)
Vivo Escondido
Casa El Cielo
Check out FB for long-stay properties.

Zicatela - best Nightlife and surf

Perfect for: party-goers, surfers

This neighbourhood is definitely the most popular for tourists and has the biggest concentration of hotels. Here you’ll find a long strip lined with a ton of beach bars and restaurants serving seafood, mescal and more mescal.

Playa Zicatela is internationally recognised for its huge waves and surf comps. Due to the big swell, it’s really dangerous to swim, which is why Zicatela is not my top choice of place to stay.

Come night time, Zicatela is the place to be with lots of reggaeton and techno clubs. Where is the best place to go out in Zicatela I hear you say? Well, lucky for you, I’ve made a short guide to where the party is at every night of the week in Puerto Escondido.

Neighbourhood highlights:

Playa Zicatela
Elephant Garden
Palapita Bar
Mar & Wana | Check out my Nightlife Guide Puerto Escondido for more info about where the party is at in Puerto every night of the week.

Stay at:

La Punta - Backpacker meets hippie

Perfect for: backpackers, hippies

La Punta is its own bubble and the perfect neighbourhood to stay in Puerto Escondido if you’re in your 20s/30s looking to meet other travellers and have a good ole time.

Expect a dirt road lined with boho-chic-styled shops, international and vegan restaurants, and bars.

Everything in La Punta has been designed with the backpacker in mind. For those working online, La Punta is not great as the wifi is shitty because of the lack of infrastructure there.

As a warning, often, when people stay in La Punta, they tend to stay only there and not discover what the rest of Puerto has to offer. So don’t be that person!

Neighbourhood highlights:

Stay at:

Bonita Escondida ($$)
Casa Punta ($$)

Playa Principal - Mexican holidaymakers

Perfect for: travellers with a low budget, authentic Mexico holiday

While downtown is where the Puerto locals live, Playa Principal is the go-to for Mexican holidaymakers. The upside is that there are lots of affordable hotels here and its sandwiched between Zicatela and Downtown. So if you fancy experiencing a holiday the way the Mexicans do, go for Playa Principal.

The downside is that the beach here can get really crowded and loud during the day because Mexicans love bringing their speaker to the beach and blasting out reggaeton.

I think Playa Principal is the least visited area in Puerto Escondido for international travellers. I only ventured there for Wednesday Salsa nights in Congo Bar. Oh, and the world’s best mojitos for only MXN 50 from a street stall called Rinconcito Cubano.

Neighbourhood highlights:

That’s a wrap-up of my guide to the best neighbourhoods to stay in Puerto Escondido, including some neighbourhood highlights and hostel and hotel recommendations.