Playa Carrizalillo, Puerto Escondido | Top 100 Bikini Guide
PUERTO ESCONDIDO, OAXACA / MEXICO
Playa Carrizalillo, Puerto Escondido
| Top 100 Bikini Guide
Take the stone steps down to the cove and leave time for the climb back.
Plan your beach day ↘TOP 100 BIKINI DESTINATIONS / OAXACA
Below the steps
on Oaxaca’s Pacific coast.
Playa Carrizalillo is a small curve of pale sand below Rinconada, with wooded headlands on both sides.
The bay can feel sheltered when the swell is low. Go early for space on the sand and bring enough water for the climb back.
ON THE WORLD MAP
On Oaxaca’s Pacific coast
Playa Carrizalillo, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca
01 / GETTING THERE
Start in Puerto Escondido.
The path down
The beach is at the bottom of a long flight of steps from Rinconada.
Photo: Montserrat Priego · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display cropGet around Puerto Escondido
Walk within Rinconada and use a taxi between beaches. Leave room for the uphill walk from the sand before your pickup.
On the beach
Carrizalillo is more sheltered than Zicatela, but surf still enters the cove. Check the flag and ask locally whether a lifeguard is on duty. Beach status ↗
02 / BEACH ESSENTIALS
Know before you go.
A small cove below a steep staircase, with limited room on the sand at high tide.
01 / HOW TO GET THERE
Find the Rinconada entrance
Walk to the public stairhead from the Rinconada dining strip or have a taxi drop you there. Street parking is limited. Read the signs before leaving your car.
Stairhead and access ↗02 / BEACH ACCESS
A long stone staircase
Expect roughly 160 steps, an uphill return, and uneven surfaces. The main route is unsuitable for a wheelchair or stroller. Carry what you can manage on the steps.
03 / THE SAND
Pale sand and rock edges
The middle is mostly sand and the edges are rocky. Leave extra space at high tide and wear shoes with grip on the stairs.
04 / FOOD & WATER
Food and water by the cove
A few palapas serve food and drinks. Choices and hours vary. Bring drinking water and small bills, especially if you head down early.
05 / CHAIRS & UMBRELLAS
Shade on the sand
Ask the palapa operators about chairs, umbrellas, and any food minimum. Availability changes with the season and the amount of exposed sand.
06 / RESTROOMS & SHOWERS
Check on arrival
Ask the beach restaurants about toilets and any charge. Showers and changing facilities vary. Locate any staffed lifeguard post before entering the water.
03 / THE BEACH
A day at Playa Carrizalillo.
Start on the sand
The sand curves around the sheltered end of the cove.
Photo: Carlos Miguélez Monroy · CC BY 2.0 · Display crop01 / EARLY
Take the steps
Go down before the stairs and sand heat up.
02 / ON THE SAND
Read the water
Watch the sets before deciding whether to swim.
03 / AT LUNCH
Pause under shade
Have lunch at a palapa or climb back to Rinconada.
04 / LATER
See the open coast
Take a taxi to Zicatela and watch the surf from the sand.
Start on the cove while the sand is cool. If the swell is up or the steps are wet, have breakfast above the beach and visit the market in town.
NEARBY BEACHES
Four beaches from the cove.
Head west for the open sand at Bacocho. The two small town coves and the long surf beach are east.
Playa Bacocho
A broad open beach with palms and long stretches of sand.
- Best for
- A shore walk or a scheduled turtle release
- Facilities
- Facilities vary by access point and nearby beach businesses
- Good to know
- The exposed surf is strong. Stay on dry sand.
Puerto Angelito
A small town cove with boats, restaurants, and a sheltered inner shoreline.
- Best for
- An early visit before the boats get busy
- Facilities
- Beach restaurants and local boat departures
- Good to know
- Keep clear of boat lanes and follow the flags.
Playa Manzanillo
A compact sandy cove just beside Puerto Angelito, with a headland on its outer edge.
- Best for
- Shade and a short shore walk
- Facilities
- Food and chairs in season
- Good to know
- Leave room at high tide and avoid the rocks when waves run in.
Playa Zicatela
An exposed stretch of the Pacific with a powerful surf break.
- Best for
- Watching surfers from the sand
- Facilities
- Beachfront restaurants and lifeguard towers
- Good to know
- Strong surf and currents make it a shore stop for most visitors.
Distances are straight-line from Playa Carrizalillo. Facilities change by season, so check on the day.
04 / MUST-SEE PLACES
Three ways to see Puerto Escondido.
01 / BACOCHO
Turtle conservation at Bacocho
Look up the release schedule with the local conservation group. Join only a supervised release when one is announced.
Oaxaca coastal route ↗02 / MANIALTEPEC
Laguna de Manialtepec
Take a local guide onto the lagoon for a quieter view of the mangroves and waterbirds. Confirm departures with your operator.
Oaxaca tourism beach and lagoon guide ↗03 / PUERTO ESCONDIDO CENTRO
Mercado Benito Juárez
Stop for breakfast or fruit in the municipal market. Visit earlier in the day when more stalls are open.
Mercado Benito Juárez map ↗EXPLORE THE AREA
Playa Carrizalillo and the town beaches.
The pin is on the sand in the cove, below Rinconada. Look east for Puerto Angelito and Manzanillo, and west for Bacocho.
Open the interactive map ↗BEYOND THE BEACH
Along the Oaxaca coast.
Look for birds in the mangroves and watch the Pacific surf from dry sand.
Olive ridley turtle
Join a release only through an authorized conservation group.
Photo: Gzzz · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display crop
Laguna de Manialtepec
The lagoon is a change of scene from the open coast.
Photo: Jaumahell · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Display crop
Punta Zicatela surf
Watch from the sand when the Pacific swell is up.
Photo: StellarD · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display crop
Pelicans at Manialtepec
Look for birds along the quieter edges of the mangroves.
Photo: Jaumahell · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Display crop05 / SIX HOTELS
Find your base.
PUERTO ESCONDIDO CENTRO
Casa Losodeli & Coworking
$ Budget · about MXN 750–1,350 (US$40–72) per night (checked 2026-11)
A social, adults-only base with dorms and private rooms, about 1 km from the Carrizalillo stairhead.
Casa Losodeli & Coworking official site ↗GRANJAS DEL PESCADOR
Tower Bridge Hostel
$ Budget · about MXN 600–1,000 (US$31–53) per night (checked 2026-11)
Choose a private room or a dorm at this inland hostel. Allow a short taxi ride or roughly 2 km on foot to the cove.
Tower Bridge Hostel official site ↗RINCONADA
Suites La Hacienda
$$ Mid-Range · about MXN 1,750–2,400 (US$92–127) per night (checked 2026-11)
A garden hotel with a pool and shaded rooms. The stairs to Carrizalillo are less than 1 km away.
Suites La Hacienda official site ↗PLAYA ZICATELA
Hotel Rockaway
$$ Mid-Range · about MXN 1,950–3,000 (US$104–161) per night (checked 2026-11)
A hotel near the surf beach with rooms and suites. Carrizalillo is about 4 km by road, so plan a taxi.
Hotel Rockaway official site ↗LA PUNTA
Casa Umi
$$$ Upscale · about MXN 2,900–3,550 (US$154–190) per night (checked 2026-11)
A small hotel near La Punta and its dining streets. Take a taxi across town to Carrizalillo, about 6 km by road.
Casa Umi official site ↗LA BARRA DE COLOTEPEC
Casona Sforza
$$$$ Luxury · about MXN 8,150–9,100 (US$435–484) per night (checked 2026-11)
A small hotel with arched suites near the river mouth and Pacific. Plan a taxi to the Carrizalillo stairs, about 8 km away.
Casona Sforza official site ↗
WHEN TO GO
Choose the day you want.
Late fall through spring is usually drier. Rain and tropical systems can affect summer or early fall access. For a swim, choose by the day’s swell and flags. Climate normals ↗
06 / FOOD, LANGUAGE & LOCAL LIFE
From sand to table.
Grilled fish
A grilled fish plate is an easy lunch to share.
Photo: darij · CC BY 2.0 · Display cropWhat to order
Look for fish with lime, shrimp tostadas, or tlayudas with beans and Oaxacan cheese. Ask what the kitchen has that day.
Local habits
Bring small bills for beach vendors. Ask about a chair or food minimum before you settle in at a palapa.
A LITTLE SPANISH
Useful on the beach and in town.
- ¿Hay salvavidas hoy?
- Is a lifeguard on duty today?
- ¿Cuánto cuesta la sombrilla?
- How much is the umbrella?
- Un agua, por favor.
- Water, please.
- ¿Dónde están las escaleras?
- Where are the stairs?
SIX RESTAURANTS
Where to eat.
CENTRO / CALLE PRIMERA ORIENTE
Taquería Tacomer
$ Budget · about MXN 100–200 (US$5–11) per person (checked 2026-11)
Order a few tacos at a time. This is a casual stop in the center of town.
Taquería Tacomer on Google Maps ↗HIDALGO / PUERTO ANGELITO APPROACH
Smoked Fish Tacos El Viejo
$ Budget · about MXN 160–220 (US$9–12) per person (checked 2026-11)
The specialty is smoked fish tacos with house salsa. Stop for lunch on the way back from Puerto Angelito.
Smoked Fish Tacos El Viejo on Google Maps ↗ZICATELA BEACHFRONT
El Cafecito
$$ Mid-Range · about MXN 195–350 (US$10–19) per person (checked 2026-11)
Go for breakfast or brunch and order chilaquiles or eggs and coffee. The Zicatela branch is on Avenida del Morro.
El Cafecito on Google Maps ↗LA PUNTA
La Olita La Punta
$$ Mid-Range · about MXN 240–350 (US$13–19) per person (checked 2026-11)
Try seafood tacos and something cold to drink at this casual La Punta spot.
La Olita La Punta on Google Maps ↗RINCONADA
Metxcalli
$$$ Upscale · about MXN 500–900 (US$27–48) per person (checked 2026-11)
Share a starter and order an Oaxacan main. The menu changes with local ingredients, so check the current card.
Metxcalli official site ↗LA BARRA DE COLOTEPEC
La Bóveda
$$$$ Luxury · about MXN 1,000–1,500 (US$53–80) per person (checked 2026-11)
Reserve for a longer dinner near the river mouth. Dishes follow the catch and available produce.
La Bóveda official site ↗OAXACA AFTER DARK
Three bars.
Xcaanda La Punta
A late-night stop on Avenida Alejandro Cárdenas. Check the evening schedule before heading over. Xcaanda La Punta ↗
Palapita Beach Club
An open-air place for a drink and an ocean view on Avenida del Morro. Check the event calendar before you go. Palapita Beach Club ↗
Mojitop
Stop for a mojito on the Pérez Gasga pedestrian strip overlooking the bay. Mojitop ↗
Choose one area for the evening. Book a ride back if you stay out after dark, particularly between Zicatela and Rinconada.
PUERTO ESCONDIDO EVENT CALENDAR & MONEY
Plan around the celebrations.
Festival Costeño de la Danza
November 7–8, 2026. Dance groups from around Oaxaca perform at Puerto Escondido’s municipal agency. Check the official program for session times.
Festival Costeño de la Danza official site ↗Torneo Internacional del Pez Vela
November 20–22, 2026. The local fishing club’s sailfish tournament centers on Bahía Principal. Check the organizer for registration and shore events.
Torneo Internacional del Pez Vela ↗Currency / Mexican peso
The Mexican peso (MXN) is written with a $ sign. Use a bank ATM in town and carry small bills for taxis and beach purchases.
Banco de México ↗07 / WHAT TO WEAR
Pack for the steps and the cove.
CARRIZALILLO BEACH KIT
Swim.
Walk.
Stay out.
On the sand
Wear the Carrizalillo Cove bikini with a light shirt and hat for the staircase.
On the walk back
Choose shoes with grip and keep your hands free for the climb.
In town
Bring a loose layer for dinner in Rinconada or a breeze on the shore.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE
Good to know.
Which airport should I use?
Fly into Puerto Escondido International Airport (PXM) for a short transfer to Rinconada.
Is it good for swimming?
The cove can be more sheltered than open Zicatela. Conditions change with the swell. Ask the lifeguard and follow the flags.
Is the beach step-free?
The main public entrance is a long staircase. If the stairs are a barrier, plan a different shore stop.
Can I buy water on the beach?
There are small beach venues, but hours and stock vary. Carry water from town, especially early in the day.
Where can I watch stronger surf?
Go to Playa Zicatela or La Punta and watch from dry sand.
FOG & FOUNDRY / SWIM
Cliff palms and Pacific water.
The bandeau set pairs a coastal print with a strapless top and a high-cut bottom.
Explore the Carrizalillo Cove bikini ↗
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