Car Hire Puerto Angel - Mini guide to Puerto Angel

The quiet traditional town of Puerto Angel is famed for its clean beaches, clear seas and tranquil atmosphere.

The major beaches are Playa Principal, Playa Pantheon, and Playa Zipolite. The most centrally located is Playa Principal and, although it lacks the charm of its neighbours, it is a good place to fish and a popular meeting pace for tourists and locals. Nearby Playa Pantheon is the safest and best swimming beach and, while small, it has numerous restaurants and there are sun loungers for hire.

The most illustrious of the three beaches is the more remote but often busy Zipolite. These relaxed sands allow nudity and are also home to impressive surf and many seafood restaurants. Its neighbours are Playa del Amor and La Boquilla. The latter is good for snorkelling as the waters are clear and shallow.

The main tourist avenue in Puerto, Playa Principal, is where you’ll find shops selling Mexican crafts and clothing, and local fishermen willing to take tourists deep sea fishing or on boat trips around the coast. Other activities include diving, snorkeling, banana boat riding and parascending.

Wildlife enthusiasts should go to the turtle sanctuary at nearby Mazunte or to La Ventanilla to see the rare caymans.

Route 175 is presently about the only route drivers can take from Oaxaca City down to the coastal towns and resorts of Puerto Angel. The trip takes you through lush greenery, offering fantastic views of the Central Oaxaca Valley as you travel up from the interior toward the coast, and of the foothills falling down to the Pacific Ocean as you approach Pochutla.

It is a five to six hour bus ride over tortuous curves from Oaxaca to Pochutla, the nearest major town to Puerto Angel, about 20 minutes away. Much of the road remains in poor condition. Visitors can fly into either Puerto Escondido or Huatulco. You can also fly in from Oaxaca City, if you don't mind taking small aircraft.