A place of charm and delight, with a sea that seems almost painted with vibrant turquoise watercolors, Puerto Escondido is an ideal destination. Located in the state of Oaxaca, somewhere between Huatulco and Acapulco, with warm summers and semi-template winters. A destination one can enjoy during any season, Puerto Escondido charmed us with its tranquil rhythm of life.
The area now occupied by Puerto Escondido was neither inhabited by indigenous groups in the pre-hispanic era nor by Spaniards during the time of colonization. During its beginnings, the port’s bays was known as the ‘Bay of the Hidden Woman’ and later as ‘Bay of the Hidden one’. It’s a place laden with a romantic and mysterious past, hidden somewhere in the southern coast of the Mexican Pacific.
The city’s heart keeps time with the crashing of waves on gigantic rocks amidst a picturesque bay. In the northeast, the Bacocho beach offers a wide variety of hotels and a peaceful, serene atmosphere. The Playa Principal is located in the middle of the city, and is quite pleasant for family travelers. In the southeast is located Zicatela, a beach that vibrates with a cosmopolitan aura, appealing for surfers and tourists from around the world, particularly Europe. Many come to conquer the renowned waves of this beautiful place.
In this area of natural wealth, we had the opportunity of becoming involved with its flora and fauna. This region is known for the setting free of baby turtles. The organizations called ‘Red de los Humedales de la Costa Chica de Oaxaca’ and ‘Vive Mar’ have for many years collected and protected the turtle eggs in the ‘Corral de Incubación de Tortugas Marinas’, where they bury them and look after them for forty-five days, setting them free once they’re born, a beautiful gesture of humanity for an endangered species. While in Puerto Escondido, visitors have the opportunity to become part of this cause and watch the baby turtles as they make their way towards the sea.
One of the most spectacular natural phenomena we have ever witnessed takes place in this paradise. Eighteen kilometers from Puerto Escondido is the Laguna de Manialtepec. Its name means ‘the place of aligators’ in Náhuatl, and it’s a wide body of water teeming with mangroves and thick vegetation. Manialtepec is also one of the few places in thw world where one can behold a wondrous marvel: the ‘bioluminescence’, known also as the ‘effect phosphoresce’. This natural wonder is due to the fact that the lagoon is populated by millions of microorganisms ‘dinoflagellates’ whose tiny bodies contain substances that cause a chemical reaction that creates light.
Arriving to this lagoon at night and jumping from the tiny boat into the darkness might not sound very appealing, but the moment the body stirs the warm water the show of lights begins. Every movement causes beautiful white flashes all around. Within this surreal setting, we felt as though we had stepped into another worlds, one of fantasy, sparkling water and starry skies.
Within this paradise, the beautiful and unique Hotel Escondido by Grupo Habita is a destination where time itself comes to hide within the shelter of an unmatched paradise. Hidden within an isolated beach, the sixteen cottages of the Hotel Escondido have a first-row panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean.
There are places that transmit peace, tranquility and comfort through their natural beauty. Hotel Escondido holds true to its name (Escondido means hidden in Spanish), nearly lost in a virginal beach in the coast of the state of Oaxaca. A short distance from Puerto Escondido, the Mexican mecca of surf, this haven of tranquility offers an escape from everyday stress and routine, giving no other option than enjoyment. Its Spa, pool and restaurant allowed us to live out a few days of complete peace. Its colors, cuisines, and, most of all, service and human warmth, leave an unmistakable Mexican print on this refuge.
A fifty-meter long pool, built into the very sand, runs parallel to the coast. It allows one to take a dip in the ocean without actually stepping inside it.
The restaurant at Escondido offers a fusion of Mexican and international food. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are meeting points for the guests that during the rest of the day were lost in one or more of the infinite possibilities offered by the destination. The food is healthy, made with local products that include the day’s fish and exquisite, exotic fruit.
The Beach Club of Escondido is the only spot in the beach that hints at civilization. It is a paradise with surprisingly good service Hidden within Escondido, there is also an ‘underground’ club for a bit of nightlife. It’s an acoustically isolated space that transports the hotel’s beauty to a more modern and chic venue.
Puerto Escondido hypnotizes with its golden sands and cerulean ocean. It’s an incredible destination that promises nearly-impossible things, and delivers.
