Coast guide
Food and culture
The coast is eaten with pescado a la talla, ceviche costeño and tamal de tichinda. There is mezcal, Pluma Hidalgo coffee and local crafts. Almost everything is paid for in cash, and restaurant prices are approximate.
Don't miss: Pescado a la talla or zarandeado, ceviche costeño, tamal de tichinda and caldo de piedra.
Bring cash: In Zipolite and Mazunte almost everything is cash only, and ATMs fail or don't exist.
Buy from cooperatives: Cosméticos Naturales and Origen Mazunte are local options with identifiable producers.
Chileajo is not a coastal dish: It is a stew from the Central Valleys and the Mixteca, not from the beach.
Respect: Day of the Dead is a family vigil, and Zipolite's nudity ends at the beach.
Restaurant and tour prices come from reviews and booking platforms: reconfirm before you go.
The sea at Zipolite has dangerous rip currents; see the "Before you travel" guide and respect the lifeguards.
Do not buy or consume turtle products or protected marine species.
What to eat
Seafood and market dishes that define the coast.
[All along the coast] · Pescado a la talla or zarandeado · Snapper (pargo or huachinango) split open, brushed with chile paste and grilled over wood. It is eaten in tacos with lime. It is the quintessential beach dish.
[All along the coast] · Ceviche costeño · Made with chile costeño, chepiche (an aromatic Oaxacan herb) and thick clay tostadas. The fish is cured in lime juice longer than in other styles.
[All along the coast] · Caldo de piedra · An ancient recipe: fish, shrimp, onion and chile in a clay vessel, with boiling water poured over hot stones. Not every place serves it: in San Agustinillo ask for it, and in Puerto Ángel some eateries make it to order a day ahead.
[Chacahua] · Tamal de tichinda · Tichinda is a small clam from the Chacahua and Manialtepec lagoons. The tamal has masa with guajillo and costeño chile, garlic, lard and hoja santa. It's an Afro-Mexican heritage dish that's still little known: ask for it at small eateries and markets in the area.
Tasajo en caldo · Dried beef, rehydrated in a broth with dried chiles, hierba santa and epazote. It is a highland dish that also appears at coastal eateries.
Other coastal dishes · Camarones al mojo de ajo (garlic shrimp), aguachile, shrimp or iguana tamales, and shrimp or fish soup. In Mazunte you will find mole negro and tlayudas; in the markets, quesillo (Oaxaca string cheese), chapulines (grasshoppers), tejate (a corn and cacao drink) and atole.
Chileajo is not from the coast · Chileajo is a stew from the Central Valleys and the Mixteca, typical of Christmas posadas and street stalls in the capital of Oaxaca. On the coast it may appear in Oaxacan-food restaurants, but it is not a beach dish.
[Whole coast] · Tlayuda, seafood style too · A large crisp tortilla with beans, quesillo and meat; on the coast it's also made with shrimp, octopus or oysters, depending on the season. Find it at neighborhood eateries and beach restaurants in Mazunte and Huatulco.
[Puerto Escondido and San Agustinillo] · Pescado a la talla: where to try it · Butterflied fish marinated in chile paste and grilled over coals or wood. Several beach restaurants in San Agustinillo make it: ask if they use wood. In Puerto Escondido, Doña Adela (south end of Playa Principal) is the local favorite and Espadín serves it with a sea view. · Restaurants change: check before you go.
Mezcal, coffee and chocolate
Regional products to drink and take home.
Artisanal mezcal · Available in shops and mezcalerías throughout the area. It is sipped slowly from a clay cup, with orange and sal de gusano (worm salt). Ask about the producer and avoid mass-market brands. It is between 40 and 55% alcohol. · Alcohol content: 40 to 55%
[Pluma Hidalgo] · Pluma Hidalgo coffee · It has held the "Café Pluma" designation of origin since 2020: bright acidity, light body and intense aroma. The Coffee Route links eight communities, with farm tours, tastings and cabins. One source says it is grown between 600 and 2,700 m and another says 1,300 to 1,500 m: the range depends on the farm. · Tour prices come from booking platforms (in USD, from 79 to 183 per person depending on the tour). There is no verified price from a direct operator. There is no confirmed date for the Coffee Festival in 2026 or 2027 (the last verified one was in December 2024).
[Mazunte] · Coffee in Mazunte · Café Panchatantra, with an award-winning barista, baked goods and vegan desserts.
[Mazunte] · Chocolate and local products · Oaxacan chocolate is thicker and less sweet than commercial chocolate. 100 g bars cost between 60 and 120 pesos. Origen Mazunte, on Highway 175 between Mazunte and San Agustinillo, sells more than 45 products from producer families (coffee, mezcal, chocolate, mole, honey, salt) and ships by parcel service. · 100 g bar: 60 to 120 MXN
Where to eat by destination
Suggestions from guides and reviews, with approximate prices.
[Mazunte] · Mazunte · Oven-baked pizza at La Pizzeria; tlayudas and seafood at Restaurant Tadeo; fresh fish by the sea at El Pescador; sushi and fish tacos at Sahuaro. On Playa Mermejita, El Copal serves mole negro and tlayudas with a sunset view (higher prices). Also Maralto (Mexican and Mediterranean cuisine) and Estrella Fugaz (breakfasts and seafood). · Recommendations from guides and reviews; they are not official sources and prices are approximate.
[San Agustinillo] · San Agustinillo · La Termita (hand-stretched pizza and breakfasts), La Mora Café, El Navegante (seafood) and Reina Negra (ramen and seafood).
[Zipolite] · Zipolite · Sal y Pimienta: seafood and dorado (mahi-mahi) in large portions, very busy. Comedor Afe: grilled fish and shrimp at good prices. There is a cheap tostada stand open at night. Almost everything is cash only and there is no ATM in town. · Some places accept cards, sometimes with a 5% surcharge. Bring cash.
[Puerto Ángel] · Puerto Ángel and Pochutla · In Puerto Ángel, seafood by the pier. In Pochutla there is a tianguis (open-air market) on Mondays. Restaurant names come from Tripadvisor and have no verified price.
[Puerto Escondido] · Puerto Escondido · Doña Adela, on the south side of the main beach, serves wood-fired pescado a la talla for about 200 pesos per person with a drink. Street and market food: 30 to 80 pesos; casual restaurants: 100 to 250. Well rated in the local directory: Pez Gallo (seafood), Pepe's Fish Tacos, Chicama (Peruvian) and Sommo (Japanese). · Street food: 30 to 80 MXN; Casual restaurant: 100 to 250 MXN
[Huatulco] · Huatulco · Seafood at La Mermeja, El Grillo Marinero and El Huayucan (a palapa on Playa Santa Cruz). Cheap and local: Taquería Los Parados (tlayudas, about 40 pesos) and Doña Lupita.
Markets and tianguis
Days and hours for shopping and eating local.
[Mazunte] · Mazunte alternative market · Vegetables, bread, cheese, jams, chocolate, natural cosmetics and clothing. Wednesday and Sunday, 9:00 to 15:00. · Hours: Wed and Sun, 9:00 to 15:00 · Information from 2018: confirm in town that it is still running.
[Pochutla] · Pochutla tianguis · On Mondays, vendors arrive from Candelaria Loxicha, Pluma Hidalgo, Puerto Escondido and Huatulco with fish, vegetables, fruit, coffee, cheese and hats. · Day: Monday · Guides and tours still place it on Mondays, but there is no recent official source: confirm before you go.
[Puerto Escondido] · Mercado Benito Juárez · Open every day from 6:00, liveliest from 7:00 to 10:00: get there before 9:00. There are chiles, herbs, chapulines, mole, quesillo and snacks, and full meals for about 100 pesos. The fish stalls in Zicatela, near the Adoquín, sell the morning catch. It's almost all cash: bring small bills. · Hours: Daily from 6:00
[Puerto Escondido] · Mercado Macondo and Zicatela market · Macondo is an artisan market. They open daily, most from 6:00.
Tip · Arrive before 9:00 for the best selection and bring small bills: some stalls are cash only.
Vegetarian and vegan options
What was found by destination.
[Mazunte] · Mazunte · Luz del Sol (vegetarian and vegan), Granito de Arroz, Falafel el Loco, Yu'gupa Orgánica, Casa DaVan Bistro, El Armadillo (vegan) and Cocomiel (vegan ice cream).
[Puerto Escondido] · Puerto Escondido · Cocofam (vegan taquería), Spirulina, Secret Spot, Gustav Grün, Cultivo (falafel and fermented foods) and YAAB (smoothies and vegan cuisine).
[Zipolite] · Zipolite and San Agustinillo · There is no verified list of vegan restaurants. Reina Negra and La Termita offer options, but no vegan dish is confirmed.
Mezcalerías and bars
There is little recent information with addresses.
[Zipolite] · Zipolite · Mezcalería Gota Gorda (mezcal tasting) and Uhuru (beach bar).
[Mazunte] · Mazunte · "La Mezcalería" is a small bar with a good selection and staff who explain what you are drinking. Arte Sano Mazunte sells premium mezcal alongside crafts. · Arte Sano: Tue to Sun, 9:00 to 21:00
[Puerto Escondido] · Puerto Escondido · Zicatela has a surfer vibe; La Punta is quieter and known for sunsets; the Adoquín is lively and touristy; Rinconada is more local. Tip small businesses generously. The bar names from a 2022 guide should be verified.
Culture, crafts and wellness
Villages, cooperatives, temazcal and yoga.
[All along the coast] · Peoples of the coast · The Oaxaca coast is home to mestizos, Afro-Mexicans and Mixtec, Amuzgo, Chatino and Zapotec peoples. The Chatinos live mainly in Juquila and Pochutla; Santa Catarina Juquila is home to the shrine of the Virgin of Juquila. Zipolite comes from Zapotec and is interpreted as "Beach of the Dead".
[Mazunte] · Cosméticos Naturales de Mazunte · A cooperative founded in 1996 by local families, born out of the crisis after the ban on turtle fishing. It makes soaps, creams and sunscreen with regional plants, without parabens or animal testing. You can see the production and take workshops. · Hours: confirm by WhatsApp; Phone: WhatsApp +52 958 115 9757 · Message before going to confirm hours and workshops.
[Mazunte] · Crafts in Mazunte · Seed jewelry (20 to 80 MXN), embroidered bags (150 to 400), pareos (80 to 180) and linen blouses (200 to 450). Bargain gently. Marine products are not sold, in order to protect the turtle.
[Puerto Escondido] · Crafts in Puerto Escondido · There are shops in Zicatela, La Punta and Rinconada, and the Mercado Macondo. Alebrijes, black clay pottery and wool rugs come from the Central Valleys, not from the coast. Look for the imperfections of handmade work, ask which village it comes from and look for FONART certification. · Small alebrijes: 250 to 800 MXN; Huipiles: 600 to 2,500 MXN
[Puerto Escondido] · Temazcal · A pre-Hispanic steam bath. In Mazunte it costs between 300 and 600 pesos for a 2 to 3 hour session (general figure with no verified provider). In Puerto Escondido there are packages from 900 pesos with aromatherapy, music and massage. Approach it with respect: follow the guide and do not record inside. · Mazunte: 300 to 600 MXN; Puerto Escondido: From 900 MXN · Not recommended with heart conditions, high blood pressure, pregnancy or claustrophobia. Hydrate before and after.
[Mazunte] · Yoga and retreats · Hridaya Yoga, on a hill in Mazunte, offers hatha and meditation classes and silent retreats of 3 to 49 days. It has a vegan dining hall. Bring a mat, a flashlight and insect repellent. Yoga retreats in Mazunte range from 564 to 1,550 USD according to booking platforms. · Retreats: 564 to 1,550 USD (4 to 22 days)
[Whole coast] · Respect: the basics · Turtles: only with an authorized guide, red light at night, and no touching or picking up hatchlings. Nudity: only on Zipolite beach; cover up when you leave. Photos: ask people's permission. Trash: take it with you and use a reusable bottle. Never buy turtle eggs or products.
Respect for the community
Small rules that make the trip better.
[Puerto Escondido] · Day of the Dead is a family vigil · Ask permission before taking photos, do not touch the offerings and speak quietly near the graves. In Puerto Escondido the focus is the Panteón Municipal (municipal cemetery); arrive after 19:00.
[Zipolite] · Clothing away from the beach · Nudity is accepted only on the beach at Zipolite. Put on clothes when you leave it, on the street and in neighboring towns, and cover up in restaurants and bars, even if only with a pareo. Do not take photos of people without their consent and always sit on a towel.
Buy local and protect wildlife · Prefer cooperatives and identifiable producers. Do not buy turtle products or protected marine products.
[All along the coast] · Cash · In Zipolite and Mazunte almost everything is cash. There is no ATM in Zipolite and those in Mazunte are not reliable. Bring pesos from Puerto Escondido, Pochutla or Huatulco.