How to get from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido

Why visit Puerto Escondido?

Puerto Escondido is fast becoming a well-known surfing location within Central America. Its famous Mexican Pipeline is one of the longest continuous surf breaks in the world. Many experienced surfers flock to Zicatela Beach, and those still learning can spend their days trying to ride a wave at La Punta.

If surfing isn’t your thing, you can relax on the golden-sand beaches, soak up the vibrant nightlife or explore the surrounding areas. The coastal town’s welcoming bohemian vibe will quickly make you forget about all your pre-holiday stress and live every day in the moment. Exactly the reason why it‘s so hard to leave Puerto Escondido!

There are 5 ways to travel the 256 kilometers (159 miles) from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido. You can choose between the bus, minivan, private transport, flight and colectivo. The journey takes 1 hour 10 minutes to 4 hours and the quickest way is by flight. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by colectivo with tickets starting at 300 MXN ($14.80).

The journey from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido used to take around 10.5 hours by bus. That included a long, winding trip over mountain roads, often a bumpy experience.

But on February 2024, the newly opened Barranca Larga-Ventanilla Highway completely changed things — cutting the travel time down to just 3 hours! Instead of navigating mountain curves, the new highway uses tunnels and bridges, making the ride smoother and faster.

Buses are a reliable choice for travelling this route. With buses, you get extra legroom, reclining seats, onboard toilets and air conditioning. The shorter travel time also means you can enjoy more time in Puerto Escondido.

ADO, OCC and ADO GL operate several trips daily. A bus ticket costs 335 MXN ($16.50), though prices may be higher during the tourist season (December to April).

Colectivos are sprinter-type minivans that take the direct route from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido in about 3 hours 30 minutes. They have AC, and they’re usually the cheapest option.

Colectivos can get cramped when they’re full, though. And luggage is often stored on the roof rack — something worth considering if you’re travelling with bulky bags.

Which colectivo company to travel with?

There are a number of colectivo companies covering the route from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido, but the two most popular are Villa del Pacifico and Service Express.

There are plenty of departures throughout the day, usually once or twice every hour. This means you won’t have to wait around for long, and you don’t need to worry about tickets selling out.

The downside is that there’s no option to book online. The only way to buy tickets for the colectivo is from the ticket office at each bus stop. The average price is 300 MXN ($14.80) but can vary a bit depending on demand.

The minivan is a good option if you’re travelling from Oaxaca International Airport directly to Puerto Escondido. Oaxaca Shuttle is the lone company running this route.

The departure area is about 1 km from the airport. While that might not sound far, it’s not exactly a walk you’d want to do with luggage. A quick taxi ride can get you there.

The main advantage? You don’t have to travel to Oaxaca City just to catch a bus to Puerto Escondido. This saves you both time and the cost of a more expensive taxi into the city.

Just keep in mind there’s only one trip a day, and it leaves at noon.

A ticket costs around 600 MXN ($30), and the ride takes about 2 hours 40 minutes, depending on traffic.

Minivan options from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido

Flying from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido is the fastest but most expensive option. Also, note that big commercial airlines don’t operate direct flights for this route. Prepare to take a small plane operated by either Aerotucan or Aerovega.

TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.

All flights from Oaxaca to Mexico City depart from Oaxaca International Airport, which you can find about 8 km south of Oaxaca City. You can get there by taxi in around 25 minutes. Taxi fares start from 250 MXN ($12.40).

Only small single-propeller planes fly direct from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido. If you’re not comfortable with this type of aircraft, it’s better to look into the road options or make a layover.

Rates for one-way direct flights start from 3,000 MXN ($150).

Booking with Aerotucan

Aerotucan offers one departure a day, usually in the mornings, and it costs around 3,670 MXN ($180). You can buy tickets in advance through the Aerotucan website. You can also book directly at their ticket counter in Oaxaca City Airport, but we don’t recommend doing that on the same day of your trip because tickets are most probably sold out.

Booking with Aerovega

Online information about Aerovega is almost non-existent because it is a small airline. The pilot, Don Vega, does most of the duties, including the booking. Although a small company, Aerovega and Don Vega get great reviews.

To check availability and prices, you’ll need to send an email to aerovegapto@hotmail.com or message them on WhatsApp at +529545880062. The pilot speaks English, and his rates are often cheaper than Aerotucan, starting from around 3,000 MXN ($150).

Looking for a bigger aircraft? There is an option to take an indirect flight with a layover in Mexico City, but this will increase the flight duration to at least 6 hours, excluding airport transfers. That doesn’t really make sense, considering you can complete this route in less than 3 hours if you travel by land instead. But if you want to look into this option, you can check flights on Skyscanner.

Puerto Escondido International Airport is located within the city, just 5 minutes by car from the beach area and the town’s centre.

If your accommodation is nearby, you can consider walking. But if you’re carrying bulky luggage, it’s best to take a taxi right from outside the airport. Rates start from 100 MXN ($4.90).

Private Transport options from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido