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Mexico🇲🇽 | beachesMazunteTurtle center, Punta Cometa sunsets, steep surf, yoga palapas | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Mazunte
👍 Recommendedbeach ranked #8
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 20, 2026

Mazunte beach has a swim-ready bay you can walk to from almost any hostel in town, so you can skip the taxis entirely. It sits on the Oaxaca coast in Mexico, a little east of Zipolite, and the sand is a wide, clean crescent with a rocky headland at one end. Swimming is fine near the shore, but the waves dump hard, and the undertow is no joke. Snorkeling is poor, so skip it. Budget food and dorms sit a few steps from the sand. Crowds stay thin outside the holiday weeks. I once left my sandals at the waterline to “just dip in,” and a wave carried one off to sea, so I walked the hot cobbled lane home with one foot bare and a lesson about tide lines. A lone sandal still sits on a hostel shelf there.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #8 beach in MexicoThe unique appeal for travelers

Mazunte beach works as a deliberate pause on the Oaxaca coast, the spot where people who planned two nights end up staying a week. The town is small enough that you walk everywhere, and the yoga shacks, cheap comedors and hammock hostels sit within a few minutes of the water. The social scene is easy: you meet people over fresh fish tacos, on the headland at dusk or at the open-air classes. The place is also tied to turtles. The Mexican Turtle Center sits just behind the beach, a legacy of the local turtle-hunting past that became a conservation project, so the town has a purpose beyond sunbathing. For a connector, Mazunte beach pairs naturally with Zipolite and San Agustinillo next door, a trio of bays you can hop between on foot or by a short ride, each with its own mood. Mazunte is the … read more 👉
Mazunte beach works as a deliberate pause on the Oaxaca coast, the spot where people who planned two nights end up staying a week. The town is small enough that you walk everywhere, and the yoga shacks, cheap comedors and hammock hostels sit within a few minutes of the water. The social scene is easy: you meet people over fresh fish tacos, on the headland at dusk or at the open-air classes. The place is also tied to turtles. The Mexican Turtle Center sits just behind the beach, a legacy of the local turtle-hunting past that became a conservation project, so the town has a purpose beyond sunbathing. For a connector, Mazunte beach pairs naturally with Zipolite and San Agustinillo next door, a trio of bays you can hop between on foot or by a short ride, each with its own mood. Mazunte is the middle option, calmer than Zipolite and livelier than San Agustinillo.

💡 HighlightsDon't-miss highlights and experiences

  1. Mexican Turtle Center (Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga): the town’s best-known sight, a small aquarium and research site with several turtle species, including big sea turtles in tanks. It explains why Mazunte went from hunting turtles to protecting them. Entry is a few dollars.
  2. Punta Cometa: the rocky headland at the end of the beach, the southernmost point of Oaxaca’s coast. A short dirt path leads through scrub to flat rocks and wide ocean views. Locals and travelers gather here to watch the sun go down.
  3. Playa Mermejita: a quieter, wilder beach reached by a walk beyond the headland. It has strong surf and few people, so it suits long beach walks more than swimming.
  4. Swimming and bodysurfing on the main bay: Mazunte beach has a steep, sandy shoreline where waves break close in. Stay in the calmer
… read more 👉
  1. Mexican Turtle Center (Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga): the town’s best-known sight, a small aquarium and research site with several turtle species, including big sea turtles in tanks. It explains why Mazunte went from hunting turtles to protecting them. Entry is a few dollars.
  2. Punta Cometa: the rocky headland at the end of the beach, the southernmost point of Oaxaca’s coast. A short dirt path leads through scrub to flat rocks and wide ocean views. Locals and travelers gather here to watch the sun go down.
  3. Playa Mermejita: a quieter, wilder beach reached by a walk beyond the headland. It has strong surf and few people, so it suits long beach walks more than swimming.
  4. Swimming and bodysurfing on the main bay: Mazunte beach has a steep, sandy shoreline where waves break close in. Stay in the calmer corner near the rocks and respect the flags and locals’ advice.
  5. Yoga and temazcal: the town has many yoga studios and traditional steam-bath ceremonies. A class in an open palapa with ocean sound is the typical morning here, and the temazcal is a good evening activity.
Mazunte beach itself covers a relaxed day, but with the turtle center, the headland walk and a yoga class, you can fill two days comfortably.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

Things to do around Mazunte

Shore Excursion Mazunte and Ventanilla Crocs & Turtles

Shore Excursion Mazunte and Ventanilla Crocs & Turtles

5.0(1) 8h
From €81
per personViator

Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?Choosing the right time of year

  • Dry Season (November to April): Mazunte beach sees almost no rain, with days around 29 to 33°C (84 to 91°F) and nights near 21 to 24°C (70 to 75°F). Swell is gentler, and December to January brings the most visitors and the highest bed prices.
  • Hot Shoulder (May and early June): Humidity climbs, afternoons hit 33 to 35°C (91 to 95°F), and the first storms arrive. Rooms get cheaper and the sand is quiet.
  • Rainy Season (mid-June to October): Expect heavy late-day downpours, green hills, and 28 to 32°C (82 to 90°F). Waves grow bigger, and prices drop. September is the wettest month.
  • Turtle Season: Olive ridley hatchlings are released at the local turtle center most often from August to December.
Daylight stays between roughly 11 and 13 hours all year, so plan beach time for early morning. Book ahead for Christmas and Easter week.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: highly recommended for travelingFEBFebruary: highly recommended for travelingMARMarch: excellent for travelingAPRApril: excellent for travelingMAYMay: good for travelingJUNJune: fair for travelingJULJuly: fair for travelingAUGAugust: fair for travelingSEPSeptember: fair for travelingOCTOctober: good for travelingNOVNovember: highly recommended for travelingDECDecember: highly recommended for traveling
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🛏️ Where to stay?How to pick the right area

The best area for most backpackers is the Rinconcito strip at the west end of Mazunte beach, where dorms and simple cabañas cost roughly US$8 to 20 a night, with private rooms from about US$25 to 50. Everything sits within a five-minute walk of the sand, restaurants, and yoga classes, and it is the easiest place in town to meet other solo travelers.
The central road behind the main beach is the next choice. It has the shops, the ATM, the taco stands, and the colectivo stop, with rooms a bit cheaper because you give up the ocean view. Evenings stay lively, so light sleepers should ask for a back … read more 👉
The best area for most backpackers is the Rinconcito strip at the west end of Mazunte beach, where dorms and simple cabañas cost roughly US$8 to 20 a night, with private rooms from about US$25 to 50. Everything sits within a five-minute walk of the sand, restaurants, and yoga classes, and it is the easiest place in town to meet other solo travelers.
The central road behind the main beach is the next choice. It has the shops, the ATM, the taco stands, and the colectivo stop, with rooms a bit cheaper because you give up the ocean view. Evenings stay lively, so light sleepers should ask for a back room.
The hillside toward Punta Cometa is quieter, with open-air cabins and treehouse-style stays reached by steep paths. It suits couples and people who want sunrise starts, though you will climb after dark with a headlamp.
San Agustinillo, a 15 to 20 minute walk east along the sand or a short ride, has calmer water, a mellow crowd, and slightly higher prices.
Best hostels in Mexico


Best quality hotels in Mexico

🛡️ SafetyTraveler Safety Guide

Mazunte beach is a safe, relaxed town, and the main hazard is the water. The Pacific swell here is strong, and the main beach is fairly protected but still sees shore break and occasional rip currents, especially in the rainy months. Swim near the lifeguard presence when it is staffed, keep to the calmer, curving east side, and skip swimming when waves are heavy. Nearby Playa Mermejita and Playa Ventanilla have stronger surf and are better for walking than swimming. Sun is intense year-round, and midday sand burns bare feet, so go early or late for exercise. Rays and jellyfish are uncommon. Petty theft happens occasionally, so keep phones and cash out of unattended bags on the sand. The walk back from the Rinconcito end after dark is best done with a flashlight, since the paths are uneven and unlit.
Check Country Safety

FAQTraveler FAQ

From Oaxaca City, take a shared van or bus to Puerto Escondido or Pochutla (about 6 to 8 hours, US$15 to 25), then a colectivo or taxi to Mazunte beach (35 to 45 minutes from Pochutla, about US$2 to 3 colectivo). Direct shuttles from Oaxaca City to Mazunte run about 8 to 10 hours and cost roughly US$25 to 35. Flying into Puerto Escondido or Huatulco (about 1 to 1.5 hours away by road) saves a full day.
Mazunte beach is best for swimming on calm mornings in the dry season, when the gentler east end is manageable for confident swimmers. Surfing is better at nearby Playa Mermejita and Rinconcito, where lessons and board rentals run roughly US$15 to 30 an hour. Snorkeling is limited here because of surf and low visibility, though boat trips of 2 to 3 hours cost about US$15 to 25 and can spot dolphins and turtles.
Yes, Mazunte beach is free to enter, and no ticket is needed to swim or walk the sand. Paying extras include sun loungers or umbrellas at beach restaurants, usually covered by buying drinks, and Punta Cometa has no entry fee. The Mexican Turtle Center in town charges about US$3 to 4 for entry.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other Mexican beaches near Mazunte

Explore more nearby:

  • Playa Zipolite—Clothing-optional sand, Playa del Amor cove, bioluminescence, undertow| 4 km away
  • Zicatela Beach—Mexican Pipeline, La Punta lessons, surfer sunsets, taco lane| 57 km away
  • Playa Blanca—Empty Pacific sand, palapa grills, Potosí lagoon, heavy waves| 564 km away

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We 💚 feedbackIs it worth it?

Mazunte beach suits slow travelers, yoga-curious backpackers and anyone who likes eating well in flip-flops. If you want nightclubs or glassy snorkeling water, skip it. I would book at least three nights, walk to Punta Cometa late in the afternoon, and bring your own reusable bottle.

✈️ When did I visit Mexico?
As part of my 1.5 year travel around the world trip, I visited Mexico in February and March 2016. Had to hurry a bit as I didn’t want to miss the free performance of the Rolling Stones in Cuba.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Mexico, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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