How To Get From Puerto Escondido To Mazunte: Step-by-Step (2023)
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Looking to get from Puerto Escondido to Mazunte? You’re in the right place! If you’re craving some quiet time in a small beach town, Mazunte is the perfect weekend getaway from Puerto Escondido.
Mazunte – a sleepy, little beach town on Oaxaca’s Pacific coast, is known for its tranquility and abundance of sea turtles. It’s actually one of Mexico’s ‘pueblas’ (magical towns), yet it’s still not on many backpacker’s routes.
But if you’re visiting Puerto Escondido, Mazunte is a short journey away, and is perfect for a weekend escape.
Whilst the Internet might not be strong, AC is rare and the electricity is temperamental, the laid-back vibe of Mazunte is addictive. It’s another one of those towns in Mexico where people arrive, realise how much they love it, and never want to leave.
So, let’s find out the easiest ways of getting from Puerto Escondido to Mazunte. But be warned, you may fall into the Mazunte neverland, and never want to leave!
Other Puerto Escondido posts:
- 32 BEST Things to do in Puerto Escondido For First-Timers (2022)
- La Punta Puerto Escondido: ULTIMATE Guide! (2022)
- BEST Tacos in Puerto Escondido You NEED To Try! (Veggie Incl!)
- Where To Watch The Sunset in Puerto Escondido (2022)
How To Get From Puerto Escondido To Mazunte: A Summary
The distance between Puerto Escondido and Mazunte is just under 75 km. If you drive to Mazunte directly, it takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes.
But as a backpacker, hiring your own car isn’t always an option. When travelling from Puerto Escondido to Mazunte, there are another few options. These include:
- Colectivo (the most popular option)
- Bus
- Taxi
- Car hire
The bad news? There’s no direct bus or colectivo from Puerto Escondido to Mazunte, so you’ll need to hop on either a bus and colectivo, or grab a taxi part of the way. But don’t worry, this is all explained in the rest of the post!
Puerto Escondido to Mazunte: Option 1
The best and easiest way to get to Mazunte from Puerto Escondido is:
- Take a bus from outside the Chedraui supermarket or outside Hotel San Juan in Centro (NOT at the bus station) directly to Pochutla. This should cost around 50 pesos.
- Ask the driver to drop you off at Las Cruces de San Antonio (also known as Santa Maria Tonameca), NOT all the way to Pochultla.
- From here, either jump in a taxi for the 7km journey or board a colectivo. Colectivos are cheaper, but there’s no set timetable, so it depends on how long you want to wait!
If you don’t think the colectivo is going to stop, simply put your hand out to board at any point on a road.
Buses are meant to leave every 30 minutes, but don’t expect everything to run smoothly!
Puerto Escondido to Mazunte: Option 2
If you find yourself at the ADO bus terminal, there is another option (although it’s more expensive). Speak to the staff at the bus station to ensure you are going to the right place.
- Board a bus from the ADO bus terminal in Centro to San Antonio. This should cost around 50-100 pesos.
- Ask the driver to drop you San Antonio (similar to option 1). You will be dropped off on the highway, and it’s likely you will be the only backpackers getting off! So, you MUST tell the driver your destination or they could drive straight past!
- From here, either jump in a taxi for the 7km journey or board a colectivo. Colectivos are cheaper, but there’s no set timetable, so it depends on how long you want to wait!
Puerto Escondido to Mazunte: Option 3
A comfortable but more expensive option would be to hire your own car. Driving in Mexico is safe, and we hired a car in both the states of Oaxaca and Quintana Roo to get around.
If you are hiring a car in Mexico, I highly recommend using this company. Not only do they have the best rates for backpackers, but they have way better availability than some of the other car rental companies we tried (I won’t name names!)
Hiring your own car means you can ditch the chaotic colectivos and buses, and travel at your own pace. We found car rentals for under $50 per day in Mexico (including insurance), so it really depends on your budget!
Need to know more about renting a car in Mexico? Check out my top tips here!
Puerto Escondido to Mazunte: Option 4
The final option is to jump in a taxi. This is likely going to be the most expensive option, as your driver will have to do a 3 hour round trip. However, if there’s a few of you from the hostel to split the price, this would be a great way to stay in budget!
The cost between Puerto Escondido and Mazunte in a taxi will vary between 800-1100 pesos (£30-£50/$40-$60) depending on the time of year.
Where to stay in Mazunte
If you’re lucky enough to be staying overnight in Mazunte, I highly recommend staying in Casa Mazunte Tierra Viva. It’s right on the beach, has clean and comfortable rooms, air conditioning and is in the perfect location in Mazunte.
On a backpacker’s budget? There is one backpacker hostel in Mazunte, but it has mixed reviews. I personally haven’t stayed there, but if you want to check it out for yourself, click here.
Best travel insurance for backpackers in Mexico
If you’re visiting Mexico as a backpacker, or even for a short vacation, it is so important to have travel insurance. And if you ended up on a post that’s called ‘epic party tips’, you know (just as well as I do) that you definitely need travel insurance.
Personally, I recommend SafetyWing. As a digital nomad and world traveller myself, I can confirm it is the best travel insurance out there. And one of the cheapest – they have deals that start at just $42 USD per month.
I know, I know, you’re thinking ‘but I can’t afford that!’. I was the same! It’s tough to fork out $42 a month on something ‘you might not need’. But what if something DOES happen? That extra Mezcal shot results in you falling down the stairs, or you eat something dodgy from a street food van.
If you need medical help at any point whilst in Mexico, you need travel insurance.
With SafetyWing, you’re covered on travel emergencies, basic medical costs and medical expenses throughout your trip, so you can travel without worry (at a backpacker’s price!)
Don’t even think twice about getting travel insurance for Mexico. Trust me, I have heard enough horror stories about backpackers who haven’t had insurance and have ended up in a lot of debt. Don’t be that person!
If you’ve been putting the job off because it takes a lot of time and effort to research the best travel insurance companies, I understand. That’s why I’ve done the hard work for you. Sign up for SafetyWing, and the job is done!
How To Get From Puerto Escondido To Mazunte: In a Nutshell
So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about getting from Puerto Escondido to Mazunte.
When you’re planning a trip to Puerto Escondido, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!
If you haven’t come across my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently backpacking Mexico with my boyfriend (read more here!), whilst creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!
Keep an eye out for more Mexico content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!
As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!
Happy travelling 🙂
Jennie x
- 32 BEST Things to do in Puerto Escondido For First-Timers (2022)
- BEST Tacos in Puerto Escondido You NEED To Try! (Veggie Incl!)
- La Punta Puerto Escondido: ULTIMATE Guide! (2022)
- Where To Watch The Sunset in Puerto Escondido (2022)
- Is there Uber in Puerto Escondido? 2023 Updates
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MEET THE AUTHOR!
Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.
If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).
