Best Things to Do in Mazunte & Zipolite

The best things to do in Mazunte and neighbouring Zipolite are slow ones: watching the sunset from Punta Cometa, learning about sea turtles at the national turtle centre, taking a boat out to look for dolphins and, in winter, humpback whales, and moving between four very different beaches along a few kilometres of the Pacific coast of Oaxaca. The one thing to take seriously is the sea. Zipolite has strong rip currents and people drown there; this guide tells you where you can swim and where you should not.

Mazunte, San Agustinillo, Zipolite and the fishing port of Puerto Ángel sit in a row along the coast road, close enough that shared taxis and pickups link them all day. Here is how the beaches compare before you choose where to spend your days.

Beach	Character	Swimming	Best for
Mazunte	Village bay, restaurants on the sand	Usually the gentlest of the four, but check the waves	Swimming, sunsets, the turtle centre
Mermejita	Wild, open beach west of Punta Cometa	Not recommended: heavy surf and currents	Walks and sunset
San Agustinillo	Small, quiet, a few guesthouses	Possible in calm conditions	Bodyboarding, a quieter stay
Zipolite	Long open beach, bars and cabañas	Dangerous: strong rip currents and shore break	Sunbathing, nightlife, the clothing-optional scene
Puerto Ángel / Estacahuite	Working fishing bay and small coves	Calmer coves, good for snorkelling	Snorkelling, boat trips, seafood

Mazunte: turtles, Punta Cometa and the village

Mazunte was for decades a village that lived from hunting sea turtles. After Mexico banned the turtle harvest in 1990, the community turned to ecotourism, and today it is a Pueblo Mágico with a single main street of cafés, yoga studios, hostels and small shops leading down to the bay.

The Mexican Turtle Centre

The Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga, at the entrance to the village, is a research and conservation centre with aquariums and tanks where you can see several of the sea turtle species that nest on Mexico's beaches, along with freshwater turtles. A visit takes about an hour and explains why the coast changed so much in one generation. Check the current opening days locally before you go.

Punta Cometa at sunset

The rocky headland at the western end of Mazunte Bay is the most-loved walk in the area. A path climbs through dry scrub from the village to the tip, where the cliffs drop straight into the Pacific. It takes around 20–30 minutes on foot. At sunset dozens of people gather on the rocks and applaud when the sun goes down. Bring water, wear proper shoes rather than flip-flops, stay back from the edge and carry a torch for the walk back. On a clear morning it is also one of the best places to look for whales spouting offshore in season.

Playa Mermejita

On the far side of Punta Cometa, Mermejita is a long, empty beach backed by a few eco-lodges. It is beautiful for a walk and a view of the sunset without the crowd on the headland, but the surf is heavy and the currents are strong: treat it as a beach for looking, not for swimming.

Zipolite: the long beach and its currents

Zipolite, about 4 km east of Mazunte, is a wide beach of around 2 km with a strip of bars, cabañas and restaurants behind it. It has the most nightlife on this stretch of coast and a relaxed, long-stay crowd.

Read the water before you swim

This is the most important paragraph in this guide. Zipolite's surf is powerful and its rip currents are strong, and the beach has a long record of drownings, including experienced swimmers. There are no reliable lifeguards along most of it. If you go in:

• Look for flags and ask locally about the day's conditions; red means stay out.
• Watch for rips: channels of darker, calmer-looking water where waves are not breaking are often where the current pulls out.
• If you are caught, do not swim against it. Float, signal for help and swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current.
• Never swim after drinking or alone, and keep children out of the water unless conditions are clearly calm.

Playa del Amor and the clothing-optional rule

Zipolite is Mexico's best-known clothing-optional beach. Nudity is accepted along the beach and is most common at Playa del Amor, the small cove at its eastern end. Nobody is required to undress, and the usual etiquette applies: no photos of other people without asking. Topless and nude sunbathing is not the norm in Mazunte or San Agustinillo, so dress as you would elsewhere when you leave Zipolite.

San Agustinillo and Puerto Ángel

San Agustinillo

Between Mazunte and Zipolite, San Agustinillo is the quietest of the three villages: a short beach, a handful of restaurants and guesthouses, and waves that are popular with bodyboarders and beginner surfers. You can walk here from Mazunte along the road in about 20 minutes, and it makes a good base if you want to sleep away from the music in Zipolite.

Puerto Ángel and Estacahuite

A few minutes beyond Zipolite, Puerto Ángel is a working fishing port rather than a resort town. Fishermen offer boat trips from the main beach, and the restaurants on the sand serve the day's catch. Just outside town, the small coves of Estacahuite are sheltered and rocky, the best spot nearby for snorkelling when the sea is calm.

On the water and in the lagoons

Boat trips: dolphins, turtles and whales

Boat tours leave from Mazunte and Puerto Ángel, usually in the morning when the sea is flattest. Depending on the day you may see spinner dolphins, sea turtles resting on the surface and, roughly from December to March, humpback whales migrating along the coast. Many trips add a snorkelling stop. Choose an operator that gives everyone a life jacket and keeps its distance from the animals.

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La Ventanilla mangroves

A few kilometres west of Mazunte, the community of La Ventanilla runs rowing-boat trips through a mangrove lagoon where you can see crocodiles, iguanas and water birds at close range. It is a short, gentle outing, run by local guides, and a good contrast to the open beaches. Further away, near Puerto Escondido, the Manialtepec lagoon is known for bioluminescence on dark nights, usually as an organised evening trip.

Practical tips for your trip

Getting there and around

The nearest airports are Huatulco and Puerto Escondido, each roughly an hour away by road. The inland town of Pochutla is the transport hub and has the banks and the big market. Along the coast, shared taxis and pickup trucks (colectivos) run between Mazunte, San Agustinillo, Zipolite, Puerto Ángel and Pochutla throughout the day; after dark, take a taxi.

Cash, season and where to stay

• Bring cash. Many small places only take pesos and cash machines in the villages are few; check the banks and ATMs before you arrive.
• Season: November to April is dry and the busiest; Christmas, New Year and Easter fill up early. The summer rainy season is greener and quieter, and the surf can be bigger.
• Where to stay: Mazunte for walkable cafés and the gentlest swimming, San Agustinillo for quiet, Zipolite for nightlife.
• Safety: read the official US State Department advisory for Mexico and check the current version for Oaxaca before you travel.

To plan the days, browse the boat trips and lagoon tours on our Mazunte and Zipolite tours page, compare cabañas and guesthouses on the stays page, and find seafood and cafés in the restaurant directory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to swim at Zipolite?

Only with great care, and often not at all. Zipolite has strong rip currents and a history of drownings. Check the flags, ask locally, never swim alone or after drinking, and choose Mazunte or the coves at Puerto Ángel when the surf is up.

Is Zipolite a nudist beach?

Yes, Zipolite is clothing-optional, and nudity is most common at Playa del Amor at its eastern end. It is not required, and swimwear is the norm in the neighbouring villages.

How many days do you need in Mazunte?

Three days covers the turtle centre, Punta Cometa, a boat trip, La Ventanilla and a day at Zipolite or Puerto Ángel. Many visitors stay a week or longer for the slower pace and the yoga schools.

How far is Mazunte from Zipolite?

About 4 km, with San Agustinillo in between. A shared taxi or pickup takes around 10 minutes.