Puerto Angel, Oaxaca This small fishing/tourist village with limited amenities may not make a big first impression. But spend some time here and the warmth of the people, the tranquil beaches, fresh seafood, and the relaxed pace grows on you. Puerto Angel is the ground zero and the inspiration for this web site, the Pacific Coast of Mexico. See aerial photos. to the west Mazunte, Oaxaca Puerto Escondido San Agustinillo Turtle Museum Ventanilla Zipolite, Oaxaca   to the north Chacalapa, Oaxaca Oaxaca, Oaxaca Pochutla, Oaxaca Río Tonameca San José del Pacífico to the east Huatulco, Oaxaca Salina Cruz, Oaxaca Santa Maria Huatulco   Main Index City Map Regional Map Hwy 131 Hwy 200 Legal Resources Currency Sport Fishing   Telephone Calls Transportation Weather Living in Mexico Missing Persons Real Estate Visitors' Comments About • Home • Search What's New?

Refer to the this important note on the variability of wave strength due to phases of the moon.

As you drive into Puerto Angel, the first beach you will see is Playa Principal. In the mornings, much activity is centered around the pier where fishing boats are arriving with their catch. Tuna is probably the most common (Try a real tuna fish salad at one of the restaurants.), also red snapper, shark, bonito, sailfish, lobster, conch, octopus, and many others. Tuna and lobster will not be as plentiful when the water temperature is higher. The old concrete pier, which really sits too high above the waterline to be of much use for unloading the boats, was built before there were paved roads in the area for the purpose of shipping coffee. The pier was refurbished in 1999. There are several restaurants along the beach and a small naval installation.

At the west end of the beach a paved walkway curves along the rock cliffs connecting to Playa Panteón, named for the cemetery located nearby. More restaurants here. Both beaches are suitable for swimming but Playa Panteón is perhaps a little more sheltered and offers better snorkeling around the rocks.

Four miles west of town is Playa Zipolite, known for its surfing and popular with European tourists. This is a 1-mile long straight beach directly on the ocean with numerous restaurants or watering holes. The undertow at this beach is dangerous as evidenced by regular drownings. There are sometimes nude bathers here although the local officials occasionally discourage it. There have been reports of armed robberies in Zipolite and on the road between Puerto Angel and Zipolite.

Around the hill at the east end is Playa del Amor, a small, 150' secluded beach enjoyed by nude bathers. Moderate waves.

West of Zipolite is Playa Agustinillo. This can be a good place for swimming and snorkeling. Nearby is Rancho de las Hamacas.

West of Agustinillo is Playa Mazunte. This is the beach where the turtles come to lay their eggs. See the article from the Mexican Meanderings newsletter, Of Turtles and Things. The Turtle Center is located here.

Further west, just past Punta Cometa, begins the long Playa La Ventanilla. Swimming at this beach can be dangerous due to strong, frequent breakers and undertow.

East of town is Playa Estacahuite, a small, 300' beach with a restaurant. Calm waves. Good for swimming and snorkeling. To get there, take highway 175 toward Pochutla for 1/4 mile and turn right onto a dirt road which leads to the beach. It's not too far to walk.

East of Playa Estacahuite and accessible by land and boat is Playa La Mina (mine). A small beach, recessed into the shoreline, calm to moderate waves.

East of Playa La Mina is Playa La Boquilla (mouth), accessible by land but more convenient by boat. 500' long, calm waves, good for snorkeling and swimming. Bahía de la Luna Hotel is located here.

East of Playa La Boquilla is Playa La Tijera (scissors), so named because of the scissors-like formation of rocks jutting out of the water in this small bay. Good for swimming, snorkeling and scuba.

Tides • Mareas

Tidal variation is usually no more than three feet. As far as I can see it is not really a factor for those enjoying the beaches. In case you are interested, there is a free software utility that predicts tides including those for Puerto Angel at wxtide32.com/, written by David Flater.

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Additional accommodations are available in Zipolite to the west and Pochutla to the north.

Rates are higher around Christmas, Easter, and in July and August. At other times they may be almost empty so reservations shouldn't be required. Locations of some of the hotels may be found on the map of Puerto Angel.

Budget • Económico
• El Almendro Posada gundtoma@hotmail.com Next to Villa Florencia on the main road. 5 rooms, fans, mosquito netting, private baths. US20 double. (8/00)
• Casa Arnel Owners Concepción and Panfilo Cruz. Teniente Jose Azueta #666, on the left 50 meters past the market. (958) 584-3051. Email: arnelpto.angel@huatulco.net.mx. 6 rooms, family style, about $15.
• Cordelia's On Playa Panteón. Large rooms, balcony. US$35 (1/06)
• Buena Vista (958) 584-3104 (voice/fax) Turn off on alley just west of bridge on Boulevard Vigilio Uribe. Clean, some hot water, good restaurant with view.
• Casa Gloria Not really a hotel, but an inexpensive place to stay is this area landmark located at the northwest end of Playa Zipolite about 2 miles from town. Sleep under the palm trees at the edge of the beach in a hammock. Outhouses, no running water but a well for bathing, no electricity, purified drinking water, vegetarian restaurant.
• Coco Loco on hilltop. Owner actually is loco and was considered dangerous, but passed away in 2002.
• Casa de Huespedes Alex (958) 584-3003
• Casa de Huespedes Anahi (958) 584-3089
• Casa de Huespedes Capi (958) 584-3002 On Pedro Sainz de Baranda near Playa Panteón. Restaurant, clean, no hot water.
• Casa de Huespedes Gladys (958) 584-3050
• Casa de Huespedes Gundi y Tomas (958) 584-3068 voice, (958) 584-3063 fax. gundtoma@hotmail.com Domicilio Conocido, Calle Principal,Centro, Codigo Postal No.70902, Puerto Angel, Oaxaca. Located in the center of town, on the hill in front of the military base. 9 rooms, fans, mosquito netting, common baths, laundry, library, telephone, safe, money exchange, tourist information in German, Spanish, English and French. US$13-20 for two. (8/00)
• Gundi Bungalow gundtoma@hotmail.com
• Casa de Huespedes Leal (958) 584-3081
• Casa Penelope's (958) 584-3073. Cerrada de la Luna, Barrio del Sol. B & B, 4 rooms, hammocks, small library. US$16 and up. marcos@casapenelopes.com. (7/07)
• Los Portales (958) 584-0460
• Casa de Huespedes Yadira (958) 584-3061
• Casa de Huespedes Villa Florencia (958) 584-3084
• El Peñasquito on Playa Panteón. (958) 584-3330. 4 rooms, balcony with hammocks, US$10 to $20. Patricia or Ricardo hguzman25@hotmail.com. (1/06)
• Hotel Puesta del Sol On road to Zipolite, 300 meters past naval base. (958) 584-3096 (voice/fax). golfo52@hotmail.com 14 rooms with ceiling fans, library, laundry room, breakfast, dinner. English, Spanish, and German are spoken. A double is about $20 U.S. An ocean-view bungalow is also available. Photo.
• Hotel y Trayler Park Los Tamarindos on the highway leading into Puerto Angel
• Posada Rincon Sabrosa Agustín and Yanel. Located up the long staircase near the Villa Florencia. (958) 584-3095.
Moderate • Módico
• Bahía de la Luna Playa La Boquilla, 4 km from Puerto Angel, accessible by boat and now by road except for the last 500 meters. Kayaks, kickboards, boogie boards, snorkeling equipment available for guests. Email: info@bahiadelaluna.com Bungalows and restaurant in a remote setting. Fresh fish, seafood, lobster. US$60 and up for 2 people including continental breakfast (2/07)
• Casa de Chepe   Small apartment on Panteón hillside. (958) 584-3109. Email: azul_profundomx@hotmail.com Juan José de Nova Reyes (known locally as Chepe). Two double beds, private bath, small fridge and coffee maker, terrace with ocean view.
• Hotel Soraya (958) 584-3009 Owners José y Hortencia Tanus Sucar. Centrally located across from the pier on Playa Principal and adjacent to the telephone company and the main taxi stand. Reasonably priced, about $25 (U.S.) for a double, $33 with air conditioning (1998). The 5 rooms with air conditioning are larger and overlook the pier. The restaurant also has a nice view of the pier area and the food is okay. This is where I stay when I visit Puerto Angel. Photos 87K
• Hotel La Cabaña (958) 584-3105 On Pedro Sainz de Baranda near Playa Panteón. $40 (U.S.) for a double. Attractively landscaped and the bottled water is chilled. No restaurant, but there are several nearby. Photo of hotel. 52K
• Hotel Angel Del Mar. (958) 584-3008 Located on a hilltop overlooking the town. There is a restaurant and bar. The view is spectacular. US$46 high season (10/02) Photo 36K
• La Posada Cañón Devata Phone/Fax: (958) 584-3137. Mail: Apartado Postal #10, Puerto Angel, Oaxaca Mexico 70902. Guest house and bungalows, located on a forested hillside near Playa Panteón at the entrance to the Hotel Angel del Mar. Email: kali@posadapacifico.com The posada is welcoming guests as well as hosting workshops and retreats, offering holistic massage therapy, and offering yoga classes. Open November through February. (8/06)
• Puesta del Sol Bungalow (958) 584-3096 (voice/fax). golfo52@hotmail.com Near the Puerto Angel lighthouse. 2 bedrooms (3 double beds), 2 baths, kitchen, satellite TV, ocean view. English, Spanish, and German are spoken. About $400 U.S./week.
Expensive • Caro
• Villa la Luna Located above Playa del Amor near Universidad del Mar. Sweeping view, rooms may be rented seperately. info@villalaluna.com

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Remember this is a fishing village. Fresh fish comes in each morning. You can walk down to the pier and see what is coming in. Typically there is tuna, red snapper, and bonito, a rich white meat. Also sailfish, hammerhead, and other shark. Divers bring in lobster, conch, octopus, and cayo, a mussel. Lobster can be expensive in the restaurants, but prices vary considerably so ask around. In Mexico, the orange juice is usually fresh squeezed, as are the limonadas (limeade), and the soups are homemade, except at some of the upscale restaurants where they think they're doing us a favor by serving processed foods.
• Chapulin is located on the main road near the center of town. I liked their spagetti con limón, a simple but tasty dish.
• Villa Florencia is located on the main road in the center of town, a hotel and Italian restaurant often used as a headquarters for European visitors. There is a pharmacy/gift shop located in the building.
• Beto's is located on the main road a little ways west of Playa Principal. Inexpensive, recommended.
• The Restaurante Hotel Soraya is located across the street from the pier and offers a nice view of the port and the pier with dining indoors or outside on the patio. Photo of pier. The Mexican entrees are reasonably priced. They have ice cream. For some reason they like to serve store-bought bread. Ask for bolillos or taleras instead.
• Restaurante Bar Cordelia's is located on Playa Panteón, seafood.
• Javier's Hard Times Pizza is just past Puesta del Sol and before the turn to Panteón beach. The owner, Javier, was a master chef in Acapulco for years. Good food, excellent service.
• Susy On Playa Panteón. Recommended. (2/07)
• Tai Pan was located at the far end of Playa Panteón with a nice view of the port and the town. It was unfortunately destroyed in hurricane Pauline and is not longer open.
• La Choza, in the Roca Blanca section of Zipolite beach serves very delicious, attractively presented meals, very reasonable. Recommended.
• A block north of the beach on the main street coming into town is Tio Chilo, a tiny restaurant offering hot dogs, tortas, etc. Occasionally they may offer a caldo. Very reasonable. Two hot dogs and a coke for about a dollar.

Around sundown the street vendors start to fire up their grills. There are a couple in front of the Hotel Soraya and another further down the street by the naval base. For a peso you get a small tortilla with your choice of filling. Escabeche is marinated dark meat tuna. The flavor may vary depending on the cook. Try one of everything until you're full. Inexpensive, recommended.

To get to the market [photo 51K] from the pier, go west on the main road for a block or two. At a side street on the right you will see a guard posted in front of a military building. The market is just a few steps down this street on the right. They have a nice selection of produce, very inexpensive. There are also some eating stalls where you can get a home cooked meal, inexpensive and quite good, but unfortunately the flies can be a problem.

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• June 1 is Día de la Marina honoring the Mexican Navy. Military and civilian leaders participate in the program. At midday, an offering of flowers is placed in the bay. Afterward, there are basketball and volleyball matches. The festivities end with a lively traditional dance.
• August 5 is Día del Pescador (fisherman) begins early in the morning with the traditional serenade and a 25-kilometer foot race which begins in Chacalapa and ends at the pier in Puerto Angel. During the day there is competition in swimming, diving, sport fishing, boat races, canoe races, greased pole climbing, and tournaments in basketball, volleyball, and soccer. In appreciation of the involvement of area communities, the organizing committee provides a dinner. The fiesta continues in the evening with a cultural program including colorful regional folk dancing, along with singing and poetry. The festivities conclude with the presentation of awards to the winners of the day's competitions.
• October 1 is Día del Angel in honor of the patron saint. The program includes serenades, church masses, sport and cultural competitions. At midday there is a dinner and at 4:00 p.m. there is a large procession through the main streets of Puerto Angel with colorful floats and characters. Later, an offering of flowers is placed in the sea and at night there are fireworks. The festival ends with folk dancing.

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• The Huatulco International Airport is about 20 miles away. See regional map. A taxi to Puerto Angel is a stiff $50 (U.S.). [It's probably more now. Can someone give me an update? tom@tomzap.com] Car rentals are available at the airport (except possibly in peak seasons). You can walk to the highway and catch a bus at the entrance. Most of the town is accessible on foot and taxis are available at reasonable cost. You can go to Zipolite and back by bus. The last returning bus leaves at 6:00 I believe.
• Económica Rent-A-Car is located in Puerto Escondido but will pick up or drop off a vehicle in Puerto Angel for about 500 pesos. (954) 582-2579, (954) 111-1436 (cell). Car, motorcycle, and scooter rentals. economica_RAC@hotmail.com.
• Highway 175 is the highway connecting Pochutla to Oaxaca city.
• Highway 200 is the coastal highway connecting the oceanfront towns.

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Scuba • Buceo

The diving in Puerto Angel is better than in Puerto Escondido. Compared to Huatulco, the water tends to be warmer but there is not quite as much coral. Fish life is still abundant. Azul Profundo (958) 584-3109 (Chepe). azul_profundomx@hotmail.com Located on Playa del Panteón. Scuba diving services.

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• Explore Fly Fishing and mexicofishing.ca Located in San Agustinillo. (416) 830-1779 (Canada). Guided inshore and bluewater fishing. eric@exploreflyfishing.com or paraiso_del_pescador@yahoo.ca

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Located on top of a hill on the west end of town in a beautifully landscaped setting overlooking Playa Zipolite and the Pacific is the Universidad del Mar. Photo. This institution offers courses in Naval Engineering, Fishing, Civil Engineering, Tourist Administration, and Marine Biology. The objectives include taking an account of the resources of the sea and coastline of Oaxaca and promoting their conservation, renewal, and development, monitoring the impact of human development in these areas and taking steps to protect the ecology, and be a source of information in this regard. UMAR also has facilities in Puerto Escondido and Huatulco. Más informes.

UMAR now has its own web page and email. UMAR is also considering offering a summer program to teach Spanish to foreigners if there is sufficient interest. Please contact them if you are interested. Telephone and Fax: 958 40397 (also 40398 or 40399). There are a number of families in Puerto Angel who have rooms for rent to round out this experience.

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Several area beaches are breeding grounds for sea turtles who return every year to lay their eggs. The turtles were once harvested commercially until their numbers diminished substantially. Turtles are now protected by the Mexican government and are making a comeback. Playa Escobilla is the main breeding ground for the Olive Ridley or Golfina turtle. The nesting season usually begins in May and lasts for several months. The turtles come to the beach in large numbers during the nighttime hours for 2-3 evenings after a full moon. They scoop out holes in the sand 2-feet deep, deposit their eggs and cover them up. At the peak of this activity, turtles number in the thousands. The eggs look like slimy Ping-Pong balls. The eggs are valued for food and many Mexicans believe they are powerful aphrodisiacs. The beaches are now patrolled by military guards carrying M-16's to protect the turtles and their eggs from poachers.
• Turtle Museum   The Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga is located a few miles west of Puerto Angel on Carretera a Zipolite at Bahía Mazunte. Numerous varieties of live turtles and fish are on display, as well as photos and other exhibits. Efforts are being made to reestablish the once plentiful area turtle population. Guided tours. Nominal admission fee. Recommended.
• Turtles who are resting can often be caught by divers or snorkelers. In this photo, Martino holds a Loggerhead turtle.

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• Insurance, AHA International (800) AHA-1778. Auto, health, and property insurance for Americans and Canadians in Mexico. Health insurance for Mexicans traveling outside of Mexico.
• Piña Palmera is a non-profit rehabilitation and caring center for children located on Avenida Principal just west of Puerto Angel in Zipolite.
• There is a shortage of small change in Puerto Angel. See the note on Currency.
• Taxi to Pochutla a tale by Janet Miller.
• Visitors' Comments on Puerto Angel
• Pacifico Sport Fishing Email: posadapacifico@yahoo.ca
• Puerto Angel, Oaxaca, an article from the Mexican Meanderings newsletter.
• Tito, reputable boat captain, fishing, snorkeling, tours. At Playa Panteón.
• Yogendraji Yoga Classes in Rishi Culture Yoga at the Posada Cañon Devata. Email yoga@posadapacifico.com. (7/04)

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