Highway 131, Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido

Highway 131 is the more direct highway between Puerto Escondido on the Pacific coast and Oaxaca city in the center of the state. It is not necessarily the

Highway 131 just south of Sola de Vega

preferred route since highway 175 is usually in better condition. Both highways traverse mountainous terrain and are prone to landslides, falling rocks, and washouts from rains occurring during the rainy season, July to September. Crews who reside in roadside encampments will quickly make the highway passable following these events, but full repairs may take the entire dry season to complete--just in time for the next rainy season. So at any time of the year you may find that sections of the road are absent (washed down the hillside), guard rails are missing, and piles of rubble are partially blocking the roadway or must be driven over.

Driving during heavy rain is not advisable because this is when falling rocks and landslides occur.

Driving at night is not advisable because 1) places where a section of the roadway has slid down the mountainside may not be marked and look much like innocent shadows at night, 2) livestock may be walking or sleeping on the roadway, 3) you will have to drive slower at night to be safe, 4) you will miss the beautiful scenery which is perhaps the only redeeming quality of this route. There are other reasons for not driving at night, but these should be sufficient.

Highway 131 begins at an intersection with highway 175 twelve miles (19 km) south of the center of Oaxaca City. The kilometer numbering begins here at zero. From this point it is about 223 km to Puerto Escondido. The drive from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido will take about 8 hours, depending on road conditions and driving habits.

Travel Logs are available for Northbound and Southbound Hwy 131.

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The Pacific Coast of Mexico www.tomzap.com Tom Penick:  tom@tomzap.com