Advanced Surf Camps in Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Take your surfing to new heights on an advanced surf holiday in Puerto Escondido

Mexico’s most famous surf spot, Puerto Escondido is home to the legendary Playa Zicatela, one of the world’s best beach breaks. Also known as the Mexican Pipeline, this pounding and unforgiving break is synonymous with big wave surfing and punishing barrels.

What are the best waves in Puerto Escondido for experienced surfers?

Gnarly Zicatela is known to shred surfboards to pieces. Of course, that only adds to its appeal. Famous for its big, heavy, fast, and downright scary barrels, the Mexican Pipeline is an advanced and pros-only wave.

Down the beach, in the southernmost section of Playa Zicatela, La Punta is a less powerful and easier to handle left point break that’s great for intermediate and advanced surfers.

What are the vibes like in Puerto Escondido?

Affordable, with good food, and friendly people, Puerto Escondido is a laidback surf town in Oaxaca. It’s been in the spotlight since the 1950s and remains at the center of the Mexican surf scene.

Puerto Escondido regularly hosts surfing competitions and is a great place to see your favorite pros in action. It’s also a good base camp to explore the other surf spots in Oaxaca.

Being as famous as it is, Playa Zicatela can get crowded. Because it’s mellower than Zicatela, La Punta gets even more crowded.

What is the best time to surf in Puerto Escondido for advanced surfers?

Zicatela rarely goes flat. The best conditions can be found between April and October, and the prime time for big wave surfing is May through August.

The Mexican Pipeline can hold swells well up to 10 feet, producing waves up to 25 feet. It’s not as intimidating when it’s 4 to 6 feet, and that’s when experienced surfers can have fun on it. It’s only after 10 feet that things start to get serious.

The waves in Puerto Escondido work with southwestern groundswells and westerly hurricane swells. The best time of the day is early in the morning when offshore winds blow and there are fewer people in the water. Around sunset, when the wind dies down, you can expect glassy conditions.