Traveling to Beaches in Oaxaca

Last week I had a super-improvised but really relaxing vacation in the coasts of Oaxaca. I stayed in Zicatela (Puerto Escondido) and Zipolite for 5 days. I can say that the landscape is beautiful, the weather is great and the food is also good (Lots of Italian places). In the following lines I'll try to give you some tips for traveling to this heaven in earth.

The Geographical Context

Puerto Angel, Zipolite, Mazunte, San Agustinillo and Ventanilla are some small beaches located in the west coast of Mexico, in Oaxaca. They are around 700 Km from Mexico City (600km from Puebla), and the trip is about 11 hours (9 hours from Puebla). The roads are acceptable good until Miahuatlán (you'll pay 200 mexican pesos of toll booths), from there you'll have to handle 240 kms of sharp bends... that will take you 3 to 4 hours depending on the traffic and your driving skills.
Puerto escondido is around 100kms north of from Zipolite and 400 km south of Acapulco. There are also several beaches and the most popular between young people is Zicatela. This beach is a surfer center and if you are looking for party more than relaxation... this is the place.
I made a Map that you may find here

Planning the Trip

Even when the mood that surrounds these magical beaches is Adventure, I strongly recommend to plan your trip. At least call the inns to make a reservation, once there with a place to stay... it's a paradise. I recommend you to arrive in the day because after 8 or 9 PM, the owners go home and you’ll have problems finding accommodation.

I leave you some recommendations in Zipolite (Puerto Escondido and particularly Zicatela are more commercial places so you shouldn't have problems finding where to stay):

Posada México: www.posadamexico.com cheap but beautiful cabañas, cucina italiana, Bar, Pizzeria
Posada San Cristobal: No web page, they have rooms, cabañas, restaurant and camping zone. They are located close to the Posada México. Tel: +52 958 58 43020. (We camp here because there were no other place to stay and is acceptable good... and cheap)
La Loma Linda: Bungalows, Retreat Center, Feldenkreis Method. www.lalomalinda.com
El Alquimista: Cabañas, great restaurant, pub. www.el-alquimista.com
There are lots of places to stay but it's hard to find information on the web, you would need to be there physically to find the place that best fits your needs. You will find more information in the following site: http://www.costachica.net/

What can I do there?

The first answer to such question is... RELAX! Especially in Zipolite, the environment is perfect to rest and forget about everything but the drink in your hand and the girl next to you (if that's the case).
More than that, you can eat! There are lots of Italian people that have restaurants and some Mexicans have combined the Mediterranean flavors with the Mexican cook and the result is really good.
Trips to the Ocean. There are a lot of people that offers diving, sport fishing and whale watching trips. Don't hire the first, ask in your hotel. Especially in Zicatela you may be defrauded by people that promise you'll see whales, lots of dolphins and a trip to a beautiful beach... and just give you a mediocre trip with irregular costs and no security (i.e. Jesús Altamirano E.). You can hire a trip in Zipolite, Mazunte or Ventanilla for less money with more advantages and security almost anywhere.
Turtles Release: Everyday at 5:30 PM in Ventanilla beach you can be part of the effort to save turtles from extinction. A Co-operative project involving 26 families is doing a great job to rescue the natural habitat of hundreds of species of birds and reptiles and the promotion of eco-tourism. If you would like to participate in such project, you can be a volunteer.
Surfing: Zicatela is perfect for this sport and you'll find anything you need there.

I hope these tips are useful for you. Enjoy and take care of my country.