Mazunte is a small village located on Oaxaca’s Pacific Coast in southern Mexico that is full of hippy vibes. This beach-side settlement has become well known throughout the backpacking community. This is in part due to the location being a perfect base camp for day trips to the surrounding villages. Mazunte’s popularity is also thanks to the area’s fantastic surf. As I did my research on Mazunte, I was surprised to find it on several “Top-10 Beaches in Mexico” lists. However, it is still relatively unknown to the everyday traveler.
Just about every beach along the Pacific Coast is well-known for having strong undertow. However, there are a couple of beaches that can be enjoyed by the casual swimmer. Mazunte features four main beaches, two of which are developed however the other two are undeveloped and a bit more private.
The two main beaches, Playa Rinconcito and Playa Mazunte, include beach front restaurants and relatively calm undertow/waves. These two developed beaches are separated by a small wall of rocks and oriented toward each other due to the lay out of the coastline.
Surfing isn’t everything here in Mazunte. The area became internationally known thanks to the vast number of sea turtles that arrive in the spring to lay their eggs. In fact, there was no population here until the mid20th century. Mazunte became the center of sea turtle hunting by the 1970’s. Their meat and eggs had become increasingly popular over the years.
Conservation efforts and concern for the longevity of these majestic creatures grew, eventually putting many of the locals out of work and in search of income. By 1990, a total ban on turtle hunting was enforced. Eco-tourism and the conservation of sea turtles developed as time continued. In fact, only one year passed (1991) before the opening of the Mexican National Turtle Center. Unfortunately, it is currently closed, indefinitely, due to public safety concerns from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Thankfully, the one thing the pandemic cannot shut down is the sun. Every morning and every night proved different. The landscape drastically changed as the sun approached the horizon, painting the clouds with colorful rays of light, kissing the rocky cliffs and its encroaching jungle. The best place to catch either the sunrise or sunset was Punta Cometa (or Comet Point), also known as Cerro Sagrado (or Sacred Hill) by the Aztecs and the locals.
Punta Cometa is a small peninsula that shoots out from the coastline and provides a rare, land based, 180-degree view of the ocean. This point was used as a stronghold by the Aztecs, followed by both the Spanish and various rogue Pirates, due to the view and orientation of the surrounding sea.
The food here is fantastic, as Mazunte has something for everyone. The choices range from vegan/vegetarian options to traditional Mexican, along with various seafoods. Following Mexican tradition, there are several street-food vendors here. No matter the time of day, the streets are bustling with activity with plenty of food options to choose from.
Street-food vendors line the road filling the gaps of each restaurant. Every stop I ate was worthy of being mentioned. However, my favorite was El Viaje (or The Trip). They focused on seafood taco’s and featured several choices of fresh juice, kombucha, and for those that enjoy alcohol, a full bar.
Overall, my time in Mazunte was short, only 3 days, with a day trip to the nearby Zipolite. The vibe was laid back and the food was fantastic. Had I not spent the last two weeks around beach towns, I would have been more inclined to stick around longer. However, the heat and humidity was brutal. I was ready to move on to the sweet mountain vibes of San Cristobal de Las Casas in the southern-most state of Chiapas, Mexico.
