Travel Guide Puerto Escondido

The ancient name of Bahia de la Escondida is the result of a legend: the ferocious pirate Andrés Drake, brother of the famous Francis Drake, decided to cast off to rest in a small, totally untouched bay near the mouth of the Colotepec river. Of course, he kept an eye on the open sea in case a Spanish galleon came by... A week before, he had captured and taken prisoner a young and pretty indigenous mixedca in the village of Santa María Huatulco. A little moment of distraction allows the girl to escape. A good swimmer, she returns to the shore and goes to hide in the surrounding jungle, never to be found: she thus becomes the escondida (the hidden one), name that she will bequeath to the bay. This old fishing village has grown up, but is relatively untouched by massive tourist constructions. It is the destination of choice for local and international travellers who are looking for beautiful beaches and a reasonably priced lifestyle. It is also the meeting place for surfers, amateurs and professionals, who enjoy the waves of Zicatela beach, where world-class surfing competitions are held every year. The atmosphere is festive every day of the week, which is a test of the biological clocks. To make matters worse, the average annual temperature is 27 °C, and Puerto Escondido boasts 330 days of guaranteed sunshine... by the tourist office.