How to Get From Puerto Escondido to Mazunte (Easy & Cheap!)

Posted 05/03/2024 | 5th March, 2024

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Puerto Escondido is a huge backpacker hub boasting some of the most incredible beaches in the whole of Mexico (playa Carrizalillo being my absolute favourite!). It is a lively town filled with hotels, beach bars and restaurants.

But 90 minutes down the road is Mazunte, a sleepy, hippy town with just a handful of places to eat and drink. But it’s got a special kind of charm. It’s the kind of place you book for days and stay for weeks.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a direct bus between these two beach towns. However, the trip is extremely straightforward, and Mazunte certainly shouldn’t be missed from your Mexico Itinerary.

So here is your complete guide detailing how to get from Puerto Escondido to Mazunte.

Playa Carrizalillo Oaxaca — Beautiful View of Playa Carrizalillo

Table of Contents

Step 1 – Puerto Escondido to San Antonio

The first leg of your journey between Puerto Escondido and Mazunte is the journey to San Antonio.

This is the same bus that heads to Pachutla, but you don’t need to take it that far. Instead, you want to get off at San Antonio, which will save you a significant amount of time and money.

Puerto Escondido to San Antonio Timetable

The online ADO bus schedule will only allow you to purchase tickets all the way to Pachutla, which costs around $120 MXN per person.

Instead, we headed down to the central bus station in Puerto Escondido (the same one that would have dropped you off if you came from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido). We went down the night before to investigate, and the staff member was very friendly and wrote down the times for us.

The bus between Puerto Escondido leaves on the hour and costs $68 MXN per person (significantly less than the ADO price). The bus you will be taking is a SUR bus, which is recognisable from its white exterior with green branding.

If you’re not staying in centro, you can jump on the bus along the highway. Simply flag down the bus heading to Puchulta and inform the driver you want to get off at San Antonio. It’s best to pay using the correct change on these local buses.

Puerto Escondido to San Antionio Journey

I would recommend getting to the station around twenty minutes before your desired bus. There was quite a queue for tickets, we arrived fifteen minutes before and just ended up making the bus in time.

When you get on the bus, you simply need to hand the driver your pink ticket purchased at the office, and he will give you back a receipt.

There is a trunk for your luggage, and the bus was plenty spacious enough with strong air conditioning.

The journey to San Antonio took around an hour and was pleasant. I would keep an eye on your map as if no other travellers are getting off here (highly unlikely but still possible), you might miss the spot.

There is an Oxxo store (pictured below) and a couple of restaurants, but not much else here.

Note: make sure you tell the driver that your bag is in the boot/trunk when getting off the bus. Otherwise, there is a high chance he will drive off without giving you enough time to grab it!

Oxxo San Antonio — The Oxxo in San Antonio signals you’re in the right spot

Step 2 – San Antonio to Mazunte

The second and final leg of the journey requires you to jump in a collectivo to the hippy town of Mazunte. If you’re not familiar, a collectivo is essentially a pickup truck with two benches in the back for guests to sit on.

These get very busy! Its super common to see people hanging off the back as these vehicles wind through the town. You pay the driver upon departing the vehicle.

This journey took around twenty minutes and was so much fun! If you’ve never taken a collectivo before, it will certainly be an experience.

Note: if you have tonnes of luggage, or simply don’t fancy the collectivo experience, you can easily pick up a taxi from outside the Oxxo store in San Antonio. Expect to pay between $100 MXN – $150 MXN, depending on how busy it is and how good your negotiation skills are. If there are four of you, this option may be worth it.

Cost of Travelling Between Puerto Escondido and Mazunte

This will make any budget traveller happy – the journey between the two costs only $88 MXN per person.

The first bus from Puerto Escondido to San Antonio is $68 MXN per person. Then, the collectivo from San Antonio to Mazunte is $20 MXN per person.

Alternative Ways to Travel Between Puerto Escondido and Mazunte

There are two other alternative (albeit more expensive) ways to travel between Puerto Escondido and Mazunte.

Taxi From Peurto Escondido to Mazunte

If you’re time-poor and cash-rich, then taking a taxi all the way from Puerto Escondido to Mazunte may be the best option for you. The rate for a taxi is around $900 MXN, but this will largely depend on the availability of taxis and on your negotiation skills.

Please note that you might struggle to find a local taxi driver willing to make the journey, so give yourself enough time to ask around. Alternatively, speak with the staff in your hostel or hotel who will be able to help.

Self-Drive from Puerto Escondido to Mazunte

If you don’t want to take a taxi or public transport between these two beautiful beach destinations, your other option is to hire a car. The road between Puerto Escondido and Mazunte is essentially one straight line, so it’s not a complex or challenging drive.

There are so many beautiful beaches in the area, so if you’re planning to drive between the two spots, I would recommend hiring the car for a few extra days and exploring all that this beautiful coast has to offer.