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    Cascada-de-la-Reforma-Oaxaca-Mexico, Cascada de la Reforma

    Photo by Leonard Saers, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Cascada de la Reforma

    Waterfall San Gabriel Mixtepec, Oaxaca Oaxaca Coast

    A roughly 50 m waterfall in the hills above Puerto Escondido, with a swimming pool at its foot; dirt road, then a short walk.

    From Oaxaca: 3 h 35 min by car (228 km by road) How to get there ↓

    Near here

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    Plan your visit to Cascada de la Reforma

    Where to stay near Cascada de la Reforma

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Cascada de la Reforma.

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    Tours to Cascada de la Reforma

    Day trips and guided outings from Juquila often include Cascada de la Reforma; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to Cascada de la Reforma

    • From Oaxaca: about 3 h 35 min by road (~228 km)
    • Nearest airport: Puerto Escondido (PXM), 1 h 22 min by car to Juquila
    Rent a car at PXM Flights to PXM

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    About Cascada de la Reforma

    Cascada de la Reforma drops about 50 metres down a rock gorge in the hills behind Puerto Escondido, in the municipality of San Gabriel Mixtepec. At its foot is a wide pool, around 50 metres across according to one travel guide, where you can swim as long as you stay out from directly beneath the falling water.

    Part of the appeal is the route. A paved stretch toward San Pedro Mixtepec gives way to a winding dirt road, so the 38 km from the coast takes close to an hour and three-quarters. You leave the vehicle at the entrance, where a small shop sells snacks, soft drinks, beer and water and where the only toilets are; from there it is a 10 to 15 minute walk down into the valley, across a knee-deep stream, and about 5 more minutes along a concrete footpath to the falls.

    The best window is roughly 9 am to 3 pm, when the sun reaches the bottom of the valley; outside it the falls sit in shade and the water feels cold. A yellow rope marks how close to go, and the current in the first pool can be strong. Tours leave from Puerto Escondido and most hostels sell them, but it is just as easy to go on your own by car or scooter.

    How to get to Cascada de la Reforma

    Drive from Oaxaca: 3 h 35 min, 228 km

    From Puerto Escondido it is about 38 km northeast and roughly 1 hour 45 minutes by car, according to a travel guide. The first 45 minutes are on pavement toward San Pedro Mixtepec; then you turn right onto Av. Constitución, a winding dirt road that takes about another hour. A rented scooter is enough, but slow down on the bends. The road ends at the parking area and entrance; from there a 10 to 15 minute path leads down, you cross a stream, and it is about 5 more minutes to the falls. The alternative is a tour from Puerto Escondido, booked through your lodging or a tourist office, at around 800 pesos per person. Oaxaca city is far away, so most people base themselves in Puerto Escondido. We found no scheduled public transport to the falls: without a tour you rent a scooter or car. Ask locally about the dirt road after heavy rain before setting out.

    Directions to Cascada de la Reforma on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Best with a guide Tours to Cascada de la Reforma on Viator With transport and a guide, leaving from nearby towns and cities. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to Cascada de la Reforma

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Cascada de la Reforma: hours, prices and tips

    Entry
    Entrance fee about 10 MXN, paid at the gate. Jonny Melon, Cascada La Reforma guide · checked Oct 2026
    Best time of day
    Go between 9 am and 3 pm, when sun reaches the valley; outside those hours the falls are mostly in shade and cold. Jonny Melon, Cascada La Reforma guide · checked Oct 2026
    Guide or tour
    Not required. Guided tours from Puerto Escondido cost about 800 MXN per person. Tours: Viator GetYourGuide Jonny Melon, Cascada La Reforma guide · checked Oct 2026
    Rules
    Swim only behind the yellow rope and not directly under the falls; the current in the first pool can be strong. Jonny Melon, Cascada La Reforma guide · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Cascada de la Reforma: what to see and do

    Look up at the main fall, about 50 m high, from the pool.
    Swim in the natural pool, always behind the yellow rope.
    Wade the stream and follow the concrete footpath to the foot of the falls.
    Buy water and snacks at the shop by the entrance, the only stop on the way.
    Go in mid-morning so the falls catch the sun.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Cascada de la Reforma

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Cascada de la Reforma.

    See them all on Expedia Booking.com
    Vacation rentals on Vrbo Airbnb

    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Juquila often include Cascada de la Reforma; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at PXM (Puerto Escondido): about 1 h 22 min by road to Juquila, then 46 km more to Cascada de la Reforma, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Puerto Escondido (PXM), about 1 h 22 min by road from Juquila, the base for Cascada de la Reforma.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    If you plan on swimming and hiking at Cascada de la Reforma, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Juquila: download a map of the way to Cascada de la Reforma before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

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    When to go to Cascada de la Reforma mild

    Cascada de la Reforma shares the climate of Juquila, 46 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.

    Waterfalls like Cascada de la Reforma run fullest in the rainiest months here (June, August, and September) and can thin out at the end of the dry season (February, March, and December).

    See the month-by-month climate of Juquila

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Juquila

    White baroque facade of the Santuario de Juquila under a deep blue sky, Oaxaca mild
    Oaxaca Juquila

    Juquila is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Cascada de la Reforma, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

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    Closest to Cascada de la Reforma

    Near Cascada de la Reforma

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Lists with Cascada de la Reforma

    Waterfalls in Oaxaca · 3

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.