Beach San Pedro Mixtepec, Oaxaca Municipality of San Pedro Mixtepec Oaxaca Coast
A long, open beach below Puerto Escondido's Bacocho neighbourhood, known for its sunsets and the daily release of olive ridley hatchlings.
From Oaxaca: 2 h 50 min by car (193 km by road) How to get there ↓
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Where to stay near Playa Bacocho
Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Playa Bacocho.
Tours to Playa Bacocho
Day trips and guided outings from Juquila often include Playa Bacocho; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Tours from Puerto Escondido
Dolphin & Whale Watching in Puerto Escondido
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How to get to Playa Bacocho
- From Oaxaca: about 2 h 50 min by road (~193 km)
- Nearest airport: Puerto Escondido (PXM), 1 h 22 min by car to Juquila
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Tours from Puerto Escondido, near Playa Bacocho
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About Playa Bacocho
Playa Bacocho is a long, open stretch of sand on the western edge of Puerto Escondido, about 4 km from the main bay, below the residential Fraccionamiento Bacocho and close to the airport. It runs for well over a kilometre west of Playa Coral, backed by cliffs and palm trees, and faces the open Pacific. Compared with the coves in town it is quiet and spacious, a place for long walks, sunbathing and watching the sun go down.
The beach is best known for its sea turtle camp. Vivemar, a non-profit started in 2011 as a cooperative by people from the area, runs a hatchery here and works along some 27 km of coast to protect sea turtles, birds and mangroves. Volunteers patrol at night for nests, and the eggs are moved to a fenced corral where they incubate for 40 to 60 days. Most of the hatchlings are olive ridleys (golfinas), the most common turtle on this coast; the group also works with green, leatherback and hawksbill turtles.
Most late afternoons, depending on how many eggs have hatched that day, the camp gives a short talk and then invites visitors to release hatchlings at the water's edge around sunset. Each baby turtle is handed over in a jícara, a gourd bowl, and set on the sand to make its own way to the sea, guided by the sound of the waves. Away from the release area the surf can be strong, so check conditions with the lifeguards before going in, and avoid the beach after dark.
How to get to Playa Bacocho
Drive from Oaxaca: 2 h 50 min, 193 km
Bacocho is on the west side of Puerto Escondido, about 4 km from the main bay and near the airport, below the Fraccionamiento Bacocho. It is a short taxi ride from the centre; tour operators in town also run transport to the turtle release.
Directions to Playa Bacocho on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Playa Bacocho
- Oaxaca · 193 km by road, 2 h 50 min
- Salina Cruz · 254 km by road, 3 h 30 min
- Juchitán · 297 km by road, 4 h 5 min
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Before you go to Playa Bacocho: hours, prices and tips
- Hours
- Hatchling releases take place most afternoons around 4 to 5 pm, near sunset; some days there are no hatchlings, so ask ahead. Viva Puerto, México Desconocido · checked Oct 2026
- Entry
- The camp asks about 100 pesos per turtle released, which pays for the hatchery and staff. Viva Puerto · checked Oct 2026
- Rules
- Place the hatchling gently on the sand, don't drop it and don't let it touch your body. México Desconocido · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Playa Bacocho: what to see and do
Release olive ridley hatchlings with the Vivemar camp in the late afternoon.
Listen to the camp's short talk on sea turtle conservation.
Walk the length of the beach below the cliffs.
Watch the sunset over the open Pacific.
Combine it with a swim at nearby Playa Coral or Carrizalillo.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Playa Bacocho
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Playa Bacocho.
Tours & activities
Day trips and guided outings from Juquila often include Playa Bacocho; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at PXM (Puerto Escondido): about 1 h 22 min by road to Juquila, then 46 km more to Playa Bacocho, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Puerto Escondido (PXM), about 1 h 22 min by road from Juquila, the base for Playa Bacocho.
Travel insurance
If you plan on swimming or surfing at Playa Bacocho, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Juquila: download a map of the way to Playa Bacocho before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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When to go to Playa Bacocho mild
Playa Bacocho shares the climate of Juquila, 46 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.
Playa Bacocho is best for swimming and time on the water in the warmest months (March, April, and May); in the rainiest ones (June, August, and September) expect storms in the afternoon.
See the month-by-month climate of Juquila
Weather in Playa Bacocho now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
The closest Pueblo Mágico: Juquila
Juquila is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Playa Bacocho, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Mazunte · Oaxaca · 62 km away
Closest to Playa Bacocho
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Playa Carrizalillo · Beach · 2 km away
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Playa Puerto Angelito · Beach · 2 km away
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Puerto Escondido · Town · 2 km away
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Playa Zicatela · Beach · 5 km away
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La Punta (Playa Zicatela) · Beach · 7 km away
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Laguna de Manialtepec · Lagoon · 13 km away
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Ventanilla · Village · 14 km away
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Santa María Colotepec · Town · 17 km away
Near Playa Bacocho
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Lists with Playa Bacocho
Beaches in Oaxaca · 19 Beaches near Juquila · 6Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.