Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca

**Puerto Escondido** (Inglis/Scots: "Hidden Port") is a smaw port an tourist centre in the municipality o San Pedro Mixtepec Distrito 22 in the Mexican state o Oaxaca.  Prior tae the 1930s, nae real toun existit. The bay haed been uised as a port intermittently tae ship coffee, but thare wis nae permanent dounset due tae the lack o potable watter. The name Puerto Escondido haed ruits in the legend o a wumman who escapit her captors an hid here. The Nahuatl wird for this aurie wis Zicatela, meanin “place o lairge thorns." The day, it refers tae the aurie’s maist famous beach.

Puerto Escondido is ane o the maist important tourist attractions on the Oaxacan coast. It caters tae a mair dounscale an eclectic clientele than neebourin Huatulco, maistly surfers, backpackers an Mexican faimilies.  The main attractions are the beaches, frae Zicatela Beach, which hosts major surfin competitions, tae beaches wi gentle waves.  Wast frae the toun is a lairge lagoon aurie popular for fishin an birdwatchin.

## History
The aurie aroond Puerto Escondido haed been inhabitit bi indigenous fowks for centuries, but nae touns o ony size wur established durin the pre-Hispanic or colonial eras.  The bay wis kent as Bahia de la Escondida (Bay o the Hidden Wumman) due tae a legend associatit wi this place.  The story states that a fierce pirate bi the name o Andrés Drake, brither o Sir Francis Drake, anchored his ship in the bay whan the aurie wis completely uninhabitit, in order tae rest for a few days unmolestit bi authorities.

Some weeks afore, he an his crew kidnappit a young Mixtec wumman frae the veelage o Santa María Huatulco an teuk her preesoner. While in the bay, the wumman managit tae escape the cabin in which she wis bein held, an bein a guid swimmer, jumpit owerboard tae get tae shore an hide in the jungle juist ayont the beach. Syne then, the pirates referred tae the wumman as “La Escondida” (the hidden ane) an ivery time the ship returned tae thir waters, the caiptain ordered his crew tae sairch an aurie aroond the bay, housomeivver, thay niver foond her. Hence, the aurie became kent as the Bahía de la Escondida.

At the beginnin o the 20t century, it wis kent as Punta Escondida (Hidden Pynt), then later, Puerto Escondido. At that time, it wis juist a smaw fishin veelage that intermittently wis uised tae ship coffee. Back then, Puerto Escondido suffered frae a lack o potable watter, despite the fact that the Colotepec River ran nearbi. This caused fowk tae settle someplace else. Some did stay, includin Nazario Castellanos an Escolástica Valencia, who war the nicht watchmen for the nearby coffee plantations an considered tae be the toun’s first residents. Thare wis nae real toun till the 1930s, whan Puerto's activity as a port wis mair firmly established.

Puerto Escondido belangit tae the municipality o Santa María Colotepec. Housomeivver, eventually the residents petitioned tae chynge jurisdiction tae anither nearbi municipality, San Pedro Mixtepec, which wis grantit in the 1940s.

Frae the 1940s tae the 1960s, a kirk wis constructit an the first schuil wis biggit.  Wells wur eventually dug tae alleviate the watter supply problems, an generators bocht tae supply electricity tae the pumps an the few streetlichts. Housomeivver, thare wur still problems  gettin needit ootside supplees sic as succar. Thir commodities anerly arrivit whan a merchant ship entered the bay tae sell its wares. Whiles, this wad no happen for months. Residents got bi wi local products sic as fish, poultry, iguanas, chicken an turtle eggs. Efter the Sol de Vega road tae the caipital o Oaxaca wis constructit, this problem wis alleviatit somewha.

In the 1960s, Heich-gate 200 wis biggit, connectin Oaxacan coastal touns wi Acapulco. Surfers an ither tourists began tae fynd the quiet beaches aroond Puerto an tourism began tae flourish. Its function as a port diminished as coffee began tae be shippit bi truck. Ither infrastructur addit includit those tae supplee the aurie wi potable watter, a smaw airport whaur the Rinconada is nou, mail service an some govrenment offices. Housomeivver, in the 1970s anerly aboot 400 fowk livit in Puerto Escondido.

Wi time, Puerto Escondido’s importance as a tourist attraction increased, wi hotels an resorts bein constructit. For mony years, restaurants wur amaist exclusively in “palapas” (thatched ruif shelters) wi fishermen preparin thair catches; housomeivver, thir hae maistly gien wey tae modren tourist facilities.
Currently, Puerto Escondido is ane o the maist important tourist steids on the Oaxacan coast.

The commonty o Puerto Escondido is dividit atween twa municipalities, sae poleetically it is twa separate entities. The Zicatela Beach side belangs tae the municipality o Santa María Colotepec an the wastren portion belangs tae San Pedro Mixtepec. The boondar atween the twa municipalities is in dispute an aw, leavin mony businesses in limbo, whiles payin taxes tae baith municipalities.
. Puerto Escondido haes been lobbyin for a mair unthirlt status wi the congress o the state o Oaxaca, despite opposition frae San Pedro Mixtepec. In addeetion tae the abuin problems, backers o the measur state that while the commonty generates maist o the municipality’s income, it daes no receive support frae the municipal seat. In August 2008, residents o Puerto Escondido blockit the heich-gate tae the municipal seat o San Pedro Mixtepec tae protest the lack o money for infrastructur in the toun. An aw, 69% o the municipality’s population lifes in Puerto Escondido. As o the 2009 census, Puerto Escondido haed a population o 20,178
On 30 Julie 2009, the state congress declared Puerto Escondido tae be a ceety. Housomeivver, the declaration did no resolve the boondar dispute atween San Pedro Mixtepec an Santa María Colotepec.

## The toun

Puerto Escondido is maistly locatit in the municipality o San Pedro Mixtepec in the wastren portion o Oaxaca’s coast  kent as the Emerald Coast an aw. Its bay is adjoined bi a nummer o rocky clints, which vary in hicht atween fifteen an thirty metres. The toun centre is locatit on the north side o the bay. The climate is tropical an humid, wi a average annual temperatur o 28&nbsp;°C (82&nbsp;°F) wi a rainy saison in the simmer.

Puerto Escondido is the auldest tourist attraction in the region, an is the main centre o tourist activity, baith for naitionals an foreigners. The lairge waves o Zicatela beach put it intae the tap ten surfin destinations. The port daes continue tae support commercial fishin activity, an it attracts fowk for deep-sea fishin (esp. for sailfish).

Puerto is no as well-kent or visitit as ither beach resort auries sic as Acapulco or Cancun acause thare are anerly domestic flichts, discouragin a nummer o visitors.  Bus rides frae the Oaxacan caipital tak seiven oors ower hairpin turns as the roads descend the Sierra del Sur muntain range.

Puerto Escondido is maistly dounscale an rustic, wi mony smaw an mid-sizit hotels an restaurants, but thare are a few upscale hotels. Maist cuisine is based on seafuid an local plants, which include eleiven species o bananae, chocolate an coffee. It haes an unuisual nummer o Italian restaurants an aw, which hae been opened bi recent Italian immigrants.

The tourist centre o Puerto Escondido is no a plaza but Pérez Gazga Avenue, kent locally as El Adoquin or La Zona Adoquinada (the pavin stane street). Beginnin wi a statue o Benito Juárez are foond bars, hotels, cafes, restaurants, nichtclubs, craft shops, Internet cafes, corner stores, tour operators an scuba divin rental. It serves as a promenade an aw as it parallels the main beach o the toun, an is pedestrian-anerly efter 17:00. At nicht it is croudit wi locals an tourists.  This is ane o the auries tae buy Mexican, especially Oaxacan, handcrafts sic as loose-fittin blouses, shirts, vests, wraps, tapestries, handbags, bags, jackets, hammocks, carvit stane jewelry, siller an seashell items. Housomeivver, the main mercat in the toun centre is whaur you get competitive Mexican prices. Awa frae the beach abuin the Adoquin is the Coastal Heich-gate 200.

The Andador Escéncico (Scenic Walkwey) is a set o paths, stairs an brigs that begin at the main beach o the toun an winds its wey ower rocky oceanside cliffs, passin belaw the lichthoose tae a leukoot the namit Sueño Posible (Possible Dream). In some places the walkwey is vera near the ocean an gets wet frae the waves.

Each year, the ceety celebrates Carnival which begins wi the "quema de mal humor" or the burnin o bad muid. This is done wi a effigy wi the purpose o riddin the fowk o bad thochts an muids in order tae enjoy the festivities.

## Beaches
The main attractions o Puerto Escondido are its beaches, which hae acome internaitionally kent. The aurie is attractive tae scuba divers acause o the variety o fish tae be foond an aw, as well as lairge oysters, lobsters an manta rays. Awtho the Paceefic Coast o Mexico generally runs north-sooth, this section o the coast in Oaxaca runs east-wast, Playa Zicatela is on the eastren end.

Puerto Escondido became famous due tae surfin competitions held at **Zicatela Beach** ivery year in November. The competeetion brings competitors frae various kintras. Elk-namit the "Mexican Pipeline" due tae the seemilar pouer an shape o the Banzai Pipeline on the North Shore o Oahu, the wave that breaks on Zicatela Beach draws a internaitional croud o surfers, bodybuirders an thair entourages. Mid tae late simmer is law saison for tourists, but a prime time for waves an internaitional tournaments. A nummer o internaitional competitions sic as the ESPN X Games, an the MexPipe Challenge hae taken place. This beach is separatit frae the ither beaches bi a rocky ootcroppin cried "El Morro" (the neb). The beach is fifty tae ane hunder metres wide an fower kilometres lang wi lairge waves that reach up tae saxteen metres heich. Lifegairds are stationed at this heich-risk beach as well as on the ither beaches. Aboot hauf o thir are profeesional an the ither hauf volunteers. Zicatela is still a surfers beach, wi the strang unnertow makkin the aurie unsuitable for swimmin. The Zicatela Beach tourist destrict caters tae surfers, includin specials on surfbuird rentals.  The beach nou haes a promenade, landscapit wi flouers an shrubs alang the restaurants, mony recently established.

Wast o Zicatela ower the El Moro rocky ootcrop is **Playa Marinero**, which is the best beach for soummin as the surf an unnertow are hintle less. Thare is some surf, but gentle enough for beginnin surfers an bodybuirdin.

Wast frae Playa Marinero is **Playa Principal**, or main beach, frontin o the toun proper. A main difference that distinguishes this beach frae Marinero is that boats an watter taxis are anchored close tae shore. Here, fishermen arrive at dawn tae sell thair catch tae local restaurants an faimilies. It is 500 metres lang wi feene, gray saund an law tae moderate surf.  This is the primar place tae hire boats which tak tourists tae itherwise-inaccessible beaches, tae see porpoises an marine turtles or for deep-sea fishin. This beach is popular wi Mexican faimilies tae picnic on an play soccer an aw.

Wast o the Playa Principal is the lichthoose wi a stane walkwey, Andador Escénico, belaw it. Frae the end o the walkwey, an a bit farther wast, are the twin beaches o **Puerto Angelito** an **Manzanillo**, atween which is a smaw rock ootcroppin. Thir are on a sheltered cove, makkin it safe for soummin, wi Manzanillo haein slichtly mair surf. Angelito beach is full o faimily-awned smaw restaurants locatit in palapas (open-air thatched structurs). Baith thir beaches hae watter that varies in colour frae emerald green tae turquoise blue. Puerto Angelito tends tae be croudit an frequentit bi busloads o visitors. Playa Manzanillo is quieter as thare is nae road access.

Wast frae thir beaches is **Playa Carrizalillo**, which haes white saund an cobalt blue watter edgit in licht green. This 300 metre wide beach is on a smaw bay. Thare are nae vehicular roads tae this beach, an the fuitpath strynds a steep slope on a recently instawed rock stairwey. A watter taxi ride frae Playa Principal is anither option for accessin Carrizalillo.  Waves are normally gentle, except for a zone that opens directly ontae the ocean whaur waves are big enough for surfin. The difficult access means that the beach is no as croudit wi walkin vendors as the Puerto Angelito Beach. Thare are few restaurants an the aurie is generally cleaner. On the east an wast sides o the bay are rocky ootcroppins that serve as habitat for a wide variety o fish an coral, makkin it popular for snorkelin. Near Carrizalillo is the Rinconada, a umwhile landin strip that is nou lined wi restaurants, salons, an shops. It contains a lendin librar run bi a local charity run bi expatriates an aw.

The wastmaist beach is **Playa Bacocho** wi upscale beach clubs. It haes fine, saft saund, palm trees, wairm, blue-green watter an a moderate surf awtho the far wast pairt o the beach can hae a strang unnertow. It faces soothwast, afferin guid sunset views. Wast frae Bacocho are still unnevelopit beaches.

## Transportation
Puerto Escondido Internaitional Airport

## Media
Thare are an AM an FM radio station an Spainyie leid weekly newspapers.
¡Viva Puerto! http://vivapuerto.com/ an El Sol de la Costa http://www.soldelacosta.com/  are the twa local, bilingual magazines.

## Fiestas de Noviembre
The Fiestas de Noviembre (Festivals o November) are held durin the month intae the beginnin o Dizember. Events are scheduled in baith the San Pedro Mixtepec an Santa María Colotepec jurisdictions an thare is little coordination atween the events.  This uisually means a lairge nummer o events, mair nor a few concurrent an competin for attendees. Zicatela events are aften stagit on Playa Zicatela while the uptoun events are aften on Playa Principal or the municipal plaza wast an abuin the main beach.

Some o the major events include a motocross event, a sailfishin competeetion, a festival o coastal dance an a surfin turnament.

## Laguna de Manialtepec
Aboot ten km frae Puerto Escondido is the Laguna de Manialtepec. Thare is a smaw veelage on the wey cried Bajos de Chila as well as a smaw archeological zone o the Chatina cultur. This steid haes a Sun Stane which representit the solar deity an a statue o a heich-rankin priest.   The lagoon itsel is full o mangroves an a vera lairge nummer o birds sic as pelicans, seagulls, ibis, storks, cranes, jacanas, buzzards, keengfishers, swans an ither species. Ither wildlife here includes raccoons, weasels, deer, wild boar, tods an crocodiles. A nummer o thir are in danger due tae poaching. In the middle o the lagoon is a island namit Gallo, which accordin tae legend, a rooster can be heard singin ivery year on 24 Dizember.

## References