Mexico City to Puerto Escondido (Backpacker Guide) 2023

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How to get from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido (or the other way round) safely, easily and cheaply. This post explains the most common backpacker ways to travel between Puerto Escondido and Mexico City.

Looking at how to get from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido? You’re in the right place!

I know all of the information online may seem overwhelming. Do I need to fly? Is there a bus? Are the buses in Mexico safe? It takes how many hours?!

Don’t worry, I’ve been there. When backpacking, I find planning how to get to and from places the most annoying and tedious part of the trip. That’s why I’ve written this blog post to make it all plain sailing when travelling from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido.

Note this post is written for budget backpackers, digital nomads and travellers in Puerto Escondido.

So, let’s begin!

Psst! I have lots more videos and photos of backpacking Mexico over on my Instagram. If you want to check them out, they’re all saved in my highlights! You can follow me here!

BEST Hostels in Oaxaca — Mexico City to Puerto Escondido

Getting from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido: A Summary

Contents

When Googling how to get from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido, the amount of information and numbers that pop up are overwhelming.

As a budget backpacker, I need to know how, when and how much I need to pay for my transport between the two places.

Unfortunately, getting from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido by road isn’t easy. Not only is there over 280 miles between the two but there’s also an entire mountain range blocking Puerto Escondido from Oaxaca City.

So how do you get from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido? There are three options:

Bus
Plane
Bus, stop off in Oaxaca, then another bus

Due to the distance and tricky roads and routes, self-driving isn’t the best idea. It can be done, but you’re either going to have to be extremely confident driving on windy mountainous roads, or want to do a 20+ hour drive with multiple stops.

Personally, I recommend combining your trip to Puerto Escondido with a stop-off in Oaxaca City. Oaxaca City is the ‘capital’ of the Oaxaca state and was one of our favourite places in the whole of Mexico. It’s definitely worth stopping there for a few nights if you have time.

Most backpackers and digital nomads in Puerto Escondido take the bus or fly, because of the additional stop-off in Oaxaca. We even met older travellers and tourists on vacation who had taken the bus. But more on that later!

Is Puerto Escondido Safe for Solo Female Travellers? — The beautiful beaches of Puerto Escondido

best beaches in puerto escondido — The beautiful beaches of Puerto Escondido

1. Flying

Flying is the easiest and quickest way to get between Mexico City and Puerto Escondido. And depending on the time of year, it can also be the cheapest!

If you want to fly, it will take around 1.15 hours with Viva Aerobus. Depending on the time of year, the flight can cost between £50 ($55) – £100 ($110). Flights can be booked directly on Cheapoair.

If you are NOT interested in seeing Oaxaca City, I recommend flying between Mexico City and Puerto Escondido. It’s easily the easiest and least-time consuming, but it means you’re missing out on the wonderful Oaxaca. So, you decide!

Booking flights?

There are a few different websites I use to book flights, but I mainly use this one. This is because it compares the cheapest flights on the Internet, and always gives you the best deals! Check it out by clicking here.

2. Bus

Going from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido directly via bus is the most time-consuming option. But if you’re on a tight backpacker’s budget and flight prices are high, it might be the best option for you.

Do your research beforehand to find out the best way for you at your time of travelling.

Bus from Mexico City > Puerto Escondido: 18-19 hours.
Prices range between £40 ($45) – £100 ($100) depending on company and time of year.

As a backpacker in Mexico, you will often use the ADO bus to travel between locations. These buses are clean, safe, and modern and have toilets onboard. They make multiple stops and are popular with tourists.

If you’re solo travelling or visiting Mexico for the first time, I highly recommend sticking to ADO buses. If you’re an experienced traveller, you may want to take the more ‘local’ buses.

We used Busbud to book all of our ADO buses, and tickets are sent directly to your phone. This means no waiting in long lines in sweaty Mexican bus stations!

Backpacking Mexico? Use the ADO buses!

ADO buses are the safest, cheapest and most convenient way to backpack Mexico. They’re clean, modern and even have toilets onboard. However, you always need to pre-book, as seats sell out fast!
Click here to check prices, dates and availability!

Did you know?

Oaxaca is pronounced ‘wa-ha-ka’, the same pronunciation as the Mexican fast food restaurant ‘Wahaca’ in the UK.

3. Bus, Oaxaca stop-off, bus

If you have the time whilst backpacking Mexico, board the ADO bus in Mexico City, then stop off in Oaxaca City.

Bus from Mexico City > Oaxaca (6-7 hours)
Bus from Oaxaca > Puerto Escondido (11 hours)

Prices for each bus range between £30 ($35) – £60 ($65), again depending on the time of year and availability. We did see a sale on Busbud for under £10 a ticket in November, so be sure to check here!

Oaxaca City is one of the most beautiful, colourful and vibrant cities in Mexico, and isn’t one to be missed! We visited in 2022 for Day of the Dead, and it was one of the best experiences we’ve ever had.

Even when there isn’t a national holiday happening, Oaxaca is full of life. From festivals and parties on the streets, to live music, mezcal tasting and traditional Oaxacan foods, it’s one of the best cities in Mexico to immerse yourself in the culture and Mexican way of life.

There are actually 3 ways to get from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido, which I have explained more about in my post How To Get From Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido (2022 Guide). If you’re doing this route, make sure to check it out!

How do I get from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido?

In summary, there are three main ways to get from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido. The easiest way is a 1.15 hour flight, costing around £50 ($55). Alternatively, you can catch an 18-hour bus, which may be cheaper depending on the time of year.

The third and most popular option is to catch a bus from Mexico City to Oaxaca, spend some time in Oaxaca City, and then board the bus to Puerto Escondido.

How many days do you need in Puerto Escondido?

If you’re visiting Puerto Escondido for the first time, 4-5 days is enough time to do the main activities, explore the best beaches and experience the Puerto Escondido way of life.

However, this of course depends on what you’re coming to Puerto Escondido for! It’s definitely one of those places that you’ll instantly fall in love with and never want to leave.

We spent nearly 2 months living in Puerto Escondido, whilst taking Spanish classes and surf lessons and working as digital nomads. This was a great amount of time for us, but we definitely could have stayed longer!

La Punta in Puerto Escondido is one of the most amazing places I have ever been to – I couldn’t recommend it enough! If you have the luxury of time, stay for at least 2 weeks to familiarise yourself with the people, culture and atmosphere!

Looking for somewhere to stay in Puerto Escondido? I recommend this hostel for solo backpackers, this hostel for digital nomads or this hostel for couples!

What airport do you fly into for Puerto Escondido?

Puerto Escondido has its own airport, so you can fly directly there. However, if you’re coming from Oaxaca, you will have either flown into Oaxaca International Airport or Mexico City International Airport.

Did you know?

Mexico City is often referred to as CDMX, which translates as Ciudad de México in Spanish.

How do I get from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido?

You have a few options when travelling between Oaxaca City and Puerto Escondido:

ADO bus (most budget-friendly option)
Plane (most expensive option)
Taxi, car share or minibus
Hiring a car and doing the drive yourself

You can find out more information about the different ways to travel between Oaxaca City and Puerto Escondido here.

Is Puerto Escondido worth visiting?

Yes! Yes and yes again. Even if it means taking an 18-hour bus! If you’re backpacking Mexico, make sure Puerto Escondido is planned for your route. It’s truly one of the friendliest, liveliest and best places to be in Mexico, and it is perfect for solo backpackers and digital nomads.

We loved Puerto Escondido so much that we lived there for nearly two months! This blog is packed full of Puerto Escondido information, so be sure to check it out!

Best travel insurance for backpackers in Mexico

If you’re visiting Mexico as a backpacker, or even for a short vacation, it is so important to have travel insurance. And if you ended up on a post that’s called ‘epic party tips’, you know (just as well as I do) that you definitely need travel insurance.

Personally, I recommend SafetyWing. As a digital nomad and world traveller myself, I can confirm it is the best travel insurance out there. And one of the cheapest – they have deals that start at just $42 USD per month.

I know, I know, you’re thinking ‘but I can’t afford that!’. I was the same! It’s tough to fork out $42 a month on something ‘you might not need’. But what if something DOES happen? That extra Mezcal shot results in you falling down the stairs, or you eat something dodgy from a street food van.

If you need medical help at any point whilst in Mexico, you need travel insurance.

With SafetyWing, you’re covered on travel emergencies, basic medical costs and medical expenses throughout your trip, so you can travel without worry (at a backpacker’s price!)

Don’t even think twice about getting travel insurance for Mexico. Trust me, I have heard enough horror stories about backpackers who haven’t had insurance and have ended up in a lot of debt. Don’t be that person!

If you’ve been putting the job off because it takes a lot of time and effort to research the best travel insurance companies, I understand. That’s why I’ve done the hard work for you. Sign up for SafetyWing, and the job is done!

Mexico City to Puerto Escondido: In a Nutshell

So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about getting from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido.

When you’re planning a trip to Puerto Escondido, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!

If you haven’t come across my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently backpacking Mexico with my boyfriend (read more here!), whilst creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!

Keep an eye out for more Mexico content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!

As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!

Happy travelling 🙂

Jennie x

MEET THE AUTHOR!

Jennie

TRAVEL BLOGGER

Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.

If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).

Mexico City to Puerto Escondido (Backpacker Guide) 2023