Peace and Quiet in Puerto Escondido
Mexico is one of my favorite places to visit in the world. I've been there more times than any other country outside of the US, stayed in more cities, re-visited more favorites and had more enjoyable experiences than anywhere else. There are a lot of reasons why I love Mexico – the people, the food, the culture – they all speak to me in a special way, but I think the main reason is that every time I go to a different region, I have a uniquely new experience.
Of all my trips, my favorite by far was my recent visit to Mexico City and Puerto Escondido. Mexico City is amazing, but Puerto is a gem that I feel so lucky to have spent time in. Our stay there was short. Only three of our eight total days were spent in Puerto Escondido, but, in my opinion, they were the best and the most memorable three.
We took a short flight from Mexico City to Puerto – about an hour and a half in total – so if you’re planning a trip to CDMX, I highly recommend escaping for a few days to this little beach town. Even though Puerto Escondido was the preferred part of my vacation, I think the juxtaposition of the noise in the busy city and the serenity we had by the water were a beautiful and convenient combination.
After landing, it was about a 45 minute car ride to our beach house (not on the beach, but steps from it). We didn’t stay in the main city, but chose an Airbnb about 45 minutes from the airport, that sits along about a mile long strip of other rental houses and hotels. I found our Airbnb, Casa Cosmos, through a friend, who suggested I use it as an inspo when photographing my photo studio. I was immediately pulled in by the warm tones of the wood, the openness of the architecture, and the way the light filtered beautifully through the floor to ceiling doors. I knew instantly that I had to stay there. Looking back, it’s funny that I chose the location for the house, but ended up loving the landscape of the area and what the location had to offer, more than I did our vacation home.
Don’t get me wrong, Casa Cosmos is stunning. It's also an extremely unique place. The house opens all the way up to the jungle around it. There are no locks on the doors, but there is a small safe that can fit a few valuables. The rooftop offered some of the best sunset views I’ve ever seen, but I think we could have benefited from having a mosquito net for bed time on our packing list.
Our first day there, we went to the pool at Hotel Escondido. This was a highlight. The infinity pool is steps from the ocean, and when you buy a day pass at the hotel, it comes with a $150 food/drink credit. We spent the day sipping ice cold margaritas, trying every taco on the menu, and taking periodic dips in the cool water.
That night we walked to Hotel Terrestre for a family-style dinner with strangers. The chef prepared shareable plates, with local ingredients, and it was a good opportunity to socialize with other tourists from around the world. Sitting next to us were a couple from Brooklyn, a group of friends from Copenhagen, and a solo traveler from Hawaii.
I’d recommend spending more time at Terrestre. It’s beautifully designed and a good alternative for people who want to connect with nature in a less rugged way. Here are a few other activities we enjoyed during our stay:
Kakurega Omakase: A 12-seat restaurant that serves traditional Japanese Omakase with Oaxacan flavors
Casa Wabi: An artist retreat that you can visit for a day with stunning architecture and design.
Cobarde Bar: A hidden bar that specializes in small batches of Mezcal.
Our trip was mostly about downtime. We were on nobody’s schedule, but ours. It was the most rejuvenating vacation I've ever experienced. I cannot wait to go back and spend more time in the place that offered me a much needed dose of peace and quiet.