The small seaside town is simply a strip of barely paved road with a few restaurants and hotels on either side. The long whitesand beach sits secluded between two towering rock cliffs, the crashing waves beckoning surfers to ride them. The simplicity of it all is what makes Playa Zipolite so charming. You won’t find any over-the-top resorts or ritzy all-inclusives. What you will find are laid back locals who never seem to know what time it is, street vendors selling stylish handmade crafts, delicious Mexican cuisine cooked in ways that can only be found in Oaxaca, and some of the most beautiful sunsets in Central America.
Note: Do keep in mind that Playa Zipolite is a popular destination for nudists. When we were there, most people seemed to keep their swimsuits on, but don’t be surprised if you see fellow travelers donning nothing more than their birthday suit.
Here are 22 photos to show why Playa Zipolite is paradise on Earth.
Surfing
Since living in Costa Rica, one of our (more specifically my) favorite beach pastimes is hitting the waves. Surf lessons are popular here and nearly everyone on our trip with Cantimplora Travel caught some waves during our surf session! We were so grateful to have a professional photographer with us to capture the moment while we enjoyed the ride.
Cruise to Bahia De La Luna
The following morning, we took a fishing boat around the corner to Bahia De La Luna. On the way we were lucky enough to spot sea turtles and dolphins. We were told the migrating humpback whales weren’t in season to make an appearance. Our boat arrived early to this quiet, super secluded piece of paradise just as the sun was reaching above the surrounding cliffs to light up the calm turquoise water. Our breakfast came from the conveniently located little restaurant set up right on the beach. After a few hours of enjoying the bay, we had the invitation to get our blood pumping a bit and were taken to a spot where you can cliff jump.
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Dinner at La Providencia
Mexico City’s restaurants may be known to have some of the best cuisine in the world, but La Providencia just outside Playa Zipolite rivals the best of them, and for a fraction of the price. The owners Javier and Paco make some incredible meals including coconut shrimp, medallion tuna, and much more!
Sunset at Punta Cometa
This special spot just north of town is famous for its dramatic sunsets. After a short 10-15 minute hike from the entrance to the point, we were greeted by expansive views stretching up and down the dramatic coastline. It’s one of the only places you can see the sun both rise and set over the ocean!
Drinks at El Alquimista
What better way to end the day than with drinks illuminated by torchlight and your toes in the sand. To top it all off we headed to El Alquimista at the far north end of the beach and grabbed a couch on the sand to sip our cocktail under the stars.
During this trip we were guests of Cantimplora Travel and all of the photos above where taken by our personal photographer. If you want to explore off-the-beaten-path Mexico with the safety and convenience of a small group and professional photographer, you can experience Playa Zipolite and much more of Oaxaca State on their Destination: Oaxaca Tour using the link below.
A huge thank you to Cantimplora Travel for inviting us to join their awesome Oaxaca Road Trip! As always, all thoughts are our own.
well im convinced! Awesome work!
Haha, glad to hear it! ;-) Thanks, Andrew!
A Cruising Couple recently posted…Uncover The World
Looks fantastic! We also loved that area, so laid back and with such a great atmosphere. Did you try some skinny dipping there? Zipolite apparently is one of the few beaches in Mexico that tolerates nudists.
Thanks for the post and inspiration, enjoy your upcoming travels!
Hey, Julian!
Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to skinny dip there! We were traveling with a group though and a personal photographer, so not really the right opportunity. Maybe we should put that on our list of things to do next time we go. :-)
Hope you have an awesome time! You’re going to love it!
A Cruising Couple recently posted…Uncover The World
I can’t belive things I see. I wish I go to there once. I love it. nhac ru ngu
Nice post I always wanted to visit in that kind of place such a great and lovely place.
I don’t know how you could have missed the fact that Playa Ziplolite is a nude beach, especially if you were surfing on the far west side of the beach, in front of El Alquimista and Hotel Nude. The entire beach is clothing-optional, but the west end is where most of the nudists go.
We did see a handful of nudists while we were there, but we were surprised to find that most people seemed to keep their clothes on. It is good to know though that if you’re uncomfortable with nude beaches, you’ll definitely want to look elsewhere.