December 12, 2019.

We arrived at the bus station in Puerto Escondido to be greeted by several police officers – they were ecstatic to see us. “Are the tourists coming back?” they asked.

We booked into our hotel, Rincón del Pácifico, the same hotel we had stayed at 30 years previously. At that time it had been $10/night for a room next to the bombe (pump), a bit noisy but great location, right on the beach.

The prices for a room had gone up but the hotel had been expanded thoughtfully, with a covered eating area, an interesting, mostly regional menu and a new tiled bar that curved gracefully into the garden.

For an early dinner/snack I had chicken, cream and guacamole taquitos – I seem to remember having the same dish 30 years earlier and it was still yummy! Al had fish and chips, tons of really tasty battered fish, more Mexican-style than British.  

After we set off for a walk down the beach. Before there had been maybe 12 boats in the water in front of the hotel; now there seemed to be a hundred. The sailfish statue, a symbol of the town, at dusk.We came back via the main beach road, stopping in at one of the bars for a margarita.

December 13.

After booking a tour of the town with Gina, the goddess of information, we wandered down the beach to the rocks where, as usual in Mexico, a few restaurants had set out loungers and umbrellas on the beach where you could sit all day as long as you ordered food and drinks from them. The food was excellent; the beers cold; the temperature perfect and the water not nearly as rough as I remember it. 

December 14.

Gina at the market with one of the local vendors.

The day of Gina’s Tour. It started with breakfast and carried on from there, to the church, to a home-made tortilla place, to the market. I will have to post this separately as it runs quite long.

December 15. 

A mostly beach day although we ran into Gina on a stroll through the town and she invited us to a whale-watching tour as her guests! Wow!

December 16.

Our whale-watching day. We walked over to Playa Angelito where the event took place – it was the season opening and of course we saw a whale.    The rest of the day we spent at the next beach over, Playa Manzanillo. The 140 peso ceviche.

December 17.

Lazy day. We had originally planned to take a bus to one of the other highly-recommended beaches out of town but it was just too easy to stay in town and relax at the our regular spot on the beach.

When I was out swimming I found a key from Bungalows Zicatela floating in the water so I went for a walk on the other side of the rocks to see if I could find the Bungalows and key owner.

The waves were huge there, the beaches red-flagged all the way down with surfers wandering about. Surfing championships are often held on this beach.Meditation on the beach with Buddha, next to a surfboard with a shark bite taken out of it. Is this supposed to be calming? The beach on the other side of the rocks was a different world. Hanging loungers, massage tables, very cool-looking places but they didn’t look cheap. Fun-looking bars across the road too. 

Later I described it to Al and he said, “so that side is for young people and this side is for old farts, and we know which side we belong on!”

December 18.

Another event that Gina put us onto was the day of the Virgen de Soledad. Puerto Escondido not only has the Virgen de Guadalupe it also has two other Virgenes. On December 18th the Virgen de Soledad was taken out of the church and down to the boats for her annual cruise through the waters of Puerto Escondido to bless the fishing fleet. Google map of Puerto Escondido beaches.

• Manzanillo, beach destination No. 2.
• the 7 1/2 hour bus ride from Manzanillo to Lázaro Cárdenas.
• Arriving in Zihuatanejo 20 years later.
• Our second day in Zihuatanejo.
• Christmas Festivities in Zihuatanejo.
• Travelling to Little-Known Places like Marquelia
• More about travelling in Mexico.