Zipolite: Where people come to do nothing

It's the ultimate beach lover's paradise. A place where your toes sink effortlessly into the silky sand. Where the slow, repetitious thunder of crashing waves lulls you into a trance. Where everything you can see is drenched in the soft, warm light of the sun. When you're spending a lazy day on the beach at Zipolite, it's easy to forget the rest of the world exists.

Located along Oaxaca's Pacific coast, Zipolite is one of the three main beach towns frequented by Mexican and foreign tourists in the state. Known for its tranquil, low-key atmosphere and nude beach, you won't find many high end resorts or flashy condos. As one of the beachside hangouts along the town's main strip proclaims, it's a place "where people come to do nothing." In this article, we'll give you the lowdown on this Oaxacan gem and one of our favorite places in Mexico. 

How to get there

Oaxaca's southern town of Pochutla is the gateway to the beaches of both Mazunte and Zipolite. Coming from Oaxaca City, you can take a shuttle to Pochutla provided by a company located on Calle de Armenta y Lopez between Arteaga and Rayón in Centro. A one-way trip cost us $170 pesos ($9.20 USD) per person. When you arrive in Pochutla, you can walk directly across the street from the shuttle service to wait for a colectivo that will take you to Zipolite. The cost for the colectivo is $15 pesos ($0.80 USD) per person. If you want to take a private taxi, you can expect to pay about $170 pesos ($9.20 USD). When you arrive, you'll find a main street lined with hotels, restaurants, and shops. 

Where to stay

We opted to stay in a hostel called El Carrizo located just past where the main paved strip becomes a dirt road (on the western end of the beach). With easy access to the beach and all the basic amenities we needed, it was a great place to stay that barely made a dent in our budget. The individual beds in the dormitory cost a mere $50 pesos ($2.70 USD) a night, and the private cabañas (go for #3 if it's available) run for $150 pesos ($8.10 USD) a night. El Carrizo offers decent WiFi, a shared kitchen, and a comfortable common area. After a few hours at the beach, we frequently found ourselves resting in the hammocks accompanied by the canine and feline friends lucky enough to call this place home.

If you're working with a more generous budget, there are plenty of adorable hotels and posadas up and down the beach. But since you're likely going to spend most of your time in the water or on the playa, upgrading to a swankier room isn't necessary. 

What to do

There's not much going on in Zipolite, and that's the point. We spent most of our time laying out on the beach, usually sipping from a coco frío (cold coconut), which are sold by vendors walking along the playa. The water is extremely clean and maintains an ideal temperature for swimming. You'll want to stay pretty close to the beach, though, as the current is notoriously overpowering and can easily pull you into a dangerous situation. If you want some shade, there are plenty of beachside bars where you can park yourself in a chair and enjoy a beer or cocktail while keeping your feet in the sand. The beach is never crowded, but most people will come out to see the spectacular sunset. If you're there for more than one night, we recommend checking out the sunset from both ends of the beach. This is also when most of the surfers come out. At night, the main street becomes a bit more lively, with locals and tourists alike hanging out. 

We've never been more relaxed than we were while soaking in the sun at Zipolite — and that's not just because it's a 420-friendly town. As a relatively undeveloped stretch of coastline and hippie haven, it was our kind of paradise.