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Puerto Escondido Driving Directions

Welcome to the mexbound.com guide to driving to Puerto Escondido. We strive to provide you with firsthand, detailed information on driving directions and maps to Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca Mexico. Before you leave on your next adventure south of the border, be sure to purchase Mexican Insurance from mexbound.com. Remember, mexbound.com is "the first choice for the smart traveler." Puerto Escondido is located 2,030 miles south of the U.S. border at San Ysidro, California. Driving in Mexico can be challenging as large trucks and buses will pass in the opposite direction. Make sure you get gas, whenever you see a gas station as you may not see another open one for hundreds of miles. Avoid driving at night; you may run into cows or other animals in the road. Also, it is rare, but be careful of banditos. Look for cars that are broken down on the highway; these usually are traps, and many tourists get robbed. If you see a car broken down, don't feel bad for not stopping. The government pays a group of bilingual mechanics called the Green Angels that patrol the highways looking for people in need. If you are driving to Puerto Escondido you will need a permit for your personal vehicle. Mexican Vehicle Permits can be obtained at Banjercito offices located along the border. You will also need a Mexican Tourist Visa if you plan on staying in Mexico over 72 hours. Mexican Visa permits can be obtained at Mexican Embassies and Consulates within the U.S. and Canada, or at the port of entry with Mexican Consulate Officials.

Driving from Phoenix Arizona to Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca Mexico

Take the I-10 east to Tucson, Arizona. From Tucson, you want to head south on Interstate 19 to Nogales, Arizona. Once you cross into Nogales, Mexico, you want to continue south on Highway 15. Stay on Highway 15 until it turns into Mexico Highway 200. Highway 200 travels the coast and will take you through Acapulco. Puerto Escondido is approximately 200 miles southeast of Acapulco.

Driving from Tucson Arizona to Puerto Escondido, Mexico

From Tucson, you want to head south on Interstate 19 to Nogales, Arizona. Once you cross into Nogales, Mexico, continue south on Highway 15. Then follow the same driving directions from Phoenix, Arizona to Puerto Escondido above.

Driving to Puerto Escondido from San Diego and Los Angeles California

If you are planning on driving from San Diego or Los Angeles to Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca Mexico, there are several ways you can travel. Below is a list of various routes from San Diego to Puerto Escondido in the state of Oaxaca Mexico.

• From Los Angeles, California, take the I-10 East freeway and then follow the directions from Phoenix to Puerto Escondido, Mexico.
• From The San Diego area, follow I-8 East to the I-10 freeway, then follow the directions from Phoenix to Puerto Escondido, Mexico.

Driving from San Diego to Puerto Escondido via Baja California Highway 1

Driving through Baja California then taking the ferry to the mainland of Mexico, may take longer than other routes, however if you have the time this could be a very scenic and adventurous journey. From San Diego take the 5 or 805 freeway south to the U.S. - Mexico border (San Ysidro crossing). Both freeways end at the border so take your pick. After crossing the border, stay in the second lane from the right. Follow the signs that say "Rosarito Beach, Ensenada Scenic Route". This road will take you along the Mexico / U.S. border heading west as you come to the top of the hill, move into the right lane. At the bottom of that hill the road will fork Left and Right, take the fork to the right. It is marked with arrows Rosarito/ Ensenada Cuota. (Cuota means Toll Road). There are three toll booths in total before Ensenada. After you pass the last toll booth it's about six miles to Ensenada proper. About one mile before you get there you'll come to a fork in the road, stay to the "right" and this will take you into town. Get onto the Trans Peninsula Highway or Mexico Highway 1. Stay on Mexico Highway 1 until you reach La Paz. The drive to La Paz is about 22 hours (926 miles) south of San Diego, California. At La Paz you can board a ferry with your vehicle that will take you across the Sea of Cortez to Mazatlan in mainland Mexico (approximately 18 hours). From Mazatlan get on Mexico Highway 200 and follow that until you reach Puerto Escondido.

It is extremely important, that if you are planning on driving through Baja California that you call ahead of time to make sure the ferries to mainland Mexico are running. The ferries only run a couple of times per month. Prices and schedules are subject to change without notice. There are also restrictions on pets. To Contact the Ferry Ticket Offices in La Paz call (612) 125-7443 or 123-1313 or Toll Free 01 (800) 122-1414

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Driving to Puerto Escondido from Oaxaca City in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico

If you fly into Oaxaca City, you can drive to Puerto Escondido, by either a rental car, bus or there are even express shuttle vans. For a list of driving options and vehicle information while in the state of Oaxaca visit our Puerto Escondido Mexico tourist section. Highway 190 to Puerto Escondido is the easiest to navigate and offers the best road conditions;however, it takes you at least a couple of hours out of your way south, and is therefore not the best option unless of course you plan to visit Salina Cruz and Huatulco on your way to Puerto Escondido.

Highway 131 to Puerto Escondido
Highway 131 is the most direct and quickest route, however there are many drawbacks. Highway 131 travels through several hills and valleys. The road quality can be average at best with several potholes and patchy repair jobs. Highway 131 traverse mountainous terrain and is prone to landslides, falling rocks, and washouts from rains occurring during the rainy season, July to September. Also there is livestock such as donkeys, goats and mules along the sides of the roadway. The drive from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido will take about 8 hours on Highway 131, depending on road conditions and driving habits. For these reasons Highway 131 is not the preferred route from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido. See the Oaxaca map below, it shows cities and highways in Oaxaca as well as major tourist attractions.

Driving Distances on Route 131 in Oaxaca, Mexico

• Puerto Escondido to San Gabriel Mixtepec - 60 minutes - 26 miles
• San Gabriel Mixtepec to Cerro del Vidrio - 70 minutes - 24 miles
• Cerro del Vidrio to San Pedro Juchatengo - 40 minutes - 15 miles
• San Pedro Juchatengo to Sola de Vega - 80 minutes - 31 miles
• Sola de Vega to Oaxaca - 120 minutes - 58 miles

Highway 175 to Puerto Escondido
The preferred route to Puerto Escondido can be reached by road from Oaxaca City via Highway 175. This highway is a paved 80 mile stretch of road that climbs 7,000 feet through tree and moutainous terrain. Allthough very picturesque the roads can be very narrow at points and extremely windy. If you are likely to get motion sickness this is not the way to travel. After you get out of the mountains it is another 42 miles on highway 200. The entire 170 mile trip will take you around 8 to 10 hours. Do not attempt this route at night, there are sheer cliff drop offs and narrow roads, also the roads are very dark. Below is a map of Puerto Escondido and the state of Oaxaca. See the map of Oaxaca below, it shows cities and highways in Oaxaca as well as major tourist attractions.

Driving Distances on Route 175 in Oaxaca, Mexico

• Oaxaca to Octotlan - 40 minutes - 20 miles
• Ocotlan to Ejutla - 25 minutes - 15 miles
• Ejutla to Mihuatlan - 38 minutes - 25 miles
• Mihuatlan to San Jose del Paci­fico - 50 minutes - 22 miles
• San Jose del Paci­fico to Pochutla - 145 minutes - 62 miles
• Pochutla to Puerto Escondido - 55 minutes - 42 miles

The directions provided in this section are opinionated general guidelines for driving to Puerto Escondido, Mexico. We offer these directions, to show possible driving routes to Puerto Escondido. Highways and road conditions are constantly changing, be sure to consult a Mexico road map for official driving routes in Mexico.