You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to beaches in Oaxaca, but if you want to get an all over tan and feel the freedom that going au naturelle gives you then there’s only one choice – Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca – Mexico’s only official nudist beach!
Zipolite is a tiny, laid back, bohemian and blissfully rustic beach town. It’s fun, relaxed, open minded and very LGBTQ friendly. Playa Zipolite (or Zipolite Beach) attracts not only nudists and naturists but is also popular with hippies and backpackers as well as Mexican couples and even families.
My Playa Zipolite Travel Guide
Zipolite beach quickly became one of my favourite places in Mexico – I came for a few days and ended up staying a few weeks and I’m already dreaming of returning.
If you’re thinking of visiting here’s my guide to Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca, Mexico with all the info and tips you need to plan your trip to the only nudist beach in Mexico!
Where is Playa Zipolite
Playa Zipolite is the main beach in Zipolite, Oaxaca. A tiny, laid back beach town on the pacific coast in Oaxaca, Mexico. It was a popular hippie hang out in the 60s and 70s and hasn’t lost its bohemian vibes and is still the only legal nude beach in Mexico.
The nearest airports to Zipolite are at Puerto Escondido and Huatulco. You can get a bus or taxi from those airports or from Oaxaca City. I’ll go into more detail about the different options for getting to Zipolite later on in the post.
What to expect from the only nude beach in Mexico
Don’t worry if you’re not quite ready to leave your bathing suit at home! Even though Playa Zipolite is Mexico’s only legal nude beach, it’s clothing optional – it’s not obligatory to be naked!
When I visited, I’d say probably only a quarter of people were nude on Zipolite beach. You won’t see people wandering nude down the street normally, unless it’s around the time of the Festival Nudista Zipolite which is usually held in February. If you plan to come for the nudist festival book your accommodation well in advance because Zipolite is a small town and all the hotels sell out for this event.
While there are a handful of nudist hotels in Zipolite where it’s mandatory to be naked, most cafes and hotels do politely ask that you cover up with a sarong, towel or swimwear when eating or when off the beach.
Things to do in Zipolite
Zipolite is a tiny Mexican beach town, most famous for it’s clothing optional beach, and you could probably walk around the whole place in less than 1 hour so there’s not that many things to do in Zipolite – in fact, it prides itself on being the perfect place to do nothing – and wear nothing!
It’s a super relaxed and friendly place where the best thing to do is relax on the beach, swim, surf, eat fish tacos, drink mojitos, watch the sunset and make new friends.
Playa Zipolite is a lovely long stretch of sand with crashing azure waters. The Oaxaca Coast is a great place for surfing but swimmers should be aware of the strong pacific coast currents.
One of the things I love about Zipolite beach is that the development here is mainly low key, rustic and laidback but there are still plenty of beach bars, cafes and palalpas lining the beachfront to keep you feed and watered.
Zipolite also has a few places offering yoga classes, ecstatic dance and alternative healing workshops. Check out La Loma Linda, Camp Zipolite and El Alquimista to see whats on. Mazunte, another tiny beach town only 5 kms away is one of Mexico’s yoga hotspots with numerous yoga offerings.
Climb over the rocks at the far southern end of Playa Zipolite and you’ll find Playa Amor, a hidden cove and nude beach with a basic beach bar that is a popular hangout for nudists and the LGBTQ community. On Playa Amor you’ll find that most people are naked unlike Playa Zipolite which is more clothing optional.
Restaurants and Nightlife in Zipolite
Most of the restaurants and nightlife in Zipolite is centered around the main street, Colonia Roca Blanca, also known as “el Adoquin.”
This is where you’ll find many hotels and guest houses, restaurants and small shops all within easy walking distance. There’s a small artisan market along the main street in the evening and some cool street art to discover.
There’s also some decent beach front cafes serving tasty food on Playa Zipolite. One of my favourite beachside restaurants was Sal y Pimienta for great value massive burgers and fish tacos right on the beach.
The beach front restaurant at the lovely Pousada Mexico where I stayed also served great Mexican and Italian food. I loved the breakfasts at Le Castelet and I also ate alot in Entropia.
For something different, Mao Mau serves great Thai, sushi and Asian food and the beautiful Restaurante El Alquimista would be my top recommendation for a romantic dinner.
The beachfront bars often have 2 for 1 cocktail offers at sunset and play music, there are some low key parties in the beach shacks happening most nights and even a drag show. There’s also an art house cinema in the town which also hosts events.
Where to Stay in Zipolite – The Best Zipolite Hotels
Zipolite is also a small town with most accommodation in Zipolite being located around the main street, Roca Blanca, or around the area near Playa Amor.
There’s a good selection of accommodation, from budget hotels and hostels, mid range hotels and also some beautiful boutique resorts tucked away around Palay Camaron at the North end of Zipolite Beach. Refreshingly, there are no huge luxury chain resorts in Zipolite yet!
Here’s my pick of the best places to stay in Zipolite:
Naked Hotel Zipolite
This famous adults only hotel is a beautiful beachfront property with stylishly rustic yet super comfortable rooms with AC and balconies to soak up the amazing ocean views. There’s a small swimming pool, a great beach bar and restaurant and plenty of quirky, Instagrammable features. Despite the name, it’s not obligatory to be naked at the Naked Hotel and actually I never saw anyone naked there! Click here to check prices.
El Alquimista
A beautiful boutique hotel with a spa, daily yoga classes and an adults only swimming pool. The stylish rooms have terraces, some with a sea view, and it’s also home to one of the best restaurants in Zipolite. It’s close to Hotel Noga which is another good choice tucked away in the jungle and mangroves. Click here to check prices.
Villa Aikia
Beautiful adults only suites with incredible views over the Playa Camaron from the infinity pool, yoga shala and hot tubs. Clothing is optional apart from in the lobby and restaurant areas. Click here to check prices.
For more clothing optional hotels in Zipolite check out Heven Zipolite and Casa Sol Zipolite. Both are stunning adults only luxury boutique resorts overlooking Camaron Beach.
Casa Nudista – LGBT Hotel
For the full Playa Zipolite nude experience, Casa Nudista is a super conveniently and centrally located budget and LGBT friendly nudist hotel with both private rooms and dormitories. This is one of the only Zipolite hotels that is 100% nudist where nudism is obligatory! No clothes allowed! There’s also a swimming pool, nudist events and live music nights. Click here to check prices.
Posada Mexico
This gorgeous collection of arty, rustic chic huts in a tropical garden paradise right on the beachfront is budget friendly mid range pick. Rooms are great value and the staff are lovely. There’s also a restaurant right on the beach serving good Mexican and Italian cuisine.Click here to check prices.
If Posada Mexico is full, Hotel Estrella De Mar and Hotel Buda Mar are also good beachfront choices.
Budget Beach Huts
For those on a budget, there are also some basic beach huts on Playa Zipolite beachfront but you can’t book these online. I enquired about the price but can’t remember now how much they were – sorry!
All I remember is that they were more expensive than Hostal Teresa whose rates start at $28 and is the cheapest Zipolite hotel you can book online. These beach huts were pretty basic and had less facilities than Hostal Teresa, but then you do wake up right on the beach! You can also pitch a tent under the shade there for a small fee.
The cheapest mid range hotel with AC is Hotel Zipolite, which also has a swimming pool and a super central location right on the beach and in the middle of the main street.
More Beaches near Playa Zipolite
This part of the Oaxaca Coast has many beautiful beaches that you could explore from Playa Zipolite. The best way to explore would be with a rental car or motorbike but you could also take the collectivos or a tour.
Some of the beach beaches near Zipolite to check out include:
Mazunte – Visit the Turtle sanctuary, check out the street art, take a yoga class and trek to Punta Cometa at sunset.
San Agustinillo – The smallest and most peaceful beach, in between Mazunte and Zipolite.
Puerto Angel – A small fishing village and port if you want to see more local side to Mexican beach life
Huatulco – There’s also many beautiful bays and beaches around Huatulco with great snorkelling and boat trips. It’s a more upmarket area with plenty of 5 star and all inclusive luxury resorts.
Puerto Escondido – Experience the best surfing in Mexico at Zicatela Beach, the vibrant nightlife in La Punta, and see the bioluminescence on a night tour of the nearby lagoon.
Best Time to Visit Zipolite
The weather in Zipolite is warm throughout the year, the average high temperatures range from 86-95F, with average lows from 76-80F and the water temperature averages between 80-85 degrees. The driest months are from November to April and from June to September, the region experiences the most rainfall.
The ideal time to plan a trip to Zipolite is between November and April. The high season for tourism in Zipolite is from December to April, with peak periods around Christmas/New Year’s and Semana Santa, the holy week leading up to Easter.
Zipolite hosts several events throughout the year that you might want to consider when choosing your dates. The Zipolite Nudist Festival, or Festival Nudista, takes place in late January/February, and the Mazunte Jazz Festival is typically held in the second week of November.
If you are combining your trip to Zipolite with visiting Oaxaca City then you might want to time your trip to coincide with The Dia de los Muertos festival, or Day of the Dead, which is celebrated in Oaxaca from October 31 to November 1, and it is one of the most spectacular events in Mexico.
It is advisable to book your flights and accommodation early, especially if you plan to visit during these times.
How to Get to Zipolite
The quickest way to get to Zipolite is to fly into either Puerto Escondido airport or Huatulco airport.
Huatulco Airport (HUX) is 40 km away and a taxi ride will take about 40 minutes. Huatulco has direct flights to Canada. Check Skyscanner to find the best deals.
Puerto Escondido airport (PXM) is 73 km away and a taxi ride takes about 1.5 hours. There are direct budget flights from Mexico City that take about 1 hour.
How to get to Zipolite from Puerto Escondido
Zipolite is about 1 hour from Puerto Escondido although getting there can be a little tricky. I took the Transportes Delfines bus that leaves from across the road from the Chedraui supermarket heading to Pochutla and Huatulco.
I had to get off at Crucero de San Antonio and took the collectivo heading to Mazunte and Zipolite. It took about 1 and a half hours and cost 50 MXN for the bus and 20 MXN for the collectivo.
The easiest and most convenient way to get there is to book a transfer that will take you straight there from your hotel.
How to get to Zipolite from Oaxaca
There are a couple of options for getting to Zipolite from Oaxaca City and vice versa. The quickest and most expensive is to take a 30 minute scenic small plane flight to Puerto Escondido and then a 1 hour taxi from there. The flight offers fantastic views but is expensive and gets booked up way in advance. Check prices and availability here.
So most people take the bus. There are two options – If you suffer from motion sickness I recommending going for the longer, less windy route with the bigger and more comfortable ADO bus to Puerto Escondido and then take a taxi, transfer or local bus from there to Zipolite. The bus travels overnight and takes about 11 hours. It’s a popular route so you should book your bus online in advance.
If you’re OK with windy roads then head to Potchula and hop on one of the mini buses which takes the most direct, but also most windy route, to Oaxaca. It’s the cheapest and quickest option at only 7 hours and I didn’t find it that bad, but then I don’t normally get travel sick.
Make life easier by booking this combined transfer and bus ticket which will pick up you in Zipolite and take you to Pochutla and get you on the Lineas Unidas minibus to Oaxaca.
How to get from Mazunte to Zipolite
Mazunte and Zipolite are just 3.5 miles apart and a 20 minute taxi or collectivos/pasajeros (shared pick up trucks with benches and a kind of tent covering) run between them for about 10 MXN and also stop at San Agustinillo. You could also rent a motorbike to explore the area.
Final Thoughts on Zipolite
As you can see Zipolite is a unique place to relax and let it all hang out! It’s probably my favorite beach town in Mexico so far.
I hope this guide to Zipolite has helped you plan your own trip and that you fall in love with this unique beach town as much as I did!
If your exploring more of Mexico then check out my other blogs on Mazunte, Puerto Escondido and Oaxaca City and Mexico City. Happy Travels Amigos!
