All photos credited to Javier Santos

Have you dreamed about being on a deserted beach?

Puerto Suelo is your place. Just 20 minutes north of Puerto Escondido, this beach is accessible 2 different ways.

You can drive to the turn off after Manialtepec and follow the road until you can’t drive any more. Then you can stand around at the river and wait on a boat to come and pick you up to take you across the river or part of the laguna to get to the beach. Yes, that’s right. Just wait a bit and a boat will be by.

Or the other way to reach the beach is by boat from any of the jumping off points at the Laguna Manialtepec. If you tour the laguna with Javier Santos Tours, one of the only certified wildfire guides in Puerto Escondido, he will take you to see the migratory birds spending the winter on the laguna. This tour is high on the list of things to do in Puerto Escondido. It will show you a glimpse of the hundreds of bird species inhabiting the area. You could enjoy the scenery to observe osprey, pelicans, kingfisher, hummingbirds, herons, storks, hawks, and vultures. The best bird-watching months are December to March, and the best time of day is soon after dawn or at sunset.

 After the tour, you’ll head over to the Puerto Suelo beach for sunset. When it gets nice and dark, you’ll head back by boat to see the bioluminescence along the way. A truly magical experience, the water lights up with bioluminescent plankton. The laguna is a special ecosystem with brackish water.

At Puerto Suelo, you’ll find a palapa paradise with Doña Juana who has fresh fish, guacamole, fresh cocos and beer.  Her family has the very best spot to spend some time enjoying the sweeping views of the open ocean. You can watch the sun go down into the ocean here. There are hammocks. Take your time. Spend the day.

In this incredible paradise, the only sounds are sound of waves hitting the shoreline and birds chirping in the palm trees. The fine sand stretches as far as the eye can see without any man made structures in sight. Behind the beach, along the laguna, you will have the opportunity to admire a wide variety of wildlife, including herons, iguanas, ibises, ducks and parrots. And further in the backdrop are the glorious mountains of Oaxaca, covered with dense green vegetation.

Playa Puerto Suelo is right next to Manialtepec Lagoon.

The 6km-long Manialtepec Lagoon, beginning 14 kms west of Puerto Escondido along Hwy 200, is an essential spot for bird enthusiasts and a fascinating place for anyone interested in nature.