A hidden gem no longer, Puerto Escondido has been selected as the 14th World Surfing Reserve — a prestigious title that acknowledges the area’s world-class waves and ecological significance.
Situated in the southern part of Oaxaca state, Puerto Escondido has a coastline that features eight unique waves and some of the best beach breaks in the world, including Playa Zicatela and Punta Colorada.
The break at Zicatela, often referred to as the “Mexican Pipeline,” includes powerful and consistent waves that are regarded as a treasure in the surfing world.
The 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) stretch designated for the honor was selected by the Save The Waves Coalition, a 24-year-old international nonprofit dedicated to protecting surf ecosystems around the globe. The new status is expected to be officially bestowed in early 2026.
“Puerto Escondido reflects the quintessential surf ecosystem, incredible world-class waves, a biodiverse environment with important ecosystems for coastal resilience, and a united community willing and able to defend the place they love,” Save The Waves CEO Nik Strong-Cvetich said in a press release.
Beyond Puerto Escondido’s much-loved waves, the coastal ecosystems of Zicatela and Colorada have critically important terrestrial and marine biodiversity that they host. For example, each serves as a nesting habitat for three sea turtle species: olive ridley, black and the critically endangered leatherback.
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Nearby mangrove forests at Punta Colorada and Laguna de Chacahua National Park provide habitats for iguanas, crocodiles and other wildlife, playing a crucial role in water filtration, flood prevention and carbon storage.
The list of World Surfing Reserves includes Isla Todos Santos, a big-wave break located on an island 12 miles off the coast of Ensenada in Baja California.
Not to be confused with the charming coastal town of Todos Santos in Baja California Sur, the world-class surfing spot (sometimes called Bahía de Todos Santos) is known for its legendary waves and a big-wave surfing contest (which it is called only if the waves are big enough).
It became a World Surfing Reserve in 2014, five years after the program was launched. Many of the list’s locations play host to events on the World Surf League’s top-level Championship Tour, which in 2025 has a Mexican competing for the first time ever: 22-year-old Alan Cleland Quiñonez of Colima.
The other places on the Reserve list are Malibu and Santa Cruz in California; Ericeira in Portugal; the Gold Coast, Manly and Noosa in Australia; Punta de Lobos in Chile, Playa Hermosa in Costa Rica; Huanchaco in Peru; Guarda do Embaú in Brazil; North Devon in the United Kingdom; and Oriente Salvaje in El Salvador.
The designation does not provide immediate legal protection, but encourages the formation of a local council to manage long-term conservation strategies, often leading to legal safeguards.
Save The Waves has already been working for several years with community members in Puerto Escondido, which has a population of about 30,000. The coalition has proposed a protection strategy for the mangrove ecosystem at Punta Colorada, addressed ongoing water quality and sewage issues, and sought out solutions to the sand flow and erosion issues at Zicatela.
They are also looking at how to protect turtle nests, curb overdevelopment and raise awareness. The aim is to balance tourism growth with environmental stewardship, ensuring that Puerto Escondido’s waves and ecosystems thrive for future generations.
“Zicatela is not just a beach. It is our identity, our history, our life,” local bodyboarder and community leader Humberto “Beto” Olivera said in the online platform Surfer Today. “Being recognized as a World Surfing Reserve is an honor, but also a responsibility. Celebration is not enough — we must preserve our waves and everything they represent.”
Coco Nogales, 48, a professional surfer who was born in Aguascalientes and raised in Mexico City before eventually moving to Puerto Escondido, added: “Saving the wave of Zicatela would not only benefit Puerto Escondido, but also bring Playa Zicatela back to life.
“It is heartbreaking to see the deterioration the wave and the beach have suffered over the past decade. Obtaining the World Surfing Reserve designation [is] a major step toward restoring its prestige and reclaiming its place among the top 10 waves in the world.”
With reports from Surfer Today, Infobae, Diario AS and Duke Surf
