Last Updated on October 31, 2024 by Ellen
A day at a beach club, a baby turtle release, and memories for a lifetime. We had a great day recently at Playa Bacocho, the beach furthest west in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. There are a few beach clubs if you want the amenities, or you can bring an umbrella for shade and blanket for a picnic lunch. We’ve done both, but sometimes I want a beach club to relax, especially now since I’m still healing from a breast biopsy.
We decided to go to Club Playa de Villasol based on some reviews, and we are glad we did! The fee for using the lounge chairs, pool (I still can’t swim), and bathrooms (which were clean), was a whopping $3 USD each. Three. Dollars. They even played schnazzy, hip tunes that sounded like it was from a scene at a Prague disco at daybreak. (Not that I’ve been to one of those… yet.)
Our snacks were tasty: salad, soda, water, tacos, and Tedly got enough beer to bring the bill up to around $30 USD. Not bad for a day we treated like a vacation. Go while you’re here – it’s worth it. We give it five stars.
At 5:00 p.m. each day, there is a sea turtle hatchling release a short stroll down the beach from Villasol. That was a fun experience. Before the release, the organization has a spokesperson who gives information about the turtles, but be warned, it’s all in Spanish. According to what we heard, only two percent of the baby turtles make it past birds and sharks!
For $2.50 USD, I got a cup to carry a baby turtle to the shore. He was scooped out of a large bin. I named him Tedly K, after my husband, and boy, was he fiesty! He nearly crawled out of the cup several times before I got closer to the ocean. I tipped the cup at the designated spot and watched him clumsily clomp to the water. No birds. Then he was gone in a wave and I said a wish for him to make it so he can experience some of the good things life can offer, like swimming in the sea.
After Tedly the turtle made it into the water, we headed back to Villasol to pay our tab and catch a cab at the road. On the way, we passed the screen and seating set up for that night’s attraction. Each Wednesday right after sunset, there’s a movie in English played on the beach. We didn’t stay, however, because I had plans with a friend who’s a local. Other people have spoken highly of this event to me, however. The movie is free, with snacks and drinks for sale.
Playa Bacocho isn’t a great swimming beach for most people, although we did it. It’s also not really a surfing beach. The great thing about Bacocho is there’s nothing there except for the few beach clubs and turtle hut. Just sand and sea. In that way, it’s a bit similar to the middle portion of Zicatela, between the main lifeguard stations and La Punta. It is closer to the airport, so you might see a plane now and then – but so few planes come to Puerto Escondido each day, you may not even notice one.
That’s one of my favorite parts about Puerto Escondido – and other places like Huatulco and the gem Puerto Angel – also on the Oaxaca coast. It feels like this area is not on the radar of the masses. Sure, there are tourists here – and the economies are dependent on tourism. But it’s not over-saturated with Americans. It’s nothing like Puerto Vallarta or Playa del Carmen. That may change if major U.S. airlines decide to route here. Try to get here and enjoy it before the masses notice the wonder of this place. Because eventually, they will come – especially in Huatulco, which is specifically designed for more tourism.
Back to Puerto (as the locals call it). There are other reasons to love this place besides the surfing, or watching surfers, or taking surfing classes. I have some on this previous post.
Meanwhile, I hope Tedly the turtle and a couple of his friends are enjoying the ocean…
Other posts with animals:
- Unlucky stray dogs of Mexico (and other countries)
- Whale watching from Puerto Angel — a super deal!
- Fantastic swim with whale sharks in La Paz