Puerto Escondido has a surprisingly simple rule when it comes to nightlife:
Don’t ask if there’s a party tonight. Ask where everyone is going.
Puerto isn’t a huge city with hundreds of clubs competing every night. Instead, different venues and parties tend to take over particular days of the week.
And that’s part of what makes going out here so much fun.
Spend a week in Puerto and you’ll start seeing the same faces everywhere. The people you met at your hostel might appear at the beach the next day, at a sunset party that evening and somehow again at 2 AM in Zicatela.
I lived in Puerto for quite a while, and it eventually became something close to a second home. These aren’t places pulled from a generic “Top 10 Puerto Escondido Nightlife” list.
These are parties and venues I actually go to.
Punta Vida — The Sunday Party
Best for: Sunset, open-format music, meeting people
Area: La Punta
When to go: Sunday
If you only experience one Sunday in Puerto Escondido, there’s a very good chance you’ll end up at Punta Vida.
And you should.
Punta Vida looks a little unfinished because, well… it is.
That’s part of its charm.
Sunday starts relatively relaxed with the venue’s traditional BBQ. People arrive while the sun is still out, grab something to eat and drink, and DJs gradually turn the afternoon into a proper party.
Upstairs you’ll find a more relaxed atmosphere, small tacos, more cocktail options and a great view of the sunset.
Downstairs?
That’s where things get interesting.
As the sun disappears, the energy changes completely.
The music is generally more open format than some of Puerto’s more electronic-focused parties, which makes the crowd particularly mixed and social.
I’ve been lucky enough to party in quite a few places around the world.
Punta Vida on a good Sunday remains one of my favorites.
Bonus: Sunset Music Sessions
Once a month, Punta Vida also hosts a special Saturday edition of Sunset Music Sessions, our house music concept created by La Fête Sauvage and Alta Facha.
It runs approximately from 5 PM to 11 PM, bringing together house music, sunset and the Puerto community.
Dates change, so check La Fête Sauvage, Alta Facha and Punta Vida on social media for the next edition.
Dura — For Techno
Best for: Techno
Area: Zicatela
When to go: Friday
Puerto isn’t only about beach bars and open-format parties.
If you’re looking for techno, remember one word:
Dura.
The Friday party was created by Romain, AKA Not Found Yet, a Belgian DJ and friend who has lived in Mexico for years and has gradually helped build a local techno community in Puerto.
The setting makes it even better: a hidden rooftop around Zicatela.
This isn’t your sunset-with-a-coconut-cocktail kind of night.
Dura is for when you actually want techno and want to stay out late.
Tropiku at Chula — House on a Tuesday
Best for: House music
Area: Zicatela
When to go: Tuesday
One of my favorite things about Puerto nightlife is that Tuesday can somehow become a proper night out.
Tropiku takes place at Chula and focuses on house music, bringing in both Mexican and international DJs.
It’s exactly the kind of party that demonstrates why spending a full week in Puerto can be considerably more fun than arriving only for a weekend.
Because here, Tuesday isn’t necessarily Tuesday.
Hostel Fest at Tower Bridge — Start Your Sunday Here
Best for: Solo travelers, meeting people, hostel atmosphere
Area: Bacocho
When to go: Every other Sunday
Before Punta Vida, there’s Hostel Fest.
Tower Bridge was my home in Puerto for a long time, so there’s definitely some personal history behind this recommendation.
Every other Sunday, the hostel turns the afternoon into a social party running approximately from 2 PM until 8 PM.
It’s particularly good if you’re traveling alone because the hostel environment makes meeting people ridiculously easy.
Have a few drinks, make some friends and then, when Hostel Fest finishes, you’ll notice something happening:
People start heading toward La Punta.
Which brings you right back to Punta Vida.
Hostel Fest → Punta Vida is a very Puerto Sunday.
Straw Hat — When the Hostel Becomes the Party
Best for: Backpackers, solo travelers, pre-drinks
Area: Zicatela
You don’t necessarily need a nightclub to have a chaotic night in Puerto.
Sometimes a hostel will do the job perfectly well.
Straw Hat has a huge pool, large bar, beer pong and an extremely social atmosphere.
And then there’s the challenge wheel.
Let’s just say beer bongs and sexy dice aren’t even necessarily the strangest outcomes.
If you’ve just arrived in Puerto and don’t know anyone yet, places like Straw Hat are particularly useful because you don’t have to wait until midnight to start meeting people.
Sometimes the people you meet here will determine where you end up later.
And that’s basically how Puerto works.
What Area Is Best for Nightlife in Puerto Escondido?
This is important because Puerto’s nightlife moves geographically throughout the night.
La Punta is excellent for starting early. You have restaurants, bars, sunsets and places like Punta Vida, but the area winds down relatively early.
Zicatela becomes more important later. This is where you’ll find late-night venues, parties like Dura and a bigger concentration of nightlife.
Centro, Rinconada and Bacocho have a more local atmosphere, but places like Tower Bridge create their own social events and can be excellent starting points.
So don’t necessarily choose one area and stay there all night.
Follow the party.
How to Find the Party in Puerto Escondido
Here’s one of the most useful pieces of advice I can give you:
Ask people.
Seriously.
Puerto’s nightlife changes. Events appear, venues collaborate, DJs come through town and the party everyone is talking about one week isn’t necessarily the same one everyone will be talking about next month.
Talk to people at your hostel.
Talk to people you meet at the beach.
Follow the venues and promoters you like.
And pay attention to what everyone keeps mentioning.
Puerto is small enough that word travels fast.
If 15 different people tell you they’re going somewhere tonight, you’ve probably found your answer.
One Last Puerto Nightlife Tip
Don’t plan every night before you arrive.
Know the important parties, understand the different areas and then leave some room for Puerto to do what Puerto does.
You’ll meet someone.
They’ll invite you somewhere.
You’ll meet someone else there.
And suddenly the Tuesday night you had absolutely no plans for becomes one of the best nights of the trip.
That’s Puerto Escondido.
See you on the dancefloor.
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