Playa Panteón & Playa Principal

Playa Panteon and Playa Principal are both located in Puerto Angel, a great little town to do grocery shopping. Puerto Angel also has a large selection of basic amenities and a good selection of restaurants.

Playa Principal

In the center of Puerto Angel is  ‘Playa Principal’, a hub of all fishing activities in the area.  It is busiest in the mornings, where local fisherman bring in tuna, red snapper, sailfish, lobster and octopus. The beachfront is lined with chairs and umbrellas in front of restaurants serving this delicious fare, prepared just as you like it.  Watch the boats come in while you enjoy a cold cerveza and fresh seafood…this is the Puerto Angel experience. 

 The old concrete pier located at Playa Principal was built in the 1960’s for the purpose of shipping coffee and wood.  However, the new land roads linking Salina Cruz to Oaxaca, placed this port city on the back burner and the pier now stands as a monument, a place for children to play and place for tourists and locals to take leisurely strolls in the sunshine.

To get to Playa Principal, head into the town of Puerto Angel where you will find both the pier and the beach.

Playa Panteón 

Walk along the seawall from Playa Principal on the west side where you will arrive at Playa Panteón. This beautiful beach is surrounded by steep hills and is protected from the ocean currents of the Pacific.  The calm aquamarine waters make Playa Panteón one of the most popular beaches along the Oaxaca coas,  ideal for water activities with the family such as swimming, snorkeling, kayaking and paddleboarding.  Small panga boats can also be rented here for a fun day of whale & dolphin watching, snorkel tours, fishing and beach tours.  During these tours you will be amazed at the diversity of marine flora and fauna, including three of Mexico’s seven species of marine turtles, the hawksbill turtle, prieta turtle and olive ridley turtle.

We regularly take daytrips to unwind and enjoy Playa Panteon’s relaxing atmosphere.  One of our favorite things to do is set up in front of our favorite restaurant, Cordelia’s, and make a day of paddleboarding, swimming and a game of bocce ball on the beach.  The picture to the right is of Erin taking a new & curious friend from Mexico City for a paddleboard ride!