Key facts
| Country | Mexico (San Pedro Pochutla municipality, Oaxaca) |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Huatulco (HUX), about an hour by road; Puerto Escondido (PXM) is the alternative |
| Best time | November to April (dry season); the nudist festival is the first weekend of February |
| Type | Public nude beach with a small beach village |
| Adults only | No — a public beach used by all ages |
| Clothing | Nudity legal on the beach; dress in town, shops and restaurants |
| Best months | January–April, November–December |
Playa Zipolite is a long, open Pacific beach on the coast of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico, and the only beach in the country where nudity is legally recognised. The municipality of San Pedro Pochutla declared nudity legal on the beach in 2016, after decades in which it had simply been tolerated. Behind the sand is a small village of cabañas, guesthouses, yoga studios and beach restaurants that has kept much of the bohemian spirit that first drew travellers here in the 1960s and 1970s.
Who it suits
- Naturists who want a real public nude beach rather than a private resort.
- Independent travellers and couples who like rustic, small-scale places with a mixed crowd of backpackers, long-stay visitors, artists and Mexican holidaymakers.
- LGBTQ+ travellers, who have long been part of Zipolite's open-minded community.
It is a public beach with families, locals and fishermen around, so it is not a lifestyle destination in the resort sense. Behaviour should be the same as on any naturist beach.
The beach
Zipolite is about two kilometres long and faces the open Pacific. Nudity is legal along the beach, and many visitors report that naturists tend to gather towards the western end, near the rocks, where several guesthouses and restaurants overlook the sand. Some people swim and sunbathe nude, others wear swimwear; both are fine. In town, in shops and in restaurants away from the sand, dress normally.
Every year since 2016 the Festival Nudista Zipolite has taken place on the first weekend of February, organised by the Federación Nudista de México with local businesses. It is a popular time to visit, so book early.
Swim with great care
The sea at Zipolite is beautiful and genuinely dangerous. Strong waves and rip currents are common, and the beach has a long history of drownings; one popular explanation of its Zapotec name is "beach of the dead". Follow these rules:
- Watch the flags and ask locals or your hotel about conditions before you swim.
- Stay in the shallows if you are not a strong, experienced ocean swimmer.
- If you are caught in a rip current, do not swim against it; swim parallel to the shore until you are free, then head back in.
- Never swim after drinking or at night.
Best time to go
November to April is the dry season, with sunny days and warm water. Christmas, New Year and Holy Week (Semana Santa) are busy with Mexican holidaymakers. The rainy season runs roughly from May or June to October, and the Pacific hurricane season covers the same period; storms occasionally cause serious damage on this coast.
Getting there
The nearest airport is Huatulco (HUX), about an hour's drive east. Puerto Escondido (PXM), to the west, has more flights from Mexico City and is a slightly longer drive. Taxis and shared vans (colectivos) connect Zipolite with the nearby towns of Pochutla and Puerto Ángel, where there are banks and larger shops. The neighbouring beach villages of San Agustinillo and Mazunte are a few minutes away.
Etiquette and local rules
- No photography of people without clear permission. Wide shots of the bay should not include identifiable nude people.
- No staring or approaching people with sexual intent. Legal nudity is not an invitation.
- Public sexual activity is illegal on the beach as anywhere else in Mexico.
- Respect local families and fishermen, and cover up when you leave the sand.
- Take your rubbish with you and use reef- and ocean-friendly sunscreen.
Safety and consent
Zipolite is small and generally friendly, but do not leave belongings unattended on the beach, avoid walking the beach alone late at night and use trusted taxis. Small businesses often prefer cash, so carry some; Pochutla has banks. For anyone meeting other travellers here, the usual rules apply: be clear, be sober and respect a no.
Nearby
Mazunte is known for its turtle conservation centre and the Punta Cometa headland, a popular sunset walk. San Agustinillo has calmer swimming on some days. Browse naturist places in Mexico, or compare with Mexico's private nude resort Hidden Beach on the Caribbean coast.