Jeep and ATV rental in Puerto Escondido 2026: 6 real day trips along the Oaxaca coast | KORU

The rule is simple. If your route has a highway number —the 200 toward Mazunte, Zipolite, or Huatulco, or the highway up to the valley— you need the Jeep. If the map shows a dotted line or dirt-road access, the ATV is your vehicle. And if your whole plan fits inside Puerto Escondido (Zicatela, La Punta, Rinconada, downtown), a scooter is more than enough. At KORU, the Jeep 4x4 rents from $2,500 MXN a day and the ATV from $600 MXN a day; the scooter is the most economical option for the city.

Until recently, getting from the coast to the Valley of Oaxaca was a six- to seven-hour drive along the winding Highway 175. The Barranca Larga–Ventanilla highway opened on February 4, 2024, and changed everything: it runs 104.3 kilometers, with 10 bridges, 3 viaducts, and 3 tunnels, and cuts the trip between the Oaxaca capital and the coast to about 2.5 hours, according to the government of Oaxaca (SINFRA). That redefined how far you can go in a day with a Jeep rented in Puerto Escondido.

The cost is worth being clear about: the highway has two toll booths, Barranca Larga and Ventanilla, and each charges $234 MXN per car, van, or SUV. That means $468 MXN one way and $936 MXN round trip by car (2025–2026 rates, according to Casetas.com.mx and El Universal Oaxaca); motorcycles pay $117 MXN per booth. Another key detail: there are no gas stations between the coast and the valley, so it's best to fill the tank in Puerto Escondido before heading up. KORU's Jeep is delivered with a full tank.

Mazunte lies about 70 kilometers east of Puerto Escondido, close to an hour on Highway 200. It's a small town, a benchmark for ecotourism on the coast, with family kitchens and the Mexican Turtle Center (CONANP): admission is $50 MXN general and $25 MXN for students —free for under-12s, over-60s, and people with disabilities— and it's open Wednesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 16:30 and Sunday from 10:00 to 14:30, closed Monday and Tuesday, according to the center itself. The highlight is Punta Cometa, the westernmost point of the Oaxaca coast: a 20-minute walk from town and one of the best sunsets in the state. Ten minutes away is Zipolite, officially declared a nude beach in 2016 by the municipality of San Pedro Pochutla, the first and only one with that status in Mexico, according to El Universal Oaxaca. The surf is strong: the safest spot to swim is Playa del Amor, at the western end.

Hierve el Agua is the longest trip and only works in a Jeep: about 2.5 hours on the highway to the Valley of Oaxaca and nearly another hour on Federal Highway 190 through Mitla, roughly 3.5 hours in total. They are petrified waterfalls of calcium carbonate (travertine) that look like frozen water pouring over the cliff, with natural warm-water pools at the top overlooking the valley. Admission is $50 MXN per person, cash only, and the site runs from around 8:00 to 19:00, according to Webcams de México. One important note: the place has had closures over a dispute between communities and now operates via an alternative access through Xaagá, according to El Imparcial de Oaxaca, so it's wise to confirm it's open before driving all the way there.

To the east, about 120 kilometers away (1.5 hours on the 200), Huatulco gathers nine bays and 36 beaches along some 35 kilometers of coastline, many protected inside Huatulco National Park, according to the Bahías de Huatulco portal; the water is calmer than in Zicatela, ideal for families. To the west, the Chacahua Lagoons are a National Park (a CONANP protected natural area) about an hour on the 200 to the El Zapotalito pier (54–62 km) and then a boat: mangroves with more than 150 bird species, American crocodile, and bioluminescence, best seen on a new moon. And to the east/southeast is La Escobilla, the world's largest olive ridley (tortuga golfina, Lepidochelys olivacea) nesting sanctuary: in the 2024–2025 season alone there were eight arribadas (mass arrivals), 510,500 nests, and more than seven million hatchlings released, according to CONANP. The mass arrivals run from June to December, peaking in September and October, and access is only with a CONANP-authorized guide.

“In Puerto Escondido, the map opens up when you have the keys: Mazunte, Zipolite, Huatulco, Chacahua, and even Hierve el Agua stop being scheduled tours and become your own decisions.”

— KORU RENT

Already know where you want to go? Message us on WhatsApp and we'll help you pick the right vehicle, with recommended routes, toll times, and everything you need for your trip to go well. KORU RENT operates in Puerto Escondido today: book ahead and receive the Jeep or ATV at your hotel or Airbnb —Zicatela, La Punta, Rinconada, Bacocho— or at the PXM airport, with a contract, CFDI invoice, and WhatsApp support throughout the rental. Prices, deposit, and coverage are confirmed at booking. KORU Team · Jeep and ATV rental in Puerto Escondido · 2026