Aguas Abiertas Gran Retto Puerto Escondido

Along the Pacific shores of southern Mexico, Aguas Abiertas Gran Retto Puerto Escondido brings swimmers together in the sea waters off Puerto Escondido, in the state of Oaxaca. Organized by Gran Retto, the open water event features three distinct sea courses: 500 meters, 1.5 kilometers, and 5 kilometers. Swimmers take to the Pacific in late November, testing their endurance against the moving ocean swell. The event program spans two days of racing along the local coastline. On Saturday in late November, competition opens at Playa Marinero with the 500-meter swim, designed especially for beginners and newcomers to open water swimming. Swimmers taking on this short course complete the distance, allowing novices to gain confidence in open ocean waters.

Intermediate athletes take to the sea over a 1.5-kilometer course, which in past editions has been contested entirely within the waters of Playa La Punta Zicatela. Swimmers tackling this intermediate distance complete their circuit against the coastal Pacific swell. The signature challenge of the weekend is the 5-kilometer Zicatela crossing, tailored for experienced long-distance swimmers seeking a demanding ocean challenge. In past editions, this 5-kilometer route took participants on a coastal line between Playa Marinero and Playa La Punta Zicatela, requiring focused pacing and steady navigation. Safety standards are strictly enforced across all distances: each swimmer must wear and tow an inflated individual safety buoy throughout the race, while any propulsion aids, including swim fins or hand paddles, are completely prohibited. The race weekend focuses entirely on ocean swimming along Oaxaca's Pacific shore.

The water along the beaches of Puerto Escondido

The Gran Retto programme in Puerto Escondido is made up of Gran Retto over 1.5 km, GR Xtreme over 5 km and Retto 500. Puerto Escondido has a warm sub-humid climate with an average annual temperature of 27 °C (81 °F), and its rainy season runs from May to November. Puerto Angelito, near Puerto Escondido, is a white-sand beach with a gentle slope that is described as excellent for swimming. Playa Carrizalillo in Puerto Escondido is an enclosed beach with fine sand and calm swell, and it has a rocky area suited to diving.

Bahía de la Escondida: from pirate shelter to Pacific coffee port

Long before swimmers lined up along its sandy shores, the settlement was recognized in the early 20th century under the name Punta Escondida. At the time, it functioned primarily as a small, quiet fishing village whose modest coastal facilities were adapted for maritime trade and the exportation of regional coffee. Ships anchored offshore to load coffee beans. The coastline forms part of the Costa region of Oaxaca, an expansive territory defined by its southern frontier against the Pacific Ocean. This stretch of southern Mexico is also closely tied to the Costa Chica region, which similarly borders the Pacific Ocean to the south. Long before European arrivals altered the coast, the surrounding lands were shaped by the Mixtec civilization during the post-classic historical era.

The Mixtecs developed the flourishing regional kingdom of Casandoo-Jamiltepec, centered in Tututepec. Following the conquest of Mexico, Spanish forces destroyed this indigenous realm and chose Tututepec as the base to establish their most important administrative and residential villa in the area. That pre-Hispanic and colonial legacy remains a fundamental layer of identity for the surrounding coastal landscape. Over the decades, Puerto Escondido evolved from its quiet trading past into one of the key coastal destinations for travelers visiting the Mexican South Pacific. The town now anchors a celebrated chain of seaside communities along Oaxaca's Pacific rim, sharing the southern coastline with destinations such as Puerto Ángel, Mazunte, Bahías de Huatulco, Tapextla, Zipolite, and Chacahua. For open water swimmers traveling to the region, this network of beaches offers a compelling setting where sports events meet centuries of coastal history and diverse maritime traditions.

Sea turtle nests and the coastal lagoons of Chacahua

Beyond its human history, the coastline of Puerto Escondido is an active ecological sanctuary for endangered marine life. Dedicated local organizations patrol the sandy shores to locate and protect vulnerable sea turtle nests, focusing conservation efforts on both the leatherback and hawksbill species. Eggs collected from exposed beach sites are transferred to secure incubation enclosures, where they are cared for and monitored for 45 days. Once incubation is complete, volunteers oversee the safe release of the newborn hatchlings into the rolling surf of the open sea. The environmental significance of this coastline extends well beyond the turtle nesting beaches. About four kilometres from the race area, the coastal environment connects to the Mexican South Pacific Coast mangroves, an ecoregion covering 1,295 square kilometers of wetland sites along Mexico's Pacific coast.

These coastal mangrove systems develop primarily around lagoons fed by river networks that carry fresh runoff descending from the Sierra Madre del Sur Mountains. The ecoregion is characterized by four distinct tree species: red mangrove, white mangrove, black mangrove, and buttonwood, while floating water hyacinth thrives across the lagoon surfaces. Directly to the west of Puerto Escondido itself, a large coastal lagoon provides a peaceful habitat popular among birdwatchers and traditional artisanal fishermen. These sheltered environments stand in quiet contrast to the pounding Pacific surf where the open water competitions take place.

Zicatela breaks, palapas, and the cliffs of Carrizalillo

Playa Zicatela is the most famous beach in the area, stretching for 3 continuous kilometers along the Pacific Ocean. It is internationally celebrated for hosting major surfing competitions and is ranked as the third most important beach in the world for surfing due to the formidable height of its ocean waves. Away from the broad, open sweep of Zicatela, visitors can discover Playa Carrizalillo. Reaching the beach requires descending a stone staircase consisting of 169 steps, equipped with metal pipe handrails that guide visitors down the cliff face. It provides a serene contrast to the open Pacific shoreline, offering visitors a scenic spot to unwind after the demands of race day.

The shoreline culture of Puerto Escondido comes to life in its traditional open-air palapas. Historically, these thatched seaside establishments were almost exclusively palapa structures where local fishermen prepared and cooked their daily catches directly by the shore. Today, the town's vibrant beach atmosphere brings together a diverse mix of surfers, backpackers, and Mexican families enjoying the coastal breeze. Sitting under a palapa after completing a race, swimmers can savor freshly caught seafood, watch the ocean breakers, and experience the warm hospitality of Oaxaca's Pacific coast.