Zicatela, Mexico
Also within 20 km of Puerto Escondido
- Puerto Escondido Kite spot · 1.1 km from Puerto Escondido
- Carrizalillo Surf spot · 1.4 km from Puerto Escondido
- Puerto Escondido Surf spot · 1.9 km from Puerto Escondido
- Puerto Escondido Left Surf spot · 2.2 km from Puerto Escondido
Watch this spot We email you when Zicatela is worth the trip.
About Zicatela
Facing, offshore wind, exposure and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (247°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (67°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits expert surfers. It works in 3–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 100 m out (1 in 9). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 28°C in February, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 31°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). For expert surfers the best months are usually May, June, July and August, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Puerto Escondido, 5 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 3 surf spots and 1 wind sports spot.
Water about 30°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 12 h door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to PXM, changing at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
See flights MDW → PXM · Skyscanner from about £225 returnAdGetting there. 25 min from the airport to Zicatela.
Accommodation.
Stay in Puerto EscondidoAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Puerto Escondido (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Puerto Escondido 9 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 194 places to stay · where Zicatela stays
Places to stay in Puerto Escondido · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Puerto Escondido · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Puerto Escondido · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury Where it is
Zicatela on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Zicatela does not suit intermediates. This is the forecast for experts, so you can see what it does.
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Expert | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 47, fair | 5 ft12 shollow | 723kJ | wind from the south-east, 2 knots | 31°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 34, too small | 4 ft12 shollow | 474kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 1 knot | 31°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 36, fair | 4 ft11 shollow | 403kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 1 knot, offshore | 31°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 28, too small | 4 ft11 shollow | 357kJ | wind from the west, 1 knot | 31°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 34, too small | 4 ft12 shollow | 463kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 3 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 33, too small | 4 ft12 shollow | 488kJ | offshorewind from the east, 2 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 32, too small | 4 ft11 shollow | 379kJ | wind from the south-east, 4 knots | 30°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 26, too small | 4 ft8 shollow | 193kJ | wind from the south-west, 4 knots | 30°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 22, too small | 3 ft7 shollow | 113kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 1 knot, offshore | 31°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 19, too small | 3 ft11 shollow | 162kJ | wind from the south, 3 knots | 30°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to PXM, changing at DFW, then 25 min by road. About 12h door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to PXM, changing at DFW, then 25 min by road. About 12h door to door
The plan picks the best of 4 spots near Puerto Escondido each day: Carrizalillo, Puerto Escondido, Puerto Escondido Left, Zicatela.
Rough cost
About £650–£1,210 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to PXM, estimated from distance and season, changing at DFW, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £225–£470 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £15–£25 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £160–£265 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £150–£280 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £650–£1,210 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.