Getting to Zipolite: the main routes
There are two airports on this coast, Huatulco (HUX) and Puerto Escondido (PXM). A Zipolite hotel gives about 1 hour by car from Huatulco and about 1 hour 20 minutes from Puerto Escondido. Those are one hotel's estimates, without waiting time or delays. From Oaxaca City there are buses on two roads, and a toll road now runs part of the way.
All prices and times below carry the date of their source. They are examples, not fixed tariffs, so confirm the price and the direction before you get in a vehicle. Cash in pesos is the sensible default on every leg.
Routes compared
Times and prices as published, with the date where one is known.
| Route | Time | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huatulco airport to Zipolite, private taxi | About 60 minutes | MXN 1,500 | 1 to 4 people, undated operator listing |
| Puerto Escondido airport to Zipolite, private taxi | About 1 hour 20 minutes | MXN 1,700 | 1 to 4 people, undated operator listing |
| Zipolite to Pochutla, colectivo | About 35 minutes | MXN 40 | Cash, December 2025 |
| Pochutla to Huatulco, van | About 55 minutes | MXN 50 | With road works, December 2025 |
| Oaxaca to Zipolite, bus via the Sierra | – | MXN 360 | Line operator, undated |
| Oaxaca to Zipolite, bus via the toll road | – | MXN 370 | Line operator, undated |
| Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido by car on the new road | About 2.5 hours | Toll MXN 490 for a car | Does not include the leg to Zipolite |
Our pick: a day trip with hotel transport to Zipolite
This trip collects you at your Huatulco hotel and takes you to Zipolite and back, a way to see the coast without handling the transport yourself.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Tours and transfers from Zipolite
Day trips, boat excursions and coast transfers, with live prices and availability.
Airports, taxis and colectivos
The two airports and the Pochutla change.
Huatulco airport (HUX)
A travel wiki gives about 45 km to Zipolite, a rough figure between unspecified points. One Huatulco operator meets guests outside the airport grounds at the road exit, a walk of about 4 minutes, and not inside the terminal. Its trip to Zipolite is listed at about 1 hour (June 2026). Read the pickup details of any transfer you book.
Puerto Escondido airport (PXM)
The private taxi price from PXM is MXN 1,700 for 1 to 4 people, with about 1 hour 20 minutes of driving. The same operator page also shows lines of MXN 1,200 toward Puerto Escondido and Huatulco airport with no clear direction, so confirm the final price and direction before you book. A ride back to an airport may not cost the same as the ride in.
Puerto Escondido guide →Colectivos and Pochutla
Pochutla is the usual change point. A travel report (December 2025) lists a Zipolite to Pochutla colectivo for MXN 40 in about 35 minutes, then a van toward Huatulco for MXN 50 in about 55 minutes. Pochutla has a separate minivan stop toward Huatulco. A direct public line from the airport terminal to Zipolite is not listed. Prices and times may have changed since December 2025.
Buses from Oaxaca
Líneas Unidas lists MXN 360 by the Sierra road and MXN 370 by the toll road for Oaxaca to Zipolite. From Oaxaca the departures are 4:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. From Zipolite they are 4:15 a.m., 8:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 2:15 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. The page has no date, and it does not say that every departure uses the same road or vehicle class, so check the timetable before you go.
Children aged 5 and over pay the full fare. Under 5 there is a discount at the counter without a listed amount. In the Sprinter, children and older adults sit in the rear section only, never in the driver's cabin. Whether you must reserve on this route, and any online surcharge, is not listed.
Driving, tolls and road conditions
The new road has a price, and it can close.
Tolls in 2026
The toll road from Barranca Larga to Ventanilla costs MXN 490 for a car across both booths, MXN 245 per booth. A motorcycle pays MXN 244, MXN 122 per booth. The tariff is valid from 13 April 2026 and includes sales tax. It applies to this section, not to every toll on a trip. Old reports of a free road are out of date.
Closures
A protest blockade closed the road at kilometer 30 in both directions on 3 September 2026. A situation report says it reopened on 5 September, with short accident delays after. These are past events. Check the road status on the day you travel.
Travel advice
The US State Department rates Mexico Level 2, exercise increased caution (issue of 29 May 2026), and names terrorism and crime for Oaxaca. It lists no travel restrictions for Oaxaca City, Monte Albán, Puerto Escondido or Huatulco. Zipolite is not named in that list. Restrictions for US government staff apply on Highway 200 between Pinotepa and the Guerrero border and in parts of the Isthmus region. The German Federal Foreign Office (updated 19 October 2026) warns of organized crime and robbery across the country, with the highest risk on overland trips at night and away from toll roads. Plan to arrive in daylight.
Cash and cards
Cash is common on this coast, and ATMs can fail. A bigger choice of banks is reported in Pochutla. Bring enough pesos for the taxi, the colectivo and the first day.
Plan the rest of your trip
Where to go once you arrive.
Getting to Zipolite: frequently asked questions
Which airport is closer to Zipolite?
Huatulco (HUX), with about 1 hour by car to a Zipolite hotel, against about 1 hour 20 minutes from Puerto Escondido (PXM). Both are estimates for one hotel, without delays.
How much is a taxi from the airport?
One operator lists MXN 1,500 from Huatulco and MXN 1,700 from Puerto Escondido for 1 to 4 people. The listing has no date, so confirm the price, the direction and the pickup point.
Can I get to Zipolite by public transport from Huatulco?
Yes, with a change in Pochutla. A report from December 2025 lists MXN 50 and about 55 minutes to Pochutla by van, then MXN 40 and about 35 minutes by colectivo to Zipolite. There is no direct line from the airport terminal.
How much is the bus from Oaxaca?
Líneas Unidas lists MXN 360 by the Sierra road and MXN 370 by the toll road, with five departures a day each way. Check the current timetable before you go.
Do I have to pay a toll?
On the new road between Barranca Larga and Ventanilla, yes: MXN 490 for a car, valid from 13 April 2026. Older sources that call it free are out of date.
Is it safe to travel at night?
The German Federal Foreign Office (19 October 2026) names night trips overland and trips away from toll roads as especially risky. Travel by day where you can.