Puerto Escondido is a very safe destination for tourists. Since Puerto is a very small city, most of the locals know each other. Puerto Escondido is highly dependent on tourists and the number of jobs offered by tourism; this is another reason why the safety of Puerto Escondido is so important to them. Can I drive to Puerto Escondido? Yes, although it is currently not recommended.
Many Americans and Canadians used to drive along Mexico's entire Pacific coast from California to Guatemala, stopping in Puerto Escondido, but parts of the route can be quite dangerous today, thanks to drug cartels and road thefts (especially at night). Driving only to Puerto Escondido isn't worth it. It's 960 miles (1545 km) south of Brownsville, Texas, and the roads that cross the mountains of Oaxaca can be difficult for beginners to navigate. Overall, Puerto Escondido has prevented drug violence that has affected other parts of Mexico.
Take the usual precautions, especially at night, and store your valuables in in-room safes. Theft of personal belongings from beaches does happen, never leave anything of value unattended, even on seemingly empty stretches of sand. There have been problems in the past with assaults. On one occasion, in 1997, a tourist was murdered on the beach late at night.
While authorities have improved lighting in the municipal beach area, it is recommended not to walk along the beach, especially alone, late at night. Puerto Escondido is safe if you take the usual precautions, such as not wearing flashy jewelry or having a mobile phone and wallet on display.
