What to do before and after your sunset ride in Puerto Escondido
The sunset ride takes the whole late afternoon: pickup at your hotel at 3:00 PM, about four hours in total, and you are back around 7:00 PM. That leaves a morning and an evening to plan. Done well, the day flows nicely. Done badly, you arrive hungry, sunburnt and tired, or you try to squeeze in a surf lesson and spend the ride half asleep. Here is how to arrange the hours on both sides.
The morning: keep it easy
Pick one activity for the morning, not three. Puerto Escondido is a town of beaches, and the ride will already ask for energy and a bit of leg strength, so this is a good moment for something gentle:
- A slow breakfast and a swim. The sea is usually calmer earlier in the day, and a short swim wakes you up without wearing you out.
- A walk along the coast or through town. Go early, before the heat builds, and take a hat.
- A coffee and a book in the shade. Perfectly valid, and often the best option on a hot day.
Things to leave out of the morning: a long surf session, a strenuous hike, or anything that leaves your thighs and shoulders sore. You will be in the saddle for a good part of the afternoon, and tired legs make a ride less comfortable than it needs to be.
Sun and water before you go
Many riders get most of their sun in the morning without noticing, then add the afternoon on top. Wear sunscreen on the beach, reapply before pickup, and drink water through the late morning. Bottled water is included on the ride, but starting well hydrated helps, especially in the hot months. Alcohol at lunch is better skipped; please don't ride after drinking, and it is simply more fun to be clear-headed on a horse.
Lunch: eat, but not too much
Have a proper lunch around 12:00 to 1:00 PM, so that it is digested by the time you climb on a horse. Something simple works best: fish, rice, a salad, fruit. Avoid a very heavy meal or a big plate of fried food right before pickup. The ride is calm, but you will be moving, crossing a river and riding for hours, and a full stomach is not what you want.
If you tend to get hungry in the afternoon, eat a light snack around 2:00 PM. There is no dinner stop on the sunset ride, and you will not be back at the hotel until about 7:00 PM.
Get ready before 3:00 PM
Pickup is at your hotel or Airbnb door, so be ready ten minutes early. A short checklist:
- Long pants (jeans are ideal) and closed-toe shoes, ideally with a small heel. Our guide to what to wear for horseback riding goes into detail.
- Sunscreen and insect repellent.
- Phone or camera in a pocket that closes.
- A swimsuit and a change of clothes, because the river crossing can splash you.
- A light layer for the ride back, when it cools down after sunset.
Use the bathroom before you leave; once you are on the trail, there are no facilities.
Right after the ride: you are back around 7:00 PM
You will return to your hotel with dusty jeans, salty hair and probably a big smile. Give yourself a little time before heading out for the evening:
- Drink water. Even if you do not feel thirsty, you have been outside for hours.
- Take a shower and change. Riding clothes are not dinner clothes, and a quick rinse makes a big difference.
- Stretch. Hips, inner thighs and lower back often feel the ride the next day. A few minutes of gentle stretching helps.
Dinner: keep it relaxed
By around 8:00 PM you are probably hungry and happy. A table near the beach, a plate of fresh seafood or a few tacos, and a cold drink is usually all it takes. Because you will likely arrive tired, choose somewhere close to your hotel rather than crossing the whole town. Book ahead if you are travelling as a group or in a busy week; in the high season, the popular places fill quickly.
If you plan to have a drink, wait until after you are off the horse, and take your time. The ride has done most of the work of winding you down.
What not to schedule
- A late-evening tour right after. Returning around 7:00 PM leaves little buffer, so avoid anything with a fixed start time that evening.
- An early flight or bus the next morning, if you can avoid it. You will enjoy the evening more without watching the clock.
- A big surf session the next morning, in case your legs are sore.
If you want to stack activities across several days, that is easy to do: the ride is the main event of one afternoon, and the rest of the stay can be as busy as you like.
A simple day, start to finish
- 8:30 AM – breakfast and a short swim
- 11:00 AM – shade, a walk or free time
- 12:30 PM – lunch, light and early
- 2:50 PM – ready in the lobby with water, sunscreen and a change of clothes
- 3:00 PM – hotel pickup
- About 7:00 PM – back at the hotel
- 8:00 PM – shower, then dinner close by
If you are still deciding which ride suits you, our comparison of the sunset ride and the private ride explains how the two differ, and the two timings change how the day around them looks.
