Best time of year for a beach ride in Puerto Escondido
The short answer: there is no bad month for a beach ride near Puerto Escondido. Our rides run all year, and the sun sets over the Pacific every evening whatever the calendar says. What changes from season to season is the sky, the color of the countryside, how full the river is and how busy town gets. This guide walks through the year so you can pick the dates that suit the ride you have in mind.
Two seasons, not four
The Oaxacan coast doesn't really have spring, summer, fall and winter. It has a dry season and a rainy season, and it's warm in both. Daytime temperatures sit around the low 30s °C (high 80s to low 90s °F) most of the year, and evenings on the beach are pleasant rather than cool. Nobody needs a jacket for the sunset ride.
- Dry season, roughly November to May: clear skies on most afternoons, very little rain and the most predictable sunsets.
- Rainy season, roughly June to September, often tailing into October: green hills, a fuller river, and showers that usually arrive in the late afternoon or at night rather than lasting all day.
Both are good. They just give you a different ride.
Month by month
November and December
For many riders this is the sweet spot. The rains have usually finished, but the countryside around San José Manialtepec is still green from the wet months and the river still has some water in it. Skies tend to be clear, so the odds of a clean sunset over the water are high. From mid-December, Puerto Escondido fills up for the holidays, so book a few days ahead if you're coming between Christmas and New Year.
January to March
Peak dry season. Afternoons are sunny and dry, the beach is wide and the light at golden hour is reliably warm. It's also high season for visitors from abroad, so this is when the shared ride is most likely to have other riders on it. The landscape slowly turns from green to gold as the weeks go by, and the river runs lower.
April and May
The hottest, driest stretch of the year. The hills look parched by May, and the humidity starts climbing before the rains arrive. Because the shared ride starts at 3:00 PM and spends its first hour along the river and under the jungle canopy, you miss the worst of the midday heat, but bring plenty of sunscreen and drink the water your guide hands out. Easter week (Semana Santa) is one of the busiest weeks of the year in Puerto Escondido, so plan ahead if your trip falls then.
June to September
The green season. The first storms bring the countryside back to life within days, and by July the trail runs through deep green fields and a lush jungle. The river is fuller, so expect more splashing at the crossings. Afternoons often build up clouds, and a storm can roll in around sunset or after dark. When the clouds break at the right moment, the sky does things you'll never see in March. Some evenings, though, you'll watch the sun set behind a bank of cloud instead.
The trail may vary a little in this season depending on conditions, and your guide always decides what is sensible on the day. July and August are also school holidays in Mexico, so expect more Mexican families in town.
October
A transition month. Some years the rains keep going well into October, other years they fade early. It's usually quieter in town, the countryside is at its greenest and prices around Puerto Escondido tend to be lower than in high season. If you're flexible, it can be a very good month to ride.
When are the sunsets best?
If a clear, golden sunset is the whole point of your ride, aim for November to April. That's when you're most likely to see the sun drop all the way into the Pacific with nothing in the way.
If you'd rather have color and drama, the rainy season can win. Broken clouds after an afternoon shower often light up orange, pink and purple in a way a cloudless sky never does. You trade some certainty for the chance of a spectacular evening.
One more thing to know: the sun doesn't set at the same time all year. At this latitude it goes down earliest in late autumn, around 6:00 PM, and latest in early summer, a little after 7:00 PM. The ride is timed so you reach the beach for golden hour. If the exact moment matters to you, for a proposal for example, mention it when you book.
Is the rainy season a bad time to ride?
No, and in some ways it's the more beautiful ride. A few honest trade-offs:
- You'll get wetter. A fuller river means more water at the crossings, and a passing shower is always possible. Bring a change of clothes, and keep your phone in a pocket that closes or a small dry bag.
- More insects. Mosquitoes are more active after the rains, especially near the river and in the jungle. Insect repellent is on the packing list for a reason.
- Less predictable skies. Some sunsets will be hidden by cloud. The ride is still river, jungle and an empty beach.
- Greener, quieter, cheaper. Fewer visitors in town, the landscape at its best, and lower prices on hotels in most of the low season.
Pacific hurricane season officially runs from mid-May to the end of November, with most activity from August to October. Most weeks pass without any storm nearby, but if one does come close to the coast, riding that day may not be sensible. Message us about moving your date, and keep a free day at the end of your trip if you can.
Morning or afternoon, by season
The shared ride is always in the afternoon, because it's built around the sunset. If you book the private ride, you can choose an 8:00 AM departure instead. That option makes the most sense in April and May, when the mornings are the most comfortable part of the day, and on rainy-season trips, when mornings are usually drier and clearer than afternoons. You lose the sunset but gain cooler air and a free afternoon. Our comparison of the sunset ride and the private ride covers the other differences.
Our pick
- Best overall: November and early December. Green countryside, dry afternoons and clear sunsets, before the holiday crowds.
- Most reliable sunsets: January to April.
- Greenest and quietest: late June to October, if you don't mind a few clouds and a wetter river crossing.
- Plan furthest ahead: Christmas to New Year, Easter week and the July–August school holidays.
Whatever the month, what you wear matters more than the weather. Read our guide to what to wear for horseback riding in Puerto Escondido before you go, and if you're still planning the trip, the complete guide to horseback riding in Puerto Escondido covers where the rides go and how booking works.
