Surfing Carrizalillo

Two waves share the cove: a left and a right that break in from the rocky sides about 50 m offshore and roll onto the sand. The bottom is a mix of sand and rock, and most guides rate it best from low to mid tide. Waves are usually waist to chest high even when Zicatela is much bigger, and the soft shape gives learners time to stand up; surf schools use the cove every day. It works best on small to moderate southwest swells.

On bigger swells stronger sets push into the bay and rips form along the rocks, so beginners should sit those days out. Mornings are the cleanest, before the sea breeze picks up. The real limit is space: the cove is small, and on busy days dozens of surfers share a lineup made for far fewer, with lessons, rental boards and swimmers all in the same water. Keep clear of the rocks at each end, stay away from swimmers and hold on to your board.

The cove opens to the south-west, so the morning sun comes over the hillside behind you and lights the faces of the waves rolling in; late afternoon is backlit, and the beach is a popular place to watch the sunset. Distances are short: from the sand, a 70–300 mm (full-frame equivalent) covers everything from a wide view of the cove to a tight frame of a surfer on the shoulder.

The staircase gives an elevated angle over the lineup and the palms. This is also the easiest spot in Puerto Escondido to shoot from the water: on small days a swimmer with fins and a housing can sit on the shoulder, well clear of learners and their rental boards. Early morning gives the cleanest water and the fewest people in frame.

Carrizalillo is about 10 minutes by car or taxi from Zicatela, west of the main town bay. From the parking area at the top, a staircase of roughly 160 steps leads down to the sand, so carrying a longboard back up is part of the session. The beach has public toilets, a few beach bars, board rental and lessons. Phone signal on the sand is patchy.