Zipolite is a tiny Pacific Ocean beach town in Oaxaca, Mexico, which has, over several decades, become a niche gay-friendly alternative to larger, more developed resorts like Puerto Vallarta.
Actually, I take that back. It would be wrong—offensive, even—to compare Zipolite, population 1,060, to Puerto Vallarta, which has a metro population of about a half million and an industrial-sized LGBTQ+ tourism industry.
Zipolite has got a few dozen businesses along a couple of main streets, a winding mountain road and a two-kilometre beach. Many of the venues are mom and pop, some of them dating back to the 1960s. There are no chain businesses, not many structures higher than one storey, and none of the hustle and bustle of a city. A visitor would be hard pressed to buy something like a blender, Bluetooth speaker or a pair of jeans in Zipolite; for anything more than a meal, beer, sunscreen, bathing suits or handicrafts, they’d have to head to the nearest “real town,” an unappealing place called Pochutla, which is about a 40-minute drive inland along a sometimes-frighteningly curvy secondary road. The rocky terrain frames Zipolite’s huge beach, punctuating views with black-grey stone topped with dusty brown-green foliage.
For those who love doing nothing but sitting in a hammock, reading by the ocean, taking long walks on the beach, eating local cuisine, drinking beer and flirting, and perhaps hooking up with fellow gay visitors, Zipolite will scratch a particular itch. For those who love to do all this while naked, all the better. Zipolite’s history as a nudist-friendly destination goes back to the 1960s, when hippies took a liking to the place and locals decided they’d put up with their habit of sunbathing in the nude.
Gay men, both Mexican and international, started coming to Zipolite in the 1980s, but the numbers were very small until the 2000s. In the 2010s, Zipolite started being more serious and less discreet about being nudist-friendly, launching a nudist festival, which usually happens in early February, and fully legalizing beach nudity in 2016. Until then, authorities had merely turned a blind eye to naked visitors. After that, the number of gay visitors, and nudists more generally, started increasing dramatically.
Most businesses in Zipolite are gay-friendly—the locals have seen it all and then some. Most of the hotels and restaurants are cheap and cheerful. One regular will have their favourites, another will love others. Since the 2010s, a growing number of businesses have been catering to gay men. This guide will focus on these gay-focused businesses, as well as businesses that stand out as being a bit more unique, including those that permit nudity. Everything else is best left to whim and serendipity. Zipolite is not a place you want to make plans or reservations.
How to get there
Zipolite is a remote destination in one of Mexico’s poorest states. Set aside expectations you might have set in Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Punta Cana, Montego Bay or the like.
There are two airports within roughly 90 minutes of driving distance from Zipolite: Puerto Escondido and Bahías de Huatulco International Airport. Huatulco, which serves the mid-priced mainstream resort area of the same name, is a little closer and has more international flights, though many of them are charter flights and therefore seasonal.
Inside each airport there are desks selling pre-paid taxi rides to Zipolite, where the price starts around 1,500 pesos (roughly US$95, CAD$120). Those who find that steep can walk a few minutes from the airport and negotiate with the taxi drivers who usually hang out by the gates; they might be bartered down to around 1,000 pesos and might also help round up two or three other people to share the cost. Shared taxis will drop you near, but not necessarily at, your hotel.
Those who want to forego taxis altogether—this is backpacker country, after all—can continue walking or taxiing the short distance from either airport to the main road (highway 200), where buses regularly traverse the main highway between Puerto Escondido and Huatulco airports. You can often flag them down, but they also have designated stops. About 60 pesos gets a bus ride to the one of the turnoffs to the secondary road (the 175), a coastal loop off 200, that leads to Zipolite. From the intersection, a traveller can catch a colectivo—a licensed truck that follows a regular route along 175 collecting and dropping off passengers for a fixed rate, usually a couple of bucks a ride.
The closest town, Pochutla, is about a 40-minute drive from Zipolite and is close to one of the main intersections of the 200 and the 175. It has a bus terminal with routes bound for the state capital, Oaxaca City; Mexico City (as much as 15 hours); San Cristóbal de las Casas (as much as 13 hours), a mountain town beloved by visitors; and other destinations.
For years, it was a 10-plus-hour bus ride through the mountains from Oaxaca City to the coast, making it a little painful to combine the capital’s wondrous cultural experiences with the coast’s beach experiences. But over the last couple of years, segments of a new highway have been opening up, making the trip much faster. In January 2026, the trip from Oaxaca City to the coast took less than four hours to get to Pochutla. Meanwhile, the government has been improving highway 200, so the drive from the Huatulco airport to Zipolite might eventually be less than an hour.
Along 175, there’s a town called Mazunte, which is another pretty touristy town, much more straight, with a youthful yoga-and-selfie vibe. In the opposite direction is a fishing village called Puerto Ángel, which is more of a real town—it’s got a military base, a chain grocery store and a Santander ATM. Both can be reached by colectivo. Puerto Ángel can actually be reached on foot, either walking along 175 (not recommended) or along clifftop roads and paths (pretty but very easy to get lost).
When to go
Weatherwise, November to April is the best time to visit this region of Mexico. The weather is warm, predictable, sunny and much less humid. June to October is the rainy season; there can be hurricanes. In fact, in 2022, Hurricane Agatha damaged or destroyed many of the waterfront businesses in Zipolite, though there were few noticeable signs of the damage in January 2026.
The busiest time of year, particularly for the American “Fire Island boys,” who have been coming the last few years (read my analysis here), is around New Year’s, with the rush ending the weekend following January 6, which marks the end of the Mexican Christmas holiday season.
The nudist festival, called ENcuentro NUDista Zipolite, usually takes place at the end of January/beginning of February. It attracts serious naturalists, gay and straight, from around the world, as well as many not-seriously-nudist Mexicans, mostly straight, who come for the party.
Logistics
For the longest time, few businesses in Zipolite accepted credit cards. Now they are much more widely accepted, including by the two main drink vendors on Playa del Amor. But a visitor will still need some cash. The town has several white-label ATMs, including one at Hotel Playa Zipolite, one on the main road next to Coworking Azul Profundo and one in the parking lot of Nude Hotel.
The internet sucks, as does the mobile cellular service. The signal comes and goes, working well for a while, then disappearing. Several hotels now offer Starlink satellite internet service.
Zipolite is tiny, walkable from end to end in about 40 minutes. Many businesses don’t have unique addresses, or they might have one but nothing is marked anywhere. You will have to follow signs, ask locals and use Google Maps to find some of these places, even for those where we give an address.
Rules around nudity & sex
The local government legalized nudity on the beach in 2016; until then, it had been merely tolerated by the locals. On the street, the road, other public areas and in most businesses, nudity is not permitted. Many businesses overflow onto the beach, as does the town itself, so nudists should pay attention to where they are—it gets a bit blurry. It’s worthwhile keeping a sarong or swimsuit on hand while exploring new nooks and crannies of the area. Several hotels and one bar (see below) bill themselves as nude or clothing-optional venues.
When naked on furniture, always sit on a towel or sarong.
Public sex is not legally permitted, though some visitors might have experiences that lead them to think otherwise.
Playa del Amor
The main beach in Zipolite is a two-kilometre strip of yellow sand, straight like a airport runway. At the west end, there is a tiny cove Playa Limón. At the other, is Playa del Amor, which can be reached by taking a set of rock steps over a rocky promontory to a tiny beach. Playa del Amor is known as “the gay beach,” though the crowd can be mixed at various times of the day. Because of the way the cliffs frame the horizon, many visitors, gay and straight, come here for sunset. There are two businesses selling drinks from thatched-roof palapas. The chairs and umbrellas are free for their customers. It’s possible to bring your own drinks, but you’ll need to sit on a spread or towel of your own, and bring your empties with you at the end of your visit.
After sunset, local performers often do a fire-juggling show for tips. After dark, many people, including straights, will hang out on Playa del Amor like it’s a cocktail bar. For those who pay attention to such things, there’s also what could be described as a darkroom area of the beach.
Where to stay
In the past few years, several hotels have opened that cater explicitly to gay men. These tend to be upscale and pricier than other accommodations. We’ll list those first.
HEVEN Residence (Arcoiris 1, Col. Arroyo El Tres, Bahia Camaron, Santa Maria Tonameca, Zipolite). Opening in 2012, Heven was one of the first properties marketing itself primarily to queer men. Perched on the hill at the west end of the beach, it has fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean, though the location also makes it something of a walk to get anywhere. Its six apartments (with kitchens and other amenities), two rooms and communal spaces are beautifully decorated with a colonial flare. It feels very exclusive.
Casa Nudista (Calle Mangles S/N, Colonia Roca Blanca, Zipolite). Opened in 2023, this “gay, LGBT & straight friendly” hotel requires nudity when guests are hanging around the communal spaces (we guess they don’t enforce it in the rooms). There are a variety of accommodation types including bungalows and dorm rooms, all centred around a verdant pool area. Day passes are available. Their Saturday afternoon pool parties are popular, though a day pass is mandatory, as is nudity.
Men Zipolite (Calle Palma Rica S/N, Playa Zipolite). Opened in January 2026, this is the newest gay male–oriented hotel in Zipolite. The setup is Palm Springs style, with rooms that look out onto the pool deck, but the aesthetic is European, with lots of attention to detail. There’s also a dorm room. The food served in the resto-bar, Cochon Rose, is French—one half of the charming French-Mexican gay couple that owns the place is a chef. For those too lazy to make it to the beach (who could possibly be that lazy!), the rooftop sundeck is perfect for taking in rays. They’ve also been known to host a Sunday pool party.
Hotel Neptuno Zipolite (Carretera Puerto Angel-Mazunte, Zipolite). Though not exclusively gay, this beachfront adults-only legacy property has long marketed itself as gay friendly.
CAMP (Calle las Casitas 51, Zipolite). Though they have various kinds of accommodations available (bookable on Airbnb), CAMP is less a hotel than a retreat, with a meditation room and lots of opportunities for guests to go on guided and individual creative/spiritual/healing journeys. Orientation-wise, it’s mixed, but a deep and authentic commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion. Scheduled events also determine who’s there.
Hotel Nude (Avenida Roca Blanca, Zipolite). This straight-run property is gay-friendly and one of the first to market itself as clothing-optional all over the property, including the two pools, but not in the restaurant. With 42 rooms, it’s easily one of the biggest hotels in town. It usually hosts parties for the nudist festival and has hosted swingers’ events. Slicker than most places, yet committed to the hippie-dippie peace-and-love spirit of Zipolite.
Naked Zipolite (Av. Roca Blanca 226, Zipolite). Right next door to Nude, the two hotels seem like sister properties, with a clothing-optional policy and similar décor. Naked is just a tad smaller with 38 rooms. For what it’s worth, they include more gay men in their social media than Hotel Nude does.
El Alquimista (Camino hacia Shambhala, Roca Blanca, Zipolite). Opened in 2015, El Alquimista can be credited (or blamed) with nudging Zipolite from being a backpacker’s destination, with most rooms in town then going for under US$50, into being a more polished and upscale experience. Air conditioning! A spa! Room service! Though it has only 17 rooms (many of them thatched-roof palapas), the property flows right onto the beach, so its better-than-most-other-places restaurant has become a landmark. Look up boho-chic in the dictionary and there will be a picture of El Alquimista.
Lola’s-Lino (off Calle Playa del Amor and Calle El Chololo, Zipolite). I could have chosen a few other legacy properties to suggest, but a) Lolas’ history in Zipolite goes back to the 1960s, b) it’s as close as a visitor can stay to Playa del Amor and c) it’s exemplary of how many other legacy Zipolite properties work. Which is to say that you can book a room for less than CA$70 on hotel websites, but it’s much cheaper to just show up and pay cash. The rooms are basically concrete boxes with a lightbulb and a few sticks of furniture. They’re gay-friendly, but don’t try to bring an unregistered guest to your room.
Where to eat
Lola’s-Lino (off Calle Playa del Amor and Calle El Chololo, Zipolite). Does it have the best food? No. The best service? No. Any décor at all? No. But the beachfront location near Playa del Amor, the price point and the drink specials can’t be beat. There’s a reason they’ve been in business for almost 60 years.
Mao Mau (C. Mangle, Playa Zipolite). One of the biggest and most fashionably decked-out spots in town, this Thai-Asian fusion restaurant is worth at least one evening meal during any visit. The garden dining room feels exotic and sparkly. They host art installations and live performances, some of them queer.
Posada Mexico (Avenida Roca Blanca, Zipolite). One of the classier legacy properties, they’ve succeeded this long with reliably good and well-priced traditional Mexican meals, particularly breakfast. Park yourself at one of their tables on the beach and you won’t have to move again until you’re ready to hit the sack.
Sal y Pimienta (beachside, Carretera Puerto Angel-Mazunte, Zipolite). Most visitors have their evening meals on or near the main street, Avenida Roca Blanca, the place to see and be seen. But for waterfront eating, there are few places more romantic than this legacy spot. The food isn’t fancy, but the various fish dishes and burgers are very well executed, at a very good price. And the candlelight is lovely.
El Alquimista (Camino hacia Shambhala, Roca Blanca, Zipolite). Still hard to beat, their restaurant has more European-inspired food (think hummus, croquetes, Greek salad) than elsewhere.
La Fenice (Ground floor, El Adoquin n. 38, Roca Blanca, Zipolite). Truly Italian-style pizza can be hard to find in Mexico outside of the big cities, but this reliable eatery pulls it off.
Where to drink
People drink everywhere in Zipolite—pretty much every hotel and restaurant is also a bar. So is the beach. It just depends on what vibe you’re looking for. But there are two places worth shouting out.
Chizme (Callejón Privada Huisache, off Calle Mangle, Playa Zipolite). Zipolite’s first and only gay bar, founded by an expat, has moved around and changed its vibe a few times since it opened in 2018. These days it’s naked-only after 8 p.m., attracting an almost 100 percent gay male crowd—these are guys who were naked all day on the beach and now want to be naked at a bar in the evening. The drinks are pricier than elsewhere; when I went they had no beer. They also have a dark room, which seems redundant.
SINnombre (Avenida Roca Blanca, Zipolite). The closest thing that Zipolite has to a nightclub, it’s a stylish place with a cool queer-friendly vibe. They have DJs and dancing most weeknights, but also host performances and film screenings.
