Bianca Valenti, at the 2019 Puerto Escondido Cup. Photo: Maria Fernanda
The non-profit organization Save the Waves Coalition has selected Puerto Escondido, Mexico as the latest surf zone to gain “world surfing reserve” status. The proposed reserve, which would cover 10 kilometers of coast and eight surf breaks, will now go through a planning process to be formalized in early 2026.
Save the Waves has already had Puerto Escondido on its radar as a location in need of protection. The threats facing the region’s world-class waves include improper wastewater infrastructure, erosion that could be exacerbated by a nearby port, harmful coastal development, and loss of sandbanks.
“Puerto Escondido reflects the quintessential surf ecosystem, incredible world-class waves, a biodiverse environment with important ecosystems for coastal resilience, and a united community willing and able to defend the place they love,” said Save the Waves CEO Nik Strong-Cvetich.
Aside from the world-class beachbreaks of Zicatela and Punta Colorada, the area’s waves are matched by its rich biodiversity. The stretch of coastline serves as a vital nesting habitat for sea turtles.
“Saving the wave of Zicatela would not only benefit Puerto Escondido but also bring Playa Zicatela back to life,” said renowned Puerto Escondido big wave surfer Coco Nogales. “It is heartbreaking to see the deterioration the wave and the beach have suffered over the past decade. Obtaining the world surfing reserve designation would be a major step toward restoring its prestige and reclaiming its place among the top 10 waves in the world.”
World surf reserve status is not a globally recognized legal framework, but the formation of a coalition of local partners who create the “local stewardship council” to protect the wave via a “reserve stewardship plan.”
Puerto Escondido will be the 14th such reserve, joining surf zones in California, Australia, Portugal, Peru, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Brazil, and Mexico (Todos Santos). The first reserve was established in 2009 in Malibu, California.
Each year, Save the Waves selects one new application for a world surfing reserve, choosing candidates based on quality and consistency of waves, environmental characteristics, culture and surf history, governance capacity and local support, and if it is a priority conservation area.
