By road, Chiautempan and Puerto Escondido are about 343 miles (552 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 3 min of driving.
| Distance by road | 343 mi (552 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 3 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-121 → MEX-150D → MEX-135D → MEX-190 → MEX-175 → MEX-175D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tlaxcala, Puebla, Oaxaca |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-150D, MEX-135D, MEX-175D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora) |
|---|---|
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
What the drive from Chiautempan to Puerto Escondido is like
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-175D (64 mi) carry about 63% of the 343 miles. It runs through 3 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Oaxaca. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-150D, MEX-135D and MEX-175D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Chiautempan to Puerto Escondido: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-121 | 1–17 | 16 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 17–66 | 49 | Puebla |
| MEX-135D | 66–217 | 151 | Puebla, Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 217–223 | 6 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 223–229 | 6 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175 | 229–239 | 10 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 239–250 | 11 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175 | 250–262 | 12 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 262–268 | 6 | Oaxaca |
| connecting roads | 268–272 | 4 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175D | 272–336 | 64 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-200 | 336–343 | 7 | Oaxaca |
- Mile 16 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 119 of this route: Puebla → Oaxaca (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Chiautempan and Puerto Escondido
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Suchilquitongo (mile 206), Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán (mile 225), Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (mile 232)
- Nature and outdoors: Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 109), Benito Juárez National Park (mile 217)
- Museums and history: Casa del Alfeñique (mile 17), Fort Loreto (mile 18), Suchilquitongo (mile 206), Monte Albán (mile 224), Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán (mile 225), Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (mile 232), Zaachila (mile 233)
Casa del Alfeñique
Founded in 1926, the Museo Regional Casa de Alfeñique is a museum in the city of Puebla, housed in the building known as the Casa de Alfeñique.
Fort Loreto
Fort Loreto is a fort that stands in the city of Puebla, in the Mexican state of the same name.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
Cactus diversity reaches one of its peaks in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, a dry landscape shared by Puebla and Oaxaca. Ancient canals, wells, terraces and dams show how people managed its scarce water.
Suchilquitongo
Tomb 5 at Cerro de la Campana, excavated in 1985, holds murals and stucco carvings ranked among the finest funerary art of ancient Mexico. The Zapotec site crowns a hill in the northern Etla Valley.
Benito Juárez National Park
Pine and oak forest covers about 2,737 hectares in Benito Juárez National Park, a short way north of Oaxaca City. Among its trails is La Coronilla, a loop of around 5 km at moderate difficulty.
Monte Albán
Carved into a mountaintop above the Valley of Oaxaca, Monte Albán was a Zapotec capital for some 1,300 years; visitors walk a 300-meter ceremonial plaza lined with temples, a ball court, tombs and carved reliefs. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán
An example of New Spanish Baroque architecture, the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán in Oaxaca de Juárez traces back to 1551, when the city council granted 24 lots to the Dominican Order for a convent.
Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca
In San Bartolo Coyotepec, the town known for its black clay pottery (barro negro), this state-run museum traces the history of that craft and shows works by Oaxaca's folk art masters alongside temporary exhibitions.
Zaachila
Occupied as far back as about 1500 BC, Zaachila was a Zapotec city, later shared with Mixtecs. People still lived there when the Spanish arrived.
More drives to Puerto Escondido
- Tehuacán to Puerto Escondido
- Tuxtepec to Puerto Escondido
- Huamantla to Puerto Escondido
- Zacatelco to Puerto Escondido
- Tlaxcala to Puerto Escondido
- Iguala to Puerto Escondido
From Chiautempan to other places in Mexico
- Chiautempan to Omitlán
- Chiautempan to Atlatlahucan
- Chiautempan to Huasca de Ocampo
- Chiautempan to Metepec
- Chiautempan to Malinalco
- Chiautempan to Taxco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Chiautempan to Puerto Escondido?
About 6 h 3 min of driving without stops, over 343 miles.
How far is Puerto Escondido from Chiautempan by car?
About 343 miles (552 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Chiautempan to Puerto Escondido?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.
Is it safe to drive from Chiautempan to Puerto Escondido?
The U.S. State Department rates Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Chiautempan to Puerto Escondido?
In order: MEX-121, MEX-150D, MEX-135D, MEX-190, MEX-175, MEX-175D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Chiautempan to Puerto Escondido?
Closest to the road: Suchilquitongo (archaeological site, mile 206, 0.3 mi from the route); Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán (church, mile 225, 1 mi from the route); Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (folk art museum, mile 232, 0.3 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.