Tehuacán to Puerto Escondido is about 250 road miles (403 km): roughly 4 h 29 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance | 250 mi (403 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 4 h 29 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-135D → MEX-190 → MEX-175 → MEX-175D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla, Oaxaca |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-135D, MEX-175D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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.
The Tehuacán–Puerto Escondido drive in a few lines
MEX-135D (121 mi) and MEX-175D (64 mi) carry about 74% of the 250 miles. It runs through 2 states: Puebla, Oaxaca. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-135D and MEX-175D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tehuacán to Puerto Escondido, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Puebla |
| MEX-135D | 4–125 | 121 | Puebla, Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 125–130 | 5 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 130–136 | 6 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175 | 136–147 | 11 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 147–157 | 10 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175 | 157–169 | 12 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 169–176 | 7 | Oaxaca |
| connecting roads | 176–180 | 4 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175D | 180–244 | 64 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-200 | 244–250 | 6 | Oaxaca |
- Mile 26 of this route: Puebla → Oaxaca (state line)
Places worth a stop between Tehuacán and Puerto Escondido
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Suchilquitongo (mile 114), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Soledad (mile 131), Museo Rufino Tamayo, Oaxaca (mile 131), Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (mile 140)
- Nature and outdoors: Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 17), Benito Juárez National Park (mile 124)
- Museums and history: Suchilquitongo (mile 114), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Soledad (mile 131), Museo Rufino Tamayo, Oaxaca (mile 131), Zaachila (mile 140), Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (mile 140)
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
This arid valley straddling Puebla and Oaxaca joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2018 as a mixed site. It is a major center of cactus diversity and preserves ancient canals, wells, terraces and dams built to manage 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
Hikers heading just north of Oaxaca City reach Benito Juárez National Park, where trails cross roughly 2,737 hectares of pine and oak. La Coronilla, a moderate loop, runs about 5 km.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Soledad
Built between 1682 and 1690, the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Soledad in Oaxaca de Juárez is a sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Solitude, patron saint of Oaxaca.
Museo Rufino Tamayo, Oaxaca
The Museo Rufino Tamayo is an art museum you can visit in the city of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico.
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.
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.
More drives to Puerto Escondido
- Tuxtepec to Puerto Escondido
- Huamantla to Puerto Escondido
- Zacatelco to Puerto Escondido
- Chiautempan to Puerto Escondido
- Tlaxcala to Puerto Escondido
- Iguala to Puerto Escondido
From Tehuacán to other places in Mexico
- Tehuacán to Córdoba
- Tehuacán to Huejotzingo
- Tehuacán to Tlaxcala
- Tehuacán to Calpulalpan
- Tehuacán to Otumba
- Tehuacán to Tepoztlán
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tehuacán to Puerto Escondido?
About 4 h 29 min of driving without stops, over 250 miles.
How far is Puerto Escondido from Tehuacán by car?
About 250 miles (403 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 Tehuacán 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 Tehuacán to Puerto Escondido?
The U.S. State Department rates Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tehuacán to Puerto Escondido use?
In order: MEX-135D, MEX-190, MEX-175, MEX-175D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tehuacán and Puerto Escondido?
Closest to the road: Suchilquitongo (archaeological site, mile 114, 0.4 mi from the route); Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Soledad (church, mile 131, 0.5 mi from the route); Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (folk art museum, mile 140, 0.0 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.