By road, Zacatelco and Puerto Escondido are about 337 miles (542 km) apart, or roughly 5 h 52 min of driving.
| Distance by road | 337 mi (542 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-119 → 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 13.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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.
How the Zacatelco to Puerto Escondido drive plays out
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-175D (63 mi) carry about 64% of the 337 miles. It runs through 3 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Oaxaca. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-150D, MEX-135D and MEX-175D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Zacatelco to Puerto Escondido
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-119 | 0–9 | 9 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 9–11 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 11–60 | 49 | Puebla |
| MEX-135D | 60–211 | 151 | Puebla, Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 211–216 | 5 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 216–222 | 6 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175 | 222–233 | 11 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 233–244 | 11 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175 | 244–255 | 11 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 255–262 | 7 | Oaxaca |
| connecting roads | 262–266 | 4 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175D | 266–329 | 63 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-200 | 329–336 | 7 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 336–337 | 1 | Oaxaca |
- Mile 8 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 114 of this route: Puebla → Oaxaca (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Zacatelco and Puerto Escondido
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Suchilquitongo (mile 199), Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca (mile 217), Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (mile 226)
- Nature and outdoors: Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 103), Benito Juárez National Park (mile 211)
- Museums and history: Casa de los muñecos (mile 11), Suchilquitongo (mile 199), Monte Albán (mile 217), Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca (mile 217), Zaachila (mile 226), Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (mile 226)
Casa de los muñecos
A block northeast of Puebla's zócalo, the 18th-century Casa de los Muñecos is a notable example of the city's civil architecture and now houses the BUAP University Museum.
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.
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.
Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca
Founded by artist Francisco Toledo, the Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca is an art school in Oaxaca de Juárez that holds a large collection of Latin American artwork.
Zaachila
Excavated tombs draw visitors to Zaachila, a former Zapotec city. The best known is Tomb 1, where stucco figures depict the people who were buried there.
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
- Tehuacán to Puerto Escondido
- Tuxtepec to Puerto Escondido
- Huamantla to Puerto Escondido
- Chiautempan to Puerto Escondido
- Tlaxcala to Puerto Escondido
- Iguala to Puerto Escondido
From Zacatelco to other places in Mexico
- Zacatelco to Tlaxco
- Zacatelco to Calpulalpan
- Zacatelco to Otumba
- Zacatelco to Atlatlahucan
- Zacatelco to Omitlán
- Zacatelco to Huasca de Ocampo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Zacatelco to Puerto Escondido?
About 5 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 337 miles.
How far is Puerto Escondido from Zacatelco by car?
About 337 miles (542 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 Zacatelco 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 Zacatelco 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.
What roads does the drive from Zacatelco to Puerto Escondido use?
In order: MEX-119, 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 Zacatelco to Puerto Escondido?
Closest to the road: Suchilquitongo (archaeological site, mile 199, 0.4 mi from the route); Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca (art museum, mile 217, 1 mi from the route); Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (folk art museum, mile 226, 0.1 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.