Punta Cometa: How to Visit the Mazunte Sunset Spot Like a Local
Want to visit Punta Cometa in Oaxaca?
You’ve come to the right place because I have done the hike to Punta Cometa Mazunte.
In this article, I’m going to tell you everything you need to know about visiting Punta Cometa Oaxaca — including what I did wrong on my visit!
While the Oaxaca beach town and Mexico pueblo magico (magic town) of Mazunte is small, there’s plenty to do and see once you arrive.
However, at the top of any Mazunte things to do list, you’ll find Punta Cometa.
If you’re wondering, What’s so special about Punta Cometa anyway?! — keep reading because this article tells you everything you need to know about Punta Cometa, including its history and how to visit today.
A Brief History of Punta Cometa Oaxaca
What is Punta Cometa Mazunte?
Punta Cometa was used in pre-Hispanic times as a ceremonial center. Today, it is a gathering place for Mazunte visitors and locals alike — and the best spot in town to see the epic Mazunte sunsets.
Punta Cometa (AKA Cerro Sagrada, or Sacred Hill) is a point of land that juts into the Pacific Ocean.
The rocky cape at Punta Cometa is the southernmost point in Oaxaca Mexico.
Given its unique geographic position at the southernmost point in Oaxaca state, visitors get to enjoy 180° views of the Pacific Ocean just below you.
It is one of the best places to visit in Oaxaca, and a must see Mazunte site.
Where is Punta Cometa Mazunte?
Punta Cometa Oaxaca is located in Mazunte, Mexico. This is one of the most popular beach towns in Oaxaca, Mexico, and one of the pueblos magicos (magic towns) in Oaxaca state.
🗺️ Punta Cometa Map
How to Get to Punta Cometa Mazunte
There are two places in Mazunte where you can start the hike to Punta Cometa.
One Punta Cometa entrance is on the southern end of Playa Rinconcito Beach.
From here, you’ll see the trail to take up the side of the hill which consists of about 200 stairs. The beach entrance point is here.
The other is on Camino Mermejita in town. This entrance is near Cabañas Amaia, one of the best Mazunte hotels.
The town entry to Punta Cometa is here. You don not need to reserve any Punta Cometa tours for the hike.
⚠️ Do not take the staircase path from the beach
I took the beach path, which means I had to climb up about 200 extra stairs than those who enter from Camino Mermejita in town.
The beach path is considered the long way to Punta Cometa, as it’s harder than the in-town path.
I’d suggest you not make the same mistake I did, and take the Camino Mermejita path from downtown Mazunte.
If you do the beach path, grab a bottle of water from one of the vendors right by the entrance to the staircase.
How to get to Punta Cometa from Puerto Escondido
Mazunte is about 1.5 hours from Puerto Escondido in normal traffic.
You can take a taxi (there’s no Uber in Oaxaca), the colectivo (shared van or pick-up truck), or drive yourself.
If you’re renting a car in Puerto Escondido, drive to Mazunte, park here near the Tourist Information Center, then walk to the Punta Cometa Oaxaca entrance on Camino Mermejita.
From here, the hike is about 20 minutes.
How to get to Punta Cometa from Huatulco
Mazunte is about 1.5 hours from Huatulco in normal traffic.
You can take a taxi (there’s no Uber in Oaxaca), the colectivo (shared van or pick-up truck), or drive yourself.
If you’re renting a car in Huatulco, drive to Mazunte, park here near the Tourist Information Center, then walk to the Punta Cometa entrance on Camino Mermejita.
From here, the hike is about 20 minutes.
Hiking the Punta Cometa Trail
The hike to Punta Cometa in Mazunte can be a little challenging for some, but it’s also only about a 20-30 minute hike, so it go by fast.
Once you reach the Punta Cometa viewpoint, you’ll see it was totally worth it.
🐋 Visiting Mazunte in winter? You’ll likely see some whales from here, especially if you visit Punta Cometa for sunrise.
The hike is quite hilly, with lots of ups and downs. It has about the same level of difficulty when you hike to Punta Cometa, as when hike back to Mazunte.
Since you’ll really work up an appetite after this hike, head to one of these best restaurants in Mazunte after you’re done.
We went to La Pizzeria Mazunte, and while this was a very hyped place — it did live up to the hype 🍕❤️
Is there a Punta Cometa entrance fee?
No — but there are usually locals who stand at an entrance gate near the top of Punta Cometa and collect donations. I gave them $10 pesos to enter, which is less than $1 USD.
Sunset at Punta Cometa vs Sunrise at Punta Cometa
While there are crowds at Punta Cometa day and night, there’s no denying that hiking the Punta Cometa trail to see the sunset is one of the best things to do in Mazunte.
You can walk to Punta Cometa all day, but it’s especially popular at sunset when you’ll get some amazing views from the clifftop.
At Punta Cometa, you have 180° panoramic ocean views, and you can see all the Mazunte beaches.
Punta Cometa Hike Tips & FAQ
1. What’s the best time to visit Punta Cometa?
If you want a good seat for the sunset, head up there about 45-minutes before the sun will actually set. The hike takes about 20 minutes, which leaves you some time to find a good spot, sit and relax.
As this hike, and the town of Mazunte Oaxaca itself, get more and more popular, you do need to plan ahead for this hike — at least a little.
Also, make sure your camera has enough battery so you can get those epic Punta Cometa photos.
2. Is the Punta Cometa hike easy?
That will of course depend on who you ask — but I’d say it was pretty difficult, or at least moderately difficult.
Since no one person can definitively answer the How hard is the Punta Cometa hike in Mazunte? question — you probably want to hear from others.
Check out these reviews of the Punta Cometa hike on All Trails for more opinions.
3. Do I need shoes for the hike to Punta Cometa?
While I saw some people do this hike in beach sandals or even barefoot, they didn’t look happy. The trail to Punta Cometa Oaxaca is completely unpaved, so footwear like sneakers or hiking sandals will come in handy.
4. What should I bring to Punta Cometa?
Your phone, this reusable water bottle and eco-friendly bug spray will come in handy. If you have a small towel, you might want to bring it unless you don’t mind sitting in the dirt.
Besides getting great photos of Punta Cometa, your phone will serve another important purpose.
(📸 Pro Tip: Don’t miss the giant cactus on the Punta Cometa trail — which is probably the biggest cacti you’ll ever see.)
The trail to Punta Cometa is not lit at all.
If you’re going for sunset, a flashlight or headlamp will come in handy, or just make sure your cell phone is fully charged so you can use the flashlight.
Beaches Below Punta Cometa
Playa Mermejita Beach
Playa Mermejita is the first beach found to the west of Punta Cometa.
The beach is actually located in the tiny town of Mermejita, a small beach village uninhabited until recently, but everyone associates it with Mazunte.
Playa Mermejita is a virgin beach with long stretches of golden sand — and pretty much nothing else!
There’s no restaurants, restrooms or services, so you’ll want to show up with everything you need for the day.
At the west end of the beach, lookout for the rock formation known as La Ventana, which means “the window” in Spanish.
On the east end, there’s Toron Rock, a great place to look for dolphins, orcas, or whales.
In recent years, Playa Mermejita has become a nudist beach, though it’s not technically legal.
The only legal nude beach in Mexico is in Zipolite, located about 20 minutes from Mazunte.
🏝️ How to get to Playa Mermejita Mazunte
Getting to Mermejita Beach requires a hike, but it’s worth the trek to have such a gorgeous beach nearly all to yourself.
Because of said hike, Mermejita Beach usually has very few people on it.
To get there, you’ll actually take the same path you would to get to the Punta Cometa overlook.
At one point, the trail will fork, and you’ll take the pathway to the right to get to Mermejita Beach.
The hiking trail is clearly noted with signs, so you won’t get lost.
Punta Cometa Beach
Located in Punta Cometa State Park, this small beach cove is accessible on the same hiking path that goes to the Punta Cometa sunset spot.
It is a rustic beach with no services, so come prepared.
The waves at Playa Cometa get big, so you won’t want to swim here. However, it’s the perfect place to take in the hypnotic sounds of the Pacific Ocean.
To swim, head to Playa Rinconcito, the best beach for swimming in Mazunte.
💡 Mazunte Travel Tips: If you’re looking to do any Mazunte tours, most of the local tour operators hang out at the entrance to Playa Rinconcito Beach.
Final Thoughts: Hiking Punta Cometa in Mazunte
While most think it’s little more than a hippie beach town, Mazunte has so much more to offer visitors.
Though small, it is one of the best beach towns in Oaxaca, and getting more popular with each passing year.
Make sure you visit soon — because this Mexico hidden gem won’t stay hidden for long.
In the meantime, I hope this Ultimate Guide to Punta Cometa showed you that you must add Punta Cometa to your Mazunte itinerary.
