Playa Carrizalillo is the prettiest of Puerto Escondido's sheltered bays, a small horseshoe of calm turquoise water enclosed by low cliffs. A long staircase leads down from the road above, and at the bottom you find a beach with gentle waves, good snorkelling around the rocky edges of the bay, and a handful of restaurants and sun-lounger rentals. It is the best beach for swimming when Zicatela is working its worst.
The bay faces west and catches excellent sunsets. In the morning it can be quiet enough that you have it almost to yourself. By midday it fills with families and visitors from the hotels on the cliff above. A few vendors work the beach selling fresh fruit and cold drinks.