The Oaxaca coast is warm and sunny much of the year, but the seasons shift the weather, the surf, and the lushness dramatically, and the difference matters for an elopement. The dry season brings stable, sunny conditions; the wet season brings heat, rain, and a green, dramatic coast. Here is what each season delivers.

Dry Season: November to April

The dry season, November through April, is the prime window for a Puerto Escondido or Mazunte elopement. The weather is warm, sunny, and stable, with little rain, calm clear skies, and the most dependable conditions for the all-important cliff sunsets at Punta Cometa. This coincides with the North American winter, drawing couples escaping the cold, and the reliable golden light over the Pacific makes it the most popular and comfortable season on the coast.

A wide Pacific beach at sunset under a clear sky — The dry season, November through April, is the prime window: warm, sunny, and stable, with little rain and the most dependable conditions for the all-important cliff sunsets at Punta Cometa. It coincides with the North American winter, and the reliable golden light over the Pacific makes it the most popular and comfortable season on the coast

The Surf Season

Puerto Escondido’s legendary surf is biggest in the summer months, roughly May through September, when the largest Pacific swells arrive and Zicatela earns its reputation. For couples who love the drama of huge waves as a backdrop, this is the time, though it coincides with the wet season’s heat and rain. In the dry winter the surf is gentler but still characterful, giving the beaches their wild energy without the summer’s extremes.

Large Pacific waves crashing on a wild beach — Puerto Escondido’s legendary surf is biggest in summer, roughly May through September, when the largest swells arrive and Zicatela earns its reputation, dramatic for couples who love huge waves as a backdrop, though it coincides with the wet season. In the dry winter the surf is gentler but still characterful, wild without the extremes

Wet Season: May to October

The wet season, May through October, brings heat, humidity, and afternoon and evening rain, along with a lush, green, dramatic coast and the biggest surf. The rain is often brief and dramatic rather than all-day, and the hills behind the coast turn vivid green. September and October are the wettest, with a small risk of tropical storms on the Pacific coast. For couples comfortable with the heat and a flexible plan, the green season offers lower prices and fewer crowds.

Couple on a rocky Pacific coast at golden hour — The wet season, May through October, brings heat, humidity, and afternoon rain along with a lush green coast and the biggest surf, the rain often brief and dramatic. September and October are wettest, with a small storm risk on the Pacific coast. For couples comfortable with the heat and a flexible plan, the green season offers lower prices and fewer crowds

The Best Window

For most couples, the ideal window is the heart of the dry season, November through April, when the weather is stable, the skies are clear, and the Punta Cometa sunsets are at their most reliable and spectacular. The shoulders ease the peak crowds while keeping excellent conditions. For the dependable golden light and the famous cliff sunset that define an Oaxaca-coast elopement, the dry winter and spring are unbeatable.