Barra de la Cruz, Oaxaca

Some of the world's best surfing can be found along the Oaxaca coast. The most devoted surfers in this region of the country are familiar with Barra de la Cruz, a barren beach 12 miles from the vacation city of Huatulco. The renowned Rip Curl Pro Search yearly tournament was held here in 2006, which is what made this formerly unknown location well-known.

There are few committed surfers who would camp on its shores in order to catch the early-morning waves. The distinctive feature of "Barra," as the locals refer to it, is that hills on each side of it protect it from view from the nearby beaches. It also only has one dirt road leading to it, which helps in keeping its "hidden" magic. Having said that, visitors to Barra can expect very basic accommodation and few services. Bring everything you need in there with you if at all possible. The area is now well-known among surfers for having a fantastic point break. This is a destination for real surf enthusiasts because there isn't much going on in the town aside from surf bungalows and a single beachfront cantina.