Ocean View Rentals

The coast faces roughly south-west, so most terraces look out over the open Pacific and many catch the sunset. Each part of town frames it differently:

• The ridge above ZicatelaThe whole length of the big-wave beach below you, and a front-row seat on big swell days. The beach is for surfing and watching, not for swimming. See the Zicatela guide.
• RinconadaSlopes above the calm coves of Carrizalillo and Puerto Angelito, with open sea beyond. The best mix of view and swimming, usually with a few flights of stairs. More in the Rinconada guide.
• BacochoHouses set back from a long open beach, looking toward the western horizon. Quiet and spacious; the sea there has strong currents.
• Around the main bayFishing boats, Playa Principal and the lights of town, with restaurants within walking distance.
• La PuntaFlat, sandy lanes, so true views are rare. A rooftop terrace is usually the best you get, in exchange for walking everywhere.

If you would rather have the sand at the gate than the view from above, look at beachfront villas instead.

A terrace that faces the sunset also faces the hottest sun of the day. It is glorious at six and hard to sit on at three without shade, and bedrooms on that side warm up. Ask whether there are awnings, a palapa or curtains that keep the heat out, and which bedrooms have air conditioning.

The sunset also moves through the year: further south in winter, further north in summer. From some terraces it drops into the sea in one season and behind a headland or a hill in another. If a sunset over the water is the point of the trip, ask the owner where it sets in the month you are coming.

"Ocean view" is one of the most stretched phrases on any listing. A few questions keep it honest:

• From which rooms? A view from the rooftop is not a view from the bedroom or the pool. Ask where you actually see the sea.
• Zoom or normal? A long lens can turn a sliver of sea between two buildings into a full frame. Ask for a phone photo or a short video at normal zoom, taken standing on the terrace.
• Partial views"Partial ocean view" often means sea over rooftops, palms or power lines. It can still be lovely, but it should be priced as partial.
• What is in front? Empty lots get built on. Ask whether anything is under construction or planned in front of the house, and look at the street on a satellite map.

Booking direct makes this easy, because you can ask the owner for exactly the photo you need.

The higher the house, the better the view, and the more you climb. Before you book, think about these:

• Stairs inside and outHillside houses are often built on several levels, with steps from the street to the door and again to the bedrooms. Fine for a couple, tiring with luggage, small children or bad knees.
• The road inSome streets on the hills are steep, unpaved or both, and in the rainy season, roughly June to October, they get muddy and slippery. Ask whether an ordinary car or taxi reaches the door.
• Coming home at nightWalking down to dinner is easy; walking back up is another matter. Most guests on the hills use taxis, which are plentiful and cheap in Puerto Escondido, or rent a car.
• AccessibilityIf anyone in the group uses a wheelchair or can't manage steps, ask for the exact number of stairs between the car and the bedroom, and whether there is a room on the entry level.

Want the view and a swim without leaving the house? Many hillside houses have a pool: see the rentals with a pool.

The comparison just above shows current prices. For two houses of the same size, the view itself moves the price most:

• Full or partialOpen sea from the terrace and the bedrooms costs more than a glimpse over the neighbors' roofs.
• Height against convenienceA house high on the hill with a wide view can cost more than one lower down, even though the lower one is easier to live in.
• A pool facing the seaUsually the biggest single jump.
• SeasonHigh season runs roughly November to April, with peaks at Christmas, New Year and Easter week. The rainy months are quieter and usually cheaper.
• Length of stayMany owners discount a week or a month. Ask.

Height brings a few quiet advantages. The breeze off the sea is usually stronger on the hills than in the streets behind the beach, which keeps a terrace pleasant in the afternoon. The surf, loud all night on the sand, becomes a distant sound. Houses away from dense gardens and standing water often see fewer mosquitoes, though none on this coast is free of them; these tips for keeping bugs at bay cover the rest.

A high terrace is also one of the best places in Puerto Escondido to watch the weather. On big swell days you see the sets lining up long before they reach Zicatela, and in the rainy season the storms rolling in over the sea are a show of their own. Ask whether the terrace has a roof or awning, so you can stay outside when the rain comes.