An En-Route series spotlighting the plates, pours, and places worth unpacking for. From oyster bars to esky spritzes at sunset and the hotels you’ll dream about later – here’s where to check in, check out, and check the wine list in Puerto Escondido.

After a couple of nights of unplanned solo travel in Paris, I loved it that much I planned more of it this year. Thought it was going to be Japan, but work took me to the States – so I side quested hard and somehow ended up in Mexico instead.

I did little to no research before Puerto Escondido. I booked my hotel at the wrong end of town, arrived, checked out and rebooked myself into Lunaya at the right end of the beach. Or check in to Casa TO – I stopped by for a cocktail, friends have stayed and highly recommend.

There was something nice about travelling in without any preconceived ideas. Too often we spend hours researching the best hotels, bars and restaurants and don’t leave anything to chance. This time, nothing. There was something nice about arriving without a plan or a booking.

The best recs came from locals. The Pilates studio, Suave, was a rec from my gym instructor in Oaxaca, and the gym, Wolf La Punta, came through a friend I made whilst visiting. My Pilates instructor shared the best coffee in town – Capsula. And my barista shared the best fish tacos – La Casa del Surfer, a locals’ spot serving the daily catch until it’s gone. Get there between 11 and 1.

Then there was Filosa, the oyster bar I walked past one morning that felt like it had my name on the window. Fresh oysters arrive daily at 9pm. I went back three times and learnt how to Mexican dance.  Be sure to always take a seat at the bar, turns out solo travel isn’t very solo after all.

And I think I found one of the world’s best bars. Chido Bar. Snack options questionable, but the girls making spritzes out of an esky, the friendliest staff and a heaven-on-earth location more than make up for it. Some nights it was simpler than that, walking barefoot into a restaurant for a $2.50 takeaway beer to drink on the beach at sunset.

Sometimes the best plan is having no plans. I think that’s what holidays are all about.