Guide To Huatulco

About Huatulco

Las Bahías de Huatulco is its full name - "The Bays of Huatulco" - there are nine in total - and between them they are host to 36 attractive beaches - featuring soft sands and crystal clear blue waters off the Pacific coast in Mexico's state of Oaxaca.

Situated about 430 km (270 miles) southeast of Acapulco on Mexico's Pacific Coastline, Huatulco is a new resort area and is set to become one of Mexico's key beach attractions for people in search of a well preserved natural surroundings and eco-centers coupled with highly appointed accommodation and good facilities to retire to in the evening.

The resort is undergoing a phased development. 52,000 acres of land have been reserved - with over 40,000 acres listed for protection and ecological preservation.

In Huatulco, the resorts are not a high rise commercial cousin to Cancún. Instead, space has left between building projects and areas for development are being carefully selected to minimize the impact on the environment, for example, hotels and other buildings cannot exceed six stories in height.

There are nine bays in total, although today Huatulco is divided into 3 distinct areas: Crucecita, Santa Cruz and Tangolunda. Eventually, around 5 or 6 of the bays will be developed; some of the bays are unsuitable for development as the shoreline is too rugged and the undertows too strong along some beaches. Tangolunda Bay is the best developed to date; it has established resorts and a high quality 18-hole golf course.

Huatulco is being carefully managed to cater for those people who are looking for a higher quality resort with less of a "manufactured" feel, without driving customers to the ultra-exclusive end of the market, like those in Costa Alegre and Punta de Mita.

A vacation in Huatulco will revolve around relaxation, eco-tourism and a few of the less taxing water sports like snorkeling and localized sailing. Limited night life is available, but it's nowhere near as prominent as it is at other more popular resorts.

When the high-speed road between Huatulco and Oaxaca opens (has been overdue for some time), access to the magnificent colonial city of Oaxaca and then nearby archaeology parks of Monte Alban and Mitla will mean that visitors will be able to combine the best of Mexico's coast attractions with the best of its colonial and archaeological heritage as well as opening up additional opportunities for more nature and adventure travel experiences.

Huatulco is the place you come to relax, unwind and start to recover from the stresses of everyday life. This is not the place to stay if you're on a tight budget, but neither will it cost as much as the exclusive resorts further up the Pacific coast.

Come to Huatulco with the things you want to leave behind - and leave here leave feeling relaxed and revived.

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Key Attractions

Stunning Beaches

Stroll across soft sands and gaze out across crystal clear blue waters of the Pacific Ocean on Huatulco's beaches. Many of them have bars and restaurants on them, so you can spend time sun bathing, swimming, snorkeling... and return to a choice and variety of restaurants and bars to quench your thirst and provide great tasting food to set you up for your afternoon's water activities.

All of the Mainstream Guidebooks give detailed information about the beaches, their locations and main attractions in Huatulco. Find a guidebook on the Mexperience Bookshelf!

Water Sports

Snorkeling is the main attraction around Huatulco; snorkeling equipment is available for rent locally. River rafting on local rivers is also a popular sport in this part of Mexico.

Local Cruises - Highly Recommended

The bays and beaches are a main attraction in Huatulco, and there's no better way to see them than to take a cruise along the shore in the local area. Tours include stops at great places to swim and snorkel and some stop at local beaches for lunches comprising of fresh, locally caught fish and other seafood. Check at your hotel or ask at the local port in La Crucecita or Santa Cruz for information about cruises. You can take a commercial tour (on a large boat) or hire a small boat and boatman privately by the day or by the hour so you can go where you want at your own pace.

Adventure Tours

Huatulco is a great place to go if you're looking for an authentic adventure tour. The region offers a wealth of topography, areas of natural beauty, scenery and facilities that make adventure holidays around here an absolutely stunning experience. New tours are developing all of the time, check at your hotel for details of local operators.

Eco Tours

The surrounding mountains and jungle make Huatulco a great place from which to take Ecological Tours in the area. New tours are developing all of the time, check at your hotel for details of local operators.

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Getting There & Around

Getting There

By Air - Huatulco is not as accessible as other coastal areas in Mexico; perhaps one of the reasons why it is as yet less visited than other places. You can get to Huatulco by plane from the Europe and the USA connecting via Mexico City. Some local air carriers run flights from smaller airports from Oaxaca.

Connect to the Mexperience Travel Center for Airlines.

By Bus - You can travel to Huatulco on a bus from Mexico City. Bus services are also available from Oaxaca, Acapulco and Puerto Escondido. The bus will leave you in a town nearby called Crucecita ("Little Cross"). From there you can get a taxi or ground transportation to your hotel or resort Huatulco. See the information about the roads to Huatulco below.

Connect to the Mexperience Travel Center for National Buses.

By Car - Highway 200 runs south along the coast from Acapulco. The road is well maintained, but is mountainous and windy. There is no lighting either so only drive during daylight hours. There have been some reports of car-jacking on this highway, but recently, the number of police and home guard patrols have been increased, reducing the reported crimes drastically. Highway 175 from Oaxaca will take about 8 hours to cross - the road is mountainous, and although the scenery is spectacular, it's a hard and tiring drive. A new super-highway is being built to connect Oaxaca to Huatulco by road, but is not completed yet.

See additional information about Driving in Mexico and Mexico's Toll Roads on Mexperience.

Getting Around

From the Airport - The airport is quite close to Huatulco on the northwest side, and a private taxi will cost between $10 and $20, depending on what part of Huatulco your hotel is situated. The three main towns around the Bays of Huatulco are Crucecita, Santa Cruz and Tangolunda.  Crucecita is the closest and Tangolunda is the farthest away. You hotel can arrange return transport for you.

Taxis - It's a bit too far to walk between the three main towns, but taxis are plentiful and very reasonably priced. The average taxi fare between two places in the area is about $4. If you speak Spanish, you will have a distinct advantage and be able to negotiate a better price! Another good reason to Learn Spanish!

Local Buses - Local mini buses run between the three towns and if you're not weighed down with items you're carrying, and you're not in a huge hurry they're great value as they cost a small fraction of the cost of a taxi.

Rent a Car - This area is not self contained and public transport is limited, so a rental car may be a good option for you if you want to explore the surrounding bays and the magnificent scenery. You may want to consider a rental car for a few days, to explore the region. For getting around between the three main areas on a day-to-day basis, taxis will be the less expensive and more convenient option.

Connect to the Mexperience Travel Center for details about renting a car in Huatulco and general Car Rental.

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Local Events Calendar

No local events currently recorded.

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Practical Information

Telephone: Connect to the Communications in Mexico Page on Mexperience for full information about keeping in touch and the latest table of national dialing codes.

Exchanging Currency: Banks with ATM machines are found just around the corner from the main square (south side) in the town of Crucecita. During business hours, they and the Casas de Cambio will buy traveler's cheques and cash from you as well. Read about money and currency exchange in Mexperience's Money Section.

Travel Insurance: We recommend that you are adequately covered with travel medical cover and/or travel assistance cover when you are visiting Mexico. Read the Mexperience guide to Travel Insurance in Mexico for full details and links to specialist insurance suppliers.

Internet Access: Internet cafes are commonplace in Mexico - new ones open and old ones close all the time - but you won't have to look too hard to find one downtown and in the main tourist areas.

Local Tourist Office: Connect to the Mexperience Travel Center for details of the nearest Tourist Information office.

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Accommodation

• Find a Hotel in Huatulco

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Restaurants

Ve El Mar. Seafood. Manzana 20, Lote 10, Sector A, Bahia de Santa Cruz. Tel: (958) 5870364

Cafe Huatulco. Coffee shop. Mitla, no number. Bahia de Santa Cruz. Tel: (958) 5871228

Don Quijote. Spanish food. Paseo Benito Juarez. Tel: (958) 5810055

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When Night Falls

Huatulco's Night Scene - Much less developed than that of its closest "resort" neighbor, Acapulco. However, night life is available for those looking for a place to party, swing and dance until the sun comes up. New venues are appearing all of time.

Locally Hosted Parties - Many of the hotels host their own parties which include dinner, dancing, a show and all drinks for a fixed fee.   Ask at your hotel to find out what is happening locally.

Nightclub Scene - Becoming an ever-increasingly popular pastime among holiday makers in Huatulco, which is driving up the supply of quality night clubs and and bars. Some night clubs charge an all inclusive cover fee; some a smaller cover and drinks on top. Drinks are served all night - don't even consider going to a nightclub until about 11pm. Nightclubs keep going all morning and people will start to leave at around 5 or 6 am.

Night Bars / Restaurants - All over Huatulco there is a selection of local, national and international names in Late Night Entertainment.

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What to Buy in Huatulco

You'll find local markets in Santa Cruz and Crucecita. Besides the usual offerings of tourist shops, this is the extent of shopping in the area, besides the local shops selling tourist items.   The markets do offer you the opportunity to buy some locally made arts and crafts though - including locally made traditional clothes and the famous pottery made from Black Clay, synonymous with Oaxaca (the State in which Huatulco resides).

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Local Climate

Huatulco is hot and humid year-round. The rainy season is May to October, but as with most monsoon areas, rains tend to be fierce and brief in the late afternoon, leaving the evenings dry and cooled off.   September brings the highest levels of humidity and sees the heaviest of the rains.

Live Weather Report:

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