Panoramic view of Huatulco. Photo: Carlos Sanchez, www.visitmexico.com
Huatulco comprises an area of great ecological diversity. The 35 km stretch of Pacific coastline encompasses jungled hillsides and ravines, white-sanded beaches, mangrove-laden lowlands and the mouths of 3 rivers, the Coyula, San Agustin and Copalita.
Serviced principally by the municipal seat of Santa Maria Huatulco and the town of Santa Cruz (La Crucecita), the nine bays of Huatulco, with some 36 separate beaches, form a perfect getaway for a wonderful communion with nature. Small animal life in this semi-tropical region is abundant and one can often see white-tailed deer, armadillos, iguanas, squirrels, coatamundi and an incredible variety of bird life. The sea is the haven of the sea turtle, oysters, lobster and other crustaceans, shellfish and large game fish.
Huatulco’s climate is excellent year-round, with an average annual daytime temperature of 82º F (28º C). The water temperature, too, is balmy year in and year out. Rainy season runs from approximately June through the middle of October, when storms off the Pacific can bring heavy rainfall but usually not over long periods of time without the sun breaking gloriously through. The lowest winter temperatures do not go below about 57º and the highest temperatures seldom reach 100º.
The development along the bays of Huatulco is one of the Mexican government’s latest tourist mega-developments, begun in 1983 after the completion of the Puerto Escondido-Salina Cruz Highway along the coast (Federal Highway 200) and the Oaxaca City-Pochutla highway (Highway 175) which crosses the Sierra Madre Occidental between the central plateau and the coast.
Huatulco is serviced by air by a small but modern international airport only 19 km from the principal hotel zone; in addition, some 50 to 60 cruise ships visit the area annually, stopping to disembark day passengers at the Playa Santa Cruz cruise ship dock.
Huatulco Hotels info and reservations
The Bays of Huatulco, Mexico
Tangolunda Bay
At Tangolunda Bay are located many of the larger hotels, shopping and residential areas of Huatulco, along with an 18-hole professional golf course. The bay offers 5 separate and splendid beaches: Manzanillo, Tornillo, Tangolunda, Rincón Sabroso and Ventura.. Plenty of water sports opportunities are to be found along these fine, white-sanded beaches, as well as restaurants and services such as diving and snorkeling equipment rental and horseback riding.
Chahue Bay
Chahue Bay holds a lot of low-density lodging options, condominiums and time shares. Off the beach are housig areas for the local residents and regional employees, with a nice variety of restaurants and services such as the post office, medical facilities, schools, market, shopping areas and offices. The beaches of Chahué, Esperanza and Tejón are located on this bay, with crystalline, turquoise waters and slightly pebbly sand, surrounded by lush vegetation.
Bahía Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Bay was the first area of Huatulco to go into development – as such it offers a well-developed tourist infrastructure with hotels, restaurants and a plethora of other services. There are three lovely beaches on the bay:, Santa Cruz, Playa La Entrega and Yerbabuena.
Santa Cruz beach is the most populated of all Huatulco’s beaches. Here one can find boat rentals for day trips to any of the other beaches, jetski and other water sports equipment rentals and a number of beachfront seafood restaurants with lounge chairs and umbrellas. Coral reefs offshore provide excellent diving or snorkeling opportunities, and there is an underwater park in the emerald green waters off La Entrega beach as an attraction for snorkelers and divers.
The bay undergoes dredging for the accommodation of a new cruise ship dock which will accommodate up to 3 cruise ships at one time and which will be connected to an entire touristic shopping area for the cruise ship visitors.
Conejos Bay
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Tangolunda Bay, Huatulco. Photo: Carlos Sanchez
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Southeasternmost beach of the Huatulco complex. Boats leave to Conejos bay from Santa Cruz or access can be gained via paved road. There are 4 beaches to be found on this bay: Conejos, Punta Arenas, Arena and Tejoncito.
Cacaluta Bay
Amid jungles and mangroves, heart-shaped Cacaluta Bay is best approached by boats which leave from Santa Cruz beach. A small island protects the area from the direct sea winds. Take along food and beverage supplies for your days outings to this area, as its beaches, Cacaluta and Arroyo, are located off the beaten path within the protection of the National Park and ecological sanctuary. The beaches are of slightly coarse sand, and Cacaluta Beach can sometimes have some strong surf, so precautions should be taken.
Bahía Chachacual
Part of the national parks’s ecological reserve, Chachacual bay is a jungly environment with two beautiful, quiet, white sandy beaches called Chachacual and La India. Access is by sea in boats that leave from Santa Cruz. Lovely vegetation and abundant wildlife in this area.
Organo y Maguey Bays
These two bays are almost one and are treated as a unit. They have fine, white sand and clear blue-green waters.
Riscalillo
A tranquil, fine-sanded beach with soft waves and shallow waters. Lots of flora and fauna to enjoy in this area.
Bahía San Agustín
North-westernmost of the nine bays, with two beaches, San Agustin and Cacalutilla. Accessible via gravel road or via boat from Santa Cruz, the area is in the shelter of some small islands and its coral reefs form an excellent spot for snorkeling and skin diving. San Agustin beach is 1 1/2 kms long with fine, white sand and clear blue-green waters. One can find water sports equipment rentals on the bay as well as seafood restaurants
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