Rated the Best Small City in the World in 2019, Merida is the capital and cultural heart of Yucatan. Huatulco's main attraction are its nine bays and thirty-six beaches, many of which are pristine and undeveloped, and accessible only by boat. The palapa is a structure that has evolved in tropical climes. A Huatulco, Mexico destination wedding for 20+ travelers allows for a more tranquil, small-town atmosphere for your wedding ceremony, far from populated tourist areas. Get Covered World Nomads is travel insurance designed by travelers. Oaxaca’s coast is the home of nine glorious bays of benevolent climate, uneven relief and extraordinary natural beauty. 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Located on the Pacific coast of the state of Oaxaca, 165 miles from the state capital of Oaxaca City, and 470 miles from Mexico City, this area was chosen in the 1980s by FONATUR (Mexico's National Tourism Fund) for development as a tourist resort area. The church in La Crucecita, La Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, has a 65-foot tall image of the Virgin of Guadalupe painted on its dome. Some of the beaches are completely pristine and only accessible by boat, including Cacaluta, the beach that was featured in the 2001 film Y Tu Mamá También directed by Alfonso Cuaron. Read more about us. There is a lot more life here than at many of the other dive sites because it is used less frequently and is further from the majority of Huatulco's water traffic. The dive site itself is located on the outside of the island, La Rajada. After studying the territory and completing the Puerto Escondido-Salina Cruz and Oaxaca-Pochutla highways, it was decided that this area would be composed of nine charming bays: San Agustin, Chachacual, Cacaluta, Maguey, El Organo, Santa Cruz, Chahue, Tangolunda and Conejos. Huatulco was created 39 years ago by the National Tourism Fund (FONATUR) as a tourist attraction. Oaxaca’s coast is the home of nine glorious bays of benevolent climate, uneven relief and extraordinary natural beauty. Tangolunda is the largest of Huatulco's bays and is where most of Huatulco's large resorts are located. The bays of Huatulco, as they are known today, are constantly growing in their development for tourism, while at the same time, the surrounding nature remains unaware of the presence of modern man. Enjoy! This is the last of the Bays of Huatulco and a site that takes about 40-60 minutes to reach by boat (depending on conditions). Discover Huatulco. In the 1500s the pirate Thomas Cavendish arrived in the area and after looting, tried by various means to remove or destroy the cross, but was unable to do so. Its serene setting offers a nice alternative to the noise and excitement of Santa Cruz Bay. Its 351 rooms are decorated in warm colours and fitted with all the services guests need to feel at home. It is a 50-minute flight from Mexico City. The Huatulco area is well known for its 36 pristine beaches, and 9 bays, which provide opportunities for fun including fishing, snorkeling and scuba. Playa Santa Cruz is the other main bay/beach area close to town and also has lots of hotels. The Mexican airline Interjet offers daily flights between Mexico City and Huatulco. Aerotucán flights leave Huatulco Monday through Saturday at 10 AM from Huatulco International Airport (HUX). Shop for jewelry and souvenirs in La Crucecita, Take a boat tour of Huatulco's bays, which includes stops for swimming, snorkeling, and lunch, Play golf at the 18-hole Tangolunda golf course, Visit Hagia Sofia, a beautiful ecological retreat located about 45 minutes away from the downtown area of Huatulco, Tour the Parque Eco-Arqueológico Copalita, Take a day tour to a coffee plantation, where you can learn about coffee production, visit a waterfall, and have lunch with the owners of the. It is full of incredible coves with beaches you can snorkel in that are only accessible by boat. It’s farthest from the main town, but since it is accessible by road, it has the most development. Book Your StayWe enjoy living like locals by staying at Airbnb rentals (get $40 off Airbnb here), but we also use Booking.com for the best prices on hotels. It has a bit of a strange mix between French crepes, burgers, and Mexican fare, but it was all exceptional and the people were some of the nicest we met in Huatulco. If you want to use your credit card rewards to book a resort, you will not have a problem doing so here. Other people come for the luxurious resorts nearby where you can enjoy beachfront accommodations in a beautiful setting. Leave us a comment below so we know what you want to see more of! Huatulco was created 39 years ago by the National Tourism Fund (FONATUR) as a tourist attraction. Required fields are marked *. Since there are nine different bays in Huatulco, the area offers a variety of beach experiences. If you want to relax near some pristine nature and don’t mind staying in a heavily developed area with more tourist amenities, this is the place for you. Be selective with the hotel you reserve in Huatulco. A fairly large airport sits between the two Huatulco areas. Huatulco is the ideal destination for trying a great variety of sports. In February 2020, we visited Santa Maria Hualtuco, Las Bahías de Huatulco. 1. the bays. Cascadas Magicas roughly translates to Magical Waterfalls, and that is how many describe their experience there. Don’t forget to bring along your GoPro to take some awesome underwater shots! Each bay is stunning and located in different areas around town. Huatulco is located in the state of Oaxaca where the foothills of the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains meet the Pacific Ocean approximately 500 km south of Acapulco, Guerrero. Motivated to discover as much of the bays as I could, I investigated as many beaches as possible during my four-hour journey. Shortly after that, we stopped at Bahia Riscalillo. Huatulco is a center entirely planned by the National Fund for Tourism Promotion (FONATUR), and is located on the Mexican Pacific coast. Later listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the park protects a large area of the bays from development. It is the center for tourism in the area and even has a dock suitable for cruise ships. It is located on the Pacific coast in the state of Oaxaca. There are quite a few beachfront palapa restaurants and some have budget accommodations available. They are surrounded by beautiful beaches, and sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, swimming and surfing are popular activities to enjoy. There are a handful of beachfront restaurants here and a few hotels, but the beach is very small and I would not recommend staying here unless you really want to be close to the boats. Most have blue-green water, and the sand ranges from golden to white. Huatulco Mexico is a stunning beachside town located along Oaxaca’s sunny Pacific coast. Most of the beachfront accommodations are in Tangolunda Bay, which is about 3 miles up the coast from the main town. Huatulco's tourism industry is centered on its nine bays, thus the name Bahias de Huatulco, but has since been unofficially shortened to simply Huatulco. Located on the northern side of the Yucatan peninsula, the endearing state of Yucatan is nestled between the state of Quintana Roo to the east (Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen) and Campeche to the west, along the Gulf of Mexico to the north. The Bahias de Huatulco (Bays of Huatulco ) consist of a series of nine sheltered bays. Others are a short drive away from the water, but might have a beach club you can use for free. When construction on the tourist complex began in the mid-1980s, the people who lived along the coast were relocated to Santa Maria Huatulco and La Crucecita. With the help of local guides and tour operators, one can explore the beaches and bays in relative privacy, or if you choose you can scuba dive or snorkel to see the abundant tropical fish and the beautiful coral reefs. The coastline in the Park is stunning. The budget option is to use a colectivo (shared taxi). If you search Huatulco, Oaxaca in Google maps, you’ll be led to the main city: Santa Maria de Huatulco. By the way, Huatulco is pronounced like: “wah-tool-co.” And if surfing is your thing, look no further than Puerto Escondido. Their tamarind margarita was perhaps the best drink I’ve had during this entire trip. The flight is only about 30 or 35 minutes long. From Mazunte, San Agustinillo, and Zipolite, you can take a private taxi or a pasajero truck to the highway bus that will transport you to Pochutla, then you can take a colectivo or taxi into Huatulco. By the way, Huatulco is … Join our travel community to get access to our free guide on traveling off the beaten path AND our Ultimate Carry-on Only Packing List! You can reserve a boat tour of Huatulco’s bays online with a credit card (see some below). You have the time, use the pedestrian boardwalk to walk about 1 mile into for! 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