Experience Huatulco
Something for everyone.
People often ask, “Is Huatulco similar to Cancun, Cabo, Tulum or Playa del Carmen?” The easiest way to answer that question is to say they are only the same in the uniqueness of their character. As a planned tropical resort town, Huatulco has excellent infrastructure: impeccable roads, telecommunications, health care, banking, a university and other services. In addition to being one of the cleanest cities in Mexico (and worldwide), Huatulco has a mandate to ensure that the rich culture of the area is not diluted by international chain stores and restaurants. Take a quick video tour of Huatulco.
Huatulco activities include golfing, fishing, scuba diving / snorkeling, boating, rafting, hiking, surfing, eating amazing food, hanging out on the beach, and more. (Things to do in Huatulco.)
So back to the original question above, this 2021 travel vlog provides fun insight regarding Huatulco’s beautiful beaches and why the city rivals Cancun and Los Cabos.
The Inside Scoop
Huatulco is a planned resort town located on the southern Pacific coast of Mexico, where the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains meet the ocean in the state of Oaxaca. Huatulco is eco-friendly and received the international EarthCheck Platinum Award, the first and only destination in the Americas to receive this prestigious honor.
In 1974, Fonatur (Foundation of Tourism) was established by the Mexican federal government as a trust with the objective of creating economic development in Southern Mexico.
The first tourist destination that Fonatur developed was Cancun. Fonatur then went on to build up Los Cabos, Ixtapa, Loreto, and finally, now Huatulco.
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Nature.
Whether you like to walk the beaten track or explore uncharted territory, you will not run out of options in Huatulco where watching whales, dolphins, sea turtles and exotic birds and more are all part of the local experience.
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Gastronomy.
With more than 800 places to eat, Huatulco is the perfect place for foodies. While famous for its endless array of seafood fare, there are a wide range of local and international cuisine options throughout the city.
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Cruise.
The main harbor of Santa Cruz can accommodate two cruise ships simultaneously, of up to 900 feet in length, with up to 3,500 passengers each.
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Marina.
Marina Chahue offers 90 floating positions with electricity and water supply, security, showers and laundry, as well as a dry dock and can accommodate private vessels up to 165 ft.
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Surfing.
The state of Oaxaca, where Huatulco is located, boasts some of the world’s top surf breaks. Many of these, including Puerto Escondido and Salina Cruz, are within a two hour drive.
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Outdoors.
Huatulco outdoor activities include golfing, fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, boating, jet skiing, rafting, hiking, surfing, and the list goes on.
Beaches & Bays
Huatulco is made up of nine separate bays, home to more than 30 spectacular beaches.
The nine bays of Huatulco, known as the Bahias de Huatulco, run the gamut, from developed hotel hot spots to more rugged, out-of-the-way hidden jewels. Each bay may even be home to upwards of five different beaches. Huatulco’s 9 bays include Cacaluta, Chachacual, Chahué, Conejos, Órgano, Maguey, San Agustín, Santa Cruz and Tangolunda.
List of the Top 11 Huatulco Beaches
Arts, Music and More
A spectacular $170 million conference center, designed by world-famous architect, Enrique Norten, is being built at Huatulco’s Marina Chahue and will serve as an iconic building to draw both locals and visitors. Construction began in December 2021.
How’s The Weather?
The temperature is consistent throughout the year and the sun shines, a lot! Huatulco promises a year-round tropical climate with 330 days of sunshine each year.
The ocean water temperature in Huatulco averages around 82 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year.
Huatulco is located in an area of low hurricane risk.
The rainy season in Huatulco typically occurs between the months of June and September. This is also when the hurricane season occurs on the eastern side of Mexico but, while Huatulco can experience more intense rainfall at this time, the town is well out of the path of hurricane.
Keeping It Clean and Green.
Excerpts from National Geographic:
With its high-rise hotels and crowded beaches, Cancún, Mexico is, in many ways an environmentalist’s tourism nightmare. It would have been easy for the country’s government to keep cashing in on the concrete jungle that lined the coast, but there has been a move in Mexico to think about the long-term environmental impacts of resort development.
One of the results has been the creation of a sustainable resort town in Huatulco, located on the coast of Oaxaca, where the foliage and brilliantly colored tropical flowers are the focal point. The resorts are almost an afterthought, tucked into the trees and sitting discreetly along the shoreline.
Because of the ecological commitments made on behalf of everyone in Huatulco, the town received the prestigious Green Globe Community certification. It was also recognized by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and was named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Take a Look Around Huatulco
Transportation To/From
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Via Air
Huatulco International Airport (HUX) is located 15 miles from the city center & bays, and its runway measures 148 x 9,843 ft, accommodating large jets from the US, Canada, and Europe.
In recent years, it has become one of the fastest growing airports in the country thanks to new seasonal direct flights from Canada and the US, although the COVID-19 pandemic generated a temporary decrease in air traffic in 2020 and 2021, and a discontinuation of some international routes. This will change as travel rebounds to the region.
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Via Road
Huatulco is connected to the federal highway network through FH 175 to Oaxaca City and FH 200 to Acapulco, and from there to Mexico City and north.
The government is in the process of completing a major new highway between Oaxaca City, the state capital, and the area near Huatulco which will reduce travel time between the cities from 6-7 hours to approx. 3.5 hours.
Interesting tidbit: The distance by car from San Diego to Huatulco is 2,168 miles.
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Via Water
Huatulco’s Marina Chahue, conveniently located near Paradise Cove can accommodate private vessels up to 165 ft.
The nearby Santa Cruz harbor in Huatulco can simultaneously accommodate two 990 ft cruise ships as well as yachts over 165 ft (which are too large for Marina Chahue).
More on Fonatur.
Fonatur (Foundation of Tourism) was established by the Mexican federal government in 1974 as a trust with the objective of creating economic development in Southern Mexico.
The first tourist destination that Fonatur built was Cancun. At that time, it was just a collection of sand bars. Fonatur expropriated all the land and put in all the services, roads, airport etc. They then divided the land and sold it to developers who built hotels, malls and condo projects.
Fonatur was behind the build up of Cancun, Los Cabos, Ixtapa, Loreto, and now Huatulco. They began to sell land in Huatulco 30 years ago but only released small tracts for some hotels.
Fonatur is not expected to release any more land in greater Huatulco. The challenge that realtors have is sourcing quality properties to sell to their clients as demand is greater than the supply.
Let us help get you into your Huatulco dream home.