Eterno Dia PhotographyHuatulco – Mexico’s Best Kept Secret
I think I first heard of Huatulco quite a few years back on an episode of International House Hunters. It peaked my interest as a location that was supposed to be quiet and less touristy than other areas of Mexico. That was pretty much all I remembered about it. I never thought about it again until it came up in my husband’s most recent vacation search. We’ve been to Mexico three times before. While I typically don’t like to go to the same places more than once, Mexico is kind of the exception to my rule. It’s such a gigantic country; there is so much diversity in its culture, landscape, flora and fauna and the things it has to offer.
Our first trip to Mexico was for my cousin’s wedding in Manzanillo on the west coast. Manzanillo isn’t known for being a big tourist destination and it had what I expected in terms of being a small, sleepy, friendly town with great prices and it was steeped in culture. The downside of Manzanillo for me was the ocean. I love to swim and snorkel and the west coast is rough and dangerous. Our group had a hard time in waist deep water there.
My second trip was with my mom, sister and husband to the Mayan Riviera, near Playa Del Carmen. Playa and surrounding areas like Tulum delivered on the ocean. The snorkeling was unbelievable. The beaches were stunning white sand. The history was remarkable. The prices though, were unreal, in a bad way. Souvenirs were very expensive and it cost us more to eat out in Playa than in my hometown of Edmonton.
Our third trip was with my husband to Puerto Vallarta. Once again, not lacking in any history or culture; there was plenty to do. Prices for tours, souvenirs and to eat out weren’t as cheap as Manzanillo, but not quite as expensive as in the Mayan Riviera. The ocean was alright; because it’s geographically in a big bay, even though it’s on the west coast, the ocean was “swim-able” but nothing to write home about. The sales pressure though was off the charts. Wherever we went, including to the desk at the hotel, we were mobbed about signing up for time shares. Every time we went out, more harassment about time shares. Usually I’ve found a simple “no thank you” in foreign countries is sufficient, but not in PV.
So on to Huatulco. I recognized the name when husband mentioned it as a vacation option during his most recent spreadsheet list of vacation destinations. It’s known for being a very new tourist area (only developed in the last 10 years or so) and it really hasn’t taken off like the Mayan Riviera has. We were looking for something quiet and affordable and I kept reading that the ocean and beaches were supposed to be quite good. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I didn’t expect to fall so head over heels in love with Huatulco.
Pronounced: wah-TOOL-coh, it’s located on the Pacific coast in the state of Oaxaca (wa-HAH-ka) in the southern part of the country. Unlike Mazanillo, whose native peoples are ancestors of the Aztec and they Mayan Riviera, the Mayans, the indigenous peoples of this area are mostly Zapotecs and Mixtecs. They have quite a history and a newly discovered archaeological site with an ancient ball court, pyramid and polished stone that used to act as a lighthouse of sorts. The site is currently being excavated and appears to have many discoveries to be made.
While it isn’t as touristy as PV or the Mayan Riviera, there are decent amount of big name hotels (Secrets, Barcelo, and Dreams), there are also plenty of mid-range accommodations, B&B’s, boutique and economy hotels. I say plenty, but I assure you, Huatulco doesn’t feel overcrowded. It has a really laid-back, quiet and (even with its more modern town) authentic Mexican vibe. The tourists we encountered at the resort, on tours and in town were primarily Canadian, a few European and almost no Americans. I’m not sure why; maybe they have a special deal with Canadian tour groups? The tours offered by local companies are all quite small (compared to places like the Mayan Riviera and PV). There were usually only between 4-9 of us total, per tour. Getting around the area by ourselves was really quite easy. They don’t have a ton of public transportation (buses) but a taxi ride to the closest town of La Crucecita was 45 pesos (about $3.50 CAD). The town is small and safe. We were only approached one time in three separate trips to town and a simple “no” was enough to suffice. There were so many spots to eat, lots of really affordable souvenirs and local handicrafts. La Crucecita doesn’t have a crazy nightlife like PV, but you can find a few good spots to kick back and have a drink. In the evenings the locals hang out in the town square and we felt totally comfortable mingling among them.
The area is one of the most biologically diverse states in Mexico (of which I was not aware but was pleasantly surprised by) and ranks in the top three for diversity of plants, animals and marine life. The area was much drier than I expected. Almost desert-like. Lots of cacti and not a lot of leaves on the trees. Their rainy season is barely that, according to locals who told us that in the summer it rains mostly at night. There were so many species of birds I’d never seen anywhere else in my travels, even in other parts of Mexico. And so many different kinds of fish and sea creatures, which leads me to…. THE OCEAN.
Ever since I snorkeled with sea turtles in Tulum (on the Playa trip), I’ve been chasing the dragon. It set a really high bar and I’ve really never been satisfied with the ocean on any other trip since. Huatulco bragged pretty hard about their beaches and snorkeling and the hotel we booked even touted a reef right at the resort! I cannot even explain how excited I was when I put on my snorkel mask, headed in and discovered a coral reef right at the beach. Fish everywhere! Stingrays, puffer fish, eels, urchins, you name it! It was like swimming in an aquarium. It wasn’t perfect; on a few occasions the sea was pretty rough and we obeyed the red flags for rough seas and rouge currents and twice in our week there were jellyfish. But the times we could get in the water were absolutely stunning. Warm, clear water, and quiet sandy beaches.
Bahia Santa Cruz
I almost don’t want to publish this as I’d love to keep this little gem to myself and leave it as unspoiled as possible, but that wouldn’t be fair. This area of Mexico has so much to offer. It is literally all the best parts of Mexico in one. It’s steeped in culture and history. It’s friendly, safe, affordable and has no lack of activities or places to explore. The flora and fauna are stunning. You should go there. In my next few posts I’ll get into the details of the resort we stayed at and the three different tours we took. As always, if you have questions or comments, feel free to get in touch. Thanks for reading!
TTFN
Eterno Dia Photography 
Great photos and travel info. Thanks.