Huatulco (wa-TULE-co) is a developing resort area in Mexico, in the state of Oaxaca, located 425 miles southeast of Acapulco. This large resort area is literally being built from the ground up by the Mexican government.
Ten years ago only a tiny fishing village stood here, veiled in obscurity. But by the time development in Huatulco is finished in 2020, more than 20,000 hotel rooms will surround the nine small bays that hug the coast here, along with 36 beaches. And 300,000 people will live here, in Mexico's southernmost Pacific resort.
Last year there were 300,000 visitors to Huatulco. Twenty-year projections by the government hint at 2 million visitors a year!
If you want to enjoy paradise before the crowds come, make plans now to come to Huatulco on your next vacation. Right now only about 15% of the development is completed, with less than 2,000 rooms spread among 15 hotels. If you are looking there are Huatulco real estate opportunities available.
The hotels range from luxurious five-star resorts to the affordably priced. One of the largest Club Med resorts in the hemisphere is also situated in Huatulco. For now, Huatulco is suspended in:
- Tranquility
- Wide-open beaches
- A great variety of water sports
- Grateful entrepreneurs
- Several high-end hotels
- Adventurous excursions to beaches
- Mountain rivers
- Coffee plantations
- And nearby mountain villages
There is much area to explore in the Bays of Huatulco. They are comprised of a 22 mile stretch of coastline and 52,000 acres (22,000 hectares) of land, of which 16,000 hectares are ecological reserves. Huatulco is one of Mexico's most laid back and relaxed resorts.
Currently development is proceeding under a carefully balanced master plan to be the hemisphere's first "eco-tourism" resort. The majority of the area's acres are to be held as ecological reserves.
In order to keep an authentic feel, not to be over-developed, the Mexican government has outlined distinct guidelines. For example, the strict building codes dictate what architectural styles the hotels are built like. And all buildings are limited to six stories in height.
The Oaxacan coastline, with average water temperatures of 28ºC (that’s 82.4 degrees Fahrenheit!) and clear days nearly all year round, has azure blue waters, fine white sand and an unusual landscape that creates privacy and gives each one of the nine bays a distinct personality:
- Conejos
- Tangolunda
- Chahue
- Santa Cruz
- Maguey
- Organo
- Cacaluta
- Chahacual
- San Agustin
In the background the gray-blue mountains of the Sierra Madre del Sur frames the bays. Less than half of Huatulco´s bays have been developed so far, making it less popular than other lively resort places in Mexico such as Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Ixtapa. On the other hand, you will have the chance to visit beautiful undeveloped bays and beaches avoiding the dense crowds found other places.
Three of Huatulco’s bays are “tourist ready”: Tangolunda, Chahue and Santa Cruz. The other 6 bays will be developed according to their master plan. It’s important to share a little background in order for you to understand the geography here.
There are four distinct locales with a legitimate claim to the name Huatulco: Santa María, Tangolunda, Santa Cruz and La Crucecita. First is the original, Santa María Huatulco. Santa María is a quiet, predominately Indian town in the foothills of the Sierra Madre near the Huatulco International Airport.
It is described as a charming, historic, scenic village. However, if you are like 95% of the visitors to the area, you will never see it. The other three Huatulcos are clustered in an area called the Bahías de Huatulco.
The five-star hotels are all in a section called Tangolunda, which is also the name for the bay on which they are located. The marina, banks, and four-star hotels are located in Santa Cruz Huatulco.
The final area of Huatulco under discussion is known as La Crucecita, which can best be described as the business district. It is in La Crucecita that you find the largest number and greatest variety of nightspots.
Tangolunda is the most developed of the bays, with six ultra-modern resorts (including the largest Club Med in the western hemisphere). It has an 18-hole golf course, a shopping area as well as several restaurants. Five lovely beaches round out the attractions. This is the grandest of Huatulco's bays and most suited to upscale visitors.
Chahue (CHAH-way), the bay next to Tangolunda, is the area's largest. A marina is under construction that will soon receive cruise ships. There are currently no hotels open on this beach; however, about a mile inland is the city of Crucecita (population 7,000) with several tourist class restaurants, a disco, a good municipal market, a four star hotel, and an attractive main square.
The bay of Santa Cruz and the city of Santa Cruz Huatulco were the area's principal settlement when development began in the early 1980's. Here are two beautiful central plazas, each surrounded by shops, restaurants and bars.
These plazas face a marina. At busy Santa Cruz Bay, the Marina has about 200 slips as well as areas for cruise ships to depart. The newly constructed cruise ship dock is receiving on the average of 80 cruise ships per year. Playa Santa Cruz is one of the more popular beaches for sunbathing and water sports.
Huatulco is for nature lovers. In fact, when you view the area from an airplane, all you see is a rich vegetative land where the mountains meet the waves of the sea. The beaches are clean, and the coastal lakes are teeming with animal life.
The surrounding vegetation ranges from low, deciduous forest to gallery forest and mangrove swamps that provide refuge for skunks, raccoons and armadillos as well as herons, pelicans and falcons, particularly during the rainy season.
Many of the region's tree species can be found here, including tepguaje, cazarate, poppy, figus mecianos, colorin, mango, gallery woods and mangrove swamps. The local fauna includes, country rats, mice, tlacoaches, armadillos, rabbits, squirrels, and whitetail deer.
The spectacular landscape allows you to commune with nature, particularly in the virtually unspoiled beaches of Chachacual, Cacaluta, El Organo and Conejos. And if Huatulco weren't enough, the Oaxacan coast extending to Puerto Escondido offers an assortment of natural sanctuaries, surfing and private beaches where it is said that the last article one needs is a bathing suit!
The Mexican government is making sure that Huatulco’s development is healthy, slow and committed. The boulevards are beautifully landscaped and wastewaters are treated and recycled to maintain the vista. No sewage goes into the ocean; and traffic/pollution is not an issue.
Huatulco is served by the Huatulco International Airport (HUX) – just 15 minutes from the development - with flights to Oaxaca and to Mexicana's hub in Mexico City. Mainly, flights are arriving from Canada and the United States. Connecting flights are also available to other major resort towns and cities.
Car rentals are available. See my note about car rentals. The bus terminal in Crucecita provides access to towns like Acapulco, Mexico City and Puerto Escondido. From the bus terminal, Huatulco can be reached via a quick taxi ride.
Rates for taxis are fixed. They are posted at the travel booth at the zócalo in La Crucecita. However, you will pay more than the fixed rate for taxi service to and from the airport.
