Huatulco is a planned resort coast on the Pacific side of Oaxaca, nine bays and 36 sandy beaches along about 35 kilometres of shoreline, with a national park, a pre-Hispanic site and coffee hills close behind. A first visit works best when you decide how much of your time will be on the water, how much inland, and where you want to sleep. This guide stays on the Huatulco coast and does not cover Oaxaca City, which has its own guide, although the city is about three hours away by road.
Check current travel advisories
Conditions in any destination can change, so check the current travel advisories from your own government before you book and again before you fly, and follow local guidance once you arrive. The Pacific hurricane season runs through the autumn, so keep your plans and your cancellation terms flexible if you travel then.
What to book ahead
The one outing to reserve early is a bays boat tour, because it is the day that shows the coast at its best and it runs in a group. Choose a full-day trip that stops at Santa Cruz Bay, the national park, Maguey and El Órgano, Cacaluta and Chachacual. The Copalitilla waterfalls trek is the most popular inland day and the coffee plantation tour is a cooler, slower choice. If you are visiting between late November and early April, a dolphin and whale cruise is worth reserving a few days ahead. The La Crucecita food walk is an easy first activity and works well on your first full day.
What you can do on your own
Playa La Entrega is a small, calm cove with beach restaurants and easy snorkelling, best in the morning. Huatulco National Park has marked trails and a modest daily entrance fee, and its park office is in La Crucecita. The Copalita Eco-Archaeological Park is open daily and is a good half day, with temples, a ball court and a cliffside trail. Take cash in pesos for beach restaurants, small fees and tips.
How to get around
The bays are spread along the coast, so you will use taxis, tour pickups or a hired car, and boats for the bays that have no road. Santa Cruz and the marina are the hub for boat departures, and La Crucecita is the town for dinner, supermarkets and the plaza. Many hotels can arrange transport, and agreeing a fare before you set off avoids surprises. The airport has flights to Mexico City and other Mexican cities, with seasonal international connections, and most visitors arrive that way.
How many days
Four full days is a good first visit. Spend one day on a bays boat tour, one inland on the waterfalls or the coffee farm, one on a half-day of history at Copalita and a beach afternoon at La Entrega, and one on wildlife with a snorkel, a dolphin cruise in season or the turtle and lagoon trip west of town. A fifth day lets you slow down in La Crucecita.
When to go
The national park is hot and semi-humid, around 28 degrees Celsius, and is greenest from June to November after the rains. Whale season runs from late November into early April, which also falls in the drier, busier months. Book hotels earlier for the winter holidays.
Practical tips
Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and a refillable water bottle, because the sun is strong all year. Carry some cash for beach restaurants and small admission fees, and keep valuables close in crowded places. Take a travel tablet if you are prone to seasickness on the boat days, and follow guides' instructions around wildlife, especially turtles and coral.
