Attention all snorkelers and beach-seekers! Huatulco, Mexico is calling your name! This idyllic town located on the coast of Oaxaca offers a delightful mix of adventure, relaxation, and endless sunshine (for the most part). Huatulco, also known as Bahias de Huatulco, is a popular tourist area for its beautiful beaches, fantastic snorkeling spots, and the Huatulco National Park. The area is filled with potential for adventure on land AND in water. So grab your sunscreen, swim suit, and maybe even some mosquito repellent, and get ready as I tell the tales of my explorations in Huatulco.
Table of Contents
- How to get to Huatulco from Puerto Escondido
- Where to stay in Huatulco
- What to do in Huatulco
- Where to Next?
How to get to Huatulco from Puerto Escondido
Huatulco is less than a 3 hour drive from Puerto Escondido, not too far at all. Once again I took the trusty ADO bus from Puerto Escondido to the bus station in La Crucecita, which is a city in the region of Huatulco. The ride cost me about 200 pesos and I bought the ticket through the ADO app. The bus station in La Crucecita was only an 11 minute walk away from my hostel. Once I got off the bus, I immediately started making my way on foot.
Where to stay in Huatulco
the Location
There is only one hostel in La Crucecita, at least from my research it was the only one I found. I stayed at Hostal Azul y Blanco. It was about an 11 minute walk from the bus station and central in La Crucecita. The walk to the pier was about 15 minutes and the beaches are a bit farther. So I’d recommend taking a taxi when accessing the beaches. Taxis in general are inexpensive here and can be found pretty much anywhere.
This hostel was a complete contrast to what I experienced in Puerto Escondido. Yet, it was a much needed calmer space where I could have time for myself. The hostel is run by an incredibly friendly older woman who almost treated me like her daughter. She helped me sort out my plans to go snorkeling at the nearby beaches and also had great recommendations for the rest of my travels in Mexico.
the Room
The hostel was mostly empty except for myself and 2 other travelers who were sharing the 12 bed mixed dorm with me. The dorm room itself was very spacious and had lockers big enough for a small to medium sized backpack. There were two bathrooms in the room and only one of them had a shower with decent water pressure (these things matter when you have long and thick hair like I do!). Otherwise, the room was very clean and comfortable.
the common areas
The hostel has a rooftop area for lounging and socializing. The hostel is situated right next to a soccer (or football, but I’m American so soccer) field and sometimes they have games playing. So if you’re a big fan of the sport like I am, it is always entertaining to watch. The first floor of the hostel also has a lounging area right in front of the reception and there is a decent sized kitchen.
I was lucky to meet another traveler at my hostel who was traveling from Canada to Chile on a motorcycle. He had offered to give me rides to the beaches so I wouldn’t have to take a taxi everywhere, which made seeing the area very easy!
What to do in Huatulco
From the number of big resorts and hotels in the Santa Cruz area near the pier, Huatulco seems like a popular vacation spot. But lucky for me, I was visiting during the rainy season so the area wasn’t as crowded as it might be during the dry season.
During my entire 2 night visit in Huatulco, I only visited the beaches and spent time in Huatulco National Park. There are several beaches in the National Park but some are a bit difficult to access without a rental car. Here are a few of the spots I visited with the help of my new friend with the motorcycle:
Playa La Entrega
A popular and busy beach, perhaps because it is closest to La Crucecita and Santa Cruz. Nonetheless, the snorkeling here is FANTASTIC. I had a wonderful experience without a tour just going out on my own. I rented snorkeling gear from the rental shop, which is located furthest from the entry to the beach for about 100 pesos. The snorkeling gear includes snorkel, fins, and a life jacket if you need one. They also have lockers for another 100 pesos. You are able to use all equipment and the lockers all day.
They have a large area blocked off for snorkeling. Don’t worry, even if it’s blocked off you’ll be able to see a bunch of things. To the left while looking out to the beach you’ll see some reef and quite a bit of sea life there. In the far corner to the left near the rocks there are huge schools of fish. The middle section is pretty quiet but to the right I was able to see 5 sea turtles! It was so amazing swimming right next to them.
the Lighthouse
I tried to watch sunset from the Huatulco Lighthouse but I was a little late and the sun had already set by the time I got there. The view was still beautiful. The lighthouse itself is blocked off by a fence, so really the only thing to do here is look at the view. Nonetheless, it’s definitely worth a visit.
Playa Cacaluta in Huatulco National Park
This beach is a little ways away from the town and requires a 20 minute hike through a mosquito filled jungle. Right in the heart of the Huatulco National Park, you’ll need to drive or take a taxi as far as you possibly can on this road. The road is eventually blocked off by a gate and there is a security officer sitting at a checkpoint. Once I got there with my friend from the hostel, we asked him the way to Playa Cacaluta. He directed us to the start of the hiking trail which is just past the fence on the right.
From here, we hiked through the jungle, past the mosquitos and a couple houses. We may have passed an intersection at some point and eventually made it to the beach. There are no signs on the trail so I was following my downloaded map on Google Maps to make sure we were going towards the beach.
Surprisingly enough, there was a small shack/store selling drinks, as well as a few hammocks to sit on. Otherwise the beach was so empty that I felt like I was on the set of Castaway. The water was incredibly refreshing and the whole area was so peaceful. There may be nice snorkeling in the area, but I’ll have to try that next time I visit.
Where to Next?
After overdosing on my beach time from Puerto Escondido and now Huatulco, I was ready to see some greenery. My next stop takes me to the mountains in the small expat town of San Cristobal de las Casas.
Great post! I hope to visit Huatulco one day and snorkel at Playa La Entrega. You pictures and videos are awesome, I love the turtle!! Thanks for sharing!
Huatulco, Mexico looks fabulous! thank you for sharing information about this beautiful destination.
Looks like a lovely area. Thanks for uploading those dive videos too! Lovely to see underwater without getting wet.
What a beautiful place to go snorkelling. Too dirty where I live – all you see are plastic bags and bottles. View from the lighthouse looks amazing.
Stunning photos and great advice- saving for a future visit!
Snorkeling in Huatulco looks amazing! Love that clear water!
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