Sun, sand, and diverse cuisine on the Oaxaca coast
Written: Mar 06 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: warm water, sun, sand, friendly service
Cons: difficult to get to, loud music, gets very hot in summer
The Bottom Line: depends on how you feel about resort areas
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| Jiahong's Full Review: Huatulco |
Huatulco Bays are nine bays in the south of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, where the Sierra Madres (Occidentales) run into the Pacific Ocean, the coastline of about 35 kilometers between the mouth of the Coyula and the Copalita river mouths. The whole state of Oaxaca is very mountainous and driving from the capital of the state (the city that is also named Oaxaca) is variously said to take 6-7 hours. There are charter flights from Toronto, and Mexicana flights from Mexico City (somewhat frustratingly, to go from the city of Oaxaca to the Oaxaca coast, we had to fly the opposite direction to Mexico City, change planes, and fly back over Oaxaca—however, this meant that we did not have to fly back to Oaxaca when we were returning to the US). There are daily flights on small (prop) planes between Oaxaca and Huatulco on Aerotucán for 1322.46 pesos (the exchange rate to US dollars is around 11:1) each way: see www.aerotucan.com.
Although our flight took us over the beaches, it then turned back inland (19 miles inland) to land at Santa María Huatulco. We had arranged to be picked up by a van, so I don't know about arranging transport on the spot, and we saw nothing of the town. (The cross that the natives worshipped before the Spanish came was broken up and pieces sent to the city of Oaxaca, Mexico City, Seville, and Rome. There is a side altar in the Oaxaca cathedral devoted to the cross.)
The biggest, most developed, and priciest of the bays (with a Club Med, an 18-hole golf course, etc.) is Bahía de Tangolunda. For information (albeit from 6 years ago) about it, see the epinion by mistsy.
We stayed (at the Hotel Villablanca, which had a very helpful staff and a pleasant swimming pool) across a road from the Bahía de Chahué. The beach is quite beautiful, but there are signs in multiple languages warning about riptides, and there was no one in the water except very close to a rocky breakwater. At the western end of the beach, umbrellas and lounge chairs may be rented for 25 pesos a day (renters may leave and return).
Our hotel was about a mile from the thriving commercial center (with ATMs, grocery stores, and many restaurants) of La Crucecita. Despite the heat (in the low 80sF; in July and August it gets up to 40C), that would seem to be walking distance, but the taxi fare is set at only 16 pesos.
The fare to the dock from which boats advertise tours of nine bays in Santa Cruz (a town of sorts with more restaurants and at least one ATM that we used) is also 16 pesos. The 6.5 hour boat trip ($25US) includes ferrying passengers who do not want to snorkel into shore (where there are thatched-roof restaurant;/bars) on the Bahia de San Augustin (those who want to snorkel, enter the water from the boat). I think that this is where the Mexico City travelers go in "Y tu mamá, tambien." If not there, then the other bay (Bahia de Chachacual) where passengers are ferried in on smaller boats, where there are more thatched-roof restaurant/bars and people trying to swim dodging the many boats and jet-skis. (More information on boat tours and tourism in general in the area is available at www.huatulcos.com.)
On a Saturday, the boat was crammed with people and the music was very loud even by Mexican standards. (The music was eclectic, including reggae, Motown, and various Mexican pop.) There is an open bar serving beer (Negro Modelo) and sugared soft drinks (no diet sodas).
For 35 pesos, we took a taxi to La Entrega, a sandy beach on the west side of Bahía de Santa Cruz. I wanted to rent an umbrella and lounge chair. The only available shade was in the thatched-roof restaurant/bars, the best known of which is Langistino Gordo (fat lobster). We parked a few places to the left (with a blue flag as a guidepost for returning from swimming) with a very mellow and friendly waiter/manager/whatever. There were lounge chairs to use at no extra charge, but the sun was merciless. The snorkeling seemed better than at Bahia de San Augustin and there was another beach accessible only by water that I swam to.
Sailing, scuba diving, fishing, and golf are other activities in which I did not engage. There are also trips to see sea turtles (also $25US).
I did eat. I had a craving for Italian food and very authentic fare was efficiently served up at "Il Giardino del Papa" just off the zocalo in La Crucecita (Flamboyan 204). The two seafood restaurants past the Santa Cruz docks are both excellent. And just around the corner from our hotel was a restaurant "L'échalote" offering "sabores del mundo" (the flavors of the world). It listed French, Mexican, Thai, Spanish, Italian, Mediterranean, Latin American, and North African dishes. We were skeptical but curious, and pleasantly surprised by credible Chinese, Thai, and French dishes (and a wide assortment of desserts). The quality of food preparation we sampled un Huatulco was uniformly very good, and I presume this can be generalized to other restaurants we did not have time to sample.
Out of the way and not overdeveloped like Cancun, Huatulco provided a pleasant beach-centered vacation after intensive touristing in Mexican cities (about which I will get around to writing). As a destination, I prefer Kauai though the water temperature in the bays of Huatulco is warmer than out there in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, which I'm preparing to cross again.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Dec - Feb
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