Ultimate Huatulco Mexico Travel Guide (+ Map)
TL;DR
If you want incredible Oaxacan food and uncrowded beaches, our Huatulco guide will save you from getting it wrong.
You’re probably trying to figure out whether Huatulco deserves a spot on your Mexico itinerary – or if it’s just another beach destination that looks better on Instagram than in real life. We had the same question. Most guides either oversell it as a hidden paradise or barely explain how it actually works on the ground, which makes planning weirdly confusing.
The biggest friction? Huatulco isn’t one place – it’s a spread-out collection of bays, towns, and beaches along the Oaxaca coastline. Add in the fact that some of the best beaches take actual effort to reach, and it’s easy to get this destination wrong if you don’t know what you’re doing.
We spent time figuring out how Huatulco really works – where to stay, how to get around, which bays are worth the effort – and this guide is everything we wish we knew before going. If you’re the kind of traveller who cares about good food, fewer crowds, and doesn’t mind trading convenience for something more authentic, you’re in the right place.
Huatulco Travel Guide
Understanding Huatulco: Crucecita, Santa Cruz & the Bays
Huatulco isn’t just one town – it’s a collection of bays and neighbourhoods spread along 26km (16 mi) of coastline in the district of Santa María Huatulco.
Santa María Huatulco is the larger inland town and administrative centre.
La Crucecita is the heart of it all – local markets, street food, cafes, and the main square. It’s not on the beach, but everything (including multiple bays) is nearby.
Santa Cruz Bay is one of the most popular destinations for visitors, boasting a swimmable beach and convenient access to tours.
The Bays of Huatulco is the bigger picture – 9 bays and 30+ beaches, each with its own vibe. Some are lively and built up, others are remote and untouched.
Bottom line: stay in Crucecita for local life, Santa Cruz for beach access, and explore the bays from there.
Huatulco Mexico Map
Is Huatulco Worth Visiting?
Honestly, it depends on what kind of trip you’re after. If you care about beaches and food, this place has a big advantage, being on the Oaxaca coastline, where even casual meals hit harder than what you’ll find in most beach destinations. It’s also much less touristy than spots like Puerto Escondido, so if you want something quieter, more local, and not overrun, that’s a huge plus.
But that same low-key vibe is exactly why it’s not for everyone. The bays – like Bahía de Chachacual and Bahía Cacaluta – are beautiful, but many of the best ones take real effort to reach (boats, rough roads, hikes). Huatulco is spread out and doesn’t have that “step outside your hotel, and everything’s there” convenience.
So yeah, it depends: if you’re into great food, uncrowded beaches, and don’t mind working a bit for the best spots, Huatulco is 100% worth it. If you want easy, walkable, beach vibes, you might be happier somewhere else.
Where We Stayed in Huatulco
We decided to stay in La Crucecita as this is where you can find the most affordable hotel and food options.
Specifically, we stayed at Hostal Azul y Blanco, which we can fully recommend. The location is very central, there’s a communal kitchen, and it’s super clean.They have dorms and private rooms.
The thing we loved most was the cosy rooftop terrace with hammocks.
How to Get to Huatulco
1. Taking the Bus to Huatulco
Huatulco is well-connected within the amazing Mexican bus network. You can reach
- Puerto Escondido in roughly 3 hours.
- Oaxaca City in roughly 5 hours.
- San Cristobal de las Casas in roughly 11 hours.
- Mexico City in roughly 13 hours.
(Note: You can click the links above for the detailed bus schedules and to book tickets if you like.)
2. Fyling to Huatulco
The airport in Huatulco (HUX) is quite small. It’s located about a 20-minute drive from the bays. It is only serviced by a limited number of inland flights.
The closest airport with some international and more national connections is in Puerto Escondido (PXM), a 2-3 hour drive away.
How to Get Around Huatulco
We only walked around Huatulco as everything we needed, including the bus terminal, was close to our accommodation.
There’s a modern pedestrian walkway (Tourist Corridor) which connects La Crucecita and Santa Cruz Bay.
Currently, there are no ridesharing apps in Huatulco. Taxis are widely available, and rates should be fixed.
Things to Do in Huatulco
1. Bays of Huatulco Boat Tour
The main reason to visit Huatulco is to see its nine bays. As some of the bays are located within the Huatulco National Park and not all of them have road access, the best way to do so is by boat tour.
We chose this Full Day Tour of the Bays of Huatulco. Here’s our full review:
2. Relax at the Beach
With more than 30 beaches, Huatulco is a beach lover’s paradise. If you don’t have a rental car, Playa Santa Cruz is your best bet. As it’s the easiest to reach, you will find the most infrastructure and people here.
Alternatives are:
- Playa Yerbabuena, a small and quiet beach.
- Playa Chahue with its many beach clubs.
- Playa La Entrega is a popular, fully serviced beach with restaurants, snorkel rentals, and more. You have to take a taxi to get here.
3. Explore La Crucecita
Take some time to explore La Crucecita. The highlights are the main square (Zocalo) and the La Crucecita Church right next to it. Surprisingly, you can find the largest painting in the world of the Virgin of Guadalupe in this church.
Make it a priority to sample some of the street food. We can highly recommend trying the tlayudas at the market.
If you want to explore more in depth, there’s this Huatulco City Tour:
4. Copalitilla Magic Waterfalls
We didn’t visit them ourselves, but the Magic Waterfalls of Copalitilla are said to be one of the highlights around Huatulco, so we wanted to include them in our travel blog. They are multi-tiered cascades with plenty of turquoise pools.
You can either go independently or a guided tour:
Where to Eat in Huatulco
Like the rest of Oaxaca, Huatulco is a foodie paradise. Rarely did we find this combination of amazing food and beach vibes anywhere else in the world.
We had some of the best tacos of our lives at Taquería Juquilita (we’re not sure why their online reviews are kind of bad).
For street food, the best addresses are the markets: Mercado Benito Juárez and Mercado 3 de Mayo.
For authentic seafood, we liked La Marisquita Hux right across our hostel.
For more Western food options, we liked Tequila Taberna y Cafe Huatulco, which is run by a lovely Canadian owner.
How Many Days in Huatulco Do You Need
Theoretically, one full day in Huatulco is enough to go on a day trip to its highlight: the bays.
If you have more time, we highly recommend adding a second day to relax at the beach and sample some of the amazing food.
Here’s our full Mexico itinerary, including two days in Huatulco:
Huatulco Tips
ATMs in Huatulco
There are several ATMs dotted around La Crucecita and Santa Cruz Bay.
Supermarkets in Huatulco
The two big supermarkets in Huatulo are Soriana and Chedraui. Both were within easy walking distance of our accommodation.
There are also some smaller shops dotted around.
Internet in Huatulco
The internet in our accommodation worked well. Our eSIM card worked fine around town.
Is Huatulco Safe
Huatulco is considered to be one of the safest places in Mexico. There’s quite a big expat community.
Of course, we always recommend exercising some level of general caution.
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