During our cruise of Mexico’s Pacific coast on our sailboat Groovy, our absolutely most favorite place was the Bays of Huatulco.
This is a gorgeous 10 mile stretch of coast at the southern end of Mexico, just west of the Gulf of Tehuantepec and 250 miles or so from the Guatemala border.
It is dotted with about unique 25 anchorages that range in temperament and amentities from being utterly remote — just you and the osprey — to being immersed in the action of beach-side tropical resorts, to being just an easy dinghy ride from a charming fishing village.
DVD #2 in our series
The second video in our DVD series “Cruising Mexico Off the Beaten Path” gives lots of pointers and tips for cruising this area, including many detailed aerial maps explaining where the best snorkeling is, where to anchor out of the swell, where the calmest swimming beach is for young kids, etc. (this info is not covered in detail in the popular cruising guides).
The following links are all of our blog posts from Huatulco, given in chronological order. We stopped there for a few weeks in the spring of 2011 on our way south and then stopped again for three months in the winter of 2011-2012 on our way back north.
- Huatulco – Pacific Mexico’s Best Cruising February, 2012 – Huatulco is tropical fun at its best, from a lively town square to beautiful resorts to gorgeous beaches and warm water
- Huatulco’s Tangolunda Bay – Anchored inside a ring of luxurious tropical resorts! November, 2012 – Beautiful Tangolunda Bay was the ideal place to recover after crossing the Gulf of Tehuantepec.
- Huatulco’s Marina Chahué – Landlubbing with parrots! November, 2012 – The true highlights of our stay at Huatulco’s Marina Chahué, were the intriguing yachts and exotic bird-life.
- Huatulco’s Hagia Sofia (1) – Exotic fruits and tropical flowers in a lush garden oasis November, 2012 – Hagia Sofia is a lush 350 acre garden oasis filled with exotic fruit trees and stunning tropical flowers.
- Huatulco’s Hagia Sofia (2) – Hammocks, hills, waterfalls and a Oaxacan feast November, 2012 – After trekking through orchards and waterfalls at Hagia Sofia, we were treated to a Oaxacan feast.
- Huatulco’s Santa Cruz Bay – great beaches & a cute harbor village – Paradise! December, 2012 – Santa Cruz Bay has a good (tiny!) anchorage with easy access to 3 great beaches and a cute harbor village.
- Huatulco’s Las Palmas Resort – 24 Hours in Heaven! December, 2012 – While anchored off Santa Cruz, we met the owner of Las Palmas Resort who gifted us with 24 hours in paradise.
- Huatulco’s Playa La Bocana – A visit to Huatulco’s Wild Side December, 2012 – We discovered Huatulco’s wild side at Playa La Bocana, where the breakers thunder and the birds soar.
- Huatulco Holidays – Delightful Seaside Christmas & New Year’s Celebrations in the Tropics December, 2012 – Huatulco’s towns of La Crucecita and Santa Cruz come alive with tourists and holiday celebrations.
- Huatulco Underwater – Snorkeling with colorful creatures We snorkeled with spotted eagle rays. sea turtles, and lots of colorful fish and coral in the Bays of Huatulco, Mexico.
- Huatulco on Wheels – The fun and funny vehicles of Huatulco Mexico! Huatulco’s warm climate and small size brings folks out on all kinds of crazy wheeled vehicles!
- Huatulco’s Villa Escondida – A beach bonfire with new friends We returned to La Bocana at the invitation of local property brokers and found true luxury at Villa Escondida.
- Huatulco – Las Palmas Villas on picturesque Playa Violin – Gorgeous! Returning to Las Palmas Resort, we enjoyed breathtaking views, great snorkeling and gracious hospitality.
- Huatulco Farewell – Fabulous Memories of a great stay After 3 months we finally said “goodbye” to Huatulco — and departure day came much too fast.
- Huatulco to Zihuatanejo – Nature and solitude on a peaceful coastal passage Sailing from Huatulco to Zihuatanejo we saw breaching whales, leaping manta rays, beauty in Acapulco and a night at sea…
- Life on the Hook in Mexico – What do you do all day when you’re cruising in the tropics? Sailing off into the sunset on a cruising boat is a dream for many, but life afloat is not just umbrella drinks and suntanning in the cockpit.
DVD #3 in our series
Ancient Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban
Inland Travel from Huatulco
If you leave your boat in Huatulco, it is an easy bus ride to get to the vibrant colonial city of Oaxaca, the evocative Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban and Mitla, and to visit traditional rug weavers and petrified waterfalls.
The third video in our DVD series, “Cruising Mexico Off the Beaten Path” provides loads of info for how to put together an inland trip to see all these wonders!
Following are our blog posts from our trip:
- Oaxaca – Quirky, Fun, and lots of Gold Leaf Energetic and artsy, Oaxaca, has a fabulous gold leaf trimmed 16th century cathedral & a huge town square full of activity.
- Oaxaca – A City of Vibrance, Color & Soul Oaxaca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, treated us to all kinds of action and fun: concerts, parades, and a golden cathedral wedding!
- Oaxaca’s Monte Alban – Mysterious Ancient Zapotec Ruins The Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban are mysterious and alluring, and the beautiful Oaxaca Cultural Center houses Mixtec relics.
- Oaxaca’s “Mitla Tour” – Ancient Zapotec Ruins & More! On Oaxaca’s outskirts, we visited the 2,000 year old Zapotec ruins at Mitla, saw petrified waterfalls and met traditional weavers.