Up until the very early 1980’s Huatulco or Bahias de Huatulco consisted of just one sleepy little fishing village with no water, electricity or even roads. Around 1984, the government of Mexico decided to develop the area into a resort destination. Luckily for us, the area has not exploded like many of the other government-created destinations such as Cancun. Bahias de Huatulco consists of nine enchanting bays, only three of which are developed. Even in the three main bays you will enjoy a peaceful atmosphere that allows one to feel as though you have truly escaped. All together the nine bays have over 35 beaches, each one unique. Some are lined with restaurants and umbrellas and others are completely deserted with no access by land. Of the many bays, Bahia Santa Cruz, Bahia Tangolunda and Bahia Chahue are the most popular and the only ones with any real development or future plans for development. Bahia Santa Cruz was the first area to see commercial development and is where you will find La Entrega, the busiest beach. Here you can snorkel the shallow reef, sunbathe or enjoy a drink at one of many palapa restaurants. Bahia Tangolunda is the heart of all resort activity. This is where you will find the majority of all-inclusive resorts and luxurious hotels as well as all your main amenities. The area is home to very large, sheltered white sand beaches although the beaches are almost exclusively for resort guests. These beaches are perfect for water activities such as swimming, kayaking and snorkelling. Bahia Chahue is the most undeveloped of the three but is also closest to the village of La Crucecita where you will find nice restaurants, shopping and bars. Development plans for the near future include a new marina which will hopefully be used for visiting cruise ships.

Because Bahias de Huatulco is still a relatively new tourist destination it has not had a chance to fully establish its attractions and activities. And unlike many other Mexican destinations, the area does not have any major ruin sites nearby. Instead, Bahias de Huatulco has based its tourism activities on eco and adventure tours through its lush wilderness and landscapes. Whether it is a hiking jungle tour, exploring enchanting waterfalls, rafting through white water rivers, sailing the coast to discover deserted beaches or snorkelling the shallow coral reefs with hoards of tropical fish, Huatulco has it all. The Mexican government and local environmental groups have done a superior job of maintaining Huatulco’s ecological integrity and much of the area is preserved as a national park. Two things you absolutely must do in Huatulco are take a hike through the scenic Sierra Madre mountain range to discover the enchanting Magic Falls of Copalitilla and visit Pluma Hidalgo to tour the coffee plantations. You also won’t want to miss a sunset cruise of the coast with Luna Azul Sailing Tours.

As for dining and nightlife, if you are looking for fine dining, glitz, glamour and wild parties, you should probably visit Cancun or Acapulco. That is not to say that you won’t eat fantastic food or find a place to enjoy music and dancing. One of the best bars in town is The Tipsy Blowfish in La Crucecita. They have good music, great staff and are a favourite with both locals and tourists. As for dining, almost all of the beachside restaurants have delicious food at cheap prices and seafood is at the top of the list. Two restaurants you should try are El Sabor de Oaxaca for authentic and delicious Mexican food and Restaurante Bar Dona Celia on Santa Cruz for some of the absolute best seafood dishes around. Bahias de Huatulco will give you that much needed escape you have been waiting for. In Huatulco you can expect to enjoy the sun because the area receives over 330 days of sunshine a year. The average yearly temperature here is a beautiful 28˚C and luckily the peak tourist season is also the dry season. June through November is the rainy season here and it can be very hot and humid although the nights do cool down after the afternoon showers.