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Huatulco Basics

Huatulco, also known as the Bahias de Huatulco, is a tourist development located on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca state. Huatulco's tourism industry is centered around its nine bays. The population of the area is around 30,000 people.

Huatulco was developed in the mid 1980s by FONATUR, Mexico's tourism development agency. The economy of the region is based almost entirely on tourism. It is a beautiful place with a very laid back atmosphere. Huatulco is one of the cleanest and greenest developments in Mexico, with populated areas interspersed with large green zones.

This is the tropics, and Huatulco can be very hot and humid. Sunshine can be expected about 330 days a year with the average temperature of 82° F (28° C). The Dry Season extends from December to May, and the Rainy Season lasts from June to November.

First Impressions

Depending on the last port you visited, more than likely you'll probably arrive in Huatulco in mid-morning. Even then, the approach to Huatulco sneaks up on you. The shoreline is really beautiful...some bays are placid, but Santa Cruz bay is quite rocky on its sides, while there is a very pleasant beach and a small marina sharing space with the Cruise Ship Pier.

Your ship will dock at the Cruise Ship Pier in Santa Cruz bay. From the Pier, the beach is on the left side, and the marina is on the right side. Just behind the beach you'll find a number of restaurant/bars and a small retail center, with shops selling souvenirs, tours, wines and liquors and other services.

Santa Cruz Bay is just south of the village of La Crucecita. Only a mile away from the Pier, La Crucecita is worth a visit, if only to shop for the famous Oaxacan Alebrijes figures (see picture, right). Alebrijes are brightly-colored folk art sculptures of fantastical animal-like creatures, originally created by the artist Pedro Linares.

The main luxury hotel district is located on Tangolunda bay, a short $50 pesos taxi ride from Santa Cruz bay. The master plan for Huatulco calls for greenbelt space to be left between building projects, and areas for future development are being carefully selected to minimize environmental impact. Distinguishing itself from Cancun, hotels and other buildings in the area cannot exceed a height of six stories.

Time Zone

Huatulco is on Central Time, six hours earlier than Greenwich Mean Time during standard time, or five hours during daylight savings time. Daylight savings time begins on the first Sunday of April, and ends on the last Sunday of October.

Language

Spanish is universally spoken in Huatulco; most of the shopkeepers catering to tourists also speak English.

Travel Advisory

The U. S. Department of State has issued this Travel Warning to inform U.S. citizens traveling to and living in Mexico about the security situation in Mexico.

"Since 2006, the Mexican government has engaged in an extensive effort to combat transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). The TCOs, meanwhile, have been engaged in a vicious struggle to control drug trafficking routes and other criminal activity...

"There is no evidence that U.S. tourists have been targeted by criminal elements due to their citizenship. Nonetheless, while in Mexico you should be aware of your surroundings at all times and exercise particular caution in unfamiliar areas..."

Currency

The Peso is Mexico's official currency, and uses the "$" sign to denote the peso amount.

As of February 3, 2012, the exchange rate was roughly 12.60 Pesos per US dollar.

Just be aware: larger notes (e.g., $500 Peso notes) are often difficult to change.

Banks and ATMs

ATM machines can be found in most of the hotels in the resort area. In addition, banks with ATM machines area can be found at the following bank locations:

HSBC: has an ATM at the Bahia de Santa Cruz, near the marina, as well as just south of the square in La Crucecita.

Santander: has a branch with an ATM machine at Blvd. Chahue #164. People with Bank of America accounts aren't charged a fee when using a Santander ATM.

See our Huatulco ATM map for the locations of the above ATMs.

Using US Dollars in Huatulco

Pesos, or credit cards for that matter, would probably be a better way to pay for the things you're going to buy in Huatulco. The larger hotels and higher-end shops will accept US dollars, but you may not get a very favorable exchange rate. And if you do use dollars in a smaller shop, they more than likely won't have change for anything larger than a $20 bill, unless the change is in pesos.

© istockphoto.com/Tyrannosaur

Weather

Huatulco is hot and humid year-round. From November through February, the average high temperatures are in the low 80s F (about 30° C). During the evenings, it frequently feels cool enough to wear a sweater. The wind blows off the Pacific in Huatulco, making the evenings quite nice.

The rainy season lasts from May to October, but as with most monsoonal areas, rains tend to be fierce and brief in the late afternoon, leaving the evenings dry and cooled off. September brings the highest levels of humidity and sees the heaviest rains.

The hurricane season stretches from August to the end of October.

The surface water temperature from May through November ranges from 82° to 90° F (28° to 32° C). From December through April, the temperature ranges from 72° to 77° F (22° to 25° C).

Huatulco Average Temperatures
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg High - F	82	84	89	92	92	91	91	91	89	86	83	82
Avg High - C	28	29	32	33	33	33	33	33	32	30	28	28
Avg Low - F	64	64	68	70	72	73	73	73	73	71	67	65
Avg Low - C	18	18	20	21	22	23	23	23	23	22	19	18

Huatulco Average Precipitation
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg, Inches	0.1	0.4	0.7	1.3	4.3	12.8	7.8	11.8	13.1	5.7	0.9	0.3
Avg, mm	3	9	16	31	104	313	191	290	320	139	21	7

Bahias de Huatulco Weather Forecast, Mexico

© istockphoto.com/SlidePix

Keeping In Touch

Internet Cafes

You can find several cyber cafes in the nearby village of La Crucecita, a pleasant 20-minute walk or a 5-minute taxi ride from Santa Cruz Bay. The rates are very reasonable, ranging from $20 to $50 pesos per hour.

Chocco-Late Internet Cafe is located in the Hotel Mision de los Arcos, Gardenia #902.

PC-Internet coffee house, located at the Plaza Galerias, near La Fuente supermarket.

Plaza Connect Internet Cafe, near the square in La Crucecita.

See our Huatulco Internet Cafe Map for the locations of the above internet access points.

Finding US Newspapers

US newspapers are unavailable in Huatulco.

Kindle Connectivity

In Huatulco, you can download your Kindle newspaper and magazine subscriptions, as well as books and selected blogs, through Telcel's EDGE/GPRS coverage in the city.

Local Holidays & Festivals

Look for the following local festivals, holidays and events taking place in Huatulco in 2012:

Ano Nuevo (New Year's Day), January 1. National holiday celebrated with dances and fiestas.

Dia de los Santos Reyes (Day of the Three Kings), January 6. A national holiday celebrating the New Testament story of the arrival of the three wise men who each brought a gift to the Christ child. It's the day that children receive gifts as well as shoes full of candy, and people buy a pastry called rosca de reyes.

Dia de la Constitucion (Constitution Day), February 5. Public holiday commemorating the signing of the Mexican Constitution of 1917. The day is usually marked by festivals and street celebrations.

Carnaval (Mardis Gras), February 15 to 22.

Birthday of Benito Juarez, March 21. A public holiday celebrating the birthday of Benito Juarez, who rose from humble origins to occupy the Presidency of the Republic in the second half of the 19th century. Since it takes place on Wednesday in 2012, people also get off on Monday, March 19.

Semana Santa (Holy Week), April 1 to 8. A religious and a secular holiday in Mexico, where you'll see processions and passion plays taking place in the city. Easter takes place on the 8th.

Primero de Mayo (Labor Day), May 1. A national holiday.

Cinco de Mayo, May 5. A Mexican holiday commemorating the Battle of Puebla in 1862, when the Mexican army defeated a French force twice its size just south of Mexico City. Not as big a deal in Mexico as it is in the US.

Election Day, July 1. A national holiday set aside for the election of a new Mexican president in 2012.

Independence Day, September 16. Look for the delivery of the "El Grito de Dolores," the official grunt that marks the day.

Dia de la Raza (Columbus Day), October 12. Dia de la Raza is how Mexico celebrates Columbus Day.

Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), November 1 to 2. A day when celebrants honor the deceased. In the town center (Zocalo) and at nearby cemeteries, locals will celebrate with music and decorate shrines with flowers and photos.

Revolution Day, November 20. A national holiday celebrating the Mexican Revolution of 1910.

Inauguration Day, December 1. In 2012, this national holiday celebrates the inauguration of the new Mexican president.

Fiesta de la Inmaculada (Feast of the Immaculate Conception), December 8. Marks the beginning of the Christmas celebration season.

Dia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe (Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe), December 12. Commemorates the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint.

Las Posadas, December 16 to 24. Commemorates the New Testament story of Joseph and Mary's search for shelter in Bethlehem. You'll see candlelight processions as celebrants stop at various nativity scenes.

Navidad (Christmas Day), December 25. A public and religious holiday celebrating the birth of Christ.

Cruise Lines Making Port

Huatulco is a boutique port for ships making Panama Canal cruises to and from Caribbean and Pacific Coast ports. Cruise ships begin to arrive in mid-September and continue making port through early March. In 2012, Huatulco will host just over 46,000 cruise ship passengers sailing on 35 ships. If you'd like to see which cruise ships are scheduled to arrive in Huatulco, check out our Huatulco Cruise Ship Schedule - 2012.

The following cruise lines make port in Huatulco: