Huatulco

The region of Huatulco is located in an area of rugged and irregular geography on the Mexican Pacific coast, right where the mountains meet the sea, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. The area is made up of nine bays with thirty-six white sandy beaches. The location has a wild charm, but guests staying in the luxury hotels in Huatulco enjoy all the comforts and conveniences of other popular beach destinations. Cruise ships anchor in Santa Cruz Bay and most passengers head for the popular tourist beaches in Huatulco Bay, where the white sandy beaches form a crescent shape between rocks scattered along the coast, all set against the backdrop of the lush green hills of Sierra Madre del Sur.

Huatulco is blessed with sunshine three hundred and thirty days a year, and the average temperature is around twenty-eight degrees, so visitors can swim, surf and sunbathe at their leisure and at any time. Boat trips are a great way to visit and enjoy some of the coves and small bays near the main beaches. Guides will often show passengers dolphins jumping over waves and the manta rays diving just below the surface of the water. The transparent waters in this area make it an excellent site for diving and scuba diving, particularly in the vast Huatulco National Park.This strip of around one hundred and twenty square kilometres of lowland forest, mangrove and coastal waters has been protected since 1998, and has been awarded international Green Globe certification in recognition of conservation efforts to safeguard the habitat of hundreds of native plant and animal species. This place is a dream come true for ecotourists. The park encompasses six bays, including the popular Maguey Bay, and is home to one of the most important coral formations in the Mexican Pacific. With a guided tour, tourists can discover the area and visit the most interesting sites in this carefully protected park.

A holiday in Huatulco is not complete without a visit inland, and many tourists choose a tour to the well-known Magic Waterfalls. A swim in these waterfalls, surrounded by lush rainforest, is a refreshing change from the sunny beaches. Most tours include a walk through a coffee plantation. Guests staying at hotels in Huatulco who want a taste of the more traditional Mexico can stroll through the streets of La Crucecita and visit the church in the central square. A huge portrait of Mexico's religious icon, the Virgin of Guadalupe, adorns the ceiling of the church, and this image is said to be the largest in all of Mexico. A highlight of any walking tour is sampling mezcal, the traditional drink of the region. Mezcal gets its smoky flavour from cooking agave hearts in earth pit ovens before fermentation takes place. It is therefore different to tequila, which is not cooked. Visitors who choose to explore this small and picturesque town will discover numerous craftspeople weaving colourful cloths in the Oaxaca style, as well as shiny black ceramics. There is also a photo opportunity that allows tourists to take photos in which they appear to be dressed in the famous and elegant traditional lace dresses.