The Huatulco area is centered around the small towns of La Crucecita, Santa Cruz, Chahue and Tangolunda. It is a FONATUR ('Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo') project and one of its most successful designated tourist areas. FONATUR is also responsible for the resorts in Cancun, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Los Cabos and Loreto Bay.
Huatulco's tourism industry is centered around its nine bays; four of which have been designated as ecological preserves with no development permitted. Huatulco has a wide variety of accommodations to suit just about all budgets. From rooms for rent, small economy hotels, vacation condominiums and luxury villas, along with several (All Inclusive) resorts standing on the shores of Tangolunda Bay. The Las Brisas (Formerly the worlds largest Club Med), the Dreams Resort (Formally the Gala Hotel),the Barcelo, Crown Pacific and the Camino Real Zaashila are examples of the most popular larger resorts in the area.
Huatulco's main attraction are its nine bays and thirty-six beaches, many of which are pristine and undeveloped, and accessible only by boat. With the help of local guides and tour operators, one can explore the beaches and bays in relative privacy, or if you choose you can scuba dive or snorkel to see the abundant tropical fish and the beautiful coral reefs.
In addition to the beautiful bays and beaches, one can explore and shop in the small communities of the Huatulco area, such as La Crucecita, Santa Cruz or old Santa Maria Huatulco (the district's municipality).
When doing so, one can travel between the communities by bus or taxi. The entire area has a "small town" feel about it and is rarely crowded with tourists with the exception of the Christmas and Semana Santa (Easter) holiday periods.
Approximately 80% of all tourism in Huatulco is domestic in nature and only about 20% of Huatulco's tourism is foreign, mainly because direct international air access is limited to flights from several Canadian cities, Chicago and Houston all others having to make connections through Mexico City. Huatulco has a small but very attractive international airport just 20 minutes from the main resorts in Tangolunda Bay. The peak season for foreign tourism is typically from December to April.
Since May of 2006, British tourists have started traveling to Huatulco on direct flights from Manchester Airport operated by First Choice Airways There are also direct charter flights available from Chicago and Denver in certain months of the year, and from the cities of Vancouver, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg and Toronto in Canada, during the winter months.
The numerous small towns making up Huatulco such as Santa Cruz, La Crucecita, Chahue and Tangolunda are located in an "ecological zone" with much of the area being protected from future development. All of these areas are serviced by modern water and sewage treatment systems so that no waste goes into its pristine bays. Huatulco has been awarded the Green Globe certification, the only resort in Mexico to receive this prestigious award (Green Globe is the worldwide benchmarking and certification system for the travel and tourism industry across the triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental management).
The Huatulco International Airport (HUX) has flights from Mexico City and Oaxaca City. There is also a daily flight on Aeortucan from Huatulco to Puerto Escondido. Also there are numerous charter flights in the winter months from major cities in the US and Canada, and the number of charter flights is growing every year as Huatulco grows in popularity.
Buses from Oaxaca City run daily and overnight and takes around 8 hours.
The Huatulco International Airport is small but very pretty with its large open air palapa buildings. It is approximately a 15-20 minute drive to the areas of La Crucecita, Santa Cruz and Tangolunda, where the majority of the hotels and other types of accommodations are located.
If you have a air/hotel package, your bus transfer may be included; if not, you can either take a cab from the airport or purchase a ticket (one way or roundtrip) on a shuttle at a stand in the airport arrivals area, or prearranged shuttle transport. Taxis from the airport are priced higher than other taxis in the area, so be prepared. An alternative is to walk a short way, about 500 meters, out to the main road and catch a non-airport taxi, or even a local bus (The latter will not have room for your baggage, so it's best if you are traveling light).
If you have a farther distance to travel (Puerto Escondido, Puerto Angel, San Augustinillo, Mazunte, etc.) then you may want to take a taxi to the bus station in La Crucecita and take a first class bus from there. Or walk to the street from the airport (about 1 block) and catch the local bus to Pochutla. There will also be collectivos (a shared taxi) cruising by which charge a little more than the bus.
When exiting the airport, and in certain places around town, as in most Mexican resort destinations watch for the timeshare sharks! If someone is excitedly trying to attract your attention, there is a good possibility they are trying to snare you into a timeshare sales pitch.
A polite but firm "No, gracias." said with a smile should suffice; of course if you are interested in purchasing a timeshare, chat away! There are far fewer of these in the Huatulco area compared to other places in Mexico.
You could also arrive by cruise ship, as Santa Cruz Bay has a pier for cruise ships, and you may spot one in port some days.
The area is extremely easy to get around. Renting a car is not necessary as cabs are plentiful and fairly cheap, and where the shopping, restaurants, hotels and many beaches are concentrated is not a huge area. If you do prefer to rent a car, Budget, Avis, and Advantage are companies located there, among others. It is best to reserve a car in advance to get the best rates. It is best to agree on a price before getting into a taxi. Locals do not tip taxi drivers, although tourists may be expected to. There are some signs around which have posted prices to certain beaches or towns. Another option is to rent a driver for the day if you want to go farther afield, to Puerto Escondido for example.
Accommodations: Luxurious Oceanfront Villa with Stunning Views, 4 Suites + 5 Baths (Sleeps 2-10)<br>
At 10,000 square feet Quinta Alegria will easily accommodate up to ten adult guests very comfortably. Suites 1 thru 3 are located on the second level, each having its own private balcony and spectacular ocean views. Please know when renting only one suite you will be booked into the principal master suite, Suite 1, which is the largest of all the available suites and with 1,000 square feet and two private balconies this luxurious principal master suite has it all. An extra large walk-in closet, an enormous bathroom including Jacuzzi tub, an oversized shower with two shower heads and large marble bench, along with double sinks and a separate vanity you will be in the lap of luxury like you_fve never been before. Suite 4 is located on the main level with direct access to its own separate terrace with an unobstructed ocean view.<br> <br> Included in our rental rates is a continental breakfast and daily maid service. We also have a private chef who can prepare a full breakfast, lunches and/or dinners or we can arrange private catering from several of the finest local restaurants. Laundry service is also available. And if you so desire we can also arrange for a private masseuse to come directly to the villa where you will be pampered to your hearts content without ever having to leave the comfort of your room. Massage, manicure, pedicure, you name it we can make it happen!<br> <br> Considering a destination wedding? Quinta Alegria has consistently been selected as the premiere location for destination weddings in Huatulco. Our extensive gardens along with our incredible sunset views offer the perfect setting for the most memorable wedding photos. Be sure to ask about our special wedding package rates. We can also assist you with all of your wedding plans.<br> <br> (Please note there is no smoking permitted in the enclosed areas of this villa; bedrooms, kitchen, dining room etc. Smoking is however permitted in the outdoor areas of the villa; living room, upper terrace, balcony areas, poolside etc.)<br></sleep><br>
Accommodations: Condominium, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths (Sleeps 2-6),<br>
All of our Huatulco Rentals Vacation Condos are new light and bright fully equipped furnished two-bedroom two-bath condominiums with a third large loft bedroom retreat with queen bed, private bath and walk-in closet. Our Huatulco Rentals Vacation Condos are all located within a very quiet gated complex with beautifully landscaped grounds which includes a huge new pool and palapa area.<br> <br> Our Huatulco Rentals Vacation Condos are located only three blocks from the zocalo (town square) in La Crucecita and it's only a 15 minute walk to Chahue which is the closest beach. Our condos are very centrally located and are within a short walking distance to great shopping, Internet cafes and dozens of wonderful restaurants. By the way you should know the town square in La Crucecita is where all the night life is so don't get stuck in in Santa Cruz where everything literally shuts down at sunset and on top of that you will need to taxi back and forth to town every night if you want to go out to dinner or have a cold one at one of the local watering holes. You should also know we are a short and convenient three minute walk from the town square but far enough away so the noise and activity don't get in the way of your peace and quiet and a restful nights sleep.<br> <br> Each of our Huatulco Rentals Vacation Condos has high vaulted ceilings, air-conditioning and ceiling fans in all rooms along with gas appliances in the kitchen. Our condos are available on a daily, weekly or monthly basis and we have several locations within the complex to choose from.<br></sleep><br>