La Crucecita - The Little Cross

About a mile inland from Santa Cruz, and just a brief taxi ride, you will find La Crucecita, commonly thought of as Huatulco’s “downtown.”  La Crucecita, meaning “the little cross”, is the area in Huatulco that most closely resembles an authentic Mexican town. Its central plaza has a well-manicured park filled with large trees and a kiosk where people enjoy lounging about on benches. The main church of La Crucecita, whose interior is covered with various frescoes, includes one on the ceiling that locals claim is the largest Madonna in the world. Furthermore, you can shop at the central market, enjoy numerous options for dining, relax at a bar or sidewalk café, and browse in local shops. You'll also find banks, buses & taxis, and internet cafés here.

The Church of Huatulco: La Virgen de Guadalupe
The main church in La Crucecita is a must-see for catholics and especially for those who want to pay their respects to the Virgen Of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico. According to local legend this small church features the largest painting in the world, dedicated to her. It was painted by the Mexican artist Jose del Signo...word has it that the painting has even been nominated for the Guinness Book of World Records because of its size.

Restaurants of Huatulco
There is a variety of great food options available in a variety of prices, from sidewalk taco stands and traditional Oaxacan cuisine, to Italian pastas, Argentinian-style grilled steaks, Japanese sushi, French fusion, even Austrian and Thai food! There are several restaurants to be found around the main square of La Crucecita which offer national and international dishes and beverages. And be sure to stop at one of the few Mezcal tasting shops for a sample of Oaxaca’s official drink! And if you don’t like mezcal the first time, don’t give up! It’s an acquired taste, meant to be sipped like aged scotch...

Shopping in La Crucecita
If you are like me and you like to shop, there many little stores to browse through around the main town square and in the side-streets surrounding. You will find several silversmiths and, if you do not get the chance to go to the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, you will have the opportunity to purchase textiles and varied handcrafts that come from that region, including rugs, clothing, alebrijes, black pottery, and other local handcrafts. La Crucecita also boasts an indoor shopping mall, but trust me when I say there is not a lot worth seeing at the moment. In general, it is the movie theatre - called Cinemad - that usually draws the crowds inside...and they even show movies in English!

Overall, La Crucecita is considered to be the heart of Huatulco and it pulses at all hours of the day...even late at night you’ll witness hundreds of people milling about and enjoying the beautiful weather.

Please keep reading, as we explore the area of Tangolunda in our next blog...