So, is Huatulco an actual town?

When someone refers to Huatulco, they are very often referring to the region that is actually known as the Bahias de Huatulco (the Bays of Huatulco). However, it is important to note there is a town in the area called Santa Maria Huatulco which is located about 40 minutes inland from the bays and is considered the head of the local municipality.

Although there have been fishing villages in this area for more than 400 years, the Bays of Huatulco don’t offer very much in the way of historical landmarks—most of the buildings date back to the mid 1980’s when Fonatur came to this area to develop it for tourist purposes. Furthermore, it is important to understand the Bays of Huatulco are actually comprised of three main tourist areas: Santa Cruz, La Crucecita, and Tangolunda.

La Bahía de Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz Bay) was originally home to a small community of fisherman. Today the bay has become a busy tourist hangout and is a nice spot for swimming and snorkeling. You can arrange boat tours of the bays and deep-sea fishing trips at the marina and book your diving excursion at the local dive shop - Hurricane Divers, who are highly recommended by our clients who dive.

Santa Cruz is the perfect place to dine on the beach, mingle with the locals in the central zócalo, shop the small market for souvenirs and various jewelry stores for the best in silver (we recommend Maria Bonita or Santa Cruz Jewelry)...or simply sit under the trees and sip a cappuccino or latte at Café Huatulco - our version of Starbucks, located in a traditional kiosk in the middle of the park.

One of the most popular bays in the tourist area, Playa Santa Cruz has a wide and long beach with a soft incline, white sand, and warm, gentle water. Here you can find tour boats, jet skies, snorkeling, and beach attire for sale, as well as great restaurants along the shore with the best fish and seafood in the area.

Furthermore, Huatulco has already begun figuring on the world cruise ship market, thanks to the Santa Cruz Cruise Dock, which can simultaneously receive up to two ships with an average of 3,350 passengers, plus 1100 crew members each. Cruise ships now regularly dock in Huatulco between the months of September and April.

A variety of established residential homes and condos are available in the neighborhood of Santa Cruz, only blocks from the beach...and nearby Punta Santa Cruz offers very nice condos and homes perched on a point overlooking the bay and marina.

More to come on the next blog as we focus on La Crucecita and Tangolunda Bay...we hope you keep reading!