Huatulco, Coastal resort district in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Huatulco is a coastal district in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, stretching across nine bays with sandy beaches and turquoise Pacific waters. The four main sections—Tangolunda, Santa Cruz, Chahué, and La Crucecita—form a roughly 26-kilometer coastline with residential neighborhoods, boat docks, and small shops.
Spanish colonial authorities used this stretch of coast from 1539 onward as an anchorage for galleons crossing the Pacific. The settlements here remained small and isolated until the 1980s, when the Mexican government began developing the area as a tourism zone.
This coastal area takes its name from indigenous words meaning 'where they worship the tree', a phrase still heard in conversations among longtime residents. The connection between communities here and their natural surroundings shows in daily routines, from fishing schedules that follow tidal patterns to weekend gatherings near the shore.
Visitors who want to explore different bays can choose between water taxis, local buses, or rental cars to move among the four main sections. Most beaches are accessible via short paths or stairs, though some lie on hillsides and require a bit more effort.
A national coastal park protects nesting sites for seabirds and reptiles that live among the rocky coves and beneath the vegetation. Hikers can follow marked trails through low forest and along the cliffs within this reserve.
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