BEACHES

 

Huatulco is unique in that it has one of the most important ecosystems in the nation. That is largely due to the fact that it has more than 36 beaches on nine bays. The beaches in this region, which are surrounded by lush lowland jungle vegetation, are known for their blue-green waters, mild waves and white sand. You can arrive at the beaches by car or on boats departing from Santa Cruz Huatulco. At all of these destinations you can do a wide variety of aquatic sports and enjoy the impressive flora and fauna.

 

Bahia de Tangolunda ? Located 5 km (3 mi) northwest of the Santa Cruz Bay on Highway 200. This bay has five beaches that cover an area of 243 hectares (600 acres): Ventura, Manzanillo, Tomillo, Tangolunda and Rincon Sabroso. This group of beaches has fine white sand, crystalline emerald-green waters and gentle waves. In this area you?ll find top-notch hotels, shopping centers and one of the best golf courses on the Pacific coast.

 

Bahia de Chahue ? Located five minutes northwest of Santa Cruz Huatulco. You?ll find three beaches at this bay: Chahue, Esperanza and Tejon. They are surrounded by tropical vegetation and rugged rock formations. You?ll find four-star hotels with excellent services and restaurants offering local and international cuisine. Esperanza Beach has strong surf and warm waters, making it ideal for surfing and windsurfing.

 

Bahia de Cacaluta ? Located southwest of Santa Cruz Bay. This is an important water source for protected area Bahias de Huatulco National Park. The beaches at this bay include Cacaluta, which has deep warm waters and big waves, making it ideal for surfing and windsurfing; and Arroyo, which doesn?t get many visitors because it has coarse sand with shards of coral. This bay area, which has calm clear waters and lowland jungle vegetation, is the natural habitat of various bird species, including seagulls, heron and quail. In the bay?s waters you can see various fish species, such as marlin, sailfish and tuna.  As for mammals, you?ll see badgers, armadillos, raccoons, wild boar, deer, iguanas, turtles and many other species.

 

Bahia Conejos ? Located 3 km (2 mi) east of Tangolunda Bay. Follow Highway 200 toward the mouth of the Copalita River. This bay consists of four beaches: Conejos, Punta Arenas, Arena and Tejoncito. They all offer boating services, hotels and restaurants offering international cuisine. You?ll also find rentals for cars, motorcycles, scuba and snorkeling gear, and horses.

 

Bahia Riscalillo ? Located west of the Santa Cruz Bay. To arrive at this bay, you must take a 10- minute boat ride. Riscalillo Beach has fine sand, a moderate slope and shallow blue-green waters with small waves. The lowland jungle vegetation becomes more abundant during the rainy season. This area has hundreds of animal species and a wide variety of insects. It?s also the habitat of the blue snail, an endangered species.

 

Bahia San Agustin ? Located 35 km (22 mi) west of Santa Cruz Huatulco. This bay area has rocky islands and headlands. Isla San Agustin is the largest island of the Huatulco bays. Because of its many coral reefs, it?s the ideal spot for scuba diving. There are two beaches at this bay: San Agustin and Cacalutilla. Both have fine sand, calm waters and a warm climate. Several meters offshore you?ll find a white coral reef that is perfect for scuba diving and snorkeling. Here you can rent free-diving gear and boats with outboard engines.

 

Bahia Santa Cruz ? Located south of La Crucecita. This bay consists of three beaches: Santa Cruz, La Yerbabuena and La Entrega. They all have white sand, a gentle slope and calm turquoise waters. These places have excellent hotels and restaurant. At Santa Cruz Beach you can visit a large marine park and an ecological reserve with coral reefs and many fish. Here you can rent motorboats, scuba and snorkeling equipment and swimming gear.

 

Bahia de Chachacual ? Located southwest of the Santa Cruz Bay. This bay is only accessible by a 30-minute boat ride. It has lush lowland jungle vegetation and mangroves, which are now part of an ecological reserve at the Parque Nacional. The two virgin beaches, Chachacual and La India, have fine white sand, a gentle slope and clear warm waters. These beaches are ideal for observing marine life, including moray eels, jellyfish and coral. In the Santa Cruz area and La Crucecita there are hotels, trailer parks and restaurants serving local and international fare.

 

Bahias de Organos and Maguey ? Located 2.5 km (1.5 mi) south of Santa Cruz Huatulco Bay. These two bays have beaches with fine white sand and warm blue-green waters.

At these quiet places you can observe a wide variety of flora, including mangrove trees, fern trees, Palmer-trumpet trees and guayacans. You can also do aquatic sports here.