The List - Here is a list of activities in and around Huatulco provided by a Quinta Real club member. The concierge can make additional recommendations, tour arrangements and restaurant reservations for you.
Main Areas of Bahias de Huatulco
- Tangolunda - hotel district where Club villas are located
- La Crucecita - small town with most of the restaurants and shopping; short taxi ride from the villas.
- Santa Cruz - small town near La Crucecita with marina and bay front restaurants
- Santa Maria Huatulco – small, non-tourist town near airport
- La Bocana – beach where river meets the sea; good body surfing spot; take taxi from the Club
Restaurants
- L'Echalote (formerly Mambo Cafe) on Calle Zapoteco in Chahue– Chahue (taxi driver will know)
- La Boheme – Chahue; very good new restaurant (ask taxi driver)
- El Giardino del Papa / La Crucecita – Italian, a favorite of our kids but expensive for Huatulco
- Hotel Quinta Real – great views, good food, very nice but expensive for Huatulco
- Terracotta / La Crucecita – new in Mision de los Arcos hotel near the zocala
- La Crema / La Crucecita – funky, good pizza; a couple blocks off the main square; close to Café Dublin
- Café Dublin – small Irish pub atmosphere; very cold beer, good hamburgers and steak sandwiches
- Don Porfirio's - Tangolunda; outdoors, fun
- Sabor de Oxaca / La Crucecita - Oaxacan food; highly recommended for regional cuisine
- Tostado Grill – La Crucecita; good, reasonable, outdoors
- Oasis II / La Crucecita - just off the zocala (city plaza) (Oasis I is on the zocala)
- Casa del Mar – nice views; food and service somewhat sporadic
- Jardin del Arte – Marlin Hotel in Santa Cruz
- Best lunch in town is at the Quinta Real pool restaurant
Diving/Dive Lessons/Snorkeling
Hurricane Divers – Robert, very professional and safe; my daughter Hailey and I had a great lesson with them; they will take you on snorkeling trips also
Snorkeling
La India - small white sand beach with beautiful water; good snorkeling; need to rent a boat to get there (35 min.) very nice day outing; can fish on the way and see other bays if you want; highly recommended
La Entrega - funky beach bars; snorkel rentals; go by taxi rather by boat, much cheaper
Playa Cacalutilla - accessible by dirt road.
By boat:
Isla de Cacaluta (facing the coast)
Riscalillo
Playa Cacalutilla
Seven Bay Tour
Highly recommended - a variety of operators or by small private boats (do this in conjuntion with snorkeling trip to La India with Hurricane Divers)
ATV Tour/Horseback riding
Dusty (in late winter/spring) rides through the jungle to deserted beaches. Fun. Front desk will arrange.
Sailboat Charter
Luna Azul / Jack Hennessy (9)587-0945; Hotel Posada Chahue
Fishing
Valentino Garcia / The "Sailfish" - (9) 589-6716; has been recommended
Ventures – David Garcia and Laco; also recommened (met him but didn’t fish)
Private Guide / Coffee Plantation
8:30 am - 6 pm; La Gloria tour is recommended; nature walks, swim in waterfalls, good food; wear bathing suit under shorts and shoes that can get wet. A recommended guide is Carlos Rodriguez Portillo - "perfect English" (9)589-2114; Long, windy ride. Some think it’s great, others say the ride is too arduous. Never done it.
White Water Rafting
Explora Mexico
Authentic small Oaxacan town
Santa Maria Huatulco - not far from Bahias de Huatulco airport
Language School
Bahias de Huatulco Language School http://www.huatulco-oaxaca-tours.com/
Suggestions:
- Take lots of one dollar bills or get lots of 10 peso bills for taxis and tips
- Taxis - call hotel front desk and ask that they send a taxi to the Club villa cul de sac (as opposed to the hotel lobby)
- Taxis into town are 30 pesos / $3.
- Bring a soft cooler bag to take drinks to the beach; saves time and money (hotel will serve you on the beach)
- Pre-arrival groceries – if you drink beer, have hotel deliver to your villa before you arrive, same with tequila, limes, wine, etc.
Below are a few pictures from our day trip of the seven bays. For $100/person, we were given a private tour of the seven bays, snorkeling and a homemade lunch on an isolated beach.
Homemade Lunch on Isolated Beach
Scenes from Seven-Bay Tour
