Comparing Five Top Beaches in Huatulco, Mexico

We visit five of Huatulco's beaches to find out which ones have the best sand, water, snorkeling, views, restaurants, pet friendliness, and least crowds.
Beaches visited:
Playa San Agustín
Playa Maguey
Playa La Entrega
Playa Riscalillo
Playa La Bocana
Our favorite VPN for travel: get.surfshark....

[@scoobydadog246]

Great beaches , and I am also interested in dog friendly, so appreciate that perspective! Looks like one would need to drive to all of these? I am looking to relocate to a beach town that is walkable - with walkable beaches. I like the idea of a smaller town vs the big touristy areas.

[@GeorgiaandDavid]

Huatulco might not be a good fit for you. It's not that walkable or dog friendly. Sayulita and Puerto Escondido were smaller, more walkable, and more dog friendly, but the beaches weren't as calm and swimmable.

[@GringosRUs]

I really love Playa San Agustín - the snorkeling looks fantastic and no hungry feet-biting fish! LOL

[@GeorgiaandDavid]

We liked the beaches around Huatulco better than the beaches around Puerto Escondido. The water was clearer and calmer.

[@SandiDWinner]

You should try out La Boquilla - I am wanting to stay at the only place on that bay. Absolutely beautiful with small huts and a restaurant and bar.

[@GeorgiaandDavid]

Looks remote but very beautiful. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@SandiDWinner]

@@GeorgiaandDavid Bahia De La Luna is owned by an American who built the resort as an upscale down-to-earth experience amongst all the nature. (George Fields). You're welcome.

[@Vynessa48]

Playa la entrega seemed extremely packed! Do you remember what time you were there? I’m trying to see if it’s worth waking up early to avoid the crowd

[@GeorgiaandDavid]

It was a weekend around noon. I think you would have better luck earlier or on weekdays.

[@cindicovill8547]

Great video. Thanks

[@GeorgiaandDavid]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@tbishop3342]

The water at the first beach was insanely clear. Mexico seems spoiled with great beaches!

[@twintextessa]

Can you get good salads? Very important to me. How about water is it safe to drink?

[@GeorgiaandDavid]

The water is not safe to drink. Salads are available but due to the fact that the water isn't safe the chance of food poisoning is too high for us. We will eat raw veg at home where we know we cleaned it well in clean water.

[@cameronhay8759]

Or.... buy veggies at a store like anywhere else & after you wash them soak in a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water and you'll be fine.

[@williamwoods2547]

Hola Georgia and David. It appears that it has happened again. Recently I finally found the time to send some information about Jalisco to you and although I checked to be sure it had arrived in the list of comments it has now disappeared. It was the longest comment I've sent to date. I doubt I will have time to redo it. You must be about to move on. Where to? Stay well.

[@GeorgiaandDavid]

After it happened last time I changed my settings so I receive an email of every comment. I still have the whole thing and am working through the list. Thank you! Next we are spending a week in Manzanillo, a week in Sayulita, and then a week in Ajijic before heading to Aguascalientes for a month.

[@GeorgiaandDavid]

william woods Hola Georgia and David. By now you have been in Tequila for more than three weeks and must be close to leaving. I've been trying to find the time to send this to you but life continues to interrupt my efforts. I had this nearly finished 10 days ago when my old computer froze up and it erased the entire message. Are you headed to Puerta Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo? You have probably seen all of the Pueblos Magicos by now, along with everything else worth seeing, but in case you are out of ideas of how to spend your last three or four days I'll mention a few places you may have overlooked. I'm sure you have visited the Los Toriles ruins at Ixtlan del Rio, a short drive north on the way to a couple of Pueblos Magicos. The other important ruin in the area is Guauchimontones near Teuchitlan (south of Tequila and west of Tala). There are other sites that contain guauchimontones (a circular, stepped pyramid found around Tequila) but the site with the largest guauchimontones is named for them. The area is famed for its shaft tombs and there are several sites that have them (San Sebastian, Huitzilapa, El Arenal, Tabachines, etc.), but the shaft tombs are 30-50 feet deep, or deeper, and are probably best left to rock climbers, experienced spelunkers, or the original grave robbers. In fact they are probably not open to the general public, although of the sites may have restored surface structures. I think that at least one regional museum has a replica of a shaft tomb. North of Ixtlan del Rio you would find Jala and Compostella. I've visited the latter briefly but have no recommendations for either, other than they are easily reached and would make a nice outing. 50 years ago Mexcaltitan was difficult to reach, so I passed it up thinking I would see it on another trip. It probably deserves the title "magical". Sayulita used to be a charming, irresistible seaside village. That was 50 years ago. Back then the "road" into Sayulita crossed a meandering stream five times. No hotels (camping in the adjacent coconut grove for $10 pesos a night, with access to the outhouse which lacked a door and no roof), no restaurant unless you count the soft drink stand on the beach that had 2-3 tables and occasionally served up something on the weekend or if you got to know the lady who owned it, one abarrote, laundry was done in the stream at the edge of town, a traveling movie company showed up occasionally to show old movies on a sheet, raising coconuts and fishing with the fiberglass ponga boats were the main occupations. You missed out, it's all sophisticated and expensive now. Sayulita occupies a lot of former ejido land. The government acquired it in the very early 1970s. They swapped the Sayulita residents' title to the land for a new masonry house, built where their old thatch roof house had stood. Not everyone in Sayulita had title to the ejido land, and it created an interesting situation where half of the town was suddenly "rich" compared to their neighbors. The photos I've seen recently suggest that absolutely nothing of the original village has survived the redevelopment. To get to Punta Mita it was necessary to take a muddy track through the jungle. Today Punta Mita is the home of the one percent. 50 years ago there wasn't a single structure, unless you care to count the few tents and VW buses inhabited by the naked hippies enjoying the sun and cheap living. South of Tequila, on a new road to Puerta Vallarta there are three Pueblos Magicos, Talpa de Allende, Mascota and San Sebastian del Oeste. 50 years ago these were way off the beaten path, mostly on gravel roads and unknown to anyone save the natives. There was so much more of interest further south, so I never explored the area. There are several interesting suburbs around Guadalajara, and you must have visited them by now. Zapopan is the location of the Basilica of Zapopan. It is of architectural interest as well as the home of the Virgin of Zapopan. To the right is the convento. Zapopan probably still has the Wixarika (Huichol) Museum. The Wixarika are a fascinating group of Indians living in the mountains of Nayarit and Jalisco. They don't socialize much with outsiders. I've seen them in Tepic and Tuxpan. A related group is the Cora. Wixarika art is very collectable and sought after if it is the old style (yarn pressed into beeswax on a board, representing peyote induced dreams, or beadwork, embroidery, or double-cloth bags). On the other side of Guadalajara lie Tlaquepaque and Tonala. Both are famous for pottery and glasswork. 50 years ago they were still independent towns, but Guadalajara has swallowed them up. Tlaquepaque has two ceramic museums, the Museo Regional de la Ceramica, and the Pantaleon Pandaro Museum. Market day in Tonala is Thursday and Sunday. There the Museo Nacional de la Ceramica houses many of the winners of the Jalisco State Ceramic Contest. I don't know if Jorge Wilmot's ceramic factory is still being operated by his family. Wilmot and another man were instrumental in making the ceramic scene in Tonala and Tlaquepaque what it is today. They created new designs and new techniques. Northeast of Guadalajara lies San Juan de los Lagos and Lagos de Morena. The church of the Assumption/Cathedral in Lagos de Morena is similar to the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan in San Juan de los Lagos, and is probably the better of the two churches. The facade is an interesting blend of Churrigueresque with Rococo flourishes, influenced by the Neoclassical style coming into vogue at the time. The twin towers are impressive. Las Capuchinas, the former Franciscan convent for nuns is located towards the river in Lagos de Morena. The traditional twin portals of a nun's church are present, and it is now utilized to house the arts and culture center. A rare example of a nun's washhouse is housed in the rear patio. South of Guadalajara there are a number of very interesting towns. You may have visited the Pueblo Magico (Tapalpa) in the area, but there are many more towns in the area that may be even better. Starting from the south, but north of Sayula, is Amacueca. The Church of the Holy Name has a baroque facade, a Churrigueresque altarpiece, and a 16th century cloister. Zacoalco has La Concepcion, a hospital chapel with an elaborate folk baroque facade. A bit further north lies Santa Cruz de las Flores, one of my favorites. Santa Cruz is a former hospital chapel with an ornate facade dating from 1692 and the tower dating from 1712. It has a basilican form. This is probably the most ornate facade in the area, and since it faces west it photographs best in the afternoon. There is also a colonial era parish church across the plaza. Sant Anita Atliztac comes next. Home to Santa Anita, which dates from 1732, it has twin towers and a richly sculpted facade. A square door leads to the 16th century convento, still occupied by Franciscan friars. The former hospital chapel, which lies across the plaza, has experienced some modernization. San Sebastianito (not San Sebastian el Grande) is the location of, no surprise, San Sebastian. The facade is 18th century baroque. The former hospital chapel, La Concepcion (1692), lies across the plaza. Closest to Guadalajara lies San Juan de Ocotlan. The church has an 18th century classic baroque doorway and an atrium stone cross dated 1684. Returning south a bit to the Lago Cajititlan area one encounters a number of interesting churches on or near the shore of the lake. Tlajomulco lies between the highway and the lake. The original San Antonio has been replaced by a modern church, and the convento is much altered, but the 18th century Capilla de la Virgin located across the plaza survives intact. A stone wellhouse with carved decoration dated 1734 is located in the churchyard. On the north shore of of Lake Cajititlan, Los Reyes Cajititlan (the Three Kings) dates from the late 1600s to the 1700s. It has a large tower, wide front, stone atrium cross, arched niches (from former posas?), located in the atrium walls, a basilica interior, and a gilded baroque retablo mayor. Another church is El Santuario de Guadalupe. Located across the plaza, it has a highly decorated facade with a tower from the 1760s. Originally it was a part of the Indian hospital. Around the south side of the lake are two additional towns worth a visit. San Lucas Cajititlan is a little basilican chapel fronted by an atrio-cementerio, with an intricately carved baroque portal dating from the last part of the 1700s, and a double archway that leads to the remains of a patio. San Juan Evangelista lies in the town of the same name. It was an 18th century mission, also fronted by an atrio-cementerio. It has a sculpted retablo facade, gargoyles, decorative side porch, and a Churrigueresque retablo mayor. I think I'm about of space, so I will close this out. Stay well. Sorry this is so tardy. Next trip?

[@jimwest4862]

You thought the prices were fair Margaritas $7.50 us??? That's why they love gringos

[@GeorgiaandDavid]

From our experience cocktails can be up to 200 at high end places as well as beach clubs and beach front restaurants. 150 pesos is on the lower end for the location.

[@cameronhay8759]

That's why I bring my own water and drinks, as the tourist beach "tax" is over the top anywhere in North America. Plan ahead, bring your stuff & eat in town, NOT on the beach!