January 16-24 -- Huatulco is not as heavily populated as the more popular resort locations such as Puerto Vallarta or Cancun. Because of its eco friendly/Green Globe certified environmental standards + limited water supply, the number of resorts are limited. The town itself didn't begin being built till 1984 and is located in the state of Oaxaca on the very southern Pacific Coast.
The Oaxacan Coast has 330 days of sunshine a year! November to May is the dry season and January to October is the wet season. We were there when the ocean was at it's lowest, being 3m lower than when it's at it's highest.
We had a rather shakey welcome to Huatulco. As we were waiting in line to check in at the airport, the ground shifted under our feet! Later we heard it was a 5.2 earthquake!
Huat = wood / til = respect / co = place; where they worship wood. The legend goes that a stranger with a white beard was exploring the coast when his ship sank in a storm. He was the sole survivor, having hung onto a floating piece of wood he'd found in the ocean. When he reached land in the Santa Cruz bay, he made a cross of this wood. As time went on, Huatulco became a major commercial centre for shipping and trading. When pirates attacked, they burnt down the town and all that was left standing was the cross in the bay. But try as they might, the wood was so hard they couldn't chop it with an ax. When they tried burn it, it would suddenly rain. The mystical powers of the cross attracted more pilgrims. The Spanish priests ended up dismantling the cross and making it into 5 small crosses. 1 is in the cathedral in Santa Cruz, another in the church in Oaxaca city and the remainder in the Vatican archives in Rome.
As the freezing temperatures at home began to let up, Allan felt better about leaving the dairy farm behind for 8 days.
Day 1: From "our" beach to our room, we had to climb 127 stone steps. Our Las Brisas resort is the second oldest (1980s) and largest of the resorts along the Huatulco Coast on which there are 9 big bays with 36 beaches.
The courtyard by our rooms, full of Bouganvilleas.
Vultures. There were four seperate compounds on the resort, with four colored towers. Our compound was situated on a peninsula, between Secret Bay and Ventura Beach. Our resort had 4 beaches, 3 of them with soft sandy crescents on which tourists lounged and swam in the warm ocean.
The gardens were extensive. This is a ficus tree.
1) Fan Palm 2) Prickly Pear cactus 3) Alamanda Cherry 4) Bouganvillea 6) Red Ginger
Every morning we'd walk down to this area where the Mexican restaurant by our beach offered a large buffet for breakfast. Secret Beach was on one side (this pic) and Venturea Beach on the other.
Oak tree
1) These Chachalaca birds hung around the 2) Coconut Palm trees
Mexican restuarant, waiting for food scraps.
Secret Beach on the west side of our compound.
Had dinner in the town of Huatulco, after buying ourselves much needed sun hats.
Day 2: Magical Towns tour - Three Levels Huatulco
A stop to check out this viewpoint of Santa Cruz bay where the tourist ships dock and where the famous cross stood.
We stopped in at the historic town of Santa Maria (1537AD), 600m above sea level.
In these Sierra Madre del Sur mountains they grow coffee and cocoa. Banana plants are grown alongside the coffee plants because the wasps like to take shelter from the hot sun under their broad leaves and they will eat the pesky insects.
The third level was the remote mountain town of Pluma Hildago (1350m).
The town square.
We had lunch in this town. I am not a lover of coffee but tried it out of respect to our guide. I was pleasantly surprised. This coffee did not have that bitter after-taste but rather had a mocca taste. This is contributed to the fact that it's located closer to the ocean, therefore the air is more salty.
A quick stop at this mezcal distillery. Because of the way it's distilled, it has a more smokey stronger flavour than tequila. Both are made from agave plants and contain the same amount of alcohol (40-50%).
Day 3: We spent the morning checking out the gardens in our resort. We tried do most of our walking before 10:00am when temperatures began to get hot.
The resort was about 45% full. Most guests were Mexican.
1) Ceiba tree
1 & 4) Ginger 2) Chenille 3) Jungle Flame
Dracena Vermelha
Walking tree.
Mid afternoon we were picked up for this sightseeing and shopping tour in Huatulco. This is a viewpoint overlooking the La Bonca beach which is popular for surfers from March till October.
Santa Cruz Bay.
El Bufaero lighthouse overlooking Santa Cruz bay.
There are tours bringing you by boat to the many remote unreachable beaches.
4-pic slider: The church in Santa Cruz (which means the Holy Cross). Our guide gave us a few hours to shop in stores he directed us to. In the first one we got to try the various tequilas with an appetizer of fried grasshoppers! I tried not to think of those beady eyes and spindly legs. I figured there's a first time for everything. And they actually tasted pretty good!
Day 4: A private 3-hour tour into Huatulco National Park. This area became a protected Unesco Biosphere reserve in 1998, holding 3 of the 9 bays along the Huatulco coast and covering 15,753 acres. Two guides strongly advised us not to hike on our own, because there were poisonous snakes and spiders in the forest. So we had a private guide pick us up at 6:00am.
This meadow used to be a lake only 10 years ago. Although it has dried up, this area is still considered to be the wetlands.
Birds made a nest in this termite ball.
It was about a half hour walk through the forest to the beach were the eco-system changed.
Just in time to see the sunrise.
A sea turtle's nesting pit.
No signs of human life.
On the other side of the hills are untouched ruins. Pieces
of ancient pottery litter the beach.
Entering the forest again.
This Red Mombin tree is a species of the cashew tree. The balls turn red when they ripen.
Hanging roots of the ficus tree.
Bromeliad plants cover the forest floor but they also grow higher up in the trees.
These cactus bushes always grow against a tree.
The long roots of the ficus tree reached towards the meadows where water is not too far under the surface of the ground.
Trogan Parrot.
Two more parrots.
Back at the resort these iguanas were always at the same spot in the day, warming in the sun on the rocks along the beach.
Our Ventura beach.
Day 6: We took a taxi to Huatulco so Christine & Al could check out a few resorts for next winter.
Then we went shopping and had a delicious lunch on the beach where there were many restuarants to choose from.
Tropical Kingbird Woodpecker.
Magpie Jay.
This chapel was right on the beach.
Nice and cool in this large indoor mall.
Day 7: We spent our last day just hanging around at the resort. After our morning walk I had a 3 hour visit at the spa.
The third and most eastern Tornillo Beach was used more for boat rentals and beachcombing.
We walked towards the neighbouring resort. These rocks were full of pelicans and cormorant birds.
Jacarandas tree
Looking west towards our resort, our compound being on the very left.
Those pesky vultures were ever present.
2) Vultures 3) Morning Glory
Back at our resort, walking along the walking trees.
Both the Ventura and Manzanilla beaches on the resort.
Spacious rooms. We kept the patio doors open at night so we could hear the ocean.
Feeding the fish. Christine took her snorkel sets along. We were at the best beach for using them. There were so many colorful tropical fish in this ocean: 156 species, to be exact, of which 7 are exclusive to this area.
Al & Christine entering our Westjet plane. It left at 6:00pm on a 6 hour flight.
Amazing photos and a fascinating place, Joce.