On the Pacific Coast of Mexico, in the state of Oaxaca, the beauty of the Huatulco coastline is almost blinding. Gawking at the turquoise water and glistening beaches, I felt like I was surrounded by a mirage that would quickly evaporate as soon as I adjusted my eyes. Only it didn't, because this is Huatulco's claim to fame; nine bays so spectacular that you literally won't believe your eyes.
I landed at Secrets Huatulco Resort for my starting point to explore the surrounding bays. Perched in a private cove on the coastline of Conejos Bay, the adults-only resort is wrapped in a cocoon of secluded and serene beauty. From my balcony, the pristine sand and striking rock formations of the bay beckoned so I headed out to grab an up close view of the nine bays of Huatulco.
Cradled by the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Coyula and Copalita Rivers, Huatulco is the definition of unspoiled natural wonder and is the first EarthCheck Certified Gold community in the region. Spanning 18 miles of coastline, the only way to visit all nine bays is by boat, so I hopped aboard a ship called Tequila in the dock of Santa Cruz Bay. Jetting off from Santa Cruz, I drank in the jagged coastline that revealed different shades of water and sand with each bay. The bays claim a total of 36 beaches, although a few appeared to be nothing more than a slip of sand. Motivated to discover as much of the bays as I could, I investigated as many beaches as possible during my four-hour journey.
PHOTO: The good ship Tequila.
My first task was learning the names and distinguishing features of the nine bays. Santa Cruz was the starting bay, with calm waters the color of turquoise. The water color deepened slightly at Tangolunda, home to the hotel zone and lots of water sports. Chahue Bay has a big marina, a shopping center and clear, cerulean water. Cacaluta is filled with birds drawn to Laguna el Zanate and Organo looked like a dot of rosy sand surrounded by greenish blue waves.
Conejos boasts sapphire colored water and golden sand with a lush landscape, while Maguey was covered with palapas serving regional specialties like empanadas de mole amarillo, a savory dish covered in a golden chocolate sauce. It turned out that my favorite bays, Chachacual and San Agustin, were the most remote and challenging to reach.
Chachacual Bay unfolded with lush scenery and pearly sand. The beach, La India, is a popular local spot and I immediately saw why. A coral reef surrounds the beach and a dense forest edges it but save for a few boats, it was empty and peaceful. According to locals, the beach's name was inspired by an indigenous couple who lived on the beach before it was declared part of the national park system.
The government offered money for them to relocate but the woman refused to leave. I don't know how they finally persuaded her but the beach is named in her honor. I like to think that her strong spirit protects the beach from pollution and desecration to this day.
The last bay, San Agustin, is in my opinion, the most beautiful. It boasts the largest coral reef in the Pacific and I glimpsed sea turtles and jewel toned fish close to the shore. There were no tourists to be seen, only a smattering of small beach shacks and a tiny village.
The landscape was covered with flowers, cacti and roosters, turkeys and goats roaming around. On the golden sands of San Agustin, a battered tree truck with one long wave of a branch that washed up during a hurricane, serves as a symbol for the bay. It's a singular sight in a one of a kind natural vista.
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