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Huatulco Tourist Information
Getting to Huatulco
By Land - Huatulco can be reached by road from Oaxaca City via
Highway 175. This highway is a paved 80 mile stretch of road that climbs 7,000 feet through tree and moutainous terrain. Allthough very picturesque, the roads can be very narrow at points and extremely windy. If you are likely to get motion sickness, this is not the way to travel. After you get out of the mountains it is another 30 miles on Highway 200. The entire 170 mile trip will take you around 8 to 10 hours. Do not attempt this route at night, there are sheer cliff drop offs and narrow roads, also the roads are very dark.
By Bus - Instead of renting a car another good option is to take a bus. Direct service from Oaxaca City to Huatulco is available on several first class bus lines. Busses depart several times per day from both directions. The one way cost is around $18. This trip by bus usually will take around 10 to 12 hours. Several companies offers services including Estrella del Valle tel: 958-581-0588, Cristobal Colon Tel: 951-515-1248 and Viaje de Oaxaca Tel: 951-439-1319.
By Van or by Taxi - There are several taxis and vans that will take you from Oaxaca City to Huatulco. This is a better option if you are looking to save time. The drivers have made this trip hundreds of times and know the roads and turns. Usually this will save you several hours of driving time. Taxis will usually charge around $50 to $100 one way, however the vans will pack several groups (called colectivos) in so they only will charge $20 to $30 one way. Auto Express de Tourismo Tel: 958-514-7077.
By Air - Huatulco has a small airport (HUX) located just a few miles from Tangulonda Bay. Click Mexicana (a subsidiary of Mexicana) flies daily between Huatulco and Mexico City. Continental flies direct to Huatulco from Houston. For local flights from Oaxaca City to Huatulco there are two companies Aerotucan and AeroVega - both these companies provide morning and afternoon flights between Oaxaca City and the beach destinations of Huatulco and Puerto Escondido. Flight time is approximately 35 - 40 minutes. The cost is usually around $130 one way. The flights are based on first come first serve basis and reservations are recommended.
By Sea - Several cruise ships visit Huatulco Mexico. The massive ships usually come to port for around eight hours, which is plenty of time to take a tour of the coffee plantations or to shop at one of the many shops in little town of La Crucecita. These cruise ships depart from various locations such as San Diego in the United States as well as several other locations.
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Required Paperwork and Permits for Driving or Staying in Huatulco Mexico
Required Paperwork: In order to drive a vehicle into Huatulco, Mexico you must obtain a temporary importation vehicle permit at the border or online from the Mexican Banjercito (Banco Nacional del Ejercito) upon entry and cancel this permit before exiting Mexico. If you plan on staying in Huatulco for any length of time you will need a tourist visa. To bring your automobile into Mexico, you MUST GET MEXICAN AUTO INSURANCE. Your US insurance will not be recognized in Mexico. You can purchase and print your Mexico Insurance policy online before you leave for your trip here at Mexbound.com
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Driving Distances and times from Oaxaca City to Huatulco via Highway 175
When in Oaxaca on of the most common questions is how long will it take to get from the city of Oaxaca to the beaches of Huatulco. Highway 190 to Huatulco is the easiest to navigate and offers the best road conditions, however it takes you at least a couple of hours out of your way south, and is therefore not the best option unless of course you plan to visit Salina Cruz on your way to Huatulco. There is a super highway under construction that when completed should take less than 2 hours to reach the coastal cities in Oaxaca. Until then the best route is Highway 175. Although Huatulco is not that far approximately 170 miles, it will take a skilled driver a minimum of 6 to 7 hours to drive. The trip will take you over narrow windy mountanous roads. If you get car sick you may want to think about flying. Below is a list of driving distances and times along Highway 175 from Oaxaca City to Bahia de Huatulco. We offer maps and driving directions to Huatulco.
- Oaxaca to Octotlan - 40 minutes - 20 miles
- Ocotlan to Ejutla - 25 minutes - 15 miles
- Ejutla to Mihuatlan - 38 minutes - 25 miles
- Mihuatlan to San Jose del Pacifico - 50 minutes - 22 miles
- San Jose del Pacifico to Pochutla - 145 minutes - 62 miles
- Pochutla to Huatulco - 45 minutes - 30 miles
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Huatulco Mexico Time Zone and Current Weather
Time Zone - Huatulco Mexico lies in the Central Standard Time Zone or CST. The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 105th degree meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. Central Standard Time (CST) is 6 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-6). Huatulco is two hours ahead of the Pacific Time Zone and one hours behind the Eastern Time Zone. Oaxaca observing PDT = Pacific Daylight Time in summer
and PST = Pacific Standard (Tiempo del Pacifico) in winter.
Huatulco Weather - Huatulco has almost 300 days of sunshine per year. The climate is warm semi-humid with a year round temperature of 82 degrees F. The weather in Huatulco during the summer months can reach over 100 degrees F. June through September is known as the rainy season; humidity is high as temps average mid-80s. September is the wettest month, Huatulco only averages around 40 rain days a year. October is the reffered to by the locals as the best weather for travellers. January and February are by far the dryest months.
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