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A little about Playa Zipolite, The Beach of the Dead . . .

Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca, Southern Mexico, on the Pacific Ocean. A little bit about my favorite little get-away on this small world of ours.

Zipolite, a sweaty 30-minute walk west from Puerto Angel, brings you to Playa Zipolite and another world. The feeling here is 1970's - Led Zep, Marley, and scruffy gringos.

A long, long time ago, Zipolite beach was usually visited by the Zapotecans...who made it a magical place. They came to visit Zipolite to meditate, or just to rest.

Recently, this beach has begun to receive day-trippers from Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido, giving it a more TOURISTY feel than before.

Most people come here for the novelty of the nude beach, yoga, turtles, seafood, surf, meditation, vegetarians, discos, party, to get burnt by the sun, or to see how long they can stretch their skinny budget.

I post WWW Oaxaca, Mexico, Zipolite and areas nearby information. Also general budget, backpacker, surfer, off the beaten path, Mexico and beyond, information.

REMEMBER: Everyone is welcome at Zipolite.

ivan

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

What is so special about Huatulco? Posted by Estudiante

What is so special about Huatulco?
For those from NOB who now live full or part time in Huatulco, would you mind sharing what the main draw for Huatulco was and is. Thank you.
69.73.170.179/ph5/read.php?6,93836,94311


What is so special about Huatulco?

Posted by Estudiante 

What is so special about Huatulco? 
September 29, 2012 04:35PM
Considering moving to Mexico from USA. There are a number of great places we have visited and look forward to seeing Huatulco.
For those from NOB who now live full or part time in Huatulco, would you mind sharing what the main draw for Huatulco was and is.
Thank you.
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
September 29, 2012 04:46PM
nothing special........same as anywhere else.........low crime rate....beautifull ocean breezes.......small town atmosphere and aarp volleyball games in season..........oh yes some nice earthquakes once in the while too
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
September 29, 2012 06:32PM
The weather. Pure and simple, guaranteed sunshine and good temps all winter long.
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
September 30, 2012 09:03AM
Huatulco as it is today, is for the most part, inhabited by Mexican Nationals drawn to the project in the mid 1980's. As such you get a blend of cultures, dress, food, and language. About 90 to 95 % of tourists are from Mexico though the year overall. More and more locals are speaking English. The current population of Huatulco overall is estimated at 30,000. There are ambitious growth plans but the rate will be governed for the most part by the economy.

You can live very inexpensively here or blow the bundle. If you are looking for lots of nightlife and high end shopping then just now this is not the place for you. There are a few discos and 5 or 6 high end clothing stores and 3 or 4 higher end gift shops. Bit more each year.

Pretty much all the goods and services one needs to live here can be obtained locally. The services are well priced but the goods can be expensive. Many immigrants go to Oaxaca, Acapulco, Guadalajara and Vera Cruz. Excellent woodworkers for custom furniture. There are several contributors to this forum who can give you specifics.

There are real estate agencies her (Re-max, C21 etc) but there are many individuals with contacts, particularly for short and long term rentals. Have a look at VRBO.com. This will give you an idea of what is available but there is more not advertised.

As HTA and Hibiscus have posted the weather is great and the crime rate low. The greatest danger is not wanting to leave once you have arrived. The summers are hot, humid and quite rainy in July Aug and Sept. The last 2 years however have seen less rain. This September, which is the rainiest traditionally has been quite dry.

With 9 bays and 36 beaches there is a lot to enjoy. Turtle sanctuaries are scattered along the coast.

There is an International airport about 15 minutes from town. The runway has just been extended to accommodate larger aircraft. A new terminal is under construction and boasts the largest palapa in the world. The highway to the airport is being widened to 4 lanes and expected to be completed within the next few months.

Huatulco is a cruise ship destination but over the past few years the numbers are dropping. About 35 this season scheduled.

Come on down and give Huatulco a try for a while.
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
September 30, 2012 11:00AM
It is paradise! Short and simple. My greatest fear is that the world will find out and....it changes. So everything you read here please keep it a secret. It is a place I want to run away to, leaving everything behind. It is slow, poor, friendly, warm...ha ha just like me.
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
September 30, 2012 12:08PM
Thank you for the information. Mina's comments were very greatly appreciated. One final thing - I understand that Oaxaca is approximately 120 miles away but that it takes over 8 hours to drive on a winding & somewhat treacherous road. Are there plans to build a highway to shorten the travel time? I have noticed that the Huatulco Eye frequently highlights events and restaurants in Oaxaca, so was surprised to find how inaccessible it is. Thank you.
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
September 30, 2012 01:53PM
There are currently two highways to Oaxaca.. one is much more treacherous than the other. There is a road improvement project in the works, but the Mexican government moves slowly. Oaxaca is a wonderful city with amazing arts, food & music. Its well worth seeing. If the drive is daunting, you can fly there from Huatulco. Regarding your original question about what is so special about Huatulco, I can only say that few people only come once. I'll be heading down there for my 18th year in a row... and I've seen a lot of Mexico beforehand.
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
September 30, 2012 02:18PM
Actually by air Oaxaca is only 96 miles away
The drive can be made in 5 - 6 hours ( with not problems at all) I usually allow 7 hours
Getting stuck behind semis can really slow you down
There is a new road from Oaxaca to Puerto they are working on it but as Idaho states things move slow in Mexico
That and fact of mountains really makes progress slow
Wayne Overby
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
October 01, 2012 12:04AM
Slow? Glacial is more like it. When I moved to Puerto Angel in 1986, they were beginning to build the new highway from Oaxaca. They are still building it. That's 26 years. Every time I fly over the mountain from Mexico City I look down to see if I can find it. I have never seen any sign of a highway being built. I wonder if it really exists.

R
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
October 01, 2012 07:11AM
The road is done about 1/3 of the way
Wayne Overby
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
October 01, 2012 08:17AM
The road to the airport will have the 4 lanes completed I believe in 3 final stages with the last to be complete early January. A week or so ago officials from Huatulco met with the powers in Oaxaca and got that committment in writing. Looks ambitious but there are more men and equipment working now that I've seen before so we will see. The Hotel and tour folks here are really putting on the pressure.

The highway to Oaxaca is supposed to be completed by Dec 2013 so probably in 2014. Can't comment about progress because I have not been on that highway. This project is challenging as there are tunnels and bridges involved as well as widening. I believe there will be to cut offs before Potchutla. One towards Puerto E. and one to HUX.

Estudiante, one option for Oaxaca is the overnite first class bus. Leaves HUX around 11PM, there are 2 buses, and gets into OAX at around 7:30AM. We like it because we do not loose a day travelling. The buses are great. Both OCC and ADO have washrooms. ADO has a little galley at the rear for coffee. OCC around 300 pesos and ADO around 340 pesos. Each way. Buses for now use the 190 route. We did come back once during the day. It was nice scenery but continue to do the nite trips. Regardless of how you go try to get there. You would need at least 3 days to do Historic Centro. Then as many as necessary to do the surrounding villages. If you did 7 days or so you would get a lot in.
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
October 02, 2012 10:00AM
When are you thinking about making the big move? It is an exciting proposition and I promise that you will absolutely love Huatulco once you set foot on the beaches.

Mina pretty much nailed it with her description above. I would also like to add that the people in Huatulco are amazing. Spend some time with as many as you can and you will find that Huatulco is not like any place you have been before.

If you need someone to show you around or need a place to stay while you check out your options, leave a message here and I or some of the others on this board will point you in the right direction.

Huatulco Hotels | Huatulco Villas | Huatulco Vacation Blog
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
October 03, 2012 09:27AM
Thanks for the people emphasis Cory. I did not stress that enough. Great bunch of folks here and we enjoy the Mexican tourists. We see a few of the same visitors at Santa Cruz Playa each Christmas and during the summer vacation.
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
October 03, 2012 12:58PM
I first came to Huatulco back in 2000, and have been back 5 times since. I honestly think what makes the Huatulco area wonderful are the people, they are friendly, humble, and just plain nice. It is a pleasure to vacation there, it is safe, and welcoming and looking forward to getting back in 2013.
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
October 04, 2012 10:35PM
It has never felt like a town of 30K people to me...who gets included in the number? And what areas does it include...for example is copalita included?
Re: What is so special about Huatulco? 
October 05, 2012 08:11AM
Huatulco is, I guess, equal to a county so the number includes the enitre bounded area of Huatulco. La Crucecita is about 18000 I guess. Copalita would not be included. The number of 30K came out of a meeting of officials from Huatulco and Mexico City as well as local hotel and business reps who meet regularly to track and plan for growth.

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ivan