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“ puerto escondido verses huatulco ”
15 January 2012, 2:10
we just got back from mexio ( melaqui) and are returning for a month of travel in April.. Now I have been interested in puerto escondido, but a interested in hearing from people thaqt have been there and huatulco, and ther opinions on both places. From what I understand PE, is maybe similar to Melaquie, and huatulco a little higher end? Any input would be greatly appricated. On our trip we are also going to cabo and Cancun, so the first two weeks would be eitehr PE or Huatulco. :)
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1. Re: puerto escondido verses huatulco
15 January 2012, 18:28
Both towns are great. PE has a more rural, true Mexico feel, where as Huatulco feels more tourist oriented to me. The mercado in PE is full on Mexico, Huatulco's is both hard to find and smaller. I wasn't at very many of the Huatulco beaches, only La Bocana, Maguey and Augustine. but they were all great. I visited most of the PE beaches and again, they felt authentic Mexican to me.
Enjoy your travels either way!
2. Re: puerto escondido verses huatulco
15 January 2012, 20:03
for Oaxaca
Both places have accessiblitity to day trips out of their respective cities which might be important to you if you intend to spend two weeks. Puerto developed as a port a coulple of hundred years ago, and eventually grew into a tourist destination, but without an overall plan for development.The main beach at Puerto has a reputation for being dangerous for swimming, but there are other sheltered beaches which are absolutely fine. Huatulco on the other hand was conceived and developed under the auspices of FONATUR the federal government tourism board, way back in the 80s, with the idea of finding and developing an area with a number of safe, sheltered bays around which hotels could develop. Huatulco has regular hotels on and off the beach, and all inclusives on the ocean. It's lawns, roads and tourist facilities are much more manicured. However, a distinctive Oaxacan local culture has developed around the tourist areas and forms part of it, so that now in 2012 it's not fair to say that it's not "real" Mexico at least once you get away from the beach areas. In either case, you're heading to a resort, so neither in my opinion is authentic (though both are authentic Mexican tourism destinations with that color and difference as compared to US beaches), though Puerto has that more rustic feel, yet nevertheless you do feel like you're on a 60s beach party set, even moreso than in Huatulco because of the surfer crowd (depending on the time of year). Beaces in both locations draw foreigners and Mexican nationals, differing depending on the time of year.
Why not spend a week at each? They're only a taxi ride away from each other. Then in the future you'll have two Oaxacan Pacific resort areas from which to choose, approaching from a perspectivie of having had first hand knowledge of each. I was in both Puerto and Huatulco about a year ago, and before that tended to be at or near each area about once a year or so. I wouldn't call Huatulco more high end, at least to the extent that you can find reasonably priced accommodations in both cities, though it seems like there are much more budget lodgings in Puerto, and many more high end places in Huatulco. Our Oaxacan friends of means go to both, as do our Oaxacan friends of a more modest lifestyle, but yes you can draw a generalization as you seem to have gleened.
Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast
3. Re: puerto escondido verses huatulco
15 January 2012, 20:27
How far are the two from each other?
4. Re: puerto escondido verses huatulco
16 January 2012, 2:17
for Vancouver
5. Re: puerto escondido verses huatulco
17 January 2012, 11:33
Bernbaby - we've been to both - over xmas and new years. 2 weeks in PE and 3 nights at an all inclusive in Huatulco. We loved PE for the real Mexico feel - markets, walking, people watching, crazy busy streets, loud shops, riding the city buses and visiting the beaches. The main beach was fine for swimming as are the other beaches but we stayed away from Zicatela for swimming...walking only! We were sad to leave PE. Hualtuco is completely different - more sterile and predictable but lovely. Great place to go to a resort and maybe explore a town or 2 but nothing like the real Mexico of PE. It's actually very hard to compare the 2 - apples to oranges. To get from PE to Huatulco, we took a taxi to the airport but there are other options.
have fun...wish we were returning...
lwbc
6. Re: puerto escondido verses huatulco
17 January 2012, 11:55
Loved PE, depends what you are looking for. we stayed at a $300 a night in Huatulco and in a $60. a night in PE, but prefered the last one and would go again. Found Huatulco a bit boring and sterile, but again it depends what you are looking for. We also preferred Barra de Navidad over Melaque, and Isla Mujures over Cancun..
7. Re: puerto escondido verses huatulco
yesterday, 4:59
I love both cities for different reasons. Just before we left to come back home we bumped into a Canadian friend living inHuatulco, he of course loves his adopted town, but he made a point of telling us how much he disliked Puerto Escondido as we mentioned that we had been there twice. This is not the first person who lives in one or the other cities (ex-patriots) to say approximately the same thing about the other. I find it shocking that some people cannot see the value in both as both are amazing.
