Aztek Trek Part 9 - Counting the Bays

Continuing our journey eastwards along this scenic coast, we caught the bus to Huatulco, a region consisting of no less than nine picturesque bays.  The area was once again, being rapidly developed from a chain of small fishing villages into a tourist mecca.  Despite a new cruise ship pier, and direct flights from parts of Canada and the States, we hoped, for now, this rugged stretch of coastline might offer some less crowded beaches and an opportunity for some decent snorkelling on its reefs.

After a slight setback with our choice of accommodation (we were allocated a downgraded room, with no wifi, a broken lock and a very unsympathetic manager!), we checked ourselves into a small hotel a short walk from the nearby beach of Chahué.  The weather had remained very hot and humid so we tended to laze by the pool in the middle of the day.  Surrounding the harbour of Santa Cruz, the resort itself was much cleaner and more geared towards tourists than Escondido, with coffee bars and restaurants lining the main street.  The majority of the clientele seemed to be Canadians, escaping their harsh winter and many had bought properties in the surrounding area.

Taking a walk inland to the main town of La Crucecita, we found a more authentic atmosphere with the ever present “Zocolo”, a large indoor market and a good little breakfast place.  Later that afternoon we wandered over to Playa Chahué and were pleasantly surprised to find a very clean and uncrowded stretch of beach.  Better still, a Canadian/Mexican couple had set up a kind of “Food Court” serving delicious food and great cocktails with views of the sunset and live music.  During our trip, we always seem to be fortunate enough to discover wonderful little places like this!

After another quiet day, we took a boat tour to visit some of the other bays.  We were slightly disappointed to find that we only stopped at a couple of beaches, both of which were tourist traps, with beach restaurants charging very high prices.  Unfortunately, many of the bays could only be accessed by car, down a steep path or via a trek through the national park (which to be honest, we didn’t fancy in the high heat and humidity).  We did however manage a spot of snorkelling as far away as we could get from the boats and people, which was pretty good.

Huatulco definitely presented as more of a “resort” than Escondido, and we were recommended some quieter, less visited places along the coast if we return. But I did feel a little let down, and wished we had discovered this area before its “Tulum-ification” as the locals say (a reference to the massive development of Tulum on the Yucatan coast).

Back in Escondido for a day provided the opportunity for a quick pedicure and a return to our favourite dining spot, Chill-A-Kill, for dinner.  An early night in preparation for a long day travelling over to the Yucatan peninsula for the next part of our journey…

Next stop: Cenote field day