Explore Huatulco – Bahía San Agustín
Like the rest of Oaxaca, I’m coming in hot and starting this series off with one of my favourite places to go in Huatulco: Bahía de San Agustín. If you read my outline of the bays, you know that of all 9 Bahías de Huatulco, San Agustín is my favourite!
While it is close enough to La Crucecita to be done as a day trip or short excursion, San Agustin is so gorgeous I highly recommend staying the night to get the full experience. So, here is my guide to a weekend excursion to Bahía de San Agustin, Huatulco.
All about Bahia San Agustin
San Agustín is the westernmost of the Bahías de Huatulco, sitting right at the tip of Parque National de Huatulco. It boasts a gorgeous bay and some of the best snorkeling I have ever seen, the reef is just spectacular! San Agustin is a developed beach, so you are able to enjoy the serenity of the bay from the comfort of a beach umbrella at one of the many local restaurants that line the shore.
San Agustin bay is home to two of Huatulco’s 36+ beaches, though most people don’t make it to Playa Cacalutilla because of the long walk required to get there!
Just behind the beach, the town of San Agustin sits snug in the hill and forest surrounding the bay. If you find yourself with extra time, it’s always a delight to wander up to the church at the highest point of the town and take in the sunset.
Even in the high season, San Agustin tends to be one of Huatulco’s quieter beaches, largely due to how inaccessible the area can seem.
Check out the map of Huatulco’s bays and beaches here!
Things to do in San Agustin
So aside from knocking beaches off the list, why do people like to visit San Agustin Bay? Here are my top reasons that make San Agustin worth visiting!
#1 Go Snorkelling
The thing you absolutely must do in San Agustin is go snorkelling. Yes, I know you can snorkel in other bays closer to the centre, but the coral, rock formations, and fish around San Agustin are unique to this corner of the bay and definitely worth seeing for yourself!
#2 Eat Fresh Seafood
Again, you can get fresh everything at some of the other bays as well, but I come to San Agustin specifically for the fresh oysters.
Because San Agustin is the end of the protected region of Bahias de Huatulco, just around the corner from the bay the sea gets cold and wild, and the oysters get bigger!
The best season for oysters in Huatulco is the winter and spring, you can watch the divers bring them in and shuck them right in front of you. Can you find anything fresher than that?
#3 A Quiet Retreat
Huatulco is not exactly a bustling metropolis, yet in the high season it can be pretty easy to tire of the constant onslaught of people. Visiting San Agustin bay can feel like taking a deep breath after the hustle of tourist season.
San Agustin is also mostly off the grid. There is minimal cell reception, and the few hotels and restaurants that have internet have very limited service. The ability to disconnect is another great reason to visit Bahia San Agustin!
#4 Explore all of the Bays
The 9 bays of the region are one of the defining aspects of Huatulco, visiting all of the bays is a fun and beautiful way to experience how unique each bay really is!
#5 Enjoy the sunrise!
You know I love a good sunrise, and San Agustin did not disappoint! In the winter you can catch it coming up between the rocks, and it is glorious.
#6 Check out the viewpoint at Casa de Abuelo
After you take your breakfast at Café de Abuelo, be sure to wander up the stairs (maybe with your Café de Ollo) and take in the view from the terrace.
#7 Do Beach things!
Of course, you need to spend time on the beach! Fernanda and I raided the lost and found at the campground rustled up some sand toys. I think we came out victorious with this ballin´ sand castle.
How to Get to San Agustin Bay Huatulco
Now that I have convinced you to visit, how do you get to San Agustin Bay? When you mention to locals that you are headed to San Agustin, they will probably ask you how you are getting there, “by boat?”. I learned quickly this is for good reason because the road is quite the trek! You can drive to San Agustin, or take a boat tour that heads to that region. However, if you want to stay and do things on your own time, it’s best to go by land.
How to Get to San Augustin by land
Take a Taxi – The most comfortable way to get to San Agustin
Huatulco taxi drivers are always willing to take you San Agustín. In 2022, it costs $300 mxn one way for a taxi from La Crucecita to San Agustin bay, and they typically will only allow 3 passengers.
While it is easy to find a driver to take you to San Agustin, it can be trickier to find your way back to the centre. It’s best to arrange with your taxi driver when to pick you up to make sure you will be able to find your way back. If you are staying for the day, the taxi driver will probably hang around San Agustin as well to wait for you, so set a location and time to meet.
*Remember you will not have cell reception or internet, so it is crucial to arrange a meetup time beforehand!
Take the Colectivos – the cheapest way to visit San Agustin
If you’re travelling on a budget, there is a way for you to visit San Agustin as well – by travelling like a local!
The most economical way to get to Bahía de San Agustin is by taking the city bus, then a colectivo (collective taxi) to the beach proper.
Step 1: City Bus to Santa Maria Huatulco
Catch the city bus in Santa Cruz or La Crucecita and stay on past the airport, until the bus turns off of Highway 200 towards Santa María Huatulco. The bus will stop at this junction.
This intersection is very obvious so don’t stress about missing it! The new highway overpass is being built here, and the intersecting road goes left towards San Agustin or right towards Santa Maria Huatulco.
You will see the San Agustin Taxi stand on your left!
Cost for bus from La Crucecita to San Agustin Entrance: $20 pesos pp
Step 2: Collectivo to the beach
Once you are off the bus, cross Highway 200 and you will see the dirt road that leads to the bay. On the left-hand side are assorted vendors selling beach toys and snacks, and a billboard for San Agustín. On the right-hand side is the colectivo stand. This how you will get to the beach! The white and blue taxis are impossible to miss.
Cost from highway to beach: $30 pesos per person
Total Cost: $50 pesos pp
Note
This is not a route for the inexperienced or faint of heart. If you are accustomed to travelling in Mexico then go for it, but be sure you know what to expect. Its about a 20-30min ride down a bumpy gravel road, and the collectivos charge per person so you will have to wait until there are 4 people to fill a taxi. Be sure you are not on a schedule, its much more enjoyable if you are not on a timeline so the time you will probably spend waiting for buses and taxis is expected and less stressful.
To return, it’s easy enough to catch a colectivo back to highway 200, they drive back and forth behind the beach restaurants until they are full. Just be prepared to wait for the city bus (every 20-30 minutes) at the highway as it would be impossible to time it with your taxi. I would return in the afternoon and not leave it too late.
You can also contact the San Agustin taxi colective here! 📞 951 158-9949
Note
As I’ve mentioned before, just always have a number for a taxi driver you can call. I have 3 so if one doesn’t show up I have a backup. If you get to the highway and the bus doesn’t come, or you are on a schedule you can just call a cab. It would be about $60-80mxn from that point back to La Crucecita. Use the wifi at a beach restaurant to call before you leave to save some time.
Drive yourself – the most convenient way to get to San Agustin Bay
If you have access to a car or plan on renting one, that can be the most convenient way to get to San Agustin! This means you are not tied to any timelines or need to make prior arrangements.
However, do not make the drive to San Agustin yourself if you are inexperienced with backcountry roads. The road from the highway to the bay is a narrow dirt path that can be in any state depending on the time of year. It can be just a few rough bumps, or large, gaping potholes – so be cautious and go slow!
Looking to rent a car? Discover Cars Huatulco is the best place to shop and compare prices!
The Drive
The drive to San Agustin can be rough, depending on the roads and the rains and who is driving. If you are prone to car sickness I suggest taking something when you leave Crucecita, so it kicks in by the time you hit the dirt.
Once you turn off Highway 200, after about 10 minutes of winding, dirt, pot-holed littered road you start to see some farms. Papaya, agave, and pineapple were among the ones we noticed! Then, some restaurants and houses will appear and you will start to come to a little village. As you pass a shop, look immediately to your left and you will see a HUGE tree with a large sign – Iguana Tree.
Unfortunately, I have never seen them at this spot, but I am told that often you will see large iguanas hanging out at the big iguana tree. If you have a chance, take a minute to stop here and visit the fruit stands and tienditas.
About 10 minutes past the Iguana tree, you will come to a fork in the road, you can take either side, depending which end of the beach you want to end up at. Finally, you will arrive at San Agustin Bay!
San Agustín is small in terms of an ocean bay, but it can feel pretty big once you start walking in the sand. So if you staying at the hotel or campground be prepared to walk a bit to get to the restaurant and snorkelling area of the beach.
If staying the night, you might be grateful for this distance as it means the area you are sleeping is distanced from and much quieter than the rest of the beach.
Where to Eat in San Agustin
Casa de Abuelo – Best Breakfast Restaurant
If you choose to stay the night or get up REALLY early, you might be in time for Breakfast. Casa de Abuelo is a classic Mexican breakfast spot. I like the enfrijoladas and a café de ollo.
Lunch / Afternoon
The restaurants here are similar to many of the other full service beaches (Maguey, Santa Cruz, etc.) so you will find a lot of the same offerings. If you take a taxi I like to ask the driver for the best restaurants, at San Agustín we like to go to Chalos.
However, the true purpose of going to San Agustín (beside snorkelling) is the oysters. Yes, you can buy fresh oysters at Santa Cruz or Maguey, but they are nothing compared to those at San Agustín (or Boca Vieja!). The availability of the oysters depends on the time of day, the tides, and the season (like everything else oysters have a cycle), but keep your eyes open for guys carrying a big net of them on their shoulders. They´ll be back with them displayed on a plate and you will have to act fast, before they sell out!
Dinner
Many of the restaurants cater to the daytime beach crowd, so your options for evening dinner are a little less overwhelming. If you are up for the trudge down to the easternmost end of the beach, you might try El Capi. The only thing is that you need to eat dinner a little earlier – closer to 6 or 7. We arrived around 8 and they were pretty much done for the day so some dishes were unavailable.
The staff at El Capi were very accommodating, moving our table so we were right on the beach and could enjoy the picturesque evening.
Wherever you dine, I recommend a post-dinner seaside stroll to fully appreciate your meal and the place in which you consumed it. The sun sets very fast here, in the mountains it can feel like it is dusk for hours, but when the sun sets on the ocean it goes from day to night very quickly.
Where to Stay in Bahia San Agustin
The glorious sunset is one of the many reasons I recommend staying the night in Bahía San Agustín. Santa Cruz, Chahue, and all the more central beaches stay busy right until the end of the night. Here, the beach empties out completely and you are left with just the sounds of the waves and the incredible night sky. There is very little light pollution, so if you are a stargazer be sure to come prepared!
I spent an evening under the stars and enjoyed a homemade charcuterie board we had packed as we sat on the beach enjoying some post-dinner wine and cheese under the shooting stars.
Camping Don Taco – the best place to camp on the beach in Huatulco
Camping on the beach in San Agustin is the most budget-friendly option for staying in the ba, but also the MOST FUN.
There is this little campground called Camping Don Taco that’s nearly at the easternmost tip of the San Agustín beach, almost at the end (furthest from the open ocean and the town of San Agustín de flores, close to El Capi. We communicated with them over WhatsApp and were very pleased with the little campground run by a lovely couple. The owners live on-site and are always out playing cards and watching the tents. The only entrance is the wee parking lot and the small gap in the fence on the beach, so we felt quite comfortable leaving our things in the tent, the management was always supervising the comings and goings.
Amenities: they had bathrooms with running water, showers, and a little outdoor cooking area with a big sink and a hotplate.
There is a long table under a roof, and a little “lost and found” room with things past campers have left behind. Stay tuned for how Fernanda and I put the sand toys to good use. They also have some tents and other camping gear, so if you don’t have a tent you can rent one for $100mxn.
Cost – $150mxn per night per tent, not per person.
+ $100mxn if you need to rent a tent
Note
It got COLD. We hadn’t brought a ton of stuff, just the tent. I slept on my beach towel and used my backpack as a pillow. But being on the water it was quite chilly (I loved it, so refreshing compared to my 33° bedroom back in Crucecita), and was ok in a crewneck sweater (from Nothern Peaks Co.) and my favourite MEC pants I had brought. However; Adriana and Fernanda froze. They were wearing all their layers, had a blanket, and were using their towels as blankets and were still cold. Be prepared!
Habitaciones y Abarrotes Nancy – San Agustin’s best hotel on the beach
The hotel on the beach; Habitaciones y Abarrotes Nancy is quite new, and reviewers say the rooms are simple but very clean!
There are some other options in the town, but I would highly recommend staying on the beach. After all, you came all this way!
Bonus trip – Playa Riscalillo
If you have stayed the night, eaten the oysters, and feel like you have completely absorbed everything San Agustín has to offer, just 2 minutes further down the road is Playa Riscalillo. This is a very new development, the road was only built in 2020 so before that it was only accessible by boat. This is another gorgeous bay, only 4 restaurants, and great snorkelling too.
While most of the swimming beaches are great for everyone, Riscalillo would be particularly great for kids I think. At the north end the coast line wraps around in a semi-circle creating a very protected, shallow, sandy cove. When I was here with my friends in June 2021, an eagle ray came into the bay and swam with us. It was magical!
Summary – How to spend a day at San Agustin
I love spending my days at San Agustín and it always leaves me with the eternal conundrum – I love to come back but I also love exploring new places! San Agustín is a place you could explore for a few days. Sure, the beach may get tiring after a day, but there is so much more to do in the area! I still have not been out to explore the town. There is a church at the highest point that would have some lovely views, or go eat under the iguana tree. I am sure there are lots of glorious secrets yet to be discovered in that gem of Oaxaca.
I hope this inspired you to get out and explore Bahía San Agustín for more than just a snorkel tour or the day.
