Explore Huatulco On a Budget – Transport
In my previous post How To Travel In Huatulco I outlined the many transportation options available during your visit. This post focuses on the two cheapest forms of transit for exploring Huatulco on a budget:
Public Transit (City Bus)
Colectivos (Collective Taxis)
In this post I give you the precise directions, locations, and costs of using these two Mexican transport options, with maps, google pins, and any other information you need to feel comfortable and confident stepping out of your regular routine and possibly your comfort zone!
Public Transit
Huatulco does not have a network of city buses like in bigger centres, but it does have one transit route that covers most of the area. The route starts in the town of Santa Maria Huatulco and ends in Santa Cruz. The bus is absolutely the most budget-friendly way to travel in Huatulco. Here is where to catch the bus in Huatulco:
The bus route
In Santa Maria Huatulco, the bus stops outside this OXXO at the intersection of Guerro and Avenida Benito Juárez. Both incoming and outgoing buses stop here, on their respective sides of the street.
From Santa Maria Huatulco, the bus proceeds to Aeropuerto Internacional Bahías de Huatulco (HUX). It does not enter the airport, but it stops near the taxi stand across Highways 201 from the airport. It is about 500m of walking to this location from the the departure gate, but it is by far the cheapest way to get to Huatulco from the airport.
From there, you get to relax for about 15min with no stops until the bus reaches La Crucecita where you can choose to be deposited downtown, outside the Mercado 3 de Mayo, at the intersection of Guamuchil and Carrizal.
From La Crucecita, the bus continues to Santa Cruz stopping outside Hotel Castillo Huatulco, at the entrance to Bahía Santa Cruz.
On the opposite site of Hotel Castillo is a condo building at the corner, and the Holiday Inn next door. This corner is where to catch the return bus, as well as the colectivo taxi to La Crucecita.
That’s the bus! Public transit is definitely the cheapest way to travel within Santa Maria Huatulco, but if you need to go beyond these key areas for a budget price, you are probably looking for colectivos.
Colectivos
Another budget travel option for Huatulco are the colectivos. Colectivos are exactly what they sound like, a type of collective taxi. Instead of paying the full fare for a taxi trip, the driver charges per seat. There are many colectivos found all over the region of Huatulco, and you will find three distinct types:
Taxis
These are the most commonly spotted colectivos. They park in specific locations around Huatulco and take people mostly short-range distances (eg. between sectors).
Colectivos are a way to make transport more affordable for people that live and work in the area, but budget travellers can also take advantage of this service. Instead of charging for a trip, taxi colectivos charge a fee per seat in the vehicle.
This fee structure makes them ideal if you are traveling alone or as a duo. If a taxi trip costs $60 pesos, you only pay maybe $12 or $15 per seat, but with 4 seats the driver gets an extra $5-$10 pesos.
Colectivos work between set locations and typically, the driver will wait until the car is full until before leaving. This makes them less flexible than a regular taxi, so be sure to adjust your expectations accordingly.
The other thing about colectivos is that the driver will stuff the car as much as possible. Its not unheard of to have 4 people in the back seat, or a child on the lap in the front seat. But it is still a great option for budget travel in Huatulco!
Private Vans (Camionetas)
Also referred to as simply “the vans” these are technically colectivos, but blur the line between transport company and colectivo. They operate a little more like a bus company, where you pre-purchase your ticket, select a seat, etc. But camionetas are typically 2 destination operations, only travelling between two cities.
Estaquitas
The third type of colectivo might remind you of something out of a movie, because you definitely haven’t seen them in Canada or the US (except maybe closer to the MX border). These are the transport trucks, a pick up truck with the box converted into covered wagon-style seating area. The price for these types of colectivos sits between the bus and the taxi price, making it the second most budget-friendly travel options in Huatulco.
These types and titles are pretty general, and the locals will use them interchangeably. Colectivo, van, camioneta could all refer to any 3 of these transport options!
So Why Take a Colectivo?
Pros
Colectivos are ideal if you are travelling alone or in a pair as it can make transport much cheaper, if you are travelling with more than 2 people you might find it preferable to just take a regular taxi together.
Colectivos are definitely a local form of transport, so it is a great way to meet people who live and work in the area, and support them directly, financially.
Downsides of Colectivos
If you are a luxury traveller this is probably not for you. The taxis and estaquitas often don’t have air conditioning, and can be very cramped. Obviously, the drivers want to make the most out of one trip and will take as many passengers as possible. So if you need your personal space you are better off in a private taxi.
Colectivo locations in Huatulco
This is a guide to where to find collectivios in and around La Crucecita, to other parts of Huatulco.
There are two central locations where the colectivos gather.
- Downtown La Crucecita
- Central Camionera Huatulco Altamar, the “other” bus station
There are more scattered throughout the region, but these locations are where several Huatulco colectivos rest in the same area.
Downtown La Crucecita
This collective gathering spot is in the same intersection where you catch the bus. At the intersection of Guamuchil and Carrizal, near Mercado Tres de Mayo. The colectivos vary in price based on distance, but for reference at the time of this writing the cost from La Crucecita to Santa Cruz is $15 pesos pp. A taxi is $35 pesos.
Central Camionera Huatulco Altamar
This bus station is where you will find:
The Estrella Blanca bus line
Pochutla Colectivo
Salina Cruz Colectivo
Camionetas
Colombo: Oaxaca City – Huatulco
Cost One-Way $300 pesos
La Crucecita > Santa María Huatulco > San José Pacifico > Oaxaca (Ciudad)
This service between Huatulco and Oaxaca City leaves every hour or so and takes about 5.5 hours. There is no bathroom on board so you get to stop for 30min in San José at a restaurant and bathroom (don’t forget change for the toilet!). Its about 3 hours from La Crucecita to San José Pacifico, and then another 2 or so to Oaxaca.
- The place you stop in San José is very cute! It’s a restaurant on a cliff looking out over the settlement. You can buy home baking, a hot meal, or just enjoy a cup of Café Ollo or Chocolate Caliente (with milk or water).
- Coming from the bays, San Jose will feel COLD. It was 8°c and very window up on the mountain. That cup of hot chocolate felt reaaaaaallly good.
This is the best option to get to San Jose Pacifico, as the ADO does not stop there. You have the option to buy a Colombo ticket only to San Jose for a reduced price. You can also hire a taxi to San Jose, but that will be much more expensive of course.
Another nice thing (well, depends on your perspective) is they run overnight. So, if you are budget travelling you can save on accommodations for a night and not miss a day for travel! Manuel and I have done this a few times. You arrive in Oaxaca around 6am, we like to drop our stuff off with the front desk at the hotel we are staying at, go for breakfast, and then when we are allowed to check in have a little nap.
Other Camionetas in the area
Transportes Villa del Pacifico – Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido.
Delfines: Puerto Escondido to Pochutla
Some of these are vans, and some are small travel buses.
To get to Puerto Escondido from Huatulco, take the colectivo to Pochutla, then the Delfines Comioneta to Puerto. You could also take the ADO or Estrella Blanca busses. These three van options are great to know if you are planning to travel to Oaxaca City, Puerto Escondido, and Huatulco. You can easily pick a route between the 3!
Estaquitas
These are a lot harder to pin down, and I haven’t actually used one yet. So far I have spotted them:
In Pochutla, taking people to San Agustinillo.
In Pluma Hidalgo, connecting the many smaller communities and Fincas to Pluma.
This is common to see in La Crucecita too, bringing people in from the smaller farming communities in the region.
And there you have it! Huatulco’s lowest-fare travel options for those of us travelling on a budget. Have you used a colectivo to discover a part of México? I would love to hear about your experience!
