The 36+ Beaches of Huatulco – The Ultimate List
Huatulco is famous for having 36 beaches to offer tourists and locals who spend their days in the bays. But did you know there are more than 36 beaches in the Bahías de Huatulco? By my count, we are up to 40 beaches that are located inside the region, and another 3-7 that are just outside the district, but still popular to visit!
As your local guide to Huatulco, I have taken it upon myself to collect all 40 beaches in Huatulco in this master list! If this list makes it too hard to decide which beach to spend your holidays at, you can hop over to Best Beaches in Huatulco – 2022 edition to help narrow down the best beaches in Huatulco for you to visit.
Here is the ultimate, complete list of all the beaches (or playas) in the Bays of Huatulco, named from east to west!
Need a visual? I created this map to help you identify all the beaches and bays Huatulco has to offer!
#1 La Bocana
Located at the very eastern edge of Huatulco is Playa La Bocana. This long beach is home to the mouth of the Copalita River. In fact, half of La Bocana is actually in the district of Copalita, not Huatulco!
There are many things to do at La Bocana beach. Try a craft mezcal, surf, or enjoy a traditional mud bath! It is also one of my favourite beaches in Huatulco to watch the sunrise or view the full moon.
Services: Yes, the area has restaurants, shops, and a hotel.
Swimability: No, La Bocana is popular with surfers because of the curl, but the currents make it dangerous for swimming.
Snorkelling: No
Pronunciation: La Boh-cah-na
(Photo: Shev)
#2 Magueyito Beach
Playa Magueyito is a bit of a secret beach and is only accessible via boat or about a 30min walk-hike along the coastline.
Services: None
Swimability: Yes, though there is lots of coral and rocks, so it is best to bring water shoes.
Snorkelling: Yes, there is lots of coral to see
Pronunciation: Mah-gay-ee-toe
Bay #1 Bahía Conejos / Rabbits Bay
#3 Bahía Conejos and Playa Conejos
Home to the famous Secrets Hotel & Spa, Conejos Bay is the easternmost of the Bahías de Huatulco.
Services: There are two local restaurants and umbrella rentals, as well as the adults-only Secrets Hotel.
Swimability: Some, you can wade a bit but the waves can get quite rough. There are some pools and backwaters that form on the right-hand side of the beach that are good for cooling off.
Snorkelling: No
Pronunciation: Co-nay-hose
#4 Playa Punta Arena
This little beach is accessible by about a 5-minute hike from the road. It is a great little beach if you are looking for a quiet day away!
Services: None.
Swimability: It might be ok at times, but generally not recommended due to waves and unpredictable current.
Snorkelling: No
Pronunciation: Poon-ta ah-ray-na
#5 Playa Arena
Playa Arena is next to Playa Punta Arena, separated by an outcropping of large rocks.
#6 Tejoncito Beach
Tejoncito is in front of the Celeste Beach Residences and Spa and can be accessed through the Residences, or by walking around. If you go to the left of Celeste, you will see a path and some stairs. It is a bit of effort going up and around the hill, but well worth it to enjoy the tranquil beach!
Celeste also has a day pass option, so if you are looking for a minimal effort beach day, a day pass is 500 pesos and includes a $350 peso food and drink tab.
Services: The residences, restaurant, and spa at Celeste Beach Residences and Spa.
Swimability: Great, very calm area protected by the mangroves.
Snorkelling: Calm enough to snorkel but there might not be much to see as Tejoncito Beach is mostly sandy bottom, though you might see some things on the rocks along the edges.
Pronunciation: Tay-hone-see-toe
Bay #2 Bahía Tangolunda / Tangolunda Bay
#7 Playa Picuda
Playa Picuda is a small beach down from the west side of Residential Conejos. I am unsure is there is a way to access this beach by land, but it is across the road from Villa Pacifico.
#8 Playa La Mixteca
Located at the eastern edge of Tangolunda Bay near Villas Sicaruu.
#9 Bahía Tangolunda & Tangolunda Beach
Tangolunda is a very popular area of Huatulco for tourists because that is where a lot of the all-inclusive resorts are! Popular names like Dreams Huatulco & Quinta Real are located here to take advantage of the nearly kilometre-long stretch of beach.
Services: All the services of the all-inclusive hotels that line the beach.
Swimability: Fairly good swimming, but the waves can get high. Be sure to pay attention to the flag system on the beach.
Snorkelling: No, Tangolunda is more for activities like Sea-doos, riding the hotdog, and boogie-boarding or body surfing. If you wan tto snorkel head down to beach #12, below. 👇
#10 Playa Rincón Sabarosa
A small beach in front of the Camino Real Zaashila Huatulco in Tangolunda Bay, it is separated by a group of rocks from the main Tangolunda Beach.
Services: The hotel Camino Real Zaashila Huatulco.
Swimability: You can swim, but Tangolunda sometimes has some larger waves.
Snorkelling: Maybe along the rocks, but the waves might be too strong.
#11 Fisherman’s Beach / Playa Pescadores
Fisherman’s beach is located at the edge of Tangolunda bay and at the mouth of a small creek that runs off from the Las Parotas Golf Club.
Services: None, but it’s close to the hotels.
Swimability: Its a very calm area, but the water is not very clean.
Snorkelling: Nothing to see.
Pronunciation: Pes-kah-door-es
#12 – #15 Playa Ventura, Playa Manzanillo, Playa Tornillo, and Secret Beach
This group of beaches are located in front of Hotel Las Brisas Huatulco in Tangolunda.
Services: All the hotel services.
Swimability: It’s a very calm area, but the water is not very clean due to the high activity in the bay.
Snorkelling: Possible but it is outside the national park and in front of the resort, so all the destroyed coral is a little depressing.
#16 Playa Consuelo
Also in Tangolunda Bay, but only accessible by boat.
Services: None.
Swimability: Ok, but there can be some strong waves as it’s at the edge of the bay and less protected.
Snorkelling: Not protected enough to snorkel.
#17 Playa Arrocito
Now we are getting into the more popular and easily accessible beaches of Huatulco!
Arrocito Beach is located in the residential area of Arrocito, and in front of the popular Cosmo Residences and Ocean Restaurant. The beach is very small but very nice for swimming.
Services: There are two local restaurants on the beach, as well as Ocean Restaurant which services the beach during the day.
Swimability: It’s a very calm area, the water can be clear or murky, depending on the currents. It is greatly affected by the tide, the rocks on the side can be walked on, or completely underwater depending on the time of day.
Snorkelling: Some snorkelling along the rocks on the eastern side.
Pronunciation: arrow-see-toe
Bay #3 Bahía Chahue / Chahue Bay
#18 Tejon Beach
Playa Tejon is easily accessible from the road and a short walk down the path. A cool feature of this beach is a very unique, massive coniferous tree. The boughs of the tree create this amazing, shaded area that can offer some shelter from the sun!
Services: None.
Swimability: When I have visited, the surf has been very strong and I didn’t go in the water. But I have heard that it can be calmer other days.
Snorkelling: If the water is calm enough, there could be things to see.
Pronunciaton: Tay-hone
#19 Playa La Esperanza Beach
(Photo: Shev)
A small unserviced beach located in Chahue Bay between the marina and playa Tejon. La Esperanza is only accessible to pedestrians and is a great place to spend a quiet day on the beach!
As a local, I love coming here to get away from the crowds. I share all my secrets in this guide to Playa La Esperanza.
#20 Playa Chahue
Bahía Chahue is popular for its many beach clubs, as well as the popular Quinta Bella resort hotel.
Services: Lots, there are many beach clubs, hotels, and restaurants in the area. It is also popular to order take-out or pack a picnic and bring it down to the beach to eat in the evening.
Swimability: Please don’t swim in Chahue. It is technically possible, and there are flags on the beach noting when it is particularly bad. But the waves are strong here and the beach is prone to rip tides and undertows, there are way too many near-drownings here. Huatulco has so many beaches, it is just not worth the risk to swim here.
Snorkelling: None.
Pronunciation: Cha-way
#21 Playa San Andrés
This is a teeny tiny playita (little beach) at the edge of Chahue Bay, on the Santa Cruz Peninsula. San Andres beach is rocky and quite exposed, so nice for a secluded hang but not for swimming or snorkelling.
Services: None
Swimability: Fun to walk in and look at the life on the rocks. But the winds and currents are too strong to swim.
Snorkelling: None.
Bay #4 Bahía Santa Cruz
#22 Playa el Paraiso
This little Paradise Beach is located at the very tip of Santa Cruz Bay, the central bay of the Bays of Huatulco. This beach can be accessed by walking down the trail from the edge of Punta Santa Cruz, or by boat. The fisherman at Playa Punta Santa Cruz are often willing to take you out here.
Services: A small local restaurant serving cold drinks and some snacks. You can also rent an umbrella.
Swimability: Beautiful, clear, protected waters.
Snorkelling:
#23 & 24 Playa el Pescador & Playa Fandango
These two beaches are located along the Santa Cruz peninsula between Playa Paraiso and Playa Punta Santa Cruz. Located along a reef system that is known to locals as the “Turtle Sanctuary”, plays el Pescador and Fandango offer fantastic snorkelling and a moderately private beach that is still quite accessible!
The only way to get to these beaches is by walking along the shoreline, as the reef is too shallow for a boat to drop you off. Its a little work but definitely worth it!
Services: None, but its very close to the Santa Cruz services.
Swimability: Very beautiful and calm waters, but very shallow. Be very careful to stay within the swim lines, as boat traffic coming in and out of the marina comes by here.
Snorkelling: Awesome snorkelling. Turtles often hang out in this area.
#25 Playa Punta Santa Cruz
This is a little beach located between the Santa Cruz Marina and the edge of the day where the peninsula begins. It is directly in front of the Baacanda Beach Club.
It’s a quiet little beach, and a popular place for locals to tie up their small pangas and fishing boats.
Services: Baacanda Beach Club
Swimability: This beach is ideal for small children. The sand is nice and the water is very shallow. There isn’t a lot of space because of the boats, so its easy to make sure kids are not going to far or deep.
Snorkelling: None.
#26 Playa Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz beach is probably the most popular and most central beach in the Bahias de Huatulco. Located right in Santa Cruz, it’s the closest, swimmable beach to the town of La Crucecita where most of the population lives.
Santa Cruz Beach Huatulco is a great place to swim, enjoy some cold drinks or fresh food on the beach, and is convenient enough to just pop down for a cool-down swim in the evening. Beach Restaurants like Habanero Loco are popular with tourists for their themed dinners and live bands in the evenings.
Services: Many beach restaurants and the Niru Beach Club.
Swimability: Santa Cruz beach and even the whole bay is a great place for swimming. Its popular for people to come in the early morning and train or exercise, or just for family and tourists to hang out and enjoy the sandy bottom and gentle waves.
Snorkelling: None.
#27 Playa Yerbabuena
Playa Yerbabuena is a little beach in the marine sector. Though it looks a little intimidating, the general public is allowed to pass through into area of Huatulco and there are even some rentals and hotels!
Playa Yerbabuena is a small and quiet beach, and is sometimes visited by the boats in Santa Cruz.
Services: A few restaurants.
Swimability: Very calm and beautiful for swimming.
Snorkelling: Some, along the rocks on the edges of the little bay.
#28-29 Playa La Entrega & Playa Los Compas
Playa La Entrega is a very popular beach in Huatulco, and for good reason! This beach is fully serviced with beach restaurants, snorkel rentals, tubing, everything you could need for an activity-filled day at the beach.
How to get to La Entrega Beach? The easiest way is by taxi, it’s about 10 minutes from La Crucecita to La Entrega and costs $70 pesos.
Services: Fully serviced, restaurants, snorkel equipment rentals, and tubing.
Swimability: Good for swimming, very popular with families.
Snorkelling: This is a great area to take your family snorkelling, but it is outside of the national park so I find you really notice how damaged the coral is. But La Entrega has a very large area for snorkelling, and there is still lots to see. You can often find turtles warming up in the shallow corals!
There is a little playacita off to the side of La Entrega called Los Compas. This beach is only accessible by swimming to it from La Entrega.
#30 El Violin
Playa El Violin is the first beach inside of the Parque National de Huatulco. It’s accessible by taxi to the trail head and then is about a 10min walk down to the beach. The trail is short, but very steep.
Services: None, completely natural beach.
Swimability: Great, sandy bottom. This beach can be very calm or very wavy, depending on the day. Check the waves before you go, if they are rolling northwest, it will be calm, but if they are rolling towards the east the waves will be rolling right into this beach.
Snorkelling: La Violin has a great snorkelling area, and gets deep enough to do some free-diving too.
Bay #4 Bahía Organo / Organ Bay
Organo Bay is a quiet little bay and the first of the bahías in the Huatulco National Park. Its a great place to spend a day enjoying the sun and sand, and perhaps escaping the more populated beaches like Santa Cruz or Tangolunda.
#31 Playa Organo
Organo beach is an unserviced beach and can be a very tranquil way to spend your day. It does take some effort to get to, but it can be well worth it to enjoy this expansive, white-sand beach. Organo is also popular with boat tours as a snorkelling spot. There is a dive site here, but we only come here if the conditions are really bad elsewhere.
Services: None, completely natural beach.
Swimability: Great, sandy bottom. The water is fairly deep early, so be cautious with kids, but there are very rarely currents or large waves.
Snorkelling: There is some great snorkelling along the rocks on the east side of the bay. There is no coral here, but the rocks combined with the flat, sandy bottom make for spotting lots of fish and rays.
Bay #5 Bahía Maguey / Maguey Bay
Named after an agave variant popularly used in mezcal, Bahía Maguey is one of my favourite places to spend an afternoon in Huatulco. It has a mix of everything! Half serviced, half-empty, popular with boats, snorkelers, divers, and anyone else! Maguey is the last beach and bay in the Huatulco Bays that is accessible by car, from here you have to go back to the highway and head to San Agustín to reach the other beaches by land.
#32 Playa Maguey
Like Organo, Maguey bay has just one beach, Maguey beach. The eastern half of the beach is filled with restaurants, while the western half is just beautiful, white sand. It’s the perfect mix of being independent, and still being able to buy a cold drink or a snack if you feel like it!
Services: Restaurants and tubing. There are no hotels in Maguey.
Swimability: Great, sandy bottom. Water is very protected and popular with families.
Snorkelling: Maguey has lots of snorkeling. The east end near the restaurants is popular with boat tours and tourists, but if you are confident and have a pair of fins, head to the natural end of the beach. From here you can swim along the coastline and see tons of fish and animals! If you are experienced, you can go all the way out to the dive buoys and do some free-diving. The water gets to 12-13m maximum, so there is lots to see if you can swim down a couple of metres!
Pronunciation: Mah-gay
Bay #6 Bahía Cacaluta / Cacaluta Bay
Cacaluta Bay is one of the largest of the 9 Bahías de Huatulco, and one of the most beautiful. It is home to a local community, but the beach itself is vacant and unserviced. It can be accessed by boat, or by taking the trail through the Huatulco National Park. It takes about an hour to walk, or about 15 minutes with an ATV. 30 minutes by bike.
#33 Playa Cacaluta
Cacaluta is a gorgeous beach, and one of my favourites to watch the sunrise!
Services: None.
Swimability: There are spots along the beach where it is possible to swim. The eastern edge is a lot calmer, but its a long walk from where the trail head comes out.
Snorkelling: Cacaluta Island has a great snorkelling site called the Cacaluta Coral Garden. It is not accessible from the beach though, only by boat.
Bay #8 Bahía Chahacual / Chachacual Bay
Bahía Chachacual is the largest and most remote of the Bahías de Huatulco. While there is some accessibility to this area by land now, it is mostly used by locals to set up umbrellas on the beach. The best way to get to this bay is by boat.
Because this bay is so large, it is able to offer a lot!
#34 Playa Chachacual
Chachacual Beach is a long beach that looks like it belongs in a magazine. The white sand with the blue pacific waters gives emits a turquoise colour that will mesmerize you!
Services: Beach umbrella rentals. The larger snorkelling tours often stop here to offer lunch to their guests.
Swimability: The water is beautiful and pretty calm, though some spots along the beach have more waves than others.
Snorkelling: There are a few snorkelling spots along this bay, but you need to be dropped off by a boat.
Pronunciation: Cha-cha-kwa-l
#35 Playa India
India beach is a favourite among foreign nationals that have made Huatulco their home. Its location in Chachacual is stunning, but its on the other end of the bay from where the tour boats stop so its a little more secluded.
Services: Beach umbrella rentals, and a small restaurant run by a local family.
Swimability: The water is beautiful and very calm.
Snorkelling: This is a great and unique snorkelling spot! The sandy bottom and then the rocks on the edges are different from anything else in Huatulco.
#36 Playa Kuiti
Kuiti beach is a small beach in between Chachacual and San Agustín, the last of the bays. It is only accessible by boat, so its not often visited as it take a long time to get there by water.
Services: None.
Swimability: The water is beautiful and very calm.
Snorkelling: This is a snorkelling spot we often stop at on an all-day snorkelling tour with Hurricane Divers. It’s calm and has interesting rock formations and channels, and very shallow waters.
#37 Playa Jicaral
Jicaral beach is in the same cove as Kuiti beach, but faces the opposite direction. The water is even shallower here and is a very serene beach. It is a little larger than Kuiti, but has a sandy bottom so not as great for snorkelling.
Services: None.
Swimability: The water is beautiful and very calm.
Snorkelling: Better near Playa Kuiti.
#38 Playa Manglillo
Manglillo beach is a little rocky cove nestled into the coastline and completely inaccessible except by small boats.
Access: Boat
Services: None.
Swimability: The water is calm, but it is a rocky area.
Snorkelling: Along the rocks you will find lots of fish!
#39 Playa Riscalillo
Riscalillo beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Huatulco. It is one of my favourite beaches to visit because other than being a little difficult to get to, it has the perfect mix of everything. A couple of restaurants, lots of empty beach, great swimming, and awesome snorkelling. It is also slightly less popular so it doesn’t get too crowded!
Access: By boat, or by car from San Agustín
Services: 2 small restaurants.
Swimability: Great swimming in calm water and sandy bottom, aside from one section.
Snorkelling: In the centre of the bay is a roped-off section for snorkelling. It is filled with rock and coral formations
#40 La Blanquita
Playa Blanquita is a little white sand beach (hence the name) at the edge of the cove near Riscalillo.
Access: Only by boat
Services: 2 small restaurants.
Swimability: Great swimming in calm water and sandy bottom, aside from one section.
Snorkelling: In the centre of the bay is a roped-off section for snorkelling. It is filled with rock and coral formations
Pronunciation: Blan-kee-ta
Bay #9 Bahía San Agustín / San Agustín Bay
#41 Cacalutilla Beach
Cacalutilla is a beautiful, white-sand beach just inside San Agustín bay. Its a completely natural beach, and popular with the local turtle population for nesting at night.
Access: By boat, or you could walk/swim/wade from San Agustín Beach.
Services: None
Swimability: Great swimming in calm water and sandy bottom. Be careful of the boats entering and leaving the bay.
Snorkelling: None
Pronunciation:
#42 San Agustín Beach
San Agustín is one of the best beaches in Huatulco. It has fantastic snorkelling, tons of local restaurants to choose from, and is unique in its access and services. Being so remote, very few places have internet and there is minimal cell reception, so if you are looking for an unplugged getaway, San Agustín is the place for you!
Access: By boat or by car.
Services: Fully serviced, and near the town of San Agustín.
Swimability: Great swimming in calm water and sandy bottom. The snorkelling area is home to many fish, and the underwater rock formations are so fun to explore.
Snorkelling: Some of the best snorkelling in Huatulco is at San Agustín,
Popular Beaches outside of the Huatulco Bays
Of course, the beauty of the Oaxacan coast does not start and end in Huatulco’s borders! There are some other beaches just outside of the Huatulco boundaries that are worth a visit as well.
One thing that always amazes me is just how different the coast and ocean is outside of Huatulco. The bays are so peaceful and protected, but when you turn the corner into Copalita or Puerto Angel, the seas become so wild!
All of these places have their beauty, but if your goal is to swim, snorkel, or scuba dive, you are best to stay within the Bays of Huatulco.
Playa El Mojón
Located just a bit past playa La Bocana in the region of Copalita is Mojón beach. This beach is popular with surfers because of its pipeline curls, but the beach itself is worth a visit. Its pristine white sand and undeveloped shores make it a popular location for surfers and beach-goers alike!
Playa Coyote
Some could argue this barely counts as being outside of Huatulco, but since the district technically ends at Bahía San Agustín, I’m including this as “outside” Huatulco.
Playa Arenal is a long, magnificent beach just around the point from Bahía San Agustín. It’s where the calm bays of Huatulco end and the wild Pacific of the Mexican coast begins.
This beach is beautiful to walk or visit for sunset, but the waters are rough and not safe to enter.
Boca Vieja
Boca Vieja, or Old Mouth is one of my favourite day trips to do from Huatulco when I have friends or family visiting. It’s a bit of an adventure down the dirt roads to get there, but you are rewarded with a gorgeous, nearly empty beach, local restaurants, and even a lighthouse you can hike up to!
This is also the best place near Huatulco to get fresh oysters (when they are in season).
How many of the 42 beaches of Huatulco have you visited? I would love to see them all!
