Places of Interest on the Oaxacan Coast
Bahías de Huatulco – Oaxaca
Las Bahías de Huatulco are a collection of 9 bays that constitute the tourist development of the same name. The Bahías de Huatulco get their name from the nearby coastal town of Santa Maris Huatulco. Huatulco has its own airport that receives national and international flights, and port that is big enough to receive cruise ships. There is a section on the website dedicated to the 30 plus beaches that Huatulco has to enjoy; follow this link to go to Huatulco’s beaches page now. To learn more about what Huatulco has to offer off the beach read about it here.
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Puerto Escondido – Oaxaca
Puerto Escondido is without a doubt one of the most important coastal towns in Oaxaca and is very popular with backpackers, surfers and families alike. In Puerto Escondido there is an international surf competition in November and also hosts fishing competitions (mostly sailfish). There are also a number of lagoons and other attractions near Puerto Escondido should you get board of the beach. At night there are also a number of restaurants bars, and nightclubs.
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Salina Cruz – Oaxaca
Salina Cruz in Oaxaca is an important coastal town whose economy is one of the best in Oaxaca. Salina Cruz’s prosperity is due to a large port and oil refinery; whilst Salina Cruz is not a noted tourist town it does have several beaches to enjoy and it is possible to learn to surf there.
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Tehuantepec – Oaxaca
Tehuantepec is the capital City of the Isthmus region of Oaxaca. The Isthmus region of Oaxaca is well known for its colourful traditional dress and Tehuantepec is no exception and is home to the Tehuanas who wear a large black floral dresses. Near to the City of Tehuantepec are located the Guiengola ruins, which served historically as the second Zapotec capital. Santo Domingo Tehuantepec is not actually on the coast itself but is slightly inland from Salina Cruz.
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Puerto Ángel – Oaxaca
Puerto Ángel is small fishing town just outside of Pochutla located inbetween Puerto Escondido and Huatulco. Puerto Ángel has a number of beautiful beaches nearby and the marine turtle museum (museo vivo de la tortuga marina) is found at the nearby Mazunte beach. Puerto Ángel is the home of Zipolite (Oaxaca’s nudist beach) and the beautiful San Agustinillo beach. Puerto Ángel is a very tranquil place ideal for those who want to get away from it all and relax.
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Pochutla – Oaxaca
Pochutla isn’t a tourist attraction but it is an important town that is located just outside Puerto Angel and inbetween Puerto Escondido and Huatulco just off the main road that runs between them. Pochutla serves as a hub between Oaxaca’s three main coastal towns and offers services and products that aren’t available in the smaller more tourist focused towns or the small mountain villages of the Sierra Sur.
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Pinotepa Nacional – Oaxaca
Pinotepa Nacional is a coastal town between Puerto Escondido and the border with the state of Guerrero. Its population which includes a large percentage of people with African descendants is known for liking party and depending upon who you ask the ancestors of many of the population were Africans who were brought to work in the ‘Haciendas’ (like Ranches), or were part of the cargo of a slave boat that was shipwrecked.
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A map of the places of interest on the Oaxacan coast
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