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When Erin and I moved to Huatulco, we were thrilled at the new possibilities of travel and tailored our bucket list accordingly. We were in love with living in Huatulco but we also wondered what everyday life looked like and where we would travel for vacation. 

One of the most exciting things about setting up a new home base in Huatulco is that it provides a new jumping off point. Suddenly, you are closer to destinations you may have only thought about visiting until now. Making your home in Huatulco gives you a whole new range of travel opportunities. 

Besides all of the advantages Huatulco offers from the laid-back lifestyle, oceanfront living, and dialing in luxury living on a dime, Huatulco is perfectly located in Mexico to give you easy access to many refreshing travel destinations to peak your curiosity when you feel like exploring. 

Air Travel Throughout Mexico

We are distinctly spoiled in Huatulco. We have several Mexican airlines that provide frequent, low-cost flights all around the country. Aeromexico, Volaris and VivaAerobus all fly directly in about 45 minutes to Mexico City.

All of these airlines offer an extensive list of over 40 domestic destinations with connecting flights through Mexico City. Campeche, Chetumal, Chihuahua, Merida, Palenque and Veracruz are all tempting destinations to discover impressive Mexican ruins, majestic natural sites and rich, regional cultures.

Volaris and VivaAerobus both offer a few direct flights from Huatulco to different cities in Mexico including Tijuana, Queretaro and Monterrey. TAR and Aero Toucan Airlines fly directly to Oaxaca City from Huatulco.

In terms of affordability, all of the domestic airlines offer low-cost flights. Planning ahead and taking advantage of sales can be real money-savers. VivaAerobus and Volaris promote flight sales through email and social media campaigns. Watching out for these sales can really make a get-away escapade affordable.

Air Travel to Central America, the Caribbean and South America

In Central America and the Caribbean,  Aeromexico flies to  Guatemala,  Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Nicaragua and Panama.  Viva flies to Cuba. Volaris flies to Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala.

Aeromexico provides an extensive service to 10 South American destinations in Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Chili, and Brazil. Viva also flies to Columbia.

Where Can I Drive from Huatulco?

Traveling in southern Mexico from Huatulco is easy. The state of Oaxaca can be explored by car. To get to the central part of the state and Oaxaca City, the Sierra Madre del Sur Mountains have to be crossed. This is the natural barrier between the central valley and the ocean that creates the tropical climate of Huatulco. The current road is very curvy and it takes about 6 hours to reach Oaxaca City from Huatulco. A new highway is close to completion between Oaxaca City and Puerto Escondido. Once this is finished, driving to Oaxaca will be much easier and quicker.

For driving tips in Mexico, check out our article “How to Drive Safely in Mexico”.

If you’d rather explore the options of public transportation to discover Mexico and beyond,  check out our article on “How to Live in Mexico Without a Car.”

Oaxaca, Veracruz and Further North

Once you are in Oaxaca City, driving around to visit villages and the rest of the state is fairly easy. From Oaxaca City, the state of Veracruz can easily be reached by highway. From Oaxaca City, you can also head towards Mexico City and Puebla via important highways. You can also travel north of Mexico City by following this route and taking the Arco Norte, which travels completely and safely around Mexico City.

Chiapas

South of Oaxaca state is the state of Chiapas that borders Guatemala. Chiapas is one of the most beautiful, mountainous, rural and safest states along with Oaxaca in all of Mexico. San Cristobal de las Casas, a picturesque colonial city, can be reached by car in about 9 hours.

Yucatan

The Yucatan can be reached in about 16 hours by car from Huatulco passing through San Cristobal or Coatzacoalcos. You can also fly to Mexico City and then on to Merida  to reach Yucatan State. You can easily rent a car at the airports and begin your Yucatan adventure.

Guatemala

If you are more adventurous and want to drive south all the way to Guatemala, follow the coastal highway to reach Tapachula. The drive from Huatulco to Tapachula is straightforward and takes about 10 hours. This is the last Mexican city and a jumping off point for visiting Guatemala. From here, you can cross the border, usually at Tecun Uman. If you are driving, your car must be registered in your name and you must have all of your vehicle papers in order for Mexico.

In terms of driving, traveling north from Huatulco should be limited to the Chacahua National Park, 2 hours north of Puerto Escondido.

Stay tuned for our next articles in this series about visiting Chiapas and Yucatan from Huatulco.

If you’d like more information on what your new Huatulco life looks like and about the real estate buying process, get in touch with us. Buen viaje!