The question isn't so much what there is to do in Huatulco but what isn't there to do. There isn't another destination in Mexico that can offer such a variety of pursuits in one place, and there are very few places in the world like it. Incredible sportfishing, scuba diving, sea kayaking, whitewater kayaking and rafting, surfing, rock climbing, mountain biking, canyoneering, ziplining, golfing... it's exhausting just thinking about it all. Click on any of the image links to the left of the descriptions for more detailed information on each sport.
Scuba Diving
Fishing
Whitewater
Sea Kayaking
Hiking
Mountain Biking
Golf
With the largest coral reef system in Pacific Mexico quickly dropping off into the deep blue, scuba diving offers both the opportunity to see tropical reef and deep sea pelagics on the same dive.
Hurricane Divers is the best outfit in town for scuba diving, with full PADI courses and a great staff. Offices on the beach in Santa Cruz and in Tangolunda as well.
There are a handful of $500-$750 a day charter boats operating out of Huatulco, but like Cabo San Lucas, the bulk of the charter fishing is on pangas. Most of the sportfishing pangas come equipped with a few heavy reels for tuna and sailfish and the like, and a decent selection of large artificial lures. What they don't tend to have is any light tackle equipment, GPS, or depth finders. At Huatulco Adventure, we can arrange trips for you with local boats, come along as guide/translator if desired, and set you up with some extra gear to cover all the fishing possibilities. Our fishing updates give you an idea what action has been like lately.
The Rio Copalita, which forms the western border of Huatulco, is the largest river in the region and has a wide variety of whitewater levels to suit your taste for excitement. Check the Rivers page for detailed information about the various sections of the Copalita. The best bet for rafting and kayaking is Aventura Mundo, with experienced guides and new equipment. For novice whitewater kayakers, the four mile highway-to-ocean section of the Copalita is a great learning area, with some mildly exciting class II rapids and a lot of bird life. Huatulco Adventure will be working with Aventura Mundo to offer some "learn to kayak" trips on this section. When the water levels are up, the Rio Zimatan can be kayaked, though much of it is expert class.
All it takes is one look off the high cliffs at Santa Cruz lighthouse to appreciate what an incredible coast Huatulco is for sea kayaking. With dramatic cliffs that fall off to deep water on the outside of the bays, coral reefs throughout the bays to snorkel, and gorgeous empty beaches in the National Park you can paddle to, it's a sea kayaker's paradise. Winter 2008-2009, we'll be offering a wide variety of trips along the coast, from two hour paddles to multi-day trips. There's even a chance of seeing a humpback whale in January and February!
Hiking possibilities are amazing in the Huatulco region, yet largely undeveloped. Since the tourism market has been catering to less athletic and less adventurous clientele, activities that don't involve herding clients around like cattle have been overlooked. Semi-secret trails to empty beaches, gorgeous river hikes, and other trails throughout the mountains await anyone looking to get off the beaten path. Mountain biking seems to have a great amount of potential, which Huatulco Adventure will be offering in the future. It's a great way to get to some of the beaches like Cacaluta and Organo on nice single track. There are some epic downhill descents waiting to be made in the mountains, and it would be a fun way to cut down on the long hiking time into some of the Cascadas Magicas waterfalls.
The 18 hole golf course in Tangolunda is possibly the best in southern Mexico. The 6800 yard, par 72 course runs from the ocean far up the Tangolunda Valley,and was designed by F.M. Schjetnan in 1991. The course is owned by Fonatur and is open to the public. There's a restaurant, pool, and tennis courts, and cart and club rental is available. It's by no means cheap, though - expect to pay comparable rates to a nice course in the US, with greens fees at over $90 and cart rental for two people at $35, so figure on at least $110+ a person.