Huatulco and around

At Huatulco, some 35km from Puerto Ángel, the latest of Mexico’s purpose-built resorts is well under way. The government began developing the coastline in the 1980s, with the intention of constructing an environmentally conscious international destination, though so far, only 20 percent of visitors hail from overseas (mostly Canada). The area is what it aims to be: a safe, sanitized, manicured resort with a beautiful setting. You could be anywhere – it just happens that you’re in Mexico. The long-term effects of the tourism influx are still hard to predict and will largely depend on whether the infrastructure (especially the sewage treatment plants) can keep pace with the demand. With an overriding emphasis on coiffured hotels, Huatulco is certainly not the place for budget or independent travellers keen to experience the real Mexico, but if lying on the beach, snorkelling and tripping off to coffee plantations and attractive coves are your priorities, you could do much worse.