• Where: Bahía de Santa Cruz, Bahías de Huatulco, on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca, Mexico
• Population: about 50,000 across Huatulco's towns; La Crucecita is the main town, Santa Cruz the harbour, Tangolunda the resort bay
• Language: Spanish; Zapotec and other Indigenous languages are spoken in Oaxaca's villages
• Currency: Mexican peso (MXN)
• Best time to visit: November to May, the dry season, with calm, clear water and steady sun; June to October brings warm afternoon rain and greener hills
• Average temperature: 28–33°C / 82–91°F all year; sea about 27–29°C / 81–84°F
• Nearest airport: Bahías de Huatulco International (HUX), 15–20 minutes by taxi

La Entrega is one of the easiest places on Mexico's Pacific coast to snorkel straight from the beach. Parrotfish, angelfish and schools of sergeant majors drift over the coral in water that is often only one to three metres deep. Masks, snorkels and life vests can be rented on the beach.

Our take: bring your own mask if you have one, wear reef-safe sunscreen or a rash guard, and never stand on or touch the coral — it is alive and grows slowly. Calm mornings give the best visibility.

Huatulco's nine bays stretch along about 26 km of coast, and several of the most beautiful beaches — Cacaluta, Chachacual, San Agustín's reef — sit inside the national park with little or no road access. Boat tours and private pangas leave from the Santa Cruz marina and stop at a few beaches for swimming and snorkelling.

Our take: a half- or full-day bay tour is the best way to understand Huatulco. Choose a smaller boat if you can, and ask which beaches are on the route before you book.

• Santa Cruz: walkable to the marina, the town beach and the road to La Entrega — the most convenient base.
• Tangolunda: the bay of the large resorts and golf course, best for an all-inclusive stay.
• La Crucecita: the lived-in town, with small hotels, the main square and the best value for money.
• Cliffside villas and boutique hotels above Chahué, Conejos and Arrocito, many with pools looking out over the bays.

• Pescado a la talla — whole fish split, brushed with chile adobo and grilled over wood — at the palapas on La Entrega.
• Cocteles and ceviche: on this coast a "coctel" means a chilled seafood cocktail of shrimp, octopus or fish, not a drink.
• Tlayudas, the big crisp Oaxacan tortillas with beans, quesillo cheese and toppings, and mole in the restaurants around La Crucecita's square.
• Café de Pluma, grown in the mountains of Pluma Hidalgo above Huatulco, and fresh juices of mango, papaya and watermelon — plus cold coconut water on the beach.

La Entrega means "the handover". In early 1831 Vicente Guerrero, hero of Mexican independence and the country's second president, was betrayed by a Genoese ship captain and handed over to his political enemies on this beach; he was taken inland to Cuilapan, near Oaxaca City, and executed. A small monument recalls the story.

Today Huatulco is a planned resort with a slow, small-town rhythm. In the evening, life moves to La Crucecita's square, around the church whose ceiling is painted with a huge image of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The coast is Zapotec land, and Oaxaca's food, mezcal and craft traditions are never far away.

• Bocana del Río Copalita: an archaeological site about 2,500 years old, with a small museum and a lookout where the river meets the sea, about 10 km from the bays.
• Waterfalls of the Copalita river: cascades and swimming pools in the jungle inland; go with a local guide or tour.
• Coffee farms of Pluma Hidalgo: shade-grown coffee in the cool Sierra Sur, with tours and tastings.
• Puerto Escondido and Mazunte: about two hours up the coast for surf towns, sunset at Punta Cometa and a livelier night out.

Bahías de Huatulco International Airport (HUX) has direct flights from Mexico City and Oaxaca City year-round, plus seasonal flights from the US and Canada in winter. A taxi takes 15–20 minutes to La Crucecita, Santa Cruz or Tangolunda. By road, Oaxaca City is about six hours away by colectivo van or car. La Entrega is about 2.5 km from Santa Cruz along a winding paved road — five minutes by taxi — or a short boat ride from the marina. There is no public bus to the beach.

• Bring pesos in cash: the palapas, snorkel rentals and many taxis don't take cards.
• Taxis have no meters — agree on the fare before you get in, and arrange a pickup time for the way back.
• Use reef-safe sunscreen, don't stand on the coral, and take your trash with you: Huatulco is a certified sustainable destination and much of the coast is a national park.
• Small, harmless jellyfish occasionally drift into the bays; ask at the beach if you are unsure.
• Huatulco is generally calm and safe; use the same common sense you would anywhere after dark.