Santa María Huatulco

Oaxaca, Mexico

---

Santa María Huatulco is a small traditional town in the Oaxaca state of southern Mexico, located inland in the foothills of the Sierra Madre del Sur, just above the more tourist‑centred Bahías de Huatulco resort area. It serves as the administrative center of the municipality of Santa María Huatulco and offers a quieter, local atmosphere compared with the nearby beach bays. The town is known for its colonial‑style church, markets, and regional food, reflecting Oaxaca’s rich culinary and craft heritage, and it is popular with visitors who want to experience everyday life, local festivals, and a Sunday agro‑ecological market. At the same time, Santa María Huatulco sits close enough to the Pacific coast that visitors can easily reach the nine famous bays, coral‑reef beaches, and tourist resorts of Huatulco for swimming, snorkeling, and diving.