Huatulco (What-tool-co) - I Could Live Here

1/16/26

Whenever we visit a new country or port, I have a very simple rating system in my head:

1)    Could have skipped that

2)    Glad we came but no need to return

3)    I could live here

Huatulco is definitely #3.  What puts it in that category, you may be asking.  It’s a variety of aspects.  It must have a:

1)       Reasonable cost of living

2)       Democratic gov’t

3)       Access to health care

4)       Moderate climate year round

5)       Clean

6)       Welcoming culture

7)       Plan

Seven simple rules that are not so simple to achieve, mostly because if you have 2-7, 1 becomes a problem.  You might think of LA or Seattle as USA examples of where they have most if not all of 2-7 above and because of that, their cost of living is among the highest in the US  I think Hawaii falls into this category as well. 

But Huatulco is amazing.  It has all 7.  I want to focus on 3 of them though, 1, 6 and 7. In the case of #1, the food, housing and entertainment were all very reasonably priced…..and that’s knowing that prices get a bit inflated when there’s a ship in port. Housing can be costly for waterfront in high-end complexes, but it can also be very reasonable.  Here’s an example.

Regarding a welcoming culture, it’s subtle but how they engage with foreigners is important.  Accommodating, not pushy, not disgruntled when you opt not to purchase something.  Cars that stop to let you cross the street.  It was common to hear “Buenos Dias” as we walked through the port and old city.  It felt genuine, not just because we bring tourism dollars to their economy.

Lastly, a Plan.  It’s clear they have a plan for development.  In full disclosure, it’s on a Mexican timetable, but nonetheless, there is a plan.  When we were here 3 years ago, they had just completed a wide, brick, landscaped promenade from the port to the old city with graded sites to either side for future hotels, restaurants, shops and condos.  It was beautiful and in my American mind, I could completely envision it being finished by now and bustling with excitement.

Our timetable isn’t their timetable.  About half the lots were started and to their credit, it appeared a few condos and shops were nearing completion, but nothing was actually completed, sold, rented or inhabited.  In the meantime, the beautiful brick promenade has not been maintained or weeded, so it was a bit unsightly; BUT, that’s how it is in Mexico and we can’t force our very American ways on them.  I’m confident that as soon as the lots are mostly built out, they will turn their attention back to the aesthetics of the promenade and it will be OUTSTANDING.  Given the pace of the last 3 years, I’d say by 2035, it might fully come to fruition.   Having managed accounting staff in Mexico for many years during my career, I learned quickly that deadlines are a lot like speed limits.

The pic on the most left is 2026, most right is 2023 from a similar vantage point. Here are a few others if the promenade area under construction

Our time in the old town did not disappoint.  Largely unchanged from our time here 3 years ago, this trip was more about reminiscing than exploring for something new.  One of my most favorite sights in Huatulco is this little church that might hold 200 congregants max. 

I love it because of its simplicity, its lack of gold and silver adorned art that demonstrates a form of wealth, not humility.  In fact, humble is how I would describe it, which is in stark contrast to most churches we visit, especially in Europe, where they have millions of $$ in gilded art ensconced in glass and well-guarded.

But the frescos were and are my favorite, especially those on the ceilings.  I detest painting ceilings….and that’s 1 color with a roller.  Imagine what a labor of love and devotion it was to paint these frescos.  Just jaw-dropping and yet, so modest and humble.  It puts me in the right frame of mind to worship more than just about any other church I’ve visited.

Here are some other pics from the day.

We were off the ship pretty early to beat the heat and so we returned to the ship pretty early as well, right about noon.  After a quick lunch, we spent another afternoon, lazily around the indoor pool, reading, chatting, drinking, swimming, and hot tubbing.

Dinner was at the buffet as it was Churrascaria night.  That’s a Brazilian concept focused on all types of sliced meats, pork, lamb, beef, sausage and more.  It was delicious but my eyes were bigger than my stomach and I couldn’t finish my plate.  It bothers me to waste food, so I need to be more careful in the future.

It was another evening packed with entertainment.  2 shows.  At 7pm, we saw the pianist from the other night in the theater and then at 8, we saw the high energy comedy duo for a second time.  Both shows had new material, so it was interesting and engaging.

As for exercise and maintaining my “svelte” physique for 4.5 months, I’ve made the decision to approach it just a bit differently.  In 2023, I tracked my time and mileage on the treadmill daily, with very few missed days.  In 2026, I now have a watch that tracks by steps.  So my plan is to get at least 10,000 steps per day, however that materializes.  On sea days, that’s tough to achieve without going to the fitness center but on port days, we far exceed that, especially if we don’t do a tour.  I’ll likely do a blog on step count, comparing my pre-cruise stats to my cruise stats.  Staying active on a cruise is shockingly so much easier than at home.  Hasta Manana.