Huatulco Travel Guides (Updated September 2026)

We had a great time. Our Captain Marcos "Chuntaro" was great. To my surprise he brought a fishing pole and we hooked a 200+ lb blue marlin. It was the highlight of our 9 bays tour of Huatulco. We stopped to eat at a restaurant called el Chimeco that had fresh catch fish and lobster available. I highly recommend supporting local business and locally sourced food.

We had an incredible time, Joaquin was super helpful. Always very lively. With him we went to San Diego and the Lighthouse. There was no shortage of good recommendations for places to eat. Very good service. Always prepared with umbrellas and his camera. He tries to give you more than what is required of him.

I searched for a surf trip to Mexico and, with so many tour operators to choose from, it honestly felt like I was rolling the dice. Looking back, I couldn’t have gotten luckier than booking with Mexico Waves and veteran guide Joaquin.From the start, communication was excellent. Joaquin genuinely cared about what we wanted from the trip and tailored each day to our abilities and goals. He knows the coastline, the local community, and the ever-changing surf conditions exceptionally well. Transportation was in a sturdy 4WD truck with ice-cold A/C, and the accommodations were clean, comfortable, and had powerful air conditioning—a welcome luxury after long days in the heat. The three delicious meals each day, along with snacks, were outstanding.I traveled with my teenage son, who is an intermediate to advanced surfer. Joaquin constantly evaluated conditions, searched for the best breaks, and challenged him just enough each day to help him improve while keeping safety the priority. He always had swim fins and binoculars in hand, carefully watching the lineup, pointing out hazards and safe zones before we paddled out, and making sure we understood the conditions. He would also surf with us until we assured him we were comfortable. He pushed us beyond our comfort zones, but never beyond what was appropriate.What surprised me most was that this became much more than a surf trip. Joaquin has a way of helping you leave with more gratitude, resilience, confidence, and perspective than when you arrived. My son and I came for the waves, but we left with memories and lessons that will stay with us for a lifetime.

An excellent experience overall.

Very good experience, the guide was experienced and very capable of conducting the activity calmly. We enjoyed it a lot!

After docking at the Santa Cruz Huatulco terminal, we wanted to avoid the standard "drive-by" bus tours. We decided to book with Mani Gonzalez through Cool Destinations, and it was the best decision of our trip. Mani is the definition of an authentic guide. He took us deep into the surrounding mountains for an immersive experience at a local coffee plantation. The day was filled with rich coffee tastings, a delicious traditional lunch, and a genuine exploration of the local community. Mani is an expert in every sense—not just as an official tour guide, but as a proud resident who is deeply connected to his neighborhood. He provided us with a profound understanding of Oaxacan culture and the local way of life. Punctual, professional, and exactly as advertised, Mani is everything you want in a private guide. If you want to truly see Huatulco, skip the bus and go with Mani.

We did not do this particular tour with Mani, we did a private yacht tour, and he took us on a cultural adventure of a lifetime! Would highly recommend booking your next adventure with Mani! He will make sure you have an experience like you’ve never had before on a holiday… Very personable & took great care of my 12-year-old and the rest of us who were not so great at snorkeling. He made sure that we had the best day with the best food! We are hoping to be able to book the waterfall before we head home :)) Thank you Mani & Crew! (We also hired him to pick up and drop back off at the airport for extra comfort & security!)

Christian was a great tour guide. Had so much fun, snorkeling, and hiking with him. Very accommodating and flexible.

Do this tour with Mani, especially if you like history and/or want to understand the culture you are visiting. The Copalita site is good and could be amazing with some more time and investment. You can self-tour, but I do not recommend that. Mani does a great job of explaining the site, how it functioned, and the importance of the Zapotec culture. That makes it infinitely more informative and interesting!

Mani was waiting for us with a sign at the airport and helped us with our bags. We were a large group so we also called him for rides to town from our Airbnb. Excellent service and very reasonable prices. 100% recommended.

We had a great trip with Moises and Cecile .They were very accommodating and made the trip personal. We were allowed to control the trip to our liking stop where we wanted and spend time where we wanted. We even had a great lunch together at St Augustine. Would book with them again.

Manny was welcoming and had a sign that made our arrival smooth and easy. He told us lots of cool information on the drive to our place from the airport and was super helpful with our bags and friendly. On our ride back to the airport at the end of our trip it was like saying goodbye to a friend because we had done a few different day tours with him at this point and they were all great experiences.

Manny was the best guide on such a beautiful day trip into the mountains to swim by the waterfalls, visit a local market and have delicious local foods. He was super knowledgeable and fun and made for a great day with friends.

We had a wonderful day at the waterfalls. We started out in the morning in a local village, where we had a breakfast quesadilla, tried some local mezcal, and headed out on the drive to the waterfalls. Once we hiked up to the cave, we cooled off in the refreshing water, then went inside and down to the swimming hole, where we took some nice photos. Then we tried traditional Oaxacan food for lunch before heading back.Thanks, Mani!

If you’re in Huatulco, you seriously have to get out on the water. I had the best day ever hopping between the different bays—it was easily the highlight of my whole trip. The biggest reason it was so good, though, was my host. They were seriously awesome and made the entire day feel so easy. From the second I showed up, they were super welcoming and just had the best energy. It didn't feel like a stiff tour at all; they were just really chill, incredibly attentive, and made sure I was having a blast the entire time. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better experience. If you want a perfect, laid-back day in paradise, this is definitely the way to do it. Huge thanks to the host for making the day so special!

Best excursion ever. Nani’s the man. Very knowledgeable, excellent Driver, and a real good person.😁