What makes a place great?

What is it that makes a place great?  I'm so glad you asked ;-)

1) Getting away from it all - For many people, the ability to relax and get away from their stressful daily life is the number one priority in a vacation destination and in many cases the reason they purchase a retirement property or continue coming back to the same place year after year.

2) Beautiful beaches - With 36 stunning beaches and miles of uncluttered coastline we think Huatulco ranks at the top of the list for great destinations.  If you want the whole beach to yourself there is no shortage of secluded spots.

3) Warm waters - While we may be on the Pacific Ocean side of North America, many people can attest to just how warm the waters are down here.  It is a common stereotype that the Pacific side has colder oceans and for the most part that is true.  However, we are located at 15 degrees north latitude, which is at the bottom of Belize.  With the amount of sunshine we receive down here and our ocean currents, the water temperature is perfect!

4) Great food - While I won't claim that we have the most diverse selection of restaurants, we still have our fair selection of very good places to eat.  Whether it's the classic taco stands or something a little more fine dining, there is no shortage of great food down here.

5) Friendly people - A large part of enjoying your time away from home is the people you meet during your travels.  I think many of us who are familiar with the area would agree that the local people are very warm and friendly.  The coast of Oaxaca is still composed of smaller communities and beach towns, and it still retains it's small town feel.  The people are welcoming and happy that you have come to see their paradise.

6) Activities - Huatulco is the original green tourism destination...long before Costa Rica ever became chic with their adventure tourism.  There is no shortage of things to do here whether it's just relaxing on one of it's many beaches, surfing, snorkeling, zip-lining, horseback riding, ATV tours, coffee plantation tours, bay tours, or the many other activities, there is no shortage of things to keep everyone entertained.

7) Unspoiled - Finally, one of the big reasons people keep returning to Huatulco is that it truly is a paradise, still in it's infancy.  It is safe, affordable, relaxing and unspoiled.  Have I said unspoiled yet?

We hope you make it down here soon as a place this special is sure to grow...people are starting to talk!

What other things do you think make a place special?  I'd love to hear your comments below.

10 Interesting Facts about Mexico

I always love little known facts.  When someone barks out a statistic I can't help but think of Cliff Claven from Cheers.  Here are some Clavenesque facts about Mexico you may not know.

1) The first printing press in North America was used in Mexico City in 1539.

2) The National University of Mexico was founded in 1551 by Charles V of Spain and is the oldest university in North America.

3) Millions of monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico every year from the U.S. and Canada

4) The border between Mexico and the United States is the second largest border in the world (only the U.S.- Canadian border is longer).

5) The red poinsettia (which the Aztecs called cuetlaxochitl) originated in Mexico and is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States ambassador to Mexico (in the 1820s).

6) Mexican children do not receive presents on Christmas Day. They receive gifts on January 6, the day on which Mexicans celebrate the arrival of the Three Wise Men.

7) Mexico City is built over the ruins of a great Aztec city, Tenochtitlán. Because it is built on a lake, Mexico is sinking at a rate of 6 to 8 inches a year as pumps draw water out for the city’s growing population.

8) Mexico’s flag is made up three vertical stripes. The left green stripe stand for hope, the middle white stripe represents purity, and the right red stripe represents the blood of the Mexican people. The picture of an eagle eating a snake is based on an Aztec legend.

9) The Chihuahua is the world’s smallest dog and is named for a Mexican state.

10) The Zapotec civilization (600 B.C.-A.D. 800) established great cities along southern Mexico and developed the first writing system in the Americas.


Number ten is particularly important for those of us who are living in the state of Oaxaca as it is the Zapotec civilization that was the  pre-Columbian indigenous civilization that flourished and re-sided in the Valley of Oaxaca in Mesoamerica.  There is much archaeological evidence suggesting that their civilization goes back 2500 years.  There have been numerous artifacts discovered at the ancient city of Monte Alban, which also includes buildings, ball courts, tombs, and extravagant gold jewelery.  Monte Alban was one of the first major cities of Mesoamerica and the focus of a Zapotec state that ruled over what is now Oaxaca state.

Is it safe to travel in Mexico?

Hopefully you have a more efficient means of travel than these two kids...not sure you ever want to name a mode of transport after the Titanic!

Here is another great article from USA Today discussing travel in Mexico.  Of course those of us that live in Huatulco already know this, but it's worth repeating.

Spread the word that Huatulco is safe, friendly, and incredibly beautiful.   Or, maybe you really want to keep it to yourself!  Click on the link below.

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/dispatches/post/2010/12/is-it-safe-to-travel-to-mexico-judging-from-the-numbers-many-say-yes/134217/1

What the Mexican kitten taught me...

Today's post is by Susan James.

I am in a yoga class in Mexico that has many visitors – some are human and some are animals and insects and reptiles and, and…you get the picture.

The other day right in the middle of yoga class a kitten walked in…the door was open…so why not?  She came up to me in the middle of a forward fold and said: “Hello!  I have fleas and I am hungry”. 

This was one educated kitten.  She saw that there were many other students in the class.  She didn’t ignore anyone, and put away her needs to say “Hello!” to each and every person.  Actually, I am not too sure what she was telling them... I continued into downward facing dog posture.

She came back to me, and sat down to wait until I was finished with my work.

What did this little creature teach me? 

It isn’t rude to enter an open door even if you aren’t invited as long as you acknowledge everyone and wait your turn.

She came in to class because she wanted something.  She properly greeted every student.  She waited her turn for attention. 

It made me think about how I am with people.

Do I wait for the door to open?

Do I clearly ask for what I want? 

When I want something, do I just charge forward NOT paying attention to others?  Probably. 

Do I acknowledge others in the same room?

Not always. 

Do I wait my turn for attention? 

NO!  I want what I want when I want it. 

This is the kind of education, I get in Mexico…this is what life here is all about…even the creatures can teach  - If you let them.  

Mexico aims to be top biofuel producer...

Have a look at a very interesting video...things to come.


OriginOil Turns to Market from OriginOil, Inc. on Vimeo.

To read the article go to: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/02/mexico-top-biofuel-producer-algae-oil-originoil.php

Mexico is more than just beaches...

Photo: Marcos Ferro/Aurora Photo

When most of us think about Mexico, the first thing that comes to mind is the hot weather and beaches.  And while there is plenty of both, Mexico has a host of other activities to offer.  Ever think of going hiking?

It seems that Mexico, particularly the main mountains near Mexico City is becoming a bit of a hot spot for not only hiking, but for those individuals who are more serious about tackling some of the higher summits of the world.

Here's an article from February4, 2011 in the New York Times...http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/06/travel/06Explorer-MexicoCity.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=mexico%20hiking&st=tcse

Today is Benito Juarez Day

It is a holiday today in Mexico, and some of you may not know Benito Pablo Juárez Garcia.

Juárez was born in the village of San Pablo Guelatao, Oaxaca on March 21, 1806, located in the mountain range now known as the "Sierra Juarez".

Juárez became a lawyer in 1834 and a judge in 1841. He was governor of the state of Oaxaca from 1847 to 1852, and subsequently the 26th President of Mexico from 1858 to 1864.

His history is both long and compelling and he is seen today as a hero of progressive reform in Mexico, dedicating his life to democracy and equal rights for the indigenous people  lessening the great power that the Roman Catholic Church then held over Mexican politics, and the defense of national sovereignty. The period of his leadership is known in Mexican history as La Reforma (the reform), and constituted a liberal political and social revolution with major institutional consequences: the expropriation of church lands, bringing the army under civilian control, liquidation of peasant communal land holdings, the separation of church and state in public affairs, and also led to the almost-complete disenfranchisement of bishops, priests, nuns and lay brothers.

Benito Juárez passed away from a heart-attack in 1872 while working in the National Palace in Mexico City.  A great number of things have been named after him and to this day his name can be found on streets, towns, institutions, and the Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City.

For more information visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benito_Ju%C3%A1rez