Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.
On my first trip to Huatulco in 1991, part of a driving tour throughout much of the country, the town was is its infancy, only recently having been created by FONATUR, the federal government tourism branch. Apart from a Sherarton and Club Maeva, there was little more, and the Zócalo consisted of just a few shops. It seemed all too contrived for my liking…and furthermore the highway to get there we fondly remembered as the “vomit trail.” Now, with improvements to Highway 190, even those who have been resisting getting behind the wheel in Oaxaca can take an enjoyable trip to the coast in a rental, kids and all, without so much as a map in hand, avoiding the loathed Mexican traffic, and soaking up all that Huatulco has to offer. Both the drive and the town are at times criticized in favor of respectively, flying or busing, and Puerto Escondido. Huatulco has a great deal to offer, distinct from its sister town up the coast. The drive itself can be informative in terms of presenting a range of climates and cultural adaptations, and rather pleasant if you opt for the longer route on the better highway.
