03
Huatulco excursions, from the pier outward
Each option is judged on what it gives back for the time it takes. The catamaran is near the pier, the ruins are a drive, and the town is a walk.
Prices are the lines’ own “from” fares in US dollars, and the independent fare is Viator’s, as listed when we checked.
The berth, the distances and the advisory in full are on our Huatulco cruise port guide. Heading on up the Pacific coast? Our Puerto Chiapas shore excursion guide covers another Mexican Pacific call.
This is a simple way to see the nine-bay coast, with the line booking the boat, not you — and it’s the one we’d start with.
Princess sells Five Bays by Catamaran & Swim at 2½ hours, from $94.95, and rates it easy. Holland America’s page for the same trip names the motorized catamaran Navegante and five of the nine bays, but showed no time, price or accessibility information when we checked on October 29.
An earlier read of that page listed a swim stop and drinks. We couldn’t confirm either, so ask your line what your fare includes.
- Time commitment
- About 2½ hours on Princess’s listing; Holland America prints none.
- Getting there
- Boarding at the marina, which our Atlas card places next to the pier. Confirm with your line.
- Suits
- First-timers, couples and families who want the bays without a long day.
- Ship or independent
- Either. The ship’s version keeps the timing safe; we found no independent catamaran fare to compare.
Why it's worth considering
It’s short, close to the ship and built around a swim, not a long ride.
The line owns the boat and the return time.
The catch
Holland America lists no accessibility information for it, so ask before you book if mobility matters.
Boat trips can run long. Keep a buffer before all-aboard.
Verify before you book
- Whether your line’s fare includes drinks
- How long any swim stop lasts on your sailing
- The return time against all-aboard
If the catamaran is a sightseeing cruise, this is the one for getting in the water. Princess lists it as a boat trip to two bays for snorkeling.
The listing we read gave a name, a duration, a price and a level, but no description. Ask which bays it visits before you book.
Holland America’s port page picks La Entrega as the busiest beach, calm enough for snorkeling.
- Time commitment
- 3 hours, per Princess.
- Getting there
- By boat; the listing didn’t say from where.
- Suits
- Swimmers and couples who want more water time than the catamaran gives.
- Ship or independent
- Ship, for the fixed return. Independent boats exist but their fares are unconfirmed.
Why it's worth considering
More time in the water than a sightseeing sail.
The boat and the return are the line’s to run.
The catch
The description is thin, so the bays are a question for the desk — not something to guess.
It costs about $5 more than the catamaran for a similar length.
Verify before you book
- Which two bays the boat visits
- Whether snorkel gear is included
- What happens if the sea is rough
Bocana del Río Copalita is an archaeological zone inside the Copalita Eco Park. INAH lists it open Monday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00, with free entry.
Princess sells it as “Copalita Archaeological Exploration,” at 3.5 hours. CruiseMapper puts the site about 10 km (6 miles) from the bays, which is why the ship’s fare is mostly a ride and a guide.
INAH lists toilets, lockers, parking and guided tours on site, and says food, smoking and pets aren’t allowed.
- Time commitment
- 3.5 hours on Princess’s listing.
- Getting there
- A drive from the pier; CruiseMapper gives about 10 km.
- Suits
- First-timers and history-minded travelers.
- Ship or independent
- Ship, unless you hire a driver you trust and agree the fare first.
Why it's worth considering
The gate is free, so you’re paying for the ride and the explanation, not the ticket.
It breaks up a beach-heavy port — a good trade if you’ve swum before.
The catch
Princess rates it moderate, so expect walking in the heat.
The opening hours leave a short call little slack.
Verify before you book
- Whether a guide is included in your fare
- The drive time each way
- Your all-aboard time
Holland America’s version starts in La Crucecita’s main square, visits the Church of the Virgin of Guadalupe and moves to a handicrafts market. Artisans from Teotitlán del Valle show how they dye thread with cochineal insects.
A cooking demonstration follows, with tortillas, quesadillas, Oaxacan mezcal and chocolate. Lunch is at Macuil Restaurant, and the group walks back to the ship.
Princess lists several food-led tours at similar lengths: a seafood one at 3.5 hours from $94.95, a Mexican flavors tour at 4.5 hours from $89.95, and a tequila and mezcal tasting at 3.25 hours from $74.95.
- Time commitment
- About 3.5 hours on Holland America’s listing.
- Getting there
- The tour begins in town and walks back to the ship.
- Suits
- Couples and first-timers who want the town and lunch in one go.
- Ship or independent
- Either. The town is walkable, but the tastings and the cooking demonstration are the ship’s.
Why it's worth considering
Lunch and tastings are in the fare.
The walk back removes any ride to arrange — one less thing to watch.
The catch
The listing warns of uneven surfaces and says it isn’t advisable for wheelchair users or limited mobility.
If the restaurant is unavailable, a short coach transfer replaces the walk.
Verify before you book
- Which restaurant and menu you get
- Whether the walk back is included on your date
- How much free time you have in the market
Ship tour · nature
Eco tour and crocodile sanctuary
Princess lists “Amazing Eco Tour & Crocodile Sanctuary” at 5 hours. The page we read gave the name, the length, the price and the level, with no description.
The title suggests a nature tour with a crocodile sanctuary stop. That’s an inference from the name, so confirm the details.
- Time commitment
- 5 hours, per Princess.
- Getting there
- Not stated on the listing.
- Suits
- Families who want something other than beach and boat.
- Ship or independent
- Ship, since the stops are unlisted.
Why it's worth considering
It adds a land-based option that isn’t a market.
The fare is below the snorkel and kayak tours.
The catch
Five hours uses most of a short call — and that’s the whole trade.
The listing gives few details.
Verify before you book
- What the stops are
- The age limits for a crocodile visit
- Your all-aboard time
Viator’s small-group “Bays of Huatulco Boat Tour” runs about 7 hours, from $56 per person. It includes an air-conditioned bus, hotel pickup in the downtown area, a bilingual guide, and water and soft drinks on the boat.
Meals and beer aren’t included. Viator lists a dock tax at Chachacual of MX$5.50 per person and snorkel gear at MX$180 per person, both in pesos.
Hotel pickup starts at 8:50 am, and free cancellation runs up to 24 hours before.
- Time commitment
- About 7 hours.
- Getting there
- Hotel pickup in the downtown area; the page doesn’t mention cruise-pier pickup.
- Suits
- Budget-minded travelers on a long call.
- Ship or independent
- Independent, if the clock works.
Why it's worth considering
It costs less than most ship boat tours.
The cancellation window is generous.
The catch
Seven hours plus a pickup point away from the pier is tight on a call that arrives at 8:00 and leaves at 17:00.
On a call that arrives at 10:00, it doesn’t fit.
Verify before you book
- Whether the operator will meet you at the pier
- The return time against all-aboard
- What a missed ship costs you
Independent · free
Walk to La Crucecita
CruiseMapper calls La Crucecita an easy 20-minute walk south of the port. Our Atlas card gives about 3 km (roughly 2 miles), so allow more time than that in the heat.
The town is known for its alebrije folk art, per our Atlas card, and Holland America’s tour names a main square, a church and a handicrafts market. That’s a short, easy loop on your own.
- Time commitment
- Open-ended; plan an hour or two.
- Getting there
- On foot, or by taxi from the pier.
- Suits
- Short calls, tight budgets and anyone who wants a slow morning.
- Ship or independent
- Independent. No tour is needed.
Why it's worth considering
It costs what you spend in town, not a fare — and you set the pace.
The pace is yours, not a guide’s.
The catch
You skip the cooking demonstration and the tastings that the ship’s tour includes.
No taxi fare is published, so agree one first.
Verify before you book
- The walk time on the day
- Shop and restaurant hours
- Your all-aboard time
04
Huatulco with the ship or on your own
Where the ship earns its fare
Boats and ruins, not the town. The catamaran is simple, the snorkel boat is fixed-time, and the ruins are a ride you’d otherwise have to arrange.
And the return is the line’s problem. With an outside operator, a late bus is yours.
Where independent works
La Crucecita, on foot or by taxi from the pier. It’s a short town, and the ship’s version adds tastings more than access.
For a boat day, Viator’s fare is lower, but its 7-hour length and pickup point limit it to a long call. We found no current cooperative fares to compare.
How each option compares in Huatulco
| Excursion | Lean ship excursion when… | Independent works when… |
|---|
| Five Bays by catamaran | You want a short, fixed-time swim | No independent catamaran fare found |
|---|
| Two Bay Snorkel | You want a managed return | If you confirm a vetted boat and price first |
|---|
| Copalita ruins | You want a guide and a ride | A driver you trust, with the fare agreed first |
|---|
| La Crucecita and food | You want tastings and lunch | You just want to wander the town |
|---|
| Eco tour | The stops are confirmed | Not practical; stops are unlisted |
|---|
| Viator bay boat day | The call is long and you like the fare | Yes, if pickup works and the clock is clear |
|---|
| Walk to La Crucecita | No | Yes — walk or take a taxi |
|---|
Short answer
For a first call, book the Five Bays catamaran, or the town-and-food morning if you’d rather eat than swim. Snorkelers should take the two-bay boat. On a short call or a budget, walk into La Crucecita. Check any 7-hour day against your all-aboard.
