Santa Cruz Bay (Bahía Santa Cruz) Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Santa Cruz Bay. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Private Tour Seven Bays, Huatulco HT

• Exclusive 7 bays of Huatulco by Panga Boat or Yacht

• Private Tour of 9 Bays of Huatulco to San Agustin

• Bioluminescence Tour in Huatulco

It’s free to visit Santa Cruz Bay, as it’s a public bay in the state of Oaxaca. However, there are plenty of tours that can help you combine Santa Cruz Bay with other top Huatulco beaches. Full-day boat tours cost from US$40, while private excursions start at around US$250.

Yes, Santa Cruz Bay is good for swimming. Unlike many of the surfing hot spots on this section of Mexico's Pacific coastline, Santa Cruz is a sheltered bay that typically has calm waters perfect for paddling. Parts are roped off to prevent boats from entering, too.

You don't have to swim too far out to see a wealth of marine life at Santa Cruz Bay. Tropical fish include trumpetfish, pufferfish, angelfish, wrasses, butterflyfish, and large schools of sergeant majors. If you scuba dive or swim farther out, you might also spot sea turtles and stingrays.

Yes, Santa Cruz Bay can get very crowded, especially on weekends when locals come to swim and soak up the sun. To encounter fewer crowds, visit in the early morning or midweek. Huatulco’s shoulder seasons in mid-October and May offer quieter experiences of the Oaxacan coast.

Yes, Santa Cruz Bay is near several other Huatulco attractions. It’s within easy reach of the cruise port, making it the ideal place to spend the day when your ship docks, and is also a short walk from the town of La Crucecita, where you’ll find traditional Mexican restaurants.