San Agustinillo is a small beach and fishing town on the Oaxaca coast in southern Mexico. The beach draws families looking for calm swimming to one end and surfers looking for rougher waters with tasty waves to the other end.
Understand
[edit]San Agustinillo was a largely unpopulated remote stretch of coastline up until about 1950, when a few local fishermen took up residence as a demand grew for sea turtle flesh and eggs. Because large numbers of sea turtles migrated to nest on the famous golden sands of San Agustinillo, they found a steady supply of turtles. The demand for sea turtles reached a peak about 1970, and in the latter decades of the 20th century, a growing awareness of the ecological damage being done by sea turtle harvesting led to a sharp decline in the market. In 1990, the Mexican government banned sea turtle harvesting and instead, encouraged seaside communities to support turtle conservation efforts and to leverage tourism as a way to replace incomes lost by the ban on turtle harvesting. The government established a turtle conservation center in nearby Mazunte.
Travelers can see sea turtles coming ashore and nesting in the sands from as early as June through December. The most exciting time for eco-travelers to visit is from late August to early October, when large numbers of hatchlings emerge and make their way across the beach to enter the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Turtle tours are available in San Agustinillo, and the most popular tours include Playa Escobilla, with its massive nestings of thousands of turtles (referred to as arribadas). The primary species nesting in San Agustinillo is the olive ridley sea turtle.
Get in
[edit]The closest airports to San Agustinillo are in Puerto Escondido (PXM IATA) or Huatulco (HUX IATA). From either airport it is about a 1-hour ride by taxi to San Agustinillo. It is also possible to fly to Oaxaca (OAX IATA) where you can easily rent a car. From Oaxaca, it is an easy 3-hour drive to San Agustinillo via a new, modern highway.
Get around
[edit]
The best way to get around is by bicycle in town or by walking, particularly along the sandy beaches. Taxis are available for longer distance though locals usually get around between the nearby beach towns by riding in collectivos, which in Oaxaca, does not mean vans, but rather means pickup trucks or flatbed trucks with a canvas awning to provide shade for passengers. The collectivos cost M20.
See
[edit]Do
[edit]- Whale watching boat tours are available during migration season (you'll probably see a lot of dolphins as well)
- take a yoga class
- Surfing - the Oaxaca coast is famous for its waves. Playa Aragon is the surfer beach here, and swimmers should be cautious because of the waves and the strong undertow. If San Agustinillo's waves aren't big enough for you, the town is just minutes away from Mazunte and Zipolite
- Ventanilla is a lagoon and mangrove swamp offering eco-tours that invariably take you close to the lagoon's famously huge crocodiles
- Playa Rinconcito is the more family friendly beach, with calmer waters suitable for swimming
- Sportfishing is popular and boats can be hired by the day
- Nothing is one of the most popular things to do in San Agustunillo, there are no crowds here and the peaceful vibe and gentle crashing of the Pacific waves make it very easy to just fall asleep in a hammock
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- 1 Restaurante Mágico Atardecer, Rancho Las Hamacas, ☏ +52 958 109 7523. Tu-Su 15ː00 - 22ː00, closed M. Idyllic seaside setting with a large palapa dining room. Very romantic atmosphere and first-class service. Oaxacan regional cuisine that leans very heavily into fresh seafood. Grilled octopus and fresh fish and a variety of shrimp dishes. Full bar serving large cocktails with an extensive mezcal selections. M$300.
- 2 Casa Mia, Calle Aguntinvino 13, ☏ +52 958 122 5575. F-W 18ː00 - 22ː30, closed Th. Charming, cozy Italian restaurant with friendly service, an impressive wine list, and authentic homemade pastas, as well as grilled meats and seafood. M$300.
- 3 El Sueño de Frida, Highway MEX 175, ☏ +52 551 902 6359. M-Sa 08ː00 - 15ː00, closed Su. Comfortably casual traditional Mexican breakfast place serving fresh Oaxacan-grown coffees, a variety of egg dishes, fresh fruits, orange juice squeezed fresh, chilaquiles, brioche, and muffins at ridiculously low prices. M$100.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Cabañas Punta Placer, Calle Principal, ☏ +52 958 107 6644. Check-in: 15ː00, check-out: 12ː00. Small comfortably rustic palapa-style beachfront hotel with 8 rooms and 1 family bungalow. The rooms all have ocean views and a hammock on the patio or balcony. Rooms are furnished with queen size beds with mosquito netting and ceiling fans. M$1600.
- 2 Un Sueño Cabañas del Pacifico, Highway MEX-175, ☏ +52 958 113 8749. Check-in: 14ː00, check-out: 12ː00. Small hotel with 17 rustic palapa-style cabins with private bath and bedrooms with king size beds, mosquito netting, and an outdoor shaded patio or balcony with hammocks. M$1200.