Playa Santa Cruz beach forecast: weather, water & waves
Huatulco, MX · Huatulco & Oaxaca Coast, Mexico · 15.753, -96.133
Updated : very low seaweed, beach grade C+, sea 87°F.
Also listed as Hotel Santa Cruz Huatulco.
Veabird's call
Hold for Monday: A-, little seaweed, mostly dry and 87°F water on the northeast-facing beach.
December (A-) and January (A) grade best here, with a Huatulco nine bays boat day for rainy Friday.
Grades from Veabird's beach forecast; wording by AI (Muse Spark), checked against the forecast. Updated Nov 13, 06:00 UTC.
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Questions about Playa Santa Cruz
Does Playa Santa Cruz get sargassum (seaweed)?
No. Atlantic sargassum does not reach the Pacific.
How warm is the water at Playa Santa Cruz?
About 84°F in November. The sea is warmest in July and August (about 88°F) and coolest in March (about 81°F).
When is the best time to visit Playa Santa Cruz?
For warm water and dry weather, aim for December through April. February is usually the quietest of those, with about 1 rainy day and a sea near 82°F.
When is hurricane season at Playa Santa Cruz, and how often do storms hit?
The eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from mid-May through November and peaks from August to October. A tropical storm passed within 86 miles of Playa Santa Cruz in 13 of the 55 seasons from 1971 to 2025, and a hurricane within 58 miles in 3. The riskiest stretch is around June 18, when the chance of a storm passing in any one week is about 2%; across all of June it is about 7%. Flexible bookings and travel insurance help in the peak weeks.
What guests say about Hotel Santa Cruz Huatulco
Guests like Location · Friendly staff · Good food
Watch for Noisy environment · Cleanliness issues · Missing amenities
- Cleanliness
7.6 - Service
8.5 - Location
8.6 - Room Quality
7.0 - Amenities
7.6 - Value for Money
8.0 - Food and Beverage
8.1 - Overall Experience
7.9
Read all 338 reviews · Compare on Expedia
Scores and reviews come from guests who stayed, through LiteAPI (Nuitée). The likes, watch-fors and category scores are an AI summary of those reviews. Partner links: Veabird may earn a commission.
Sargassum season at Playa Santa Cruz
Playa Santa Cruz sits outside the reach of the Atlantic sargassum belt; seaweed landings are rare in any month.
Huatulco month by month
Typical weather, water temperature, seaweed and crowds for every month: the best time to visit Huatulco.
Weather & water by month at Playa Santa Cruz
Average highs run from about 86°F in October to 91°F in April and May. The sea is warmest in July and August (about 88°F) and coolest in March (about 81°F). January, February, March and December are usually the driest, with about 1 rainy day each; September is the wettest, with about 20 rainy days.
| Month | Avg high | Sea | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°F | 82°F | 1 |
| Feb | 88°F | 82°F | 1 |
| Mar | 89°F | 81°F | 1 |
| Apr | 91°F | 83°F | 2 |
| May | 91°F | 85°F | 6 |
| Jun | 87°F | 86°F | 19 |
| Jul | 89°F | 88°F | 16 |
| Aug | 90°F | 88°F | 18 |
| Sep | 88°F | 87°F | 20 |
| Oct | 86°F | 86°F | 14 |
| Nov | 87°F | 84°F | 7 |
| Dec | 87°F | 83°F | 1 |
Monthly averages from 6 years of ERA5 reanalysis (Open-Meteo) for this area's 0.5° grid cell; rainy days have at least 1 mm (0.04 in). Any given year can differ.
Cleanup & barriers
- Offshore barriers
- Not needed: Atlantic sargassum does not reach the Pacific.
- Public cleanup
- Municipal beach crews handle driftwood, litter and storm debris.
- Resort crews
- Resort crews groom beaches daily.
- Typical clearing time
- n/a
Safety notes
US State Dept: Oaxaca, Level 2 (verify)
- Pacific surf is stronger than the Caribbean: watch the beach flags and rip currents.
- Eastern Pacific hurricane season peaks Aug–Oct.
- Zicatela (Puerto Escondido) is a big-wave surf beach; swim at Carrizalillo or Puerto Angelito instead.
- Huatulco's nine bays are sheltered and calm.
Check official advisories and local flags before swimming. Decomposing sargassum releases hydrogen sulfide; avoid heavy piles.
Things to do near Huatulco, MX
- Huatulco's nine bays by boat
- Puerto Escondido surf & bioluminescence (Manialtepec)
- Mazunte turtle center
- Zipolite & San Agustinillo
Fly in for the best beach days
Suggested dates are a week in December. Change them to match the live forecast above.
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Nearest airports
- Bahías de Huatulco Intl (HUX), ~14 km
- Puerto Escondido Intl (PXM), ~103 km
Nearby resorts
- Hotel Huatulco Maxico Huatulco, MX · 0 km
- Holiday Inn Huatulco Huatulco, MX · 0 km
- Hotel Marina Resort Huatulco Huatulco, MX · 0 km
- Binniguenda Huatulco Huatulco, MX · 0 km
- Gran Juquila Huatulco Huatulco, MX · 1 km
- Hotel Villa Blanca Huatulco Huatulco, MX · 1 km
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