What the weather is like
December in Mazunte is warm and breezy, with average highs near 29°C (84°F) and nights that rarely drop below 23°C (73°F). The rains are over. The dry season on this part of the Oaxaca coast runs roughly from December through May, so most days are clear from morning to sunset.
You won't need more than a light layer for the evening. Our suites have 24-hour air conditioning, and many have ceiling fans too, though the buildings were designed for cross ventilation and most nights the sea breeze does the job.
What the reserve looks like
El Torón changes with the season, green to gold. December sits right at the turn. The rainy months leave the 30 hectares of the reserve thick and green, and through the dry months that follow the hillsides fade toward the sun-washed gold of late spring. If you've only seen this coast in photographs from April, December is the version most people don't expect: dense, leafy, loud with birds in the early morning.
We like it for that reason. The land is at its fullest, and the heat hasn't built yet.
Whales off the coast
Whale season starts in December. Humpback whales migrate along this coast to mate and calve, and they're seen from December until the end of March, with sightings sometimes running into April. Boat trips to look for them leave from San Agustinillo, the village of three small bays about 1 km from Mazunte. Most trips last two to three hours, and dolphins and sea turtles often turn up on the same outing.
Go in the morning, when the water is usually flatter. Our concierge can help you plan the day around it.
Sunset at Punta Cometa
Punta Cometa is the rocky headland at the west end of Mazunte's bay, and it's where people walk at the end of the day to watch the sun drop into the Pacific. In December the sun sets early, a little before 6 pm local time, so leave earlier than you'd think. It is popular, we won't pretend otherwise. Bring water and shoes you can walk a rough trail in.
Turtles in December
Mazunte's identity is tied to sea turtles. The village's name is often traced to a Nahuatl phrase meaning "please lay eggs here", and the National Mexican Turtle Center is in the village. The turtles nest close by. We keep our distance too. If seeing them matters to your trip, ask us before you book and we'll tell you what to expect for your dates.
The holidays: book early
Christmas and New Year are the busiest weeks on this coast, and we have ten suites and one villa, so they go first. If you want a specific suite, or Villa Pentágonos with its private infinity pool on the cliff, book months rather than weeks ahead.
Read the cancellation terms before you pay. We're a small, privately owned hotel with a strict cancellation policy, and early departures are charged in full. We recommend travel insurance for exactly this reason. If your plans are fixed, the non-refundable rates are the ones to look at; if they aren't, choose a flexible rate and check its deadline.
Spending the days here
Most December days settle into a pattern on their own. Breakfast is included. The infinity pools are cut into the cliffside rock, and a path leads down to our private beach inside the reserve, with beach towels provided. Our restaurant cooks Mexican and international dishes from local ingredients in open-air dining spaces, which is how you want to eat on a 23°C night.
For the days you want more, The Voyage Within, our experiences program, runs across five streams: Nurture, Explore, Create, Connect and Savor. In-room massages and facials are available on request, or in a private air-conditioned space at Casa Cuachalalá. There are bicycles if you'd rather ride into Mazunte than be driven.
Getting here in December
Fly into Huatulco (about 50 minutes from us) or Puerto Escondido (about an hour). We arrange private transfers from both, and in December it's worth booking that at the same time as the room.