What to Do: Since the drive through the whole Costa Chica takes only a couple of hours, you can explore it pretty extensively in a few days. First stop: Puerto Escondido and the pipeline of Zicatela, one of the country's most famous breaks and the site of numerous international surf competitions. The pounding waves and riptide make this a spot for experts and those who gather to watch them. Mere mortals should venture to La Punta, toward the end of town, or west to Playa Carrizalillo, with its pretty white sand bay and gentle surf. Book a lesson with the Oasis Surf Factory: It offers hour-long classes, a weeklong program, and a surfing/Spanish combo class (52-954-104-2330; oasissurffactory.com; two hour-long lessons, $30). Close to town, Manialtepec Lagoon is a gorgeous waterway teeming with birdlife, but even if you aren't an avid birder you'll enjoy the scenery during the two-hour boat trip through the mangroves. Arrange your trip with Hidden Voyages—the only drawback is the early start for the five-hour excursion (52-954-582-2305; peleewings.ca; excursions, $45–$109). From here, drive to the smaller villages that are almost equidistant between Huatulco and Escondido. The most charming are the hippie enclaves of Mazunte and San Agustinillo, where the beaches are dotted with simple seafood shacks perfect for a cold cerveza. In Mazunte, visit the Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga, a turtle sanctuary, and hike to Punta Cometa, where you'll find a windswept cove on Oaxaca's southernmost point. Just to the west, in La Ventanilla, another cooperative concentrating on turtle and crocodile preservation is also a worthwhile visit.

The brand-new two-lane highway that greets you as you enter Huatulco—a group of nine stunning bays that is the latest focus of the Mexican government's tourism agency, Fonatur—is the first sign that you are in a world apart from the dusty towns, overgrown ranches, and bumpy roads of the rest of the Costa Chica. The government has promised to learn from its mistakes (such as Cancún), and although high-rise hotels are in place, the infrastructure has already proven to be more respectful of the area's impressive ecosystem. Start your day in La Crucecita, the small town where most of the restaurants are concentrated. Terra-Cotta, in the Hotel Mision de los Arcos, has a nice outdoor terrace where you can have a smoothie or a cappuccino while enjoying the free Wi-Fi (52-958-587-0165). A beautiful bay close to town, Conejos is a perfect crescent of white sand marked for future development, but for the moment there is only one palapa restaurant on the beach. For lunch, sample the grilled fish just brought to shore by resident fishermen. The sierra, while not a particularly handsome species, happens to be very tasty, and for a few dollars you'll have one of the best meals of the trip, sitting on a plastic chair and gazing at the Pacific. Afterward, you can take a siesta in the secluded cove just down the bay from the restaurant. End your day with a treatment at Eco Spa, a pretty day spa near Tangolunda's golf course in Huatulco; the massages are particularly therapeutic (52-958-581-0025; ecoyspa.com; massages, $56).