The Shapiro family in Puerto Escondido, Mexico.
In a story in the Oct. 28 issue of TravelAge West, I wrote about my recent trip to Huatulco, Mexico, with my family. One of the activities I mentioned in that story was that we hired a private driver for the day. This turned out to be a great experience and a highlight of the trip.
We hired the car through our hotel Dreams Huatulco Resort & Spa. Another American family had mentioned a driver that they had who was very nice and spoke English, so we asked for him specifically. Edgar, our driver, turned out to be a very lucky find. Not only was he considerate and a good English speaker, he was good with kids, trustworthy and more. When my daughter was feeling carsick, he immediately found a place to stop for a rest. When we took a walk on the beach and the kids went a bit too far into the water, Edgar was there with towels for them when they got out. When we explained what we wanted for lunch (we can be a family of picky eaters and/or food snobs), he found the perfect local spot for us. He really was a godsend.
Our drive took about six or seven hours total. We started in Huatulco and drove about 90 minutes north to Puerto Escondido, a surf town that my wife and I visited many years ago. From there, we worked our way back south toward Huatulco stopping in the cute hippie towns of Puerto Angel and Zipolite, doing some snorkeling at a kid-friendly beach called La Entrega and generally just exploring the countryside.
For the whole day, for the four of us, we paid about $150. It was definitely a bargain.
Visitors to Huatulco should be sure to check out the organized excursions that companies such as Apple Vacations offer. But on one of the other days, hiring a car and driver can be a great way to see a destination, do some family bonding and make memories that will last a lifetime.
I'll certainly consider this option again in the future.
