Where the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains meet the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a charming resort town that boasts an incredible natural bounty: nine bays and so many beaches — dozens! — that the idea of a crowded beach become an impossibility. While Huatulco is well-equipped to welcome visitors, much of the area has been critically set aside for nature reserves… in this rainforest-rich destination you’re never far from the best of either of these worlds. The nearby Copalita River and its over 200 species is a birdwatcher’s paradise, plus there’s relics dating back to 500 B.C. still being uncovered at an archaeological site. The nearby artisanal town of La Crucecita features a verdant plaza-park that’s a local crossroads, and a church that’s home to an impressive edge-to-edge ceiling mural. Regional Oaxacan cuisine is among Mexico’s most iconic culinary exports — think tamales and tortillas — and you’ll find it’s well-worth enjoying these fresh from the source.