San Agustinillo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
San Agustinillo
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Town
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Lightning above the coastline of San Agustinillo at night.
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 San Agustinillo
Location in Mexico
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| Country |  Mexico |
| State | Oaxaca |
| Municipality | Santa María Tonameca |
| Elevation | 25 m (82 ft) |
| Population
(2005)
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| • Total | 229 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| Area code(s) | 958 |
San Agustinillo is a charming small fishing village and beach located in the sunny state of Oaxaca, Mexico. It sits right on the coast, just east of other cool beach towns like Mazunte and La Ventanilla. This is a special place where the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains meet the huge Pacific Ocean.
San Agustinillo is connected by a road to nearby places like Zipolite and Puerto Ángel to the west. All these coastal towns together are sometimes called the "Riviera Oaxaqueña" or "La Costa Chica Oaxaqueña."
Contents
Getting Around San Agustinillo
The local Highway 175 helps people travel around this coastal area. It makes a loop south from the main Highway 200. From a town called Pochutla, Highway 175 first goes south to Puerto Ángel. Then, it turns west and follows the coast through Zipolite, San Agustinillo, and Mazunte. After that, it goes back north to connect with the main Highway 200 again. Local shared taxis, called 'colectivos,' travel along this route from Pochutla in both directions, making it easy to get around.
A Glimpse into San Agustinillo's Past
San Agustinillo was settled around the same time as the nearby town of Mazunte. For many years, the fishermen in San Agustinillo made their living by hunting sea turtles. However, this practice was stopped in 1990 to protect the turtles. Today, most people in San Agustinillo still work in farming and small-scale fishing. Tourism, especially around the beautiful beach, is also becoming an important way for people to earn a living.
Exploring San Agustinillo Beach
The beach at San Agustinillo is about 1,300 meters (or about 4,265 feet) long. It faces the open ocean and is divided into three parts by rocky areas that stick out into the Pacific. The sand on the beach is a lovely gold color and can be as wide as 50 meters (about 164 feet). The water close to the shore is warm and has beautiful green and blue colors.
Different Sections of the Beach
- Playa Rinconcito: This is the far western part of the beach. It's usually calm and is considered the safest spot for swimming. The fishing village is located right here.
- Playa Aragon: This is the easternmost part of the beach. The waves here can be strong, and there might be strong currents that pull you out to sea.
It's important to be careful when swimming at these beaches because they face the open ocean. Sometimes, big waves can happen due to tropical weather, which might lead to beach warnings or even closures.
Fun Activities at the Beach
Fishermen in the village offer boat tours of the area. You can also rent equipment for sportfishing if you want to try catching some fish. Just east of the village, you'll find palapas, which are open-sided huts with palm-thatched roofs, perfect for relaxing in the shade.
From June to December, you might be lucky enough to see olive ridley sea turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs on this very beach. It's an amazing sight!
Local Businesses and Unique Stays
The beach area is surrounded by hills and steep cliffs. This means you won't find huge hotels or big resorts here. Instead, you'll see many small, charming places to stay and eat. These places often have an ecological feel and some European influence. This is because some of the businesses are owned by people from Italy and France.
Places to Eat and Stay
- Restaurants: You can find places like La Termita, owned by an Italian-Argentinian, and Tio Nerone, owned by an Italian-German. The Mexico Lindo hotel on the beach is owned by a Mexican and serves both Italian food and local favorites.
- Lodging: Posada La Termita is another Italian-owned place right on the waterfront. Casa Pan de Miel has a French owner and is located on a hilltop with great views.
Many places here focus on eco-tourism. This means they are built to blend in with nature and have a low impact on the environment. For example, La Posada del Arquitecto is built right into the rocks of Playa Rinconcito. Its rooms have hanging beds and a shower built into a tree trunk! Everything is made with wooden pegs instead of nails. Many of these unique places don't have websites or even phones, but they are very popular with backpackers. Most don't have hot water, televisions, phones, Wi-Fi, or air conditioning, offering a simple and natural experience.
The "Las Cuatro Amigas" Library
San Agustinillo has a special library called "Las cuatro amigas," which means "The Four Friends." It's named after the four women who started it in the Casa Municipal (the town's office building) on Highway 175.
The library is free for people who live in San Agustinillo. Tourists can borrow books for a small fee. About half of the books are in Spanish, and about half are in English. There are also books in other languages like French and German. The library even offers English classes for the children of the town. You can find more information about the library on their Facebook page: La Biblioteca de San Agustinillo.
See also
In Spanish: San Agustinillo para niños
