By road, Huatulco and Tonatico are about 510 miles (821 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 11 min of driving.
| Distance by road | 510 mi (821 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 11 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-95D → MEX-95 → MEX-55 |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Guerrero, Morelos, State of Mexico |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-95D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora) |
|---|---|
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
On the road from Huatulco to Tonatico
MEX-200 (304 mi) and MEX-95D (137 mi) carry about 86% of the 510 miles. It runs through 4 states: Oaxaca, Guerrero, Morelos, State of Mexico. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-95D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Huatulco to Tonatico, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-200 | 3–307 | 304 | Oaxaca, Guerrero |
| local roads | 307–316 | 9 | Guerrero |
| MEX-95D | 316–370 | 54 | Guerrero |
| MEX-95 | 370–377 | 7 | Guerrero |
| MEX-95D | 377–460 | 83 | Guerrero, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 460–463 | 3 | Morelos |
| local roads | 463–470 | 7 | Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 470–485 | 15 | Morelos, Guerrero |
| MEX-55 | 485–509 | 24 | Guerrero, State of Mexico |
| local roads | 509–510 | 1 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 184 of this route: Oaxaca → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 456 of this route: Guerrero → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 483 of this route: Morelos → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 491 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 498 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 501 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Huatulco and Tonatico
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Laguna de Manialtepec (mile 82), Chilpancingo Cathedral (mile 373), Museo Regional de Guerrero (mile 373), Cuetlajuchitlán (mile 430), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 490)
- Nature and outdoors: Mermejita (mile 35), Laguna de Manialtepec (mile 82), Lagunas de Chacahua National Park (mile 119), El Veladero National Park (mile 315), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 490)
- Museums and history: Tehuacalco (mile 345), Chilpancingo Cathedral (mile 373), Museo Regional de Guerrero (mile 373), Cuetlajuchitlán (mile 430)
Mermejita
On Oaxaca's central coast just west of Mazunte and San Agustinillo, Mermejita is a small beach village where newcomers have built simple houses from local materials.
Laguna de Manialtepec
About 18 km west of Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca, Laguna de Manialtepec is a coastal lagoon whose Nahuatl name means 'hill where water is born'.
Lagunas de Chacahua National Park
Created in 1937, Lagunas de Chacahua National Park lies in the Oaxaca municipality of Villa de Tututepec de Melchor Ocampo, about 54 km west of Puerto Escondido near the village of Zapotalito.
El Veladero National Park
Covering 3,159 hectares on the high ground that rings Acapulco Bay, El Veladero National Park is a large ecological reserve above the port.
Tehuacalco
Near Chilpancingo, Tehuacalco is an archaeological site tied to the Yope people, with excavation work carried out in the 2000s.
Chilpancingo Cathedral
Chilpancingo's neoclassical cathedral of the Assumption hosted the Congress of Anáhuac in 1813, a key moment of the independence movement whose work led to the Apatzingán Constitution, with its ideas of popular sovereignty and separation of powers.
Museo Regional de Guerrero
Chilpancingo's former Government Palace, a Neoclassical building from 1902, now houses the INAH regional museum, with Mezcala-culture stone miniatures, Manila galleon and independence-era pieces, and four murals around the central courtyard.
Cuetlajuchitlán
Discovered in 1991 while the Autopista del Sol was being built, Cuetlajuchitlán (Los Querende) preserves plazas, ritual baths, sunken courtyards and pink stone walls with drainage channels from a settlement that peaked between 200 BC and AD 200.
Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park
Protected as a national park since 1936, this area near Taxco centers on the Cacahuamilpa caverns, where a guided route of about 4 km passes chambers up to 80 meters high, decorated with flowstone and floor-to-ceiling columns.
More drives to Tonatico
- Valle de Bravo to Tonatico
- Zitácuaro to Tonatico
- Tlalpujahua to Tonatico
- Amealco to Tonatico
- San Juan del Río to Tonatico
- Tequisquiapan to Tonatico
From Huatulco to other places in Mexico
- Huatulco to Capulalpam de Méndez
- Huatulco to San Juan Chamula
- Huatulco to Chipilo
- Huatulco to San Miguel, Morelos
- Huatulco to Ocuituco
- Huatulco to Oaxtepec
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Huatulco to Tonatico?
About 10 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 510 miles.
How far is Tonatico from Huatulco by car?
About 510 miles (821 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Huatulco to Tonatico?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.
Is it safe to drive from Huatulco to Tonatico?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Huatulco to Tonatico?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-95D, MEX-95 and MEX-55. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Huatulco and Tonatico?
Closest to the road: Laguna de Manialtepec (lagoon, mile 82, 0.4 mi from the route); Cuetlajuchitlán (archaeological site, mile 430, 0.1 mi from the route); Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (national park, mile 490, 0.1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.