↑ ↓ to move ↵ to open esc to close
    A low, wide cascade of turquoise water spilling over a rock ledge at Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla, Oaxaca

    Photo by warriorwoman531, CC BY-ND 2.0, via Flickr

    A small waterfall feeding a clear pool in the forest at Copalitilla, Oaxaca

    Photo by warriorwoman531, CC BY-ND 2.0, via Flickr

    Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla

    Waterfall San Miguel del Puerto, Oaxaca Oaxaca Coast

    A run of about 30 waterfalls and swimming pools on the Copalitilla river in the hills behind Huatulco, the area's classic day trip.

    From Salina Cruz: 2 h 25 min by car (150 km by road) How to get there ↓

    Near here

    See everything nearby ↓

    Plan your visit to Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla

    Where to stay near Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla.

    Hotels in Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla

    Day trips and guided outings from Mazunte often include Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Huatulco Tour to Copalitilla Magical Waterfalls from Huatulco with admission included ★ 4.9 (414) · From US$55
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla

    • From Salina Cruz: about 2 h 25 min by road (~150 km)
    • Nearest airport: Huatulco (HUX), 44 min by car to Mazunte
    Rent a car at HUX Flights to HUX

    Route, map and directions ↓

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

    Tours from Huatulco, near Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla

    Tour to Copalitilla Magical Waterfalls from Huatulco with admission included ★ 4.9 (414) 8 h From US$55
    Full Day Tour of the Bays of Huatulco ★ 4.3 (251) 7–8 h From US$40
    Huatulco Ocean Eco Adventures ★ 4.9 (182) 4 h 30 min From US$77
    Cascadas: Puente Colgante + Zona de Clavados ★ 4.9 (173) 7 h From US$53
    Huatulco Walking Food Tour ★ 4.8 (127) 3 h From US$75

    Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.

    About Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla

    The Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla are a chain of waterfalls, rock pools and small caves on the Copalitilla river, a tributary of the Copalita, in the forested foothills of the Sierra Madre del Sur north of Bahías de Huatulco. They lie on the lands of Copalitilla, a small rural settlement in the municipality of San Miguel del Puerto, and are what most Huatulco agencies mean when they sell a "magic waterfalls" tour. Guides count around 30 falls along the stream, the tallest close to 20 m, separated by clear pools deep enough to swim in.

    The drive is part of the outing. From Federal Highway 200 a winding road climbs roughly 20 km into the hills, and the last 5 km or so are dirt; tours take about an hour and a half from the Huatulco hotels. An older route from Santa Cruz runs north past Piedra de los Moros and La Hamaca to cross the Copalita river before climbing to the ranch, about 52 km in all. Mobile signal disappears once the dirt section begins.

    At the site, a path follows the water from pool to pool. Visitors swim, sit under the smaller cascades, jump from marked ledges, poke into little grottoes behind the falls, and cross a hanging bridge; some pools have rope swings. A ranch-style dining room serves meals. Many tours add a stop at coffee farms on the way, such as La Gloria and El Mirador, or at the separate Llano Grande falls further up the same valley, where a single fall drops about 20 m and fewer people go. The name causes some confusion: "Copalitilla" and "Cascadas Mágicas" are the same place, while Hagia Sofía, closer to Santa María Huatulco, is a different park, an orchard and garden with a smaller waterfall.

    How to get to Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla

    Drive from Salina Cruz: 2 h 25 min, 150 km

    Most people go on a day tour from Bahías de Huatulco, with hotel pickup; the ride takes about an hour and a half each way. Driving yourself, leave Federal Highway 200 and follow the paved mountain road for about 20 km, then roughly 5 km of dirt track to the site; a car with good tyres and high clearance is advisable, and there is no phone signal on the last stretch. There is no public transport to the falls.

    Directions to Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Best with a guide Tours to Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla on Viator With transport and a guide, leaving from nearby towns and cities. See prices →

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

    From the nearest cities to Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla: hours, prices and tips

    Entry
    Entry about 100 pesos per person; life-jacket rental (optional) about 150 pesos. Guided tours from Huatulco cost more and usually include entry. Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla (site) · checked Oct 2026
    Time needed
    Allow two to three hours at the falls, or a full day with the drive from Huatulco. Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla (site) · checked Oct 2026
    Guide or tour
    Guides are optional at the site; most visitors come on an organised tour from Huatulco. Tours: Viator GetYourGuide Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla (site) · checked Oct 2026
    What to bring
    Water shoes, swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, insect repellent, water, snacks and cash. Milenio · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla: what to see and do

    Swim in the clear pools between the falls.
    Stand under the smaller cascades and explore the grottoes behind them.
    Jump from the marked ledges into the deeper pools.
    Cross the hanging bridge over the stream.
    Stop at a coffee farm such as La Gloria or El Mirador on the way.
    Add the quieter Llano Grande falls further up the valley.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla.

    See them all on Expedia Booking.com
    Vacation rentals on Vrbo Airbnb

    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Mazunte often include Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at HUX (Huatulco): about 44 min by road to Mazunte, then 53 km more to Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Huatulco (HUX), about 44 min by road from Mazunte, the base for Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    If you plan on swimming and hiking at Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Mazunte: download a map of the way to Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

    Photos

    When to go to Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla warm

    Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla shares the climate of Mazunte, 53 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, November, and December.

    Waterfalls like Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla run fullest in the rainiest months here (June, August, and September) and can thin out at the end of the dry season (March, April, and December).

    See the month-by-month climate of Mazunte

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Mazunte

    Sunset over the bay and headland at Mazunte, Oaxaca warm
    Oaxaca Mazunte

    Mazunte is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Closest to Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla

    Near Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Lists with Cascadas Mágicas de Copalitilla

    Waterfalls in Oaxaca · 3

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.