Day of the Dead in Huatulco: Altars, face painting, local homes

You decorate a tomb that has been forgotten, so someone rests there with flowers and light on this night.

The Day of the Dead tour in Huatulco takes you through three pantheons on November 1 and 2 to witness altars, offerings and traditions across the indigenous town and municipal sites, with the option to paint your face as Catrina or Catrín and the chance to decorate an abandoned grave alongside your guide. You'll end the morning at a local family's home, where they open their altar and share the history of their ancestors while you eat tamales, chocolate, coffee and pan de muerto. Hotel pickup is included, the guide speaks English or Spanish, and children from age 4 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day of the Dead tour in Huatulco

• Transportation picks up at hotel lobby
• Visit Santa Cruz Huatulco pantheon
• Paint faces as Catrina or Catrín
• Tour pantheon and learn customs
• Visit Santa María Huatulco municipal pantheon
• Admire decorations and altars
• Decorate a forgotten tomb together
• Visit local family home and altar
• Enjoy tamales, chocolate, coffee, and pan de muerto

The experience

Cempasúchil flowers and candles fill the pantheons of Santa Cruz Huatulco and Santa María Huatulco as families honor their dead. The tour starts with hotel pickup and takes you first to the Santa Cruz pantheon, where you can choose to have your face painted as a Catrina or Catrín (the skeleton figures central to the celebration), or walk through the grounds with the rest of the group to learn how the traditions unfold. The decorations and offerings shift between the two pantheons. You'll see how the same holiday lives differently in the municipal site and in the indigenous town.

The second stop is where the tour becomes participatory. At the municipal pantheon of Santa María Huatulco, you and your guide will locate a tomb that has been left without flowers or light, and together you'll decorate it: placing cempasúchil and candles so that whoever rests there receives the same care and remembrance as the rest. It's one of the moments the operator calls most special, and it's not something you watch from the side.

The tour closes at a local family's home, where they've prepared their altar and opened their doors to explain it. They'll walk you through each element (the photographs, the food, the candles), and tell you about the ancestors they're honoring. While they talk, you'll eat tamales, drink hot chocolate and coffee, and taste pan de muerto, the sweet bread baked for this holiday. The whole experience runs about four hours, and an air-conditioned vehicle handles the transport between sites. A mezcal tasting is included as well.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• mezcal and hot chocolate tasting.
• typical Oaxacan food including tamales, pan de muerto, coffee and chocolate.
• a live guide in English or Spanish.
• access to three pantheons and a local family's home and altar.

Before you book

Days and timesMondayDeparts at 18:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (10 to 61 years) · Child (4 to 9 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 5.49

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Ocean Travel

Is this one for you?This tour suits travelers who want to participate in Day of the Dead rather than observe it from a distance. You'll have the option to paint your face, you'll decorate a tomb alongside your guide, and you'll sit in a family's home while they explain their altar. If you prefer to watch and learn without hands-on involvement, a standard sightseeing tour would fit better.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 9 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

Can I get my face painted as a Catrina or Catrín on this tour?

Face painting is available at the Santa Cruz pantheon, though the tour notes it's optional. You can walk through the pantheon with the group instead if you prefer. The cost of face painting is not included in the tour price.

What happens at the local family's home at the end?

A local family opens their altar and explains the meaning of each element (the photos, the offerings, the decorations), while sharing stories about their ancestors. You'll eat tamales, pan de muerto, hot chocolate and coffee as part of the visit, following the custom of the holiday.

What does the tour include to eat and drink?

The tour includes typical Oaxacan food, tamales, pan de muerto, hot chocolate, coffee and a mezcal tasting. These are served at the local family's home and during the stops.

How do I get picked up, and where does the tour start?

Hotel pickup is included in the tour price. Transportation will arrive at your hotel or accommodation lobby and take you to the pantheons in an air-conditioned vehicle.

When does this tour run?

The Day of the Dead tour operates on November 1 and 2, the dates of the Día de Muertos celebration in Mexico.