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Oaxaca was hands down my favourite region we got to explore in Mexico. There are many reasons to fall in love with it! It’s incredibly rich in tradition and cultures, counts as the epicentre of Mexico’s food culture and features some of the most fascinating colonial architecture. It also encompasses thousands of archeological sites, including some of the most important settlements of the Mixtecs and Zapotecs indigenous people. And in addition to all this, it is blessed with a tropical coastline featuring some of the best surfing breaks and countless lush beaches!
Oaxaca has the biggest indigenous population of Mexico making up almost half of its entire population!
At the centre of it all is the colonial city of Oaxaca – a vibrant and colourful place with crumbling but beautiful architecture.
Oaxaca truly has it all! And the best part? It’s nowhere near as busy and overrun with tourists as Yucatan. It also attracts a different kind of traveller. There are much fewer tourists on 2 weeks vacations here and it’s a far cry from the all-inclusive holidays offered in other regions of Mexico. Most travellers we met spend a good few weeks or months in Oaxaca. And it always features as a highlight of any overland travel across Mexico!
For more inspiration check out TOP 20 THINGS TO DO IN MEXICO or watch our travels through Mexico on YouTube!
1. Oaxaca City
A special welcome to Oaxaca
Oaxaca City decided to welcome us in a very special way. Flash Floods! We often get caught up in torrential rain. No surprise there. But within minutes the streets were flooded. The current of the water put a lot of pressure on our fully loaded motorbike. It was pretty scary! Eventually the water was so high that it covered the exhaust. There was no stopping now!
Safe to travel?
Keep An eye out for floodS and landslide warnings when travelling!!
It felt like we were floating on the motorbike. I was very conscious that if I dropped the bike it would be submerged in water, including our electronics. Some minutes later we had to leave the tarmac for a dirt road. It wasn’t flooded as badly but the water had made it slick and muddy. The dirt road led us to our hotel.
We finally stopped the bike, feeling relieved and happy. And within thirty minutes all the water in the city had disappeared, as though nothing ever happened!
Oaxaca’s myths and legends
Our host felt terribly guilty that we got caught up in flash floods. He was a student and only checks people in late afternoon. This pushed our arrival time back significantly. He was super sweet and concerned. We reassured him that everything was fine but he insisted that we join his ‘Nocturnal walk of urban legends’ in the evening. We had no clue what is was but happily accepted his kind offer.
It turned out to be a pretty awesome tour through Oaxaca city that not only took us around all the main sights but taught us about the many myths and legends. We even learned about the plants shamans use to rid people of bad aura.
I’m not saying you MUST go on a guided walking tour. In fact, Fiona and I aren’t big fans of guided tours at all. But this by chance experience was a great introduction into the many traditions and superstitions of the local people of Oaxaca.
Mercado 20 de Noviembre Food Market
Oaxaca is truly a little food heaven! No other place in Mexico has such traditional and colourful food markets. And ‘Mercado 20 de Noviembre’ is the best place to start. We were lucky enough for our host José to show us around, educate us about local specialities and take our taste buds on a journey!
Oaxaca Moles, Entomatadas, Tamales, Memelitas, Enfrijolades … We tried to buy lots of small portions to try as many dishes as possible. Eventually we were all full! But Jose insisted we couldn’t leave without trying Tlayudas. A large tortilla flatbread, topped with refried beans, tomato, avocado, your choice of meat and of course the most important of all: delicious tangy Oaxacan cheese.
We were totally stuffed at this point but decided to share one nontheless. It was simply delicious and I probably had one Tlayuda every day throughout our stay in Oaxaca. They are not easily found in other parts of Mexico and it’s actually my favourite Mexican food if I had to pick only one dish!
The best way to explore Oaxaca city
As much as we appreciated our kind host showing us around, we had the best time when we decided to explore Oaxaca City the next day by getting lost in it. In the daylight we could take in all the impressive architecture, vibrant colours and infectious vibe of the city.
MAIN SIGHTS OF OAXACA
-Templo de Santo Domino
– Catedral de Nuestra Señora de La Asunción
– Basilica de Nuestra señora de la soledad
– Templo de San Felipe Neri
– Iglesia de La Compania
– Palacio de Gobierno
– Zócalo Plaza
– Museum of Oaxan Cultures
ANDADOR TURÍSTICO is a TRAFFIC-FREE PEDESTRIAN STREET leading right through the centre!
We’d seen other beautiful colonial towns and cities in Mexico but none of them felt as authentic as Oaxaca City! The colonial houses have not been refurbished to look picture perfect for tourists and some parts of town looked pretty neglected. But that’s exactly what made it feel so authentic. San Miguel de Allende felt like Disneyland in contrast!
We passed a lot of people playing instruments and making music together as we walked around Oaxaca city. None of it felt touristy. There is no one going round collecting money. It rather feels like a bunch of friends getting together to play. The vibe of the city is really incredible!
2. Hierve el Agua
Getting here
This incredibly beautiful place can be reached by 1.5 hours drive (42 miles) from Oaxaca City and makes for a perfect day trip! I have to tell you that locals strongly advised AGAINST driving here by yourself. The reason being frequent roadblocks. Many tourists experience issues in this particular part of Mexico!
BEWARE OF ILLEGAL ROADBLOCKS !
If you encounter ILLEGAL roadblocks, it’s best NOT TO ARGUE & Pay a small fee to pass!
Oaxaca & Chiapas are two of the poorest regions of Mexico.
We do genuinely take such advice very seriously and we also know that many tourists have run into difficulties here. But I was reluctant to join an organised bus tour and we knew that we’d be having to deal with roadblocks throughout Oaxaca and Chiapas. Luckily, we had no issues at all!
The last part of the ride was a narrow, windy dirt road. It was fun riding our Adventure Bike here and the views were truly spectacular!
Get here early if you want to avoid the crowds
We heard it can get pretty busy so we set off super early in the morning. And much to our delight we got here before all the tour buses arrived and people started queuing just to take a picture. It is moments like these when I am most grateful for being an overlander!
Hierve el Agua is breath-taking but can feel very touristy when it’s busy. We hung out here for about 10 min. Although it wasn’t busy people behind us started taking pictures shortly after we got here. So we left soon after to hike and explore the area!
Hierve el Agua translate into ‘boiling water’. But don’t be fooled!
The water is not thermal and can actually be quite cold
if you aren’t visiting on a hot, sunny day!
Go for a hike
Most people go for a hike to see the calcified waterfalls. Don’t let the name mislead you though. You won’t see actual waterfalls! The water that continuously spills over the mountain’s edge, is rich in minerals, creating what appears to be a cascading waterfall.
If you go on a hike you’ll be able to get a view of “cascade de sal” (salt waterfalls), “cascadas petrificadas” (petrified waterfalls) and “cascadas pétreas” (rock waterfalls). The hike offers stunning views of the surrounding mountain range!
Fiona taking in the view from our picnic stop 
Petrified Waterfalls
I highly recommend it because “just” visiting the main site “cascada chica” can feel very touristy. Once you park up, you pass many restaurants and tourist shops on the short way to it. If you aren’t here first thing in the morning, you’ll probably have to queue to take a picture. But the area is truly beautiful and going for a hike allows you to get away from the crowds completely. It’s certainly more than a stunning photo op. So make sure you bring some water and allow at least 3 hours for your visit!
It may not always look like the pictures on social media
Fiona and I got very lucky. We visited on a warm sunny day with bright blue sky. The water had a green colour and the whole setting looked picture perfect. We got here so early that we ended up with awesome shots (visiting mid October).
We met a couple of travellers some time later in Guatemala. They were heading to Mexico and immediately pinned Hierve el Agua on their travel map. They got there late January on a pretty dull day. There was no water at all in the pools and the place kind of seemed to have lost its magic.
I honestly don’t know the best time of year to visit but when you look at people’s pictures you realise it doesn’t always look the same. Sometimes you can see very vibrant colours and other times it just looks grey. Just something to be aware of to avoid disappointment!
Don’t miss this on your way back to Oaxaca City
There is a cute, little town called Santa Maria de Tule which makes a great stop on your way back. Most organised tours stop here for Arbol de Tule: the widest tree in the world. It is located inside a gated churchyard. You can see it for free but if you want to touch it, you’ll need to pay a fee to get passed the gate. The gate is very short and you’ll have an unrestricted view even if you don’t pay though. So we didn’t feel the need to.
Was it my highlight of Oaxaca? Not really. But I did think this was a nice stop on our way back. As it’s quite a touristy place there are many food stands. We had a couple of delicious Tlayudas here!
3. Ruins of Monte Alban
Monte Alban is a pre-Columbian archaeological site which served as the capital of the Zapotec civilisation from around 500 BC to 800 AD. It is located only 6 miles from Oaxaca city and makes for a great day trip!
Monte Alban features ruins of the great plazas, pyramids, underground passages and a court for the famous mesomerican ball game: tlachatli. It also offers outstanding views of the surrounding valley. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in Mesoamerica and a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.
Monte Alban receives significantly less tourists than other archaeological sites in Yucatan for example. It doesn’t have that commercial feel about it! The entrance isn’t lined with tourists stands. It’s not crowded like other sites and we really enjoyed walking around, exploring the ruins and taking in the views. You can’t miss a visit to Monte Alban if you make it to Oaxaca!
4. Mazunte: Oaxaca’s Hippie Hangout
Fiona and I rode many hours through the Sierra Madre mountain range of Oaxaca. It was a long, beautiful but also exhausting ride. Our first stop was going to be Mazunte. Many people had recommended stopping here. We heard it was cute, had a great vibe and is located right by the beach. It sounded like the perfect spot for us!
As we got closer we realised Mazunte was even smaller than we had imagined. There were no tarmac roads once we left the mountains. The main road was a dirt road with coffee shops, restaurants and little boutique shops on each side. But somehow we felt totally out of place.
What to expect
Mazunte is a hippie hang out. It attracts travellers looking for soul searching, yoga and meditation retreats. We even saw spiritual healing classes on offer. Nearly everyone walks around barefoot and there is a distinct vibe to this place. Rolling in on our BMW Adventure Bike didn’t attract a warm welcome. At least that’s how I felt! There is a strong sense of community here and we were sticking out like a sore thumb, especially fully geared in our heavy Adventure Boots.
You can definitely tell apart people that are ‘permanently’ living here. And I’m not sure how welcome tourists are that are ‘just passing by’. To my surprise Mazunte felt a little snobbish! This was certainly not one of the most welcoming places we had visited. So why did I feel like I wanted to stay?
Something about Mazunte just draws you in
As soon as we arrived we checked into one of the many AirBnBs around, had a much needed shower and swapped our heavy motorbike gear for some beachwear. Right outside our AirBnB was a little French bakery. Not something we had come across before throughout our four months travels through Mexico. I couldn’t resist of course and to my surprise the coffee and pastry were outstanding! I was delighted – breakfast for the next few days was sorted and I was looking forward to it!
No shortage of healthy, organic foods
As we started walking around we couldn’t help but be surprised by all the healthy, organic and delicious eateries here. Exotic smoothies, buddha bowls, gluten free food, vegetarian restaurants … but luckily you can still find Tlayudas and other Oaxacan specialities among all this fancyness!
Next, we walked to to the beach. There are a couple of bars / coffee shops that extend their terrace right onto the beach. We stopped for a drink and were excited about exploring the Oaxacan coastline in the coming days. On the way back we had the best wood oven pizza we had in a looooong time. (And yes, we had a few of those during our stay). After sunset, Mazunte lights up and is just such a cute place to go out for food or have a drink.
Honestly, I could see how people pass by and never leave
It’s such a relaxing place that I could have easily stayed for a month or two to unwind. The only thing you should be aware of is that internet down here is very hit and miss. So if you are a digital nomad that requires a stable internet connection, you’ll probably struggle. If you want to switch off completely and disconnect for a while on the contrary, Mazunte is the perfect place to do it!
Don’t Miss Sunset at Punta Cometa
Punta Cometa is Oaxaca’s southernmost point with stunning views of the surrounding coastline. The sunsets from up here are simply magical! It’s easily accessible by foot from Mazunte. The short hike only took us around 25 min.
Most people gather approximately around the same point, but you can definitely spread out or watch the sunset from the beach if you want to get away from the crowds. You should definitely make time to visit if you are staying in Mazunte or passing through.
5. Puerto Escondido – Oaxaca’s stunning coastline!
Exploring the coastline by bike and beach hopping was so much fun! The stretch around Puerto Escondido in particular is a little surfer’s paradise but equally perfect if you just want to chill on the beach!
My Top 3 Beaches in Oaxaca
Playa Carrizalillo was my all time favourite beach in Oaxaca! In order to get to it you’ll need to walk down 160 concrete steps. The view from the top is simply breath-taking, overlooking the lush coastline. The steps will lead you to a sheltered beach with consistent swell to catch some small to medium sized waves. There are a few beach bars next to swaying coconut palm trees and this place just has the most relaxed vibe. There is a surf school and/or surfboard rental as well. I fell in love with this place instantly!
Puerto Angelito is the next beach up featuring a small idyllic cove where you’ll find fishing boats, beach bars and much calmer waters. It’s definitely better for swimming and snorkelling. What I liked in particular was that this beach attracted more locals, not just tourists!
Playa Mazanillo is the the next beach along but you can actually walk to it from Puerto Angelito. It’s only separated by a rocky outcrop. Again, it’s very safe for swimming and the calm waters make it a great snorkelling stop. I can’t comment on how good the snorkelling is but we found a beautiful bar at the end of the beach with comfy lounge chairs and spent a perfect afternoon on the beach. It wasn’t crowded at all and in fact very quiet but we have heard it can get pretty busy at weekends!
The ultimate surfing paradise of Oaxaca
Playa Zicatela is the best-known surfing spot in Oaxaca and perhaps even the whole of Mexico. The beach is 3.5km long but can be unsafe for beginner surfers or swimmers due to the strong currents. I have to say I much preferred the smaller sheltered beaches, and even for surfing Playa Carizalillo had more appeal to me. But if you are an experienced surfer or just want that endless walk on the beach then Playa Zicatela is worth checking out. Just be aware it can get pretty windy up here!
Are you ready to fall in love with Oaxaca?
Leaving Oaxaca was as troublesome as arriving during flash floods. It had been raining for days and the dirt roads were very slick and muddy, especially on a heavy and fully-loaded adventure bike. But of course we were totally fine with this excuse to extend our stay before the long ride back through the mountains.
Oaxaca is such an incredible place to visit and hopefully we have been able to provide you with a taste of what it has to offer and why a visit to Oaxaca is so much more rewarding than tourist hotspots like Baja California or Yucatan.
Have you been to Oaxaca? Has it had the same effect on you? Or are you still planning your trip to come and visit? If you have any questions just let us know. We’d love to hear from you and share any tips as always 🙂
