10 Best Things to do in Oaxaca
Explore the colourful colonial streets, celebrate Dia de Muertos, hike in the breathtaking Pueblos Mancomunados, and swim in natural pools on the edge of a frozen waterfall. These are just some of the incredible things to do in Oaxaca, read on to discover more!
Oaxaca is a firm favourite amongst visitors to Mexico and you’ll quickly see why. The city oozes charm through its colourful colonial architecture, ancient archaeological ruins, traditional festivals, art, breathtaking natural scenery and wonderful food.
A few days in captivating Oaxaca City will undoubtedly steal your hearts; I was hooked as soon as I stepped off the bus. Everywhere I turned buildings were different colours, the smells of delicious food were wafting through the streets and there was an incredible buzz about the place.
In this guide to the best things to do in Oaxaca, I’ll cover the top Oaxaca activities, the best places to visit in Oaxaca and everything you need to know including where to stay, how to get there, the best time to visit and more.
Our Top Tip: Oaxaca is pronounced “wa-ha-ka”.
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Contents
Things to do in Oaxaca
Explore the Zocalo
One of the first things to do in Oaxaca is to explore the Zocalo. The Zocalo is the heart of Oaxaca City; a bustling plaza filled with historical buildings, hawker stalls and restaurants.
Gigantic trees make a welcome respite from the sun and it’s one of the best places to visit in Oaxaca to soak up the ambience and watch the world go by. Popular with both sightseeing tourists during the day and Mexican families enjoying each other’s company in the evenings, it’s the best place to get a feel of what Oaxaca has to offer.
You’ll quickly notice how colourful Mexico is and around Oaxaca’s Zocalo is no different. You’ll see hawker stalls selling souvenirs, knick-knacks, handicrafts, textiles and even carpets of every colour imaginable.
The Zocalo’s perimeter is lined with numerous restaurants, bars and cafes with shaded seats under umbrellas; ideal when you need a rest. Prices here are slightly inflated compared to other parts of the city, but it’s still worth grabbing a drink or a small bite to experience the atmosphere.
Celebrate Dia de Muertos in Oaxaca
One of my absolute favourite things to do in Oaxaca was to celebrate Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead).
Oaxaca is renowned as being one of the best places in Mexico to celebrate Day of the Dead. The city is home to some of Mexico’s liveliest festivities which take place from 31st October to 2nd November.
Day of the Dead is a time when people remember and honour deceased loved ones. It’s not a day of sadness, but rather, a day that celebrates the lives of the deceased with parties, food, drink and other activities that the dead relished in life.
Day of the Dead acknowledges that death is a natural part of the human experience and on this one day a year (2nd November), their spirits return to be with their families and join in the celebrations.
Decorations are hung up everywhere and Mexico is an explosion of colour at this time. Fascinating alters, colourful sand tapestries, skeletons hanging out of windows and people dressed up wearing vibrant makeup are just some of the things you’ll expect to see.
Festivities consist of brightly-coloured market places, vigils in cemeteries and night-time camparsas which are traditional parades symbolising the return of the dead. The comparsas include costumed performers and marching bands winding their ways around the streets singing and dancing. It’s great fun to join in!
Our Top Tip: book your accommodation in Oaxaca well in advance. Everything gets booked up months before Day of the Dead!
Visit the Templo de Santo Domingo
Next on our list of things to do in Oaxaca is to visit the Templo de Santo Domingo.
Built between 1570 and 1608, the Templo de Santa Domingo is the most famous and beautiful of Oaxaca’s churches. The church is a wonderful example of Oaxacan religious architecture from the colonial period and is considered to be one of the finest examples of Dominican architecture in Mexico.
Dominican friars designed the church and native workers built it. This collision of two very different cultures and traditions resulted in some magnificent art and architecture.
If you need a break from the hustle and bustle of the Zocalo, the small square in front of the church is a peaceful spot to relax under a shaded tree. The church’s exterior, with its finely carved baroque architecture, is a delight to photograph and the interior features a 17th-century baroque design with intricate gilded wood and plasterwork.
Our Top Tip: the area around the church has some amazing street food stalls in the evenings.
Hike in the Pueblos Mancomunados
One of the most unique things to do in Oaxaca is to hike in the Pueblos Mancomunados.
Located high in the mountains, the Pueblos Mancomunados are eight remote villages protected under a unique ecotourism project. They are self-governing and operate under different customs and laws than the rest of Mexico.
Zapotec’s inhabit the eight villages; an indigenous people of Mexico. For centuries, the villages pooled together their natural resources and shared profits from forestry and other enterprises.
In recent years, however, they’ve also turned to ecotourism to help with economic hardships. There are currently 120 local people working in tourism and attract 17,000 visitors annually. Ninety per cent of the money goes directly back into the communities with ten per cent towards administration.
There are over 100 kilometres of walking trails between the villages where you’ll be rewarded with spectacular landscapes such as canyons, caves, waterfalls and panoramic lookouts. You can also stay in the villages for an up-close experience with Zapotec village life.
Our Top Tip: although you don’t technically need a guide to hike in this region, I’d recommend having one. It was fascinating learning about the villages and their way of life and the money goes directly back into the communities.
Explore the Monte Alban Ruins
Mexico is full of archaeological sites providing a deep insight into how ancient cultures lived. Teotihuacan close to Mexico City was one of the most popular cultural centres in Mesoamerica, Palenque, with its tropical jungle setting, is one of the most documented Mayan archaeological ruins, and Chichen Itza is one of the most sacred sites in Mexico.
Visiting the Monte Alban pyramids is one of the best things to do in Oaxaca and one of the best Oaxaca day trips. This was one of the earliest cities in Mesoamerica and is believed to have been one of the Zapotecs’ major cultural centres.
Initial construction has been placed around 8th century BCE with Zapotec occupation by about the 1st century BCE. It contained great plazas, truncated pyramids, underground passageways and about 170 tombs.
The city flourished in its third phase between 300 and 900 CE which corresponds to the Classic Period. Little is known about Monte Alban’s fourth period except that it somehow lost its political dominance and was abandoned.
In the city’s final phase, which continued up until the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, the Mixtec inhabited Monte Alban and used it as a burial site for their elite.
Take a Dip in the Pools at Hierve el Agua
Confusingly translated to ‘boiling water’, Hierve el Agua appears to be frozen water cascading off the cliffs into the valley below and is another of the best Oaxaca day trips. In actual fact, this natural phenomenon was created by mineral water that pushed through karstic limestone, depositing the minerals from the middle of the rock onto the mountain’s edge.
Over thousands of years, the minerals calcified into rock formations similarly to how cave stalactites are formed. The “falls” were so named for the phenomenon of mineral deposits “boiling” on the mountainside.
Hierve el Agua is located in a gorgeous setting with panoramic mountain vistas. There are also two warm mineral pools at the cliff edge you can swim in and soak up the atmosphere. Perfect to cool off after the steep hike!
Getting to Hierve el Agua
If you want to travel independently, take a collectivo (shared taxi) or a local bus from Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos by the baseball stadium to San Pablo de Mitla; 45 kilometres from Oaxaca City. The bus costs 20 MXN one-way and the taxi around 30-40 MXN.
From San Pablo de Mitla, take a Camionete (pick-up truck) from outside the bus station which will cost around 100 MXN one-way.
Allow for the journey to take up to two hours each way.
Alternatively, there are numerous tours combining Hierve el Agua with other sites such as El Arbol del Tule and a mezcal distillery. These are worth doing to visit multiple places as they’ll often work out cheaper and more convenient than visiting them all on your own.
There’s an entrance fee of 50 MXN.
Savour Oaxaca's Local Food
One of the must-do things to do in Oaxaca (well, throughout Mexico) is to try the local food! Mexican food, in general, is delicious, but Oaxaca is known for regional specialities that aren’t as easy to find elsewhere in Mexico.
The most typical Oaxacan dish is tlayuda. Served on a large, lightly fried tortilla and covered with beans, meat, avocado, salsa, lettuce and a lot of Oaxaca cheese, it’s incredibly yummy! You’ll stumble across these everywhere in the city so make sure you try them at least once.
Although you’ll find mole served across Mexico, its origins lie in Oaxaca so what better place to try it?! Mole is a sauce made from between 20 and 40 different ingredients. It’s a key component in many feasts and celebrations and in Oaxaca in particular, it’s often valued over the dish it’s topping!
In Oaxaca alone, there are seven different types of mole and although they all involve different ingredients, they typically include a combination of sesame seeds, spices, dried fruits, nuts, chillies and tomatillos.
One final local dish I’ll mention is steamy cobs that you’ll find pretty much on every street. They’re slathered in mayonnaise and sprinkled with chilli powder, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and a squeeze of lime juice. I promise they taste a lot better than they sound!!
Do a Mezcal Tasting
One of the most fun things to do in Oaxaca is a mezcal tasting. Mezcal is widely drunk around Mexico, however, some of the most famous varieties come from Oaxaca.
Mezcal can be produced from any type of agave plant and due to the underground roasting of the plant, has a unique smoky taste. The difference between mezcal and tequila is that tequila can only be made from blue agave. Tequila is actually a type of mezcal. Additionally, the agave that’s used to produce tequila is roasted in ovens rather than in the underground pits.
There are various tours you can do in Oaxaca where you’ll learn about each step of the production process from collecting the agave through to the finished product. Alternatively, there are countless mezcalaries around the city you can pop into and do your own tastings.
Visit a Market
Markets are an integral part of daily life in Mexico. From modern-day food halls to busy trading bazaars, the country’s markets come in all shapes and sizes and sell everything you can possibly think of. From locally made handicrafts, souvenirs, jewellery and clothes to delicious food and colourful carpets, the list is endless. They’re the essence of Mexico and a treat to all our senses!
One of the best Oaxaca activities is to visit some of Mexico’s best markets scattered around the city each with its unique draw.
Oaxaca’s most well-known market is Mercado Benito Juarez located just off the Zocalo. It’s packed full of locally produced coffee beans, juices, woven baskets, mole powders and the famous grasshopper tacos if you’re feeling brave!
Next door is Mercado 20 de Noviembre with more of a focus on textiles and clothes. You’ll come across things such as leather sandals, brightly coloured blouses, table runners, cushion covers and other embroidered fabric. The market is also full of various food stalls so arrive hungry!
In addition to the markets, Oaxaca City is home to numerous roaming street traders so keep your eyes peeled for various other locally-produced goodies.
Admire El Arbol del Tule
It’s also believed to be one of the oldest trees in the world. Its existence has been spoken about for more than 2,000 years by both the Aztecs and the Spanish who founded Oaxaca City.
If you use your imagination and look closely, you may be able to make out some human faces, monsters, goblins, jaguars and other animals in its knotted trunk.
Visiting El Arbol del Tule is one of the top Oaxaca day trips and you can reach the town via shuttle or collectivo from Oaxaca City.
Where to Stay in Oaxaca
When deciding where to stay in Oaxaca, I’d recommend staying centrally located, within walking distance of the Zocalo. The top Oaxaca activities are close by so you won’t need to use public transport unless venturing out of the city. Bear in mind however that the closer you stay to the Zocalo, the pricier it will be.
If you’re planning to visit Oaxaca for Day of the Dead, book your accommodation well in advance!!
Getting to Oaxaca
The cheapest way to get to Oaxaca is by bus. ADO is the most popular bus company and the only one I travelled with. They offer different levels of luxury but even with the cheapest option (OCC), the seats recline, there’s plenty of legroom and the buses have air conditioning. With a higher budget, there’s GL class which offers more luxury and plush chairs.
If you’re travelling from Mexico City, there are frequent buses to Oaxaca with a journey time of around 7 hours. I’d recommend booking your buses at least 2 days before you want to travel which can be done online or at the bus station.
Flying is also a popular way of getting to Oaxaca as it has an international airport. There are direct flights from Los Angeles, alternatively, you can fly via Mexico City and hop on a domestic flight that takes less than an hour. From the airport, it’s a 20-minute drive to Oacaxa City via taxi or shuttle.
Everything Else You Need to Know
The best time to visit Oaxaca
December to April are the driest months for Mexico as a whole. Although this means the best weather it also means more crowds and higher prices.
The rainy season is June to October but the coast is affected the most. Hardly any rain falls in Northern Mexico and Central Mexico usually experiences short, heavy afternoon showers. If you can time your visit to Oaxaca with Day of the Dead then 100% do so!
How long to spend in Oaxaca
I’d recommend a very minimum of two nights to cover some of the best things to do in Oaxaca. Depending on how many Oaxaca day trips you’d like to do, allow for an extra day for each.
If you plan on visiting the Pueblos Mancomunados, allow for an extra night. Keep your luggage in a hotel in Oaxaca and take a day bag with you. Check back into the same hotel for another night in Oaxaca on your return.
Visa
As a UK passport holder, you don’t need a visa to visit Mexico as a tourist. You will, however, need to complete an immigration form and have this with you when you enter and leave the country.
Currency
Mexico uses the peso. At the time of writing 1 USD is 17.20 MXN.
Plug used in Mexico
Mexico uses plug types A and B. Both have two flat parallel pins and B has a grounding pin.
I hope you’ve found this post helpful in deciding the top things to do in Oaxaca. Feel free to leave a comment or contact us if you have any questions or just want to say hi 🙂
If you’re heading to Central America as part of a larger trip, make sure to check out our Central America page for guides to Guatemala and Belize.