Explore Oaxaca City: Uncover the Best Sights and Activities

Situated in southern Mexico along the Pacific coast, Oaxaca City is known for its street art, handicrafts and vibrant food scene. I lived in Oaxaca State while working for a university in the nearby city of Miahuatlan, a small, dusty city mostly known as a stopping point for buses on their way from Oaxaca City to San Jose del Pacifico and further on to the coast and Puerto Escondido.

Oaxaca State is a cultural haven, with several indigenous groups dating as far back as 2000BC, most notably the Zapotecs and Mixtecs. This rich heritage is apparent in many of the historic sites in the area to visit, the food, the art and the festivals that the area is famous for. Throughout my time living in Oaxaca, I was able to explore many of the delights on my own and when friends came to visit.

Walking Tours & Street Art

Oaxaca City is a vibrant and colorful, renowned for its vividly painted buildings and street art.

There are several neighborhoods such as Jalatlaco, that are famous for their art, food and general vibes. One of the best ways to not only see the street art and familiarize yourself

with the city is through a walking tour. There are street art specific tours that you can take, I found one particularly interesting as it covered how street art has been used to convey political messages and protests. Oaxaca is a very politically active state, many of these struggles and situations are shared through the street art. There are also free walking tours run by the Yellow Umbrellas at various times throughout the week, the tour takes you by some of the famous buildings and neighborhoods in the city and talks about some of the famous people to come from Oaxaca. Whether you choose a guided tour or just to wander on your own, a walk around the city is a must as you never know what you'll discover!

Monte Alban

Mexico is home to many amazing ruins from a number of ancient civilizations and close to Oaxaca City you can find the lesser-known ruins of Monte Alban. This pre-Columbian archeological site was created by the Zapotecs, it has been explored by many archeologists, but it didn't really start to garner attention until 1931 when there was a large-scale excavation by Mexican archeologist Alfonso Coso and exploration of the site continued for decades after.

Monte Alban is about 9 kilometers (4.5 miles) from Oaxaca City and is reachable by bus, taxi and tour. I prefer taking a taxi, especially if you have 4 or 5 people, as it only costs about 40 pesos per person. Occasionally, there can be long lines of traffic waiting to get in or drop off passengers so going early is advised. It is also important to note that cell service can be spotty so if you take a taxi you may have to wait by the parking lot for a bit to catch a taxi back to the city. Entry to the site is around 80 pesos, I was always able to use my university ID to get in for free, so I'm not quite sure about the price. There are guides that you can hire to guide you through the site, I recommend doing this as there's no information around the site and the guides are knowledgeable.

Mezcal Tasting

Visiting a mezcal plantation and participating in tastings were top requests from visiting friends. Although I don't particularly care for mezcal, I always indulged my friends. Mezcal is the parent liquor to the more popular Tequila, both are made from the agave plant. Mezcal can be made from 30 different types of agave, in contrast tequila is always made from blue agave. There are a variety of different mezcal experiences in Oaxaca, one of my favorites was a guided tasting and food pairing (booked through air bnb experiences) from a mezcal expert as this also a great way to experience some local cuisine. Another popular mezcal experience is spending the night at a mezcal plantation (you can find similar experiences on tequila plantations) where you sleep in a giant barrel, which is pretty fun. A more budget friendly experience is a mezcal tasting as part of a day tour to Hierve el Agua and Mitla.

Hierve el Agua

One of my favorite outings from Oaxaca City is to Hierve el Agua. This stunning natural site

is located 1.5 hours from the city and is a popular day trip. Hierve el Agua is a unique petrified waterfall featuring pools of mineral water and formations that resemble frozen cascades. This illusion of a waterfall was created over thousands of years as the natural springs calcified over the steep cliff face. Hierve elAgua consist of two rock formations: Cascada Chica (small waterfall) about 40 feet, and Cascada Grande (large waterfall) about 100 feet. Archeologists have discovered a 2,500 year-old complex irrigation system under Cascada Chica, believed to have been used by the Zapotec.

Before relaxing in the pools, I recommend hiking down to the base of the cliff and enjoy views of this special formation from different angles. There are changing rooms, bathrooms, and huts that you can rent and spend the night at the top of the cliff. There are also numerous vendors selling drinks and snacks, you can buy a drink to enjoy while in the pools or after. Despite the name Hierve el Agua translating to "boiling water" the pools are in fact not hot

Enjoying the mineral pools

springs and stay pretty cool year-round. The water level in the blue-green pools is dependent on the season (wet vs dry) and how the surrounding scenery looks is also dependent on that (green vs brown). As I mentioned you can rent a hut and spend the night on top of Hierve el Agua, if you're interested in astrophotography I highly recommend this option, you do need your own sleep system (sleeping bag, blankets etc). One thing to note is that due to conflicts between the local community and indigenous community, the community sometimes closes access to Hierve el Agua so it's best to ask around before setting off. The community does charge an entry fee which was 80 pesos the last time I visited.

Mitla

Mitla is the second most important archeological in Oaxaca and the most in Zapotec culture. The name Mitla is derived from the name Mictlan which means "place of the dead" and is a sacred burial site, what makes this site unique, and notable are the mosaics and geometric designs that cover the tombs, no other archeological site has these kinds of

intricate designs. The mosaics are made of polished stone and fit together without the use of mortar.

I visited Mitla as a day trip and spent the night to enjoy the ruins and Christmas markets; both were very enjoyable. A stop in Mitla is popular as part of day tours that include El Arbor del Tule, Hierve el Agua and Mezcal tastings. Time will most likely dictate whether you choose an overnight experience or just a stop during the day, either way you will definitely enjoy your visit!

El Arbor del Tule

Do you like really big trees? If so a visit to El Arbor del Tule is for you, even if you're not into trees this makes a fun stop on your itinerary. El Arbor del Tule is recognized as having the widest trunk in the world, just slightly edging out General Sherman, the tallest tree in the world, a giant Sequoia that you can read more about here along with my trip to Sequoia National Park. A fun way to visit El Arbor del Tule is a bike tour from Oaxaca to Santa Maria del Tule (the city where the tree is located) or during a day tour to visit a number of popular sites around Oaxaca City. There is also an artist market and a variety of street food stalls where you can try Tlayudas and Chapulinas among other fun things.

El Jardin Etnobotanical

A hidden gem in Oaxaca is the botanical garden, since the pandemic it has operated on more limited hours but is definitely worth the visit. Set on the grounds of a 16th century monastery, the 2.32 acres showcases Oaxaca's biodiversity, particularly the variety of cacti. Most of my visits I had the place to myself, but during high season (especially Guelaguetza) there was company, but not nearly as many as other popular tourist locations.

Guelaguetza

Guelaguetza is a celebration of the indigenous culture of Oaxaca. 30% of the population coming from indigenous backgrounds, Guelaguetza shows just how strong indigenous culture is within the state. This vibrant festival showcases different styles of dancing with participants sporting traditional costumes. Each costume and dance typically has historical and cultural meaning related to the community that it originates from.

While the festival has its origins in ritual, it was turned into a festival in the 1920s following an earthquake that devastated Oaxaca City. The city's leadership felt they needed to do something to increase moral in the city and reorganized and renamed the festival, it was previously a festival to celebrate Our Lady of Mount Carmel as the in many Latin American countries indigenous practices were coopted into Catholic celebrations. With the reorganization, the festival started to change and evolve to encourage participants from each region to showcase their dances. Along with music and dance, the festival also showcases food from different regions, and while you may need an open mind for some of the ingredients, it is certainly worth trying.

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

Thanks to the James Bond film Spectre, Day of the Dead became Mexico's most popular festival. Prior to the film there were no large parades or big events, but as interest increased in the festival Mexico saw a chance to capitalize and did so. Traditionally celebrated at the beginning of November, Dia de los Muertos is a time for families and friends gathering together to remember and pay their respects to those who have passed away. There are many traditions connected with this holiday such as marigolds, creating ofrendas, and pan de muerto. This festival isn't just about the dead, it's also an opportunity to gift sugar skulls to friends and write fake epitaphs.

In Oaxaca it is typical to see many people (especially tourists) dress up as Catrina, a figure widely associated with Dia de los Muertos and there is some debate about her origins: is

she based on an Aztec god or was she created to mock the upper class for copying European fashion? You decide. It is certainly worth it to pay for a photo experience that includes a Catrina costume along with hair and makeup as a fun way to remember your visit to Oaxaca. If you want to visit a graveyard, either try to go as part of a tour or be extremely respectful that unlike the parades and other events, they aren't actually a tourist attraction and be respectful of those who are visiting graves.

The list of things to do and see in Oaxaca could go on and on, so maybe this is more of a highlight reel. And while it's not as heavily visited as areas such as Cancun or Riviera Maya, Oaxaca does get its fair share of tourists and during festivals accommodation has to be booked months in advance. If you're looking for an area rich in culture, delicious food, and lots of little gems, the colorful Oaxaca City is the place for you!