This two-week adventure explores Oaxaca’s most fascinating, charming, and simply beautiful places. First-time visitors will want to spend their time in and around Oaxaca City [1] and valley [2] and enjoy a few days relaxing on the coast [3].
Although you could successfully begin this itinerary most any day of the week, the ideal would be to plan your Thursday, Friday, and Sunday for visiting the Valley of Oaxaca [2] towns of Zaachila [4], Ocotlán [5], and Tlacolula [6], when their tianguis (native markets) are at their biggest and best. The itinerary below starts in Oaxaca City [1] on a Monday.
Monday: Arrive in Oaxaca City. Stroll the zócalo (central plaza), visiting the cathedral and mysterious Santa Cruz de Huatulco at the Catedral de Oaxaca [7]. Take a table and enjoy the scene and dinner at a plaza-front café, or at Casa de la Abuela upstairs.
Tuesday: After breakfast, stroll through the Mercado Juárez [8] and continue to the adjacent San Juan de Dios church and market. Return uphill along Andador Macedonio Alcalá [9], sampling the handicrafts shops and the sights (Museo de Arte Contemporaneo [10], Ex-Convento de Santa Catalina [11]). Enjoy lunch at the Hostería de Alcalá restaurant.
Spend the full afternoon at the church and museum in the Centro Cultural de Santo Domingo [12]. Eat dinner at either Los Pacos restaurant or Manantial Vegetariana. In the evening, take in a Guelaguetza folkloric dance performance [13].
Wednesday: Follow your individual interests. For arts and handicrafts, check out the shops and galleries you missed on Day 2, or visit the Museo de Rufino Tamayo [14] or the ethno-botanical garden by the Iglesia de Santo Domingo [12]. For churches, visit the beloved San Agustín [15] and the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad [16] and its museum. During the evening, enjoy a music concert (Oaxaca State Band, Marimba Ensemble, or Oaxaca Orchestra) in the zócalo. [17]
Alternatively, you might travel northwest of town, first to San José El Mogote [18] archaeological zone and its community museum [19], continuing to the market at Etla [20], and then northwest to Suchilquitongo Community Museum [21] and the Cerro de la Campana archaeological zone [22].
Thursday: By 8 a.m. head southwest to Zaachila [4] to explore the archaeological site [23] and the market [24]. Have lunch at a Zaachila market food stall or La Capilla restaurant. Return via the Cuilapan de Guerrero [25] church and Arrazola [26] woodcarver’s village.
Friday: Head out early to the Ocotlán market [27]. In town, visit the Casa de Cultura Rudolfo Morales [28] and the Templo de Santo Domingo [29] and do lunch at La Celebración restaurant.
On your return, visit handicrafts villages San Antonino Castillo Velasco [30], Santo Tomás Jalieza [31], San Martín Tilcajete [32], and San Bartolo Coyotepec [33].
Saturday: Enjoy a midmorning visit to Monte Albán [34]. Allow around three hours, including the bookstore and museum. Eat lunch in the cafeteria or bring a picnic. Return downhill via Santa María Atzompa [35] pottery village and handicrafts market.
Sunday: Head east early, first to the great El Tule [36] tree. Continue to the wool textile store-workshops and community museum at Teotitlán del Valle [37]. Have a noon lunch at Restaurant El Patio on the highway.
Continue to Tlacolula [6] for an hour and a half at the market [38] and the Capilla del Señor de Tlacolula [39]. By 2:30 p.m. head east for at least an hour’s visit to the Mitla archaeological zone [40].
Since the Oaxaca coast stretches about 200 miles (320 km) from east to west, it’s best to divide your overnights between Puerto Ángel [41], on the east side, and Puerto Escondido [42], on the west side. Arrive in Puerto Ángel. Stroll the beachfront and follow the andador (walkway) to Playa Panteón [43] for sunning, swimming, or snorkeling. Have dinner at Beto’s or Restaurant Alquimista.
Spend Day 9 enjoying the nearby beaches. Drive or bus west to Playa Zipolite [44] and its diminutive Roca Blanca [45] district. Breakfast at Restaurant San Cristóbal; swim, surf, and sun for an hour or two, and then continue via San Agustinillo [46] village for a visit to the Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga at Mazunte [47]. Stroll Mazunte [46] village and beach; visit the Fábrica Ecología de Cosméticos Naturales de Mazunte [48], a cosmetics and soap factory. Have lunch or an early dinner at either Tanya’s or Armadillo restaurant.
On Day 10, drive, tour, or ride a colectivo to ]node:41161 link Crucecita] for a day in Huatulco; transfer to a taxi to Santa Cruz de Huatulco [49] early enough to catch one of the excursion boats to tour Bahías de Huatulco [50]. Return midafternoon and go to Crucecita for a walk around the plaza-front handicrafts shops and market. Dine at Restaurant La Crucecita, or splurge at the Italian Restaurant Giardino del Papa.
Travel west an hour to Puerto Escondido [42]. Stroll the adoquín (pedestrian walkway) and soak in the scene from a shady beachfront restaurant. Catch a boat ride (or a taxi) for either or both Bahía Puerto Angelito and Bahía Carrizalillo [51] for more beach fun, and lunch at a beachfront palapa restaurant. Head back east over to Playa Zicatela [52] for a sunset dinner at the Hotel Santa Fe restaurant. Cap the evening with a balmy stroll, shopping, and nightclubbing along the adoquín.
On Day 12, head out for a wildlife-viewing excursion at Laguna Manialtepec [53] by private tour, car, or bus (independent travelers get off and hire a boat at lagoon-front Isla El Gallo).
Depending on your own inclination, Day 13 might be a good time for simple poolside or beachfront relaxing, watching the daredevil surfers at Playa Zicatela [52] or perusing the adoquín shops. If you’re up for adventure, enjoy a day (or overnight) excursion west to Lagunas de Chacahua [54] or an upland overnight in either Nopala [55] or Juquila [56], to visit Oaxaca’s adored Virgen de Juquila [57].
Wind down on Day 14 by taking a morning walk along Playa Zicatela [52] or the seafront andador from the main Puerto Escondido [42] beach. Alternatively, go on a fishing excursion, do some snorkeling at Playa Carrizalillo [51], get a scuba lesson, or ride horseback along Playa Zicatela.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-city
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/the-oaxaca-valley
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts
[4] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/south-crafts-route/zaachila
[5] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/south-crafts-route/ocotlan
[6] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/east-textile-route/tlacolula
[7] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-city/sights/around-zocalo/catedral-de-oaxaca
[8] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-city/sights/around-zocalo/mercado-juarez
[9] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-city/sights/andador-de-macedonio-alcala
[10] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-city/sights/andador-de-macedonio-alcala/museo-de-arte-contemporaneo
[11] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-city/sights/andador-de-macedonio-alcala/ex-convento-de-santa-catalina
[12] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-city/sights/andador-de-macedonio-alcala/centro-cultural-de-santo-domingo
[13] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-city/entertainment-and-events/folkloric-dance-shows
[14] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-city/sights/northwest-zocalo/museo-de-rufino-tamayo
[15] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-city/sights/around-zocalo/templo-y-ex-convento-de-san-agustin
[16] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-city/sights/northwest-zocalo/basilica-de-nuestra-senora-de-la-soledad
[17] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-city/entertainment-and-events/around-zocalo
[18] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/west-archaeological-route/san-jose-el-mogote
[19] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/west-archaeological-route/san-jose-el-mogote/museum
[20] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/west-archaeological-route/etla
[21] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/west-archaeological-route/suchilquitongo
[22] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/west-archaeological-route/suchilquitongo/cerro-de-la-campana
[23] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/south-crafts-route/zaachila/zaachila-ruins
[24] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/south-crafts-route/zaachila/zaachila-church
[25] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/south-crafts-route/cuilapan-de-guerrero
[26] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/south-crafts-route/arrazola
[27] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/south-crafts-route/ocotlan/ocotlan-market
[28] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/south-crafts-route/ocotlan/casa-de-cultura-rudolfo-morales
[29] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/south-crafts-route/ocotlan/templo-de-santo-domingo
[30] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/south-crafts-route/crafts-villages/san-antonino-castillo-velasco
[31] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/south-crafts-route/crafts-villages/santo-tomas-jalieza
[32] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/south-crafts-route/crafts-villages/san-martin-tilcajete
[33] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/south-crafts-route/san-bartolo-coyotepec
[34] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/the-oaxaca-valley/west-the-archaeological-route/monte-alban
[35] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/west-archaeological-route/santa-maria-atzompa
[36] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/east-textile-route/santa-maria-del-tule
[37] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/east-textile-route/teotitlan-del-valle
[38] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/east-textile-route/tlacolula/tlacolula-market
[39] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/oaxaca-valley/east-textile-route/tlacolula/capilla-del-senor-de-tlacolula
[40] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/the-oaxaca-valley/east-the-textile-route/mitla-archaeological-zone
[41] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/puerto-angel
[42] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/puerto-escondido
[43] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/puerto-angel/sights-and-beaches/playas-principal-and-panteon
[44] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/puerto-angel/sights-and-beaches/playa-zipolite
[45] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/parque-nacional-lagunas-de-chacahua/rio-grande/roca-blanca
[46] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/puerto-angel/sights-and-beaches/playas-san-agustinillo-and-mazunte
[47] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/puerto-angel/sights-and-beaches/centro-mexicano-de-la-tortuga
[48] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/puerto-angel/sights-and-beaches/fabrica-ecologia-de-cosmeticos-naturales-de-mazunte
[49] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/bahias-de-huatulco/crucecita-and-santa-cruz-de-huatulco
[50] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/bahias-de-huatulco
[51] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/puerto-escondido/beaches-and-activities/west-side-beaches
[52] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/puerto-escondido/beaches-and-activities/playa-zicatela
[53] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/puerto-escondido/excursions/laguna-manialtepec
[54] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/parque-nacional-lagunas-de-chacahua
[55] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/chatino-country/santos-reyes-nopala
[56] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/chatino-country/santa-catarina-juquila
[57] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oaxaca/pacific-resorts/chatino-country/santa-catarina-juquila/santuario-de-nuestra-senora-de-juquila