Mark Read
Oaxaca
The state of Oaxaca (wah-hah-kah) has a special magic felt by Mexicans and foreigners alike. A bastion of indigenous culture, it’s home to the country’s most vibrant crafts and art scene, some outstandingly colorful and extroverted festivities, a uniquely savory cuisine and diverse natural riches. At the center of the state in every way stands beautiful, colonial Oaxaca city, an elegant and fascinating cultural hub. Nearby, the forested Sierra Norte is home to successful community-tourism ventures enabling visitors to hike, bike and ride horses amid delicious green mountainscapes. To the south, across rugged, remote ranges, is Oaxaca’s fabulous tropical coast, with its wide sandy beaches, pumping Pacific surf, seas full of dolphins and turtles, and a string of beach towns and villages that will placate even the most anxious of travelers: surfer-heaven Puerto Escondido; planned but relaxed Bahías de Huatulco; and the mellow delights of Mazunte, Zipolite and San Agustinillo.
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Must-see attractions
Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca
Oaxaca City
Got two hours? You'll need it for the Museum of Oaxacan Cultures, housed in the beautiful monastery buildings adjoining the Templo de Santo Domingo. This…
Valles Centrales
The former capital of the Zapotec people is today an illustrious ruin, but for over a thousand years it served as the second-largest ceremonial site in…
Puerto Escondido
Legendary 3.5km-long Zicatela is the best-known surfing spot in Mexico courtesy of the tempestuous surfing waves of the Mexican Pipeline. The heart of the…
Zipolite
Zipolite's beach is huge, running for a good 1.5km and dispatching massive waves. It's famous for its nudity; you'll see people randomly swimming,…
Puerto Escondido
Small is beautiful at Carrizalillo, set in a sheltered cove west of the center that's reached by a stairway of 157 steps. It’s popular for swimming and…
Bahías de Huatulco
Halfway between the western edge of Parque Nacional Huatulco and Puerto Ángel awaits some of the most precious coastline in Oaxaca. The water can be…
Hierve El Agua
Natural springs have never looked this good. Set in truly ethereal surroundings amid low brush-covered mountains, Hierve El Agua (meaning 'the water boils…
Oaxaca City
Gorgeous Santo Domingo is the most splendid of Oaxaca’s churches, with a finely carved baroque facade and nearly every square centimeter inside decorated…
Attractions
Top picks from our travel experts
Oaxaca City
Looking for cheap street food? Look no further. Dozens of good, clean comedores (food stalls) fill this large market where wait staff will thrust menus to…
Oaxaca City
A classy crafts shop with superb alebrijes from the workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles in San Martín Tilcajete. These brightly painted wooden figurines,…
Centro de las Artes de San Agustín
Valles Centrales
Pretty San Agustín's large, early-20th-century textile mill has been superbly restored as the Centro de las Artes de San Agustín (CaSa), a spectacular…
Oaxaca City
The July Guelaguetza celebrations take place in this rather spectacular semi-open-air auditorium on the Cerro del Fortín.
Oaxaca City
You’ll find art by leading figures such as Tamayo and Morales, plus a fine selection of handicrafts and rugs, at this commercial gallery founded by the…
Oaxaca City
This textile museum promotes Oaxaca’s traditional textile crafts through exhibitions, workshops, films, presentations and a library. Themed selections…
Centro Fotográfico Álvarez Bravo
Oaxaca City
With a taste for provocative social commentary, this contemporary gallery displays weird and wonderful work by local and international photographers.
Oaxaca City
A popular local haunt for more than 50 years, this is the classic Oaxaca market-food experience. There's no printed menu, so you might try the salsa de…
Oaxaca City
Historic, romantic, dignified and safe, wonderful Calle Alcalá (traffic-free since the 1980s) is what Oaxaca is all about. It runs north from the…
Oaxaca City
Traffic-free, shaded by tall trees and surrounded by elegant portales (arcades), the Zócalo is the perfect place to start soaking up the Oaxaca atmosphere…
Instituto de Artes Gráficas de Oaxaca
Oaxaca City
In a beautiful colonial house and founded by Oaxacan artist Francisco Toledo, IAGO offers changing exhibitions of graphic art as well as a superb arts…
Oaxaca City
Gorgeous Santo Domingo is the most splendid of Oaxaca’s churches, with a finely carved baroque facade and nearly every square centimeter inside decorated…
Oaxaca City
Wander northwest of the historical core and you’ll ultimately encounter this arched aqueduct rendered in typical green cantera stone that runs the length…
Oaxaca City
Oaxaca’s sentinel hill with stairs, statues, a park and – of course – views makes a robust early-morning run or walk. It starts on Calle Crespo at the…
Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad
Oaxaca City
Oaxaca doesn’t lack distinguished churches, but many locals rate the Soledad as their favorite. The original baroque facade dates from 1690; while the…
Catedral de Nuestra Señora de La Asunción
Oaxaca City
Oaxaca’s cantera stone cathedral is suitably massive and old, but in a city as culturally rich as Oaxaca, it is arguably only the third most impressive…
Valles Centrales
Jacobo and María Ángeles have been making particularly wonderful alebrijes (colorful animal figures fashioned out of soft copal wood) for over 25 years…
Valles Centrales
It was doña Rosa Real Mateo (1900−80) who invented the method of burnishing barro negro with quartz stones for the distinctive shine. Her family…
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Articles
Latest stories from Oaxaca
Filter by interest:
- HikingThe quest to revive Oaxaca’s centuries-old mountain trails one hike at a time
Feb 22, 2022 • 9 min read
- PhotographyThe indigenous people of Oaxaca, Mexico documented in stunning detail
Jan 10, 2018 • 2 min read
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