Our Slow-Travel Month in Oaxaca (Mexico)

Greetings from Puebla, Mexico!

You may be surprised by our change in location since we didn’t post much about our stay in Oaxaca over the last month. Blog communication blackouts are often for good reasons, so we’d understand if you assumed we didn’t like the place.

But it was quite the opposite.

Our four weeks in Oaxaca were fantastic!

One reason was that we entertained guests from the USA for most of February! And that was why we haven’t posted much. When old friends visit us on the road, we prefer to reconnect with them rather than being distracted by the blog.

But there were many other reasons why our month in Oaxaca was special.

So in one big post, I’ll try to summarize our month in Oaxaca, Mexico, and why we enjoyed ourselves so much. So far, it has been our favorite slow-travel destination in Mexico and is a top contender for our Latin American travels.

Let me show you why.

Why Did We Like Oaxaca So Much?

Bottom line, we loved the day-to-day quality of life.

The city of Oaxaca is gorgeous, safe, and has a favorable year-round climate. The local food scene is outstanding and affordable. Amenities for daily living are easily accessible on foot. Oaxaca is filled with cheap or free entertainment opportunities. Cultural opportunities abound. Festivals are a common occurrence. And the mezcal was fantastic!

It feels like we did so much while we were in Oaxaca. But you’d never know it from the list of things we have left to do there. And Oaxaca had a much lower-than-expected impact on our travel budget, even with friends staying with us most of the time.

We enjoyed ourselves so much that we may return someday for an extended stay.

We’ll see!

So What Did We Do During Our Month In Oaxaca?

More than we can cover in one blog post. But we’ll do our best!

And most of what we did was with two groups of friends who visited us at different times. We entertained Krista & Rich, our upstate New York friends that blog readers may remember from our time in Cusco, Peru. Then we hosted our Boston friends, Mike & Elizabeth, whom I have ties with going back to my early college days.

It was great to share our process of travel with friends. Although Krista & Rich had witnessed this before, we think it was eye-opening for Mike & Elizabeth to see what we could see, do, eat, and drink for what many consider an excessively frugal monthly budget.

For those who want to see the financial consequences of this month, check out our February 2024 Budget Report.

Cheap Food Favorites

By far, our best food experiences during our month in Oaxaca were at establishments geared toward locals. You can spend a lot of money on food in Oaxaca if you wish, but you generally get the best deals (and best quality) if you go where the locals congregate. And the locals like a bargain.

Great food for great prices? Win-Win.

Here are some of our favorites.

Comedor Maria Alejandra

Comedor Maria Alejandra (Google Maps) was the first place we ate at after arriving in Oaxaca, and we went MANY times before we left.

We stumbled across the place by going to Mercado 20 de Noviembre during off peak hours when most of the many food stalls had no customers. Still, Comedor Maria Alejandra was absolutely packed with locals!

So we knew the locals must know something. 🙂

In our opinion, they have the best tlayudas in town. They also have one of the most economical (and delicious) ways to sample several styles of mole at once, enchiladas 20 de noviembre, for $120 MEX ($7.05 USD).

Really, you can’t go wrong with anything on their menu.

Eparepa Sabor a Venezuela

Eparepa Sabor a Venezuela (Google Maps) is the only Venezuelan restaurant in Oaxaca. We discovered it when searching for a place that served arepas for our friends to try, and boy did it deliver! Not only are the arepas out of this world, but so are the patacone sandwiches, and cachapas. And as a side perk, it was a short walk from our apartment!

Sadly, we ate the arepas before pictures could be taken! 🤣

Pasillo de Humo (Smoke Alley)

The Pasillo de Humo (Google Maps) is an enclosed alleyway east of Mercado 20 de Noviembre filled with stands cooking barbecue meats. It is easy to find – just walk towards Mercado 20 de Noviembre and follow the smoke!

Basically you order a basket of meat to share with your group and slap it on tortillas with all the additional toppings you want.

Beware – this place is absolutely packed during lunch! So if you want to increase your chance of finding table space we suggest going at around 6 pm.

La Cosecha Organic Market

La Cosecha Organic Market (Google Maps) is a great place to meet with friends because you can sample all sorts of food without having to commit to a particular restaurant. The market has a common seating area surrounded by food stalls that prepare a wide range of food, drink, and dessert options. So everyone can get whatever they want!

Be aware that this place is EXTREMELY popular with expats! But despite the expat-to-local ratio, the prices are still reasonable.

Memelas Doña Vale

Buried in the nether regions of the Central de Abastos market, Memelas Doña Vale (Google Maps) serves the best memelas in Oaxaca. Her spicy salsa morita recipe is a closely guarded secret and has gained international attention. She even is featured in several Netflix TV specials on street cuisines of the world.

Well worth the visit!

Nieves Oaxaquenas Chaguita

Found at Mercado Benito Juarez, Nieves Oaxaquenas Chaguita (Google Maps) serves outstanding Oaxacan-style ice cream! The prices are affordable and they have a huge range of flavors to try.

Highly recommended if you need to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Fantastic Local Markets

Mercado 20 de Noviembre

Mercado 20 de Noviembre (Google Maps) is an excellent place to go near Centro if you want to sample local Oaxacan cuisine at affordable prices. Filled with local food stands, there are also many bakeries, as well as mole and chocolate vendors.

And if you have a hankering to sample some mezcal, there are several mezcal vendors to choose from. They allow you to sample their wares for free!

Mercado Benito Juarez

Mercado Benito Juarez (Google Maps) is one of the best places to go near city Centro for produce, meat, desserts, tamales, souvenirs, mezcal, and household items. Everything is densely packed, so be prepared for sensory overload!

Central de Abastos

Central de Abastos (Google Maps) is, by far, the biggest local market in town spanning several city blocks. Be aware that it isn’t in a tourist area, so be prepared for some real chaos. However, it is worth the effort because you will find the best prices on produce, meat, souvenirs, household items, clothes, street food, and anything else you can imagine.

Our visiting friends did really well souvenir shopping here!

But make sure you secure your belongings if you go. Opportunistic pickpockets are said to be common at this market.

Public Parks

Oaxaca has many public parks, each with a vibrant street food and public event schedule.

The most famous of these parks is the Zocalo in the center of town (Google Maps), which is a huge tourist hotspot. Musicians and comedians can frequently be seen entertaining the masses throughout the day, every day.

We also were frequent visitors of El Llano (Google Maps), a more local-oriented park where more affordable street food and artisan options abound, compared to the Zocalo.

Museums and Cathedrals

Museums and cathedrals are common in Oaxaca and are extremely affordable to visit. Especially when first arriving in Oaxaca, they are a great way to orient yourself to local history so you can appreciate the context of what you see.

Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca

We strongly recommend that visitors to Oaxaca go to Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca (Google Maps) soon after arriving in the city. It gives you a great historical overview of the history of Oaxaca, which will inform you about other sites you visit.

Not only that, but the museum itself, housed in a former convent, is a visual feast for the eyes. Tourist ticket cost = $95 MEX ($5.58 USD).

What was a bonus was that there was a room featuring items from Tomb 7 in Monte Alban – famous for their artistry, cultural significance, and value.

Thumbs up for this museum. Totally worth the price of admission, and it gave us a taste of what we might encounter in the future!

Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán

The most opulent cathedral in Oaxaca, Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán (Google Maps) is the center of catholicism in the region. Free to enter, the architectural and artistic spectacle found inside is jaw-dropping.

And if you hang out at the temple, you may be able to see a wedding! Apparently, you have to book wedding ceremonies at this location 2 years in advance. And it is tradition for each wedding to have a parade procession through town after the ceremony.

Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo

Free to enter, Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo (Google Maps) houses a surprisingly large and impressive collection of prehispanic artifacts from the region. Displayed chronologically, you can easily appreciate the cultural advances leading up to the arrival of the conquering Spaniards.

Museo Textil de Oaxaca

Another free museum, Museo Textil de Oaxaca (Google Maps) houses a collection of Oaxacan textiles, as well as textiles from Japan. Seeing both Japanese kimonos alongside Oaxacan huīpīlli was an interesting juxtaposition of styles!

Monte Albán

Monte Albán, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is an immense Zapotec archaeological zone. The history and significance of this place are best described in this Wikipedia listing. It was so impressive we visited it twice!

Thankfully Monte Albán was easy to get to from Oaxaca city.

For a $90 MEX ($5.29 USD) roundtrip ticket, you can pick up a dedicated bus here:

You don’t need to buy tickets in advance and the buses leave every hour, starting at 8 am.

We strongly recommend catching the 8 am bus! The morning light makes for some fabulous photography.

The entrance fee to Monte Albán is only $95 MEX ($5.58 USD), which pales in comparison to the archeological zone entrance fees in the Mexican states of Yucatan and Chiapas.

Here is a sampling of what we saw. Including the onsite museum, you can easily spend 4 or 5 hours on-site if you take your time.

Truly, Monte Albán is an amazing place. It was so cheap to access and enter, we could see ourselves coming here often to enjoy the view, eat a picnic lunch, and take in the gravitas of the location on any given afternoon.

Exploring Local Neighborhoods

Oaxaca has many beautiful neighborhoods with gorgeous architecture and fabulous street art. Some of the nicest neighborhoods for exploring were in barrios Jalatlaco (Google Maps) and Xochimilco (Google Maps), although honestly, all the streets in the Centro area are worth exploring.

Here are some of our favorite sightings!

Carnavales Oaxaqueños!

Carnivals are a common thing in Oaxaca, so were told. And we were lucky enough to witness one firsthand!

Soon after arriving in Oaxaca, we saw this poster for a carnival on February 9:

And since Krista & Rich had just arrived, we knew we had to go!

And boy it didn’t disappoint.

It was a massive parade of groups representing local Oaxacan towns and their festive traditions. Check out some of what we saw!

Such a great time!

Lucha Libre Wrestling

When you wander the streets of Oaxaca, you will eventually notice the posters advertising Lucha Libre Wrestling events that happen in town. There are several pro wrestling schools here, and they take turns performing for local audiences.

So when I saw this poster on a street corner before our friends Mike & Elizabeth arrived in Oaxaca, I knew we’d have to go.

The night of the event Mike and I headed to the arena and strategically purchased 2nd-row tickets for $200 MEX ($11.75 USD) each.

I say “strategically” because lucha libre wrestling has a reputation for front-row spectators “getting involved”. So we thought having a row of human shields between us and the action would be prudent.

We chose wisely!

Here are some scenes from the event.

Finisher from the top rope! Or not. 😂

The action lasted for around 3 hours and we had a blast!

Wrestlers were flying into the audience, taking chair shots, and engaging in the usual luchador acrobatics they are famous for. There was lots of interaction between the wrestlers and the audience and we were impressed at their skill.

Highly recommended!

Mezcal Tasting

It is nearly impossible to go to Oaxaca and not have an opportunity to taste or buy mezcal. After all, that is what the region is known for!

For us, most of the time we did our tastings at the local markets near Centro. But we were able to visit a mezcal distillery outside of town as part of a larger tour – Mezcal El Rey de Matatlán.

It was fun to be shown the mezcal-making process. But most importantly it was great to have an extensive tasting at the end!

And yes, purchases were made. 🙂

Hierve el Agua

Known for its “petrified waterfalls”, Hierve el Agua (= “water boils”) is an eco-park with significant geologic activity. Mineral-laden water bubbles out of the ground and then flows off nearby cliffs, forming spectacular rock formations as minerals deposit over time.

The site also has several thermal pools (NOT hot) for bathing, as well as a nice 2-mile circuit hike through some spectacular terrain.

Sadly, this site is difficult to access unless it is part of a tour. And the downside to that is that you may only be given 2 to 3 hours to explore the entire park! If you are hiking fit, this is barely enough time to take a dip in the pools for 1 hour and hike the trail before your time is up.

Despite the time pressure, the views you see are spectacular. Highly recommended!

We first visited Hierve el Agua through a tour with the same company that operates the cheap Monte Alban bus mentioned above, Transportaciones Turísticas Mitla (Google Maps). For $500 MEX (plus $200 MEX worth of entrance fees) you can visit this site for 2 hours, plus Mezcal El Rey de Matatlán, a textile manufacturer, the Mitla Archaeological Zone, and the Tree of Tule.

A good value, even if we didn’t really think the Mitla Archaeological Zone was worth the admission fee.

Overnight Trip to Puerto Escondido

Our friends Krista & Rich wanted to go to Puerto Escondido (still within the Mexican state of Oaxaca) to see the ocean. And after we conceptualized making the trip they surprised us by covering our travel and lodging expenses!

Thanks Krista & Rich!

So we purchased roundtrip ADO bus tickets and headed to Puerto Escondido first thing in the morning.

The ride took 3-hours and took us through some beautiful mountain terrain. And when we arrived we made a beeline to Playa Carrizalillo to swim and hang out for a few hours.

The beach was gorgeous and protected, so it was perfect for swimming. We then hung out near the beachside tiendas, sipping adult beverages and taking full advantage of their sun shelter.

Afterward, we grabbed a taxi to our hotel, Casa Beu, found at the southern end of Playa Zicatela.

Playa Zicatela was spectacular too but was too rough for swimming. But great for beach walking!

Lots of surfers too.

And late in the day, the sunsets were really spectacular.

In the area near our hotel, we were surprised at how affordable food and drinks were. Not cheap by Oaxaca City standards, but it was manageable considering we were a captive audience.

$100 MEX for a beer + double shot of mezcal? $120 MEX for a massive burrito?

Yes, please.

Closing Thoughts About Our Month In Oaxaca

Simply amazing.

For us, Oaxaca was the perfect blend of livability, climate, entertainment, accessible cuisine, culture, safety, and nature.

Usually, we visit places that have many, but not all, of these features. Or there is some critical flaw that would prevent us from returning (I’m looking at you, San Cristobal de las Casas and Pedasi).

Rarely do the planets align for us the way they did during our month in Oaxaca. The closest matches would probably be our beloved Baños de Agua Santa and Cuenca, both in Ecuador, although they are certainly different from Oaxaca.

And considering how close Oaxaca is to the USA, a future extended stay is worth considering since access to family back home would be so convenient.

Food for thought.

Until next time…

Thanks for reading!

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