Things to Do in Oaxaca Mexico: Tips + What to Do
Oaxaca (pronounced Waa-haa-kaa) is about a day’s bus ride from Mexico City. This colorful place was the second stop during our Mexico trip. We found Oaxaca a really great stop in Mexico and in this article we give an overview of things to do and what else you should know before your visit.
Information about Oaxaca, Mexico
During our city tour in Oaxaca (more on that below) we heard that there can be 3 to 5 earthquakes daily in the city. We hadn’t been aware of that beforehand. The buildings in the city are adapted to these tremors because they are built using strong materials. Also, buildings are not allowed to be too tall. An hour after we heard this info, we experienced an earthquake of magnitude 5.8 and that gave us a bit of a shock! However, there was indeed no structural damage to buildings. In a few places plaster fell off facades, but that was it.
Transportation in Oaxaca
After you arrive by bus (for convenience, assume that the bus may arrive much later than scheduled), you can walk or take a taxi to your accommodation. Because we arrived in the dark, we took a taxi. We couldn’t get an Uber, so we hailed a yellow taxi. Ask beforehand what the cost will be. It’s also helpful to have Google Maps at hand to guide the driver correctly. Our driver was very friendly and tried to chat with us, but he didn’t know the hostel’s exact location. With a few words of Spanish from our side, we managed fine. He dropped us off for 100 pesos.
Accommodations in Oaxaca
In Oaxaca’s centre there are many places to stay. We stayed in a private room in Hostel Las Américas. The basic room with a private bathroom was fine and even included a small breakfast. If you have a larger budget, there are plenty of hotels in the area.
Things to do in Oaxaca Mexico
We did several things in Oaxaca, but we also took it easy. The centre is already super fun to walk through, both in the afternoon and the evening. At every street corner there is often a performance you can watch or listen to.
City Tour with Estación México
Since we had done a city tour in Mexico City, we thought this would again be a good way to start our days in Oaxaca. And it was. You get deeper insights this way than if you walk around the centre on your own. We would recommend everyone to do a city tour with Estacion México on your first morning.
Monte Albán
About 20–30 minutes by car from the city centre lies Monte Albán, a place where you can explore ruins. You can ask at your accommodation where exactly to buy tickets for the local bus. Unfortunately we didn’t save this location ourselves. You do not need to book days in advance. In fact, we were able to take the bus right away. The cost is 120 pesos per person for the transport, plus 100 pesos entrance at Monte Albán itself. Do check the weather before you depart, because there is no real shelter at Monte Albán if it rains heavily.
Tacos, Mole, and Mezcal
Oaxaca is known locally for its roots in good Mexican food. You’ll often hear that you should eat and drink plenty in Oaxaca. Here you can try mezcal, a strong drink, or mole, a sauce with spicy and sweet flavours. Of course tacos should not be missed either! On our Google Maps map we saved a number of restaurants that we tried ourselves.
Internet and Connectivity in Oaxaca
Before departure we bought an eSIM from Airalo and it worked great in the city. With this eSIM you have 4G coverage. If you buy a local SIM card, for example from Telcel, you can have 5G in the city centre. We bought the SIM card in Oaxaca and installing it went very easily!
Conclusion Oaxaca, Mexico
Two full days in Oaxaca are enough to explore the city at your own pace. Of course there are more things to do in the city, like the botanical garden and the many fresh markets. We would definitely recommend Oaxaca in a travel itinerary through all of Mexico!
