Oaxaca is a wonderfully well-rounded state. With amazing food in the capital city, plenty of nearby crafts towns, ancient ruins sites and miles of coastline, it's a great place to get acquainted with Mexico.

Weaving rugs in Tlacolula

My favorite ventures out of the city were our daytrip to Cuajimoloyas (with return stop in Tlacolula) and the quick jaunt over to San Bartolo Coyotepec.

Even in a small colonial town like Oaxaca, it's nice to get away for some outdoors time, and our visit with the weaving family in Tlacolula was absolutely delightful. San Bartolo was purely a shopping trip, but every bit of pottery was an amazing work of art and the friendly artisans made the experience even more fun than shopping in the Oaxaca market.

Mazunte, practically deserted in late May

I've never been a beach person, yet I visit the beach on almost every international trip that I take. Generally, there has to be something special about the beach I choose, and Mazunte unfortunately wasn't quite good enough. We'd been encouraged to go by a friend who adored it, but I found it boring. There's no reef for snorkeling, only boat trips for finding dolphins and turtles, which are unavailable if the sea is rough. If I got a chance to revisit Oaxaca I'd have to be cajoled into trying a different beach town; otherwise I'm much happier in the highlands. But for those who are more into sun and surf than I am, tiny Mazunte is incredibly relaxing and a wildly different experience than the famous resorts of Mexico.

While Monte Alban is definitely a worthwhile trip, I recommend either taking a tour or reading up more on the site before heading out there. The signs posted at the various buildings were not particularly informative. However, the site is just beautiful, with well-preserved ruins and lovely views over the valley.

Monte Alban

With so many options just outside the capital, Oaxaca is a destination I've recommended to families, first-timers to Mexico, and those hoping to experience great variety with limited time.

Quick Tips
Beach food: I assumed great, inexpensive seafood would abound here, but the cheapest item was a fast-food-like fish sandwich, and the fish filet preparations Rubina & Jasmine tried were a bit on the dry side. On the plus side, whole fish was prepared perfectly. Fill up on moles and other traditional treats before leaving Oaxaca...the tlayuda rendition I tried was not nearly as good as the ones in the city market.

Choosing a beach: After my trip, I'd recommend only serious beach lovers visit Mazunte. There is really nothing else to do there—it's hardly a party town. In our case, we figured there would be snorkeling with sea turtles for entertainment, but the mild effects of the tropical storm took away that option.

Market towns: Oaxaca is a crafts-lover's paradise, with the best ceramics, jewelry and woven goods often coming from just the next town over. Check out the "Crafts Route" section in the Moon Guide for towns in the Oaxaca Valley for the specialty that interests you, or plan a visit around the weekly market schedule.

Jasmine poses with some new buddies

Getting Around
Oaxaca has a great public transportation system, both locally and around the state. As uncomfortable as it is, the Oaxacan coast can be reached by second-class bus in 9 hours for less than $8—with the much more expensive first-class bus taking 2 hours longer on a smoother route. The second-class bus station is actually in walking distance, but the traffic can be nightmarish so definitely take a taxi when toting luggage.

Mazunte is a 100-peso taxi ride from Pochutla, with taxis easily found just outside the bus station. The town is so small you can walk to the turtle museum or the cosmetics factory or any number of places to eat. But for nearby Playa Ventimilla, getting a taxi is recommended; note that it's harder getting a ride for the return trip.

There are smaller, local bus stations around Oaxaca as well, and from one of these we caught our bus to San Bartolo Coyotepec. A quick trip costing only 4 or 5 pesos (seems arbitrary), San Bartolo is easy to reach and well worthwhile.

While buses to go to Cuajimoloyas, I heartily recommend the services of Bicicletas Pedro Martinez. The relatively comfortable jeep ride and Pedro's kind guidance made the trip special.

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