Guide to Oaxaca: the place that stole my heart with its warmth

Oaxaca, to me

July 2022. My first extended trip; the first attempt to truly live and work remote somewhere.

Oaxaca is truly a special place. It holds such a warm spot in my heart, that I struggled to write something that accurately encompassed all that I felt about it for a long time.

Something I’d long wanted to do in life has been to try to live in and deeply immerse in new cultures - to experience different ways of life, different ways of thought, different types of people. Ultimately, to gain perspective and build a more well-rounded view of the world.

Back in July 2022, the timing finally felt right to start and try this thing. I described to a friend that I was looking for a place in Latin America that was a smaller town, rich with local culture and community, and she said: go to Oaxaca City. A few days later, I had a plane ticket. And a month later, while nostalgically packing up my suitcase to go home, I texted her: Thank you so much for recommending this place to me. I loved it so much I could cry.

The first adjective I immediately felt when I arrived in Oaxaca was: warmth. And when leaving a month later, that feeling held resoundingly true. Put most simply, I describe Oaxaca as a place and a people that exude an indescribable sense of love and warmth. A place where you feel fully, unconditionally received with kind, open, loving arms; where warm smiles and greetings permeate the streets and every interaction; where no words are needed and the sense of warmth is just palpable.

And beyond getting to experience a beautiful and very special culture here, it was also an incredibly rewarding challenge to see a place go from an entirely foreign place, where you don’t speak the language, don’t know anyone, and can barely communicate basic needs, to a place where you’ve learned your way around, can have basic conversations, and have started forming your own little routines and communities — ultimately a place that begins to feel like home.

Here’s to keeping on living out our dreams, pushing the boundaries of our comfort zone, and learning and growing so much along the way. And here’s to a culture, place, and people that I hold as so very special ☺️.

Contents

Getting to and around Oaxaca

Where to stay

Things to do

Food & drink

5 day Oaxaca itinerary

Getting to and around Oaxaca

You can either take a taxi from the Oaxaca airport to town, or you can download the app Didi ahead of time and call a ride. DiDi is the equivalent of Uber in Oaxaca. To order a taxi at the airport, there is a taxi counter once you arrive where you can order a taxi.

Once you arrive to town, Centro is small and very walkable, so you’ll do most of your exploring on foot. If you need to call a taxi, you can hail one on the street or call one using DiDi. Didi is used by taxi drivers too, so you’ll likely be picked up by a taxi car even if you call a car through the app. It’s around the same price to hail a taxi versus use the app. Though most of your exploring will be done on foot, you might call a taxi to visit surrounding neighborhoods, or if it’s late at night, it’s also recommended to take a taxi home even if it would be a short walk.

Where to stay

Choosing a neighborhood

If you’re only staying for a short period of time (up to 2 weeks), I’d recommend staying in Centro because everything will be nearby and easily accessible. The environment in Centro is also lively and very nice, and you’ll be able to absorb the culture right outside your door. If staying for an extended time (longer than 2 weeks), some people recommend staying in nearby neighborhoods Jalatlaco and Xochimilco, though I stayed in Centro for a full month and loved it.

Jalatlaco is the artsy area right outside Centro. Colorful street art line the streets here. Xochimilco is another cute area right outside Centro. Both are very nice options to get out of the main hustle and bustle of Centro, but are a little more of a walk to things (think 30 minute walk instead of 15).

I don’t think you can go wrong, depending on if you want to be right in the center the whole time, or if you want to be in quieter outskirts of the neighborhood. Keep in mind that within Centro, there are also quieter and busier places. I spent most of my time on the west side of Centro and loved it. It’s still central to everything, but in a quieter part of town so that you’re not within the bustle all the time.

Accomodation recommendations

I was working remote for the month that I spent in Oaxaca and spent my weekends at hostels to make friends and socialize, and my weekdays in Airbnbs to focus on work. In that time, I stayed at 3 hostels: Casa Angel, Ticuchi Hostel, and Hostal Central.

Hostal Central was easily my favorite of the 3, the only downside being it was the furthest from the center of town. When choosing a hostel, I like a homey, social feeling, where there are natural and easy opportunities to socialize and it’s not too quiet of a hostel nor too party of a hostel. I felt like Hostal Central was this perfect medium. There were family dinners a couple nights a week and free breakfast everyday that naturally brought people altogether. I also found the type of people that stayed at this hostel to be the most relaxed - social, yet not down to earth.

Casa Angel and Ticuchi Hostels were both also nice, but both felt a bit more of a forced social environment, instead of a natural, easy-going social environment. Both also felt a bit more party. Both of these hostels were more beautiful than Hostal Central. Casa Angel has a great rooftop, and Ticuchi has a nice garden and pool area.

As for Airbnb, I stayed here for 2 weeks and really enjoyed it. They are individual units inside of a garden that’s connected to a Spanish school. It’s run by a super kind family that also lives there (in a separate unit), and seeing the family and Spanish school students everyday really lets you feel connected to others there. The Airbnb was simple but clean and spacious and has everything that you need. It’s located on the west side of Centro, still close to everything while not being in the main hustle and bustle area. I would definitely recommend.

Things to do in and around Oaxaca

• Hierve el Agua – Natural mineral springs that you can swim in and white mineral formations resembling frozen waterfalls

• Monte Alban – Ancient ruins of the Zapoteca people, the ancestors to Oaxacans. There are many day trip tours that will take you to both Hierve el Agua and Monte Alban. If you’re going to take a tour, I recommend finding a tour company from the streets of Oaxaca instead of online. They operate the same tours but the prices you find locally are much cheaper than online.

• Mezcalaria tour – I did this full day mezcal tour through an Airbnb experience. It was a splurge, but it was great and I would highly recommend. It felt more like a small personal tour, as opposed to the big commercial ones you’ll see getting sold on the streets.

• Barrio de Jalatlaco – An artsy neighborhood boasting graffiti wall art and is nice to take a walk around.

• Night bike ride – There are really fun night bike rides through town from 9 - 10:30pm every night. They close off the streets and a big group bikes together through town with music blasting. Highly recommend if you have several days and want to mix up what you’re doing at night, though this is probably not the thing to do if you only have a few nights. You can find info for the ride by searching for “Night Bike Riding” here. You meet at Mundo Ceiba ~10 min beforehand to rent bikes, and the the whole group will gather right around there and take off when the leader arrives.

• Botanical Garden at Santo Domingo – Nice botanical gardens to walk around in the center of town. It’s only open on certain days so check before you go.

• Markets – There are many big, local markets (Central de Abasto, Mercado 20 de Noviembre, etc). There are tons of people and lots going on, but it’s quite a spectacle to see. Pickpocketing is common in these large markets so don’t bring a lot and keep a close eye on your belongings.

• Take a cooking class – Learn to cook some local Oaxacan food! I did this Airbnb cooking class and really enjoyed it.

• Taco and bar tour – I did this Airbnb experience and really loved it. On the tour, Gerardo, the tour guide takes you to various local taco spots and local bars around the area, places you would never end up at on your own. It’s a great way to see where the locals go and sample authentic food and drinks.

What to eat and drink

The food and beverage scene in Oaxaca is amazing. There is seriously an abundance of delicious, healthy, cheap, and cute places to eat and drink! Oaxaca is known for its rich cuisine, most notably for its deep flavors of mole and giant tlayudas. But in addition to a wealth of local food options, there are also plenty of Western food options. Something for everyone!

Coffee shops

• Filemon – The best coffee I had with a cute indoor space.

• Cafe Boca del Monte – Really nice rooftop with probably some of the best views around Oaxaca.

• Cafebre – Large quiet indoor garden space that’s good for working.

• Cafe Brujula – Cute indoor garden space on the main Alcala street.

Lunch

• Boulenc – Delicious and healthy breakfast / lunch options. My favorite place in Oaxaca. Nice indoor garden setting with some rooftop seating. They also have a separate to-go bakery next door.

• Etnofood – Really good and healthy breakfast / lunch spot in a garden setting. Also a nice and peaceful place to do some work.

• Cafe Tradicion – Small but cute, simple, and nice breakfast / lunch spot.

• La Cosecha Organic Market – Small market with lots of local food options in a nice garden setting.

• Tortas la Hormiga – Locals say the best place to have a torta is at this food truck.

Dinner

• Don Juanito – Good traditional Oaxacan spot that locals frequent.

• Mezzaluna – Really good Italian food on a nice rooftop.

• Cabuche – Nice yet casual restaurant with great local dishes.

• Las Quince – Fancier restaurant with many unique mole dishes. Reservation recommended.

• Calabacitas Tiernes – Nice yet casual restaurant with great local dishes. A vegetarian forward restaurant.

• Casa Oaxaca – Upscale rooftop restaurant with elevated Oaxacan food.

• Tlayudas el Negro – Traditional local place to eat tlayudas, a traditional Oaxacan dish.

Bars

The nightlife scene in Oaxaca is one of a kind. There are great cocktail bars and rooftop bars everywhere, and the clubbing scene is truly unique. There’s this indescribable sense of openness, where strangers will welcome you with open arms into their groups. If you go out with an open mind and embrace the openness everyone has, you’re in for the most fun clubbing scene I’ve ever experienced.

• Sabina Sabe and Selva – They are sister cocktail bars, and both are absolutely amazing. You must go!! They’re in the top 50 bars of North America, and the cocktails and setting are amazing. Sabina Sabe is one of my favorite places in Oaxaca - really nice vibes, friendly staff, and great bartenders. Selva is also really nice but feels slightly more posh to me.

• La Cueva – A nice cocktail bar with a nice local vibe. More low key than the above two.

• In general, there are tons of bars with great rooftop views. It’s great to just go up on any rooftop you like the vibe of around the center of town to grab a drink and people watch.

Clubs

• Txalaparta – Really fun time with live music and local dancing indoors on the first floor, and more of a typical clubbing vibe on the rooftop with people standing around talking and dancing.

• Archivo Maguey – Probably my favorite club in Oaxaca with a good 50/50 mix of locals and travelers. There are two stories -upstairs is more packed and crowded, downstairs is a bit more chill.

• Fayuka – A really fun and local club playing reggaeton. Highly recommend if you want to check out a very local clubbing scene.

• Fandango – Another fun local club with reggaeton music.

5 day Oaxaca itinerary

An ideal amount of time in Oaxaca is around 4-5 days. It’s a small city, so this gives you time to walk around aimlessly and leisurely just to explore the city, while also seeing a few sights and doing a few local activities.

Day 1

Take it easy and just walk around the city! No matter when you arrive, whether in the morning, afternoon, or evening, simply walking around the city and taking it in, will be a good way to start your trip. Areas of town to include in your self-guided walking tour:

• The Zocalo - a large square with vendors, live music and street performances, and plenty of places to eat and drink. A good place to both watch local life happen, and see some tourist catered things in the square.

• Templo Santo Domingo - a square around a beautiful church surrounded by places to eat and drink.

• Alcala - one of the main pedestrian walking streets. A touristy street but should be walked up and down!

Depending on where you arrive, I’d recommend Boulenc for your first breakfast or lunch. If you just need an afternoon snack, they also have a bakery takeout section with amazing pastries. Pan con madre also has great pastries and bread you can grab quickly.

For dinner, head to a casual restaurant to get a feel for the local cuisine and vibe. I’d recommend Cabuche as a good starting point for your first meal.

Day 2

• Coffee/breakfast at Boulenc! One of my favorite places for brunch and lunch. If you already made it here yesterday, Filemon would also be a nice option.

• Take a free walking tour to get yourself acquainted with the city. This is Oaxaca free walking tour company, a donation based tour that I thought was great.

• After the tour, continue to wander around and see more of the sights and get a feel for the city at your own pace. Check out:

  • Barrio de Jalatlaco – a very colorful and nice neighborhood, known for its street mural art.

  • On your way, walk through Jardín Conzatti, a little park at the end of the main part of Centro, before Barrio de Jalatlaco.

  • If you want a torta, supposedly the best torta of Oaxaca is at the Tortas la Hormiga foodtruck, parked alongside this park.

  • Visit the botanical gardens at Santo Domingo. Note that you can only enter at certain times of day with a tour, so check the schedule ahead of time.

  • Visit one of the markets (mercados). The markets sell lots of local food, produce, etc, and it’s quite a spectacle to watch local life there. They are very busy with a lot going on, and pickpocketing is common. Keep a close eye on your belongings and don’t bring anything flashy with you there.

• Stop at a restaurant/bar with a rooftop for a drink near Santo Domingo. There are plenty all around the area. I enjoyed Los Andantes Terraza a lot for this.

• For dinner, head to Las Quince for a nice dinner (you should make a reservation in advance).

• If you’d like to grab a drink after dinner, head to Sabina Sabe, Selva, or La Cueva — all great cocktail bars. (Sabine Sabe is my personal favorite).

Day 3

• Do a day trip! I’d recommend a tour that combines Hierve el Agua and Monte Alban. You could either walk around Santo Domingo where there will be tons of locals trying to sell you tours, or book one online in advance. I always prefer to find a good local company in-person to support the local economy there, and the tours you find in-person will be cheaper than what you see online.

• These tours start early and take up an entire day, so grab breakfast in the morning beforehand.

• For dinner, head to Don Juanito for a casual, authentic meal or Calabacitas Tiernas for a nice but also casual, vegetarian forward restaurant.

Day 4

• Get a coffee and light breakfast somewhere. I’d recommend Cafebre or Cafe Brujula for a quick coffee and bite to eat. Or if you want to spend more time sitting somewhere, Etnofood has a nice garden and delicious and healthy food menu.

• Go on a mezcaleria tour. This is the one I did through Airbnb experience that I really enjoyed. It’s a full day experience. We had a small group and we visited smaller, artisan mezcalarias where our hosts were friends with the owners, so we had a more personal experience compared to larger tour groups.

• If mezcaleria tours aren’t your thing, here are other ways to spend your day:

  • Visit a market (e.g. Central de Abasto, Mercado 20 de Noviembre).

  • Go to the La Cosecha Organic Market for lunch. This one isn’t the same type of huge market as the ones above. It’s more like a farmers market in a garden with lots of lunch options.

  • Take a cooking class to learn to make authentic Oaxacan food.

  • Hike up to Guelaguetza hilltop. Guelaguetza is the biggest annual festival of Oaxaca that takes place every July. The main festival is held at the tents on this hilltop. You can hike to these tents and see a great view of the city. Only do this hike in the morning unless you are in a group of 3+ people. Robberies are extremely common here during both daytime and nighttime so be vigilant when hiking here.

  • Go for the night bike ride for a fun experience, biking through the city in a huge group with music blasting.

  • Go on the taco and secret bar tour to visit off-the-beaten-path taco places and bars with a great local tour guide.

• Pick a spot for dinner and drinks, and maybe even check out a club for nightlife if that is your thing!

Day 5

• Your last day! Take it easy and walk around town to a nice coffee and brunch spot. I’d recommend Cafe Boca del Monte for nice rooftop views, or returning to Boulenc, my favorite of Oaxaca.