Are you searching for the Best Places to Visit in Oaxaca? Are you thinking of a trip to North America and wondering what to explore in Oaxaca? We’ve got you covered. Oaxaca is an excellent choice if you are looking for a small city with a lot of culture and activities. Oaxaca is a great place to visit in Mexico. There are many things to do.
You can start visiting this state in southern Mexico by visiting the capital city. Here you can take in the sights, eat delicious Mexican food, and embark on adventures.
You can visit Oaxaca City for a quick visit (pronounced wa-hah-ka) and explore the churches and museums. Also, you can take day trips to ancient ruins and sample the local cuisine.
Monte Alban
Monte Alban is one of the best places to visit in Oaxaca. Just eight kilometers west of Oaxaca, the historic settlement of Monte Alban (Zona Arqueologia de Monte Alban) covers 40 square kilometers. It is easily accessible by taxi or tour bus. This area was once a place of worship for many different groups for more than 2,500 years.
The Oaxaca Valley’s center, which rises on an artificial platform 400m above the Oaxaca Valley, is Latin America’s oldest Pre-Columbian site. The city was home to 35,000 people when it was founded in the sixth century BC.
The Grand Square (Gran Plaza), which measures 200m wide by 3300m long, highlights the archaeological ruins. It also forms the center of the archaeological remains.
You can expect to spend at least a full day exploring the Monte Alban Ruins Museum’s ruins with its many sculptures, ceramic figures, jewelry, and other displays related to the excavation of this site. If you have time, you can add nearby San Jose Mogote to your pre-Columbian list.
Mazunte
The small village of Mazunte, nestled between two beautiful beaches, is a great place to relax and enjoy the breathtaking scenery. It is very rural and undeveloped, so most accommodation is essential. There are a few thatched-roof beach houses and restaurants scattered under the trees.
Mazunte is a popular destination for backpackers and independent travelers. There are many yoga studios and Spanish classes in the area. The main attraction of Mazunte is its excellent turtle center. People visit Mazunte in May or June to see the adorable turtles lay eggs on the beaches before returning to sea.
Oaxaca Cathedral
Construction of Oaxaca Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitan de Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion) began in the middle of the 16th century. It lasted nearly 200 years. The cathedral is located on the Zocalo‘s northwest side. It is noted for its strong building style and its two low towers. This was a common occurrence in the area.
The King of Spain presented the original clock to the church upon completion. This is just one of many attractive features of the pleasant Baroque facade, which has finely worked figures and bas reliefs on its columns. Its Neoclassical influences, eight exquisitely engraved glass windows, and the organ (parts of which date back to 1712) make this top Oaxaca tourist attraction worth a visit.
Zocalo
Begin in the square, and then move on to the famous landmarks. The Zocalo is a great place to spend an entire day sightseeing. You can find plenty of places to grab food and drinks whenever you need a break.
The Zocalo is a must-see place in Mexico. It is the perfect spot to people-watch, relax with a drink or grab a bite.
You’ll also find Mexican families having fun in the evening there. Click Here for directions from the Zocalo of Oaxaca.
Bacocho Beach
This uncrowded beach is perfect for quiet walks and stunning sunsets. You can expect to see baby turtles hatching on this beach in the second half year. Admire the idyllic Bacocho Beach (Playa Bacocho)’s glistening blue waters, soft golden sand, and swaying palms. This beach, located west of Puerto Escondido, is a popular spot for honeymooners and couples.
The town’s beaches offer entertainment and water sports facilities. But Bacocho Beach offers a chance to enjoy the natural beauty of the Pacific Ocean. As you stroll around the bay, take off your shoes to feel the powdery sand between the soles of your feet.
You can walk along the shoreline and admire the views of the hills and forest that surround the beach. Look around to see the beautiful trail that your footprints have left behind. It is a quiet beach with few amenities, adding to its peaceful charm. You can lie on the beach, take a towel, and get tanned in the sun all year. Shade can be found under tall palms on hot days.
Although some swimmers are strong enough to brave these waters, the currents can be dangerous.
You can either arrive early in the morning and discover a paradise hidden from the world, or you can stay late to see a stunning sunset. As the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean, it casts hues of orange and pink across the sky.
You can pack food for a romantic picnic or eat fresh seafood while sipping cocktails at the ocean-facing club. The beach is a popular place to nest turtles between July and November. Watch out for turtles that come ashore to lay eggs or hatchlings and make their way toward the water.
The guesthouses, hotels, and apartments in Puerto Escondido’s Bacocho neighborhood are just a few steps from Bacocho Beach. It takes less than 10 minutes to get to the beach from Puerto Escondido’s center. You can either take a taxi or rent a car. Combining your beach-hopping trip with a visit to nearby Carrizalillo Beach is a great idea.
Bahias de Huatulco
Bahias de Huatulco has nine bays lined with beaches, each more spectacular than the previous. This is ideal for relaxing, unwinding, and soaking up some sun. Although sleepy fishing villages once populated it, many hotels and resorts were built along its coasts in the 1980s.
Everything was done with great taste. It retains its natural beauty, with all the bars, restaurants, hotels, and restaurants hidden among the magnificent forests surrounding the coast.
Bahias de Huatulco is breathtakingly beautiful. These bays are surrounded by huge, swathed forests, which Huatulco National Park protects. You can relax on the beaches and enjoy the beautiful scenery, but you can also try many watersports. A boat trip allows you to take in the breathtaking coastline from afar.
Carrizalillo Beach
This cove is secluded and family friendly. Learn how to surf and enjoy the sun. Carrizalillo Beach (Playa Carrizalillo), despite the many stunning beaches in the area, still amazes vacationers with its beauty. To reach this protected bay, you must descend a steep staircase of 160 steps. It leads down the slopes of a forest-clad rock cliff. A stretch of fine sand lies at the bottom. The waves gently roll down to it.
Carrizalillo Beach is loved by families and water sports enthusiasts. It offers adventure, entertainment, and beautiful natural scenery. The shallow, calm water is ideal for snorkeling and swimming. You may be able to see the colorful fish swimming around the seabed. You can spot marine life exceptionally well from the rocks at each end of the cove.
First-time surfers will find the waves at Carrizalillo Beach to be very suitable. Book a lesson with one of the local surf instructors. Spread a towel on the soft sandy sand to enjoy the view. You can buy ice creams and cold drinks from vendors available along the beach all day. You can also find handmade jewelry, bracelets, and necklaces at other vendors.
A collection of Mexican palapa (thatch roof) bars frames the cove. You can enjoy a refreshing drink with tropical flavors, a bit of shade from the sun, and delicious seafood. Many beach bars offer sun loungers at no cost to customers. You can also rent a lounger to use for the day.
You can reach Carrizalillo Beach just 5 minutes from Puerto Escondido’s center. Taxis regularly travel between the beach area and the town center. Parking is available above the cliff for free if you’re driving.
Chahue Beach
Chahue Beach is one of the best places to visit in Oaxaca. Chahue Bay’s longest sandy beach is a popular spot for both volleyball and soccer, and it is an excellent spot for outdoor recreation. Chahue Beach, the largest beach in Chahue Bay, is also the most visited in Huatulco.
Chahue Beach is over 2,000 feet (660 meters) in length and offers ample space for locals and tourists who come to relax, exercise, and play. You can join the locals to jog, jump off the shoreline into deep water and buy street food from local vendors on the beachfront. You can see the locals playing beach soccer and volleyball.
Wake up early to join many Santa Cruz residents who use this beach as a running track. Chahue Beach’s incredibly soft sand makes it ideal for many sporting activities. By midday, you’ll see many young people gathering at Santa Cruz to play soccer and volleyball. Ask for a place to play and test your skills against the best soccer teams in the world.
Relax on the beach and enjoy a refreshing cocktail served by a vendor. The bay’s waters are excellent so that you can cool off. You can jump right from the sand because the water is intense at the shoreline. This is why inexperienced and young swimmers need to be extra careful when swimming at Chahue Beach.
Rent a snorkel and explore the coral reefs offshore. Or, try your hand fishing on the far end. Santa Cruz is an excellent place to rent fishing gear. You can also go to the many seafood restaurants along the waterfront if you are still waiting to catch fish.
A bowl of shrimp broth, a platter with lobster, octopus, and pineapples stuffed full of seafood, or a Pescado al talla, which is whole fish grilled with spicy sauce, are all options. Santa Cruz is a short distance away, and you can reach the beach on foot. Parking is free at the top. The beach is accessible to everyone and opens every day.
The Ex-Monastery of Santiago Apostol
The small town of Cuilapan de Guerrero is located 12 km south of Oaxaca. It was once known for its cochineal, a bright red dye made from insects. The beautiful old Church and the Ex-monastery Santiago Apostol make the town a popular tourist destination.
Built this massive hillside structure in 1555. It is known for its Renaissance façade and two inner colonnades. One of these collapsed in an earthquake. The other part has a stone pulpit that can reach with small steps.
Although it was abandoned in 1663, its three-meter-thick walls and the murals at the entrance, which depict the history of the order, have stood the test. The terrace on the second floor is where the monks’ cells are located. An exciting stone plaque on the rear wall bears the Pre-Columbian inscription “10 Reeds” and the Christian Year 1555.
The Church is the only remaining part of the complex still in use. It contains the tomb of Cocijo-eza, the daughter and last Zapotec princess.
Lagunas de Chacahua National Park
Lagunas de Chacahua National Park is one of the best places to visit in Oaxaca. Explore this area of incredible biodiversity by spotting wildlife or relaxing on the sun-kissed beaches. Parque Nacional Lagunas de Chacahua is a hidden treasure of natural beauty and captivating cultural experiences.
The park is a beautiful national park with stunning natural features such as beaches, marshland, forests, and freshwater lagoons. It covers 35,057 acres (14.187 hectares) along Mexico’s southwest coast. You will find exotic birds, nesting turtles, surf breaks, and indigenous villages.
See the daily life of the Mixtec-speaking Afro-Mexicans at the park’s five communities (Chacahua Charco Redondo El Azufre, El Corral Island, and Zapotalito). Please find out about their daily lives and how they became enslaved in Africa. Listen to African-influenced music. Try traditional seafood dishes like red snapper, snook, and Pacific flagging mojarra.
Chacahua, the largest village, is also the most welcoming to tourists. Take a boat ride around the five mangrove-covered lagoons of the park. Enjoy panoramic views from El Corral Viewpoint as you glide along the El Corral canal, a mysterious tunnel-like channel. On a guided tour to Chacahua’s hilltop lighthouse, you will hear stories about the region’s history.
You can see various birds, including pelicans, kingfishers, and roseate spoonbills. Some migrate from Alaska and Canada. You can spot wild crocodiles swimming in the shallow water of the lagoons. They are safe to be approached at Chacahua’s reserve. Watch as newly hatched turtles make their first steps in a sanctuary for turtles between October and March.
Playa Chacahua or Playa Cerro Hermoso are two beautiful beaches that offer crystal clear water and soft golden sands. Enjoy a relaxing day there. Rent a board and enjoy the long waves of Playa Chacahua. You can swim in the warm ocean but be aware of the strong currents. Playa Cerro Hermoso offers a natural swimming pool.
It is located approximately 1 hour west of Puerto Escondido and 6 hours southeast of Acapulco. You can get there by taking a private or public taxi from Puerto Escondido to Zapotalito. You can also travel by private or shared boats to Chacahua.
Parque Nacional Lagunas de Chacahua is open year-round. While October through March is blessed with perfect temperatures, June through August can bring heavy rains and lightning storms.
Conclusion
All destinations are awesome! According to my opinion, The Ex-Monastery of Santiago Apóstol is the best to start. I hope you have enjoyed our list of Best Places to Visit in Oaxaca.
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