OAXACA CITY, MX
Oaxaca City, also and more formally known as 'Oaxaca de Juarez', is the capital understandably of the state of Oaxaca and is a colorful colonial town that is considered the culinary hub of the state. With Oaxaca widely considered to have the best food in the country of Mexico, one could say that it's possible Oaxaca has the best food in the country. Oaxacan cuisine is unique, while not entirely different from what you will find in the rest of Mexico. But here you will find the best of it. When it comes to the food there are a lot of fancy options. Amazing fine dining that attracts food people from all over the place. I went to one or two of those places. But if you are on a budget, fear not — there are plently of street food options and a market full of budget food. Additionally, and importantly, Oaxaca is considered the home of Mezcal. While Mezcal is produced in multiple different states, Oaxaca is really considered the home and place of Mezcal. As a result there is Mezcal everywhere. You can go on Mezcal tours and find Mezcal bars all over the place. Oaxaca city is a beautiful Pueblo Magico, with cobblestone streets and quaint buildings lining the streets all of different and visually pleasing painted walls. It's a beautiful place to just get up and walk around. You can get lost, and a long walk may be one of the more memorable things that you did in the city. You are no where near the ocean here so the things you will be doing in this amazing Mexican town will revolve around the city itself. There are markets — one of the best in Mexico I may add, walking streets, multiple squares and churches, and lots of historical stuff to learn about. And of course as previously mentioned, you have the massive plethora of food options in the city. A proper trip to Mexico — if you have the time and are doing more than just one place, would not be complete without a stop in Oaxaca City. It's one of the best cities to visit in Mexico. It's totally worth at least a few days stay here. There's a really nice hostel scene, some fun nightlife options, tons of cool things to see throughout the city, and it's I feel so often overlooked by people who choose between this and Mexico City. While both are amazing, I think neither should be missed.
Oaxaca City, or when you are there, simply referred to as just 'Oaxaca', is located in the center of the state of Oaxaca which is nearly the most southwesterly state in the country. So when you are here you are really scratching at Central America's door. The options to get here are really easy frankly. It's a major city in Mexico, and there is an international airport here.
Additionally, you will be able to get here by bus or by shuttle from really anywhere in Mexico. You can pick up the nearly always reliable ADO bus from almost anywhere to get yourself here. If you are coming from Mexico City, you'll have about an 8-hour bus-ride more or less. It will go through the other large city of Pueblo to get there. Which is a nice stop in its own right as well. If you are coming from Puerto Escondido, the ride will be similarly long. Those are probably the most common places you would be coming from. Buses are easy to find, and if you have any common sense at all you will be able to find yourself a bus or shuttle transport to get to Oaxaca city from anywhere in Mexico. There are loads of people going here all the time and it's a popular stop on the backpacking trail. So I won't go too in-depth here.
The airport here is called OAX and it's a large and nicely connected international airport. So if you choose to fly, that is easy as well.
HOSTELS, CAMPING, AND HOTELS (IF ANY)
This is where I stayed, and I absolutely loved it. It's a beautiful little hostel. It's far from fancy, but that is what I look for anyways. It was perfect for me. It's really conveniently located, as is everything here on this list, but there are two really big nice common areas to hang out. The entire first floor pretty much is a giant common area, with seats and bean bags and tons of natural light. The roof is also an amazing spot to hang out with a cool mellow bar open until around midnight so you can get to know all your new roommates. Loved it here. The bed situation is a little interesting, There are like 4 levels of beds. Just hope you don't get the top level of bed. — Really nice kitchen also.
There is a really nice hostel scene here. There are SO many options. I will only point out a few of them that I found and heard to be good. Some amazing spots that are full of like-minded travelers and backpackers all over the world. I still remember the hostel that I stayed at in Oaxaca, and I remember it fondly. There's a handful of really good options here, with similar vibes and from any of the choices below it would be hard to go wrong with in my opinion. They are all well located, all super cheap, social, and all that. They are exactly what hostels should be. Great, open and inviting common spaces, volunteers from all over the world, nothing fancy, all that. There is a spectrum here though. You have some nice hostels and chains like a Selina and a Viajero. I won't mention either of those, as I wouldn't recommend them. You lose the culture of backpacking when you stay at those places. I won't recommend them. If you want something nice and comfy and you're digital-nomading your way through the world, then maybe this could be for you.
Additionally there is a nice hotel and boutique hotel scene in Oaxaca city. I didn't experience it, but I have friends who did Oaxaca not as a backpacker and there are really nice more high-end places to stay. Also some lovely Airbnb options that could be really cool. If you are already traveling with a big tight knit group an Airbnb could be a cool option and it would be too expensive.
If you are looking to book a hostel, and want to make sure you get the one that you want, I would recommend booking a little bit in advance if your plan allows it. These hostels have a tendency of selling out.
A big bustling hostel. It's probably one of them more popular places to stay in the city, and with over 4k reviews on Hostelworld I am not surprised. It's a fully operating place though. They have a bar, they have a restaurant — a really nice rooftop to hang out at. There will certainly be lots of other travelers, and they have tours that you can book directly from the hostel if you are into that. It's not too expensive at 300 pesos, and an extra 40 to include breakfast.
This was the place I actually first had my eye on when I was looking into hostel stays in Oaxaca City. It's I would say the one that most backpackers, especially the younger ones, talk about going to when you meet people who have been there or are going. It's a bit of a party hostel. They have a pool and all that so it will be more party-centric. With a nice kitchen, tons of people everywhere, and a pool, you're going to have a good time here.
Another really nice place to stay. It's on the smaller side compared to some of the others mentioned, which is really cool. They also have a pool but you won't run into the party hostel culture necessarily that you are going to find at Tichuch. It's a lovely little spot, with probably a little bit older of an age demographic, and mellower vibes. — Really cool little spot. They also have a bar on site right near the pool.
EATS
Food here in Oaxaca is certainly an important section. Potentially the most important of all the sections when it comes to what to do here. Like I have mentioned, it's the culinary hub of the state of Oaxaca, which is considered to be the culinary hub of the country of Mexico. So does that make Oaxaca the culinary hub of the country? I don't know, I won't be the judge, but I do know that the food there is really out of this world.
Oaxacan food is a unique cuisine in and of itself. There are a few traditional dishes that must be tried, that I will outline below. They can be purchased throughout the city. So the section below will contain street food options, market options, and certain dishes that are famous in the region. I will not mention any restaurants though. It's a foodie scene here that will rival most anywhere in the world. I will let you do your own research on the restaurants because there are other people out there who ate through that scene more than I did and would be much much better at describing the restaurants. I personally found the Eater guide to be the best around. It even had some of my favorite street food options on it.
You could spend weeks here just eating. I am sure there are people who do just that. There are restaurants everywhere. Up and down the pricing scale and level of formality of fanciness. So no matter what your budget, you will be able to have some really great food.
It will be mentioned below but just to extra specially call it out, the 'Mercado 20 de Noviembre' is a must. Named after the start date of the Mexican revolution in 1910. It's an amazing open and closed air market in the middle of the city. There are hundreds it seems of food options. It's colorful, amazing and fragrant. The most famous part of it is probably the meat corridor, or meat hall as I called it. It's a large hallway where all of meat that Oaxaca is famous for producing and cooking is prepared and served to be eaten in little stalls. The hallway is filled with smoke and the everlasting smell of cooked mean and pork. It's an awesome, sweaty, and smoky experience and it's a must-do.
Traditional Oaxacan Foods
Tlayudas
For me at least, this is the most synonymous item when it comes to Oaxcan food. It's what I ended up referring to as Oaxacan or Mexican Pizza. It's a giant crispy tortilla that is topped with whatever you want, but typically a bunch of the delicious stringy Oaxacan cheese, some veggies, beans and more meat than you could imagine. I would recommend grabbing a tlayuda from the meat hall in Mercado 20 Noviembre, then taking a nap.
Memela
This is a popular street food option in Oaxaca. It's kind of like a mini Tlayuda. So if you don't want to fall into a food coma and just want a little snack, this is a good place to start. They are kind of like disc-shaped tortillas that are filled up with some nice ingredients like veggies, shredded chicken, cheese, guacamole, etc.
Oaxacan Cheese - Quesillo
Oaxacan cheese is unique and famous. It is this stringy and long cheese, that is usually rolled up into a ball and sold like that. A ball the size of a grapefruit. But it's really delicious and gets put on a ton of the food that you will get in this area. Just know it's something to try.
Mole
You have probably heard of mole once or twice in your life but it is very popular here. It's debated, but many say it originated in Oaxacan land. It comes in may different forms, but some of the best mole in the world is here in Oaxaca city. Personally I don't like it, it's too rich for me but you should try it. Depending on how it's prepared it can have up to 100 different ingredients in it.
Chapulines
This is probably going to scare a lot of you but these are crickets. Crickets are really popular to eat in Mexico. They are dried out, and people buy them buy the pound. They are a great source of protein apparently. You will find many of these Chapulins or crickets throughout the markets in Oaxaca. Give it a try if you dare.
Tetela
Tetelas are these really cool little snacks in the shape of a triangle that are filled with different types of ingredients. It's a really nice street food option to pick up on-the-go if you are hungry.
Food Options
Some of the best tlayudas come from the carts that are all around the city serving street food. I found this to be one of the best options in the city to get amazing and affordably-priced tlayudas.
A really amazing little street food spot open late into the night. Here they are serving up suckling pig. It's known as 'lechon' and it's amazing. Options are tacos, tortas or tostadas and it's a great late-night snack — and delicious and cheap.
A torta cart that's been going strong for more than 25 years. It's the best tortas in Oaxaca, and they are so amazing and cheap. There's a massive selection of tortas here, so go wild. Go twice.
As mentioned above this market is amazing. One of the best in all of Mexico I would say. It's a food hub and you can get all of the Oaxacan staple dishes here including tlayudas, mole, and more. Walking around this market and eating and drinking and sight-seeing is one of the best things that you can do in the city.
I don't think this place had a name, but it is an out-of-this-world cheeseburger on the streets. It's located just on the side of the road, and I have geotagged where it was when I was there. It's so, so good — and cheap. One of the best options for late night food after going out and walking home from the bars. — Was a random rec I got from a local one night and I went back every night I went out.
One of the more well-known street food spots in the city. It's serving up famous pozole (a traditional soup), and great pork tacos and tostadas. It opens around sunset and stays open early into the morning. — Usually will be pretty crowded with locals.
NIGHTLIFE
and many more...
Like I mentioned above, I won't go into the restaurants. I didn't spend my time going to restaurants. I went to the markets and explored the street foods. But the restaurant scene here is world class. If I was on a different budget I certainly would have explored it. Check out some other places on the internet, there are loads of people who have done a lot of work and spent a lot of time going through and recommending restaurants here in town.
Go explore though. There are restaurants all over the place. Eating your way through a city can be one of the best places to figure it out anyways. A lot of places have great decks and rooftops with views so that's another nice way to explore.
Bars and Clubs
Oaxaca is the home to Mezcal, and also the culinary hub of the state. So it stands to reason that they would have great cocktails. They do. And a great Mezcal scene. A night out here in Oaxaca is going to be centered around going to Mezcal coctail bars and exploring those many options. I only put a few examples down here. They are a really good start but part of the fun here is just walking around and exploring. Meeting people and getting advice from them on where you should go for a cocktail or four. Prices are going to be affordable here as well with cocktails and beers ranging from $2 to $5 — or more, depending on how nice of a place you go to.
It's not all Mezcal bars, and there's certainly some more late-night options around town to get a little bit rowdier with a larger crew. If I were being honest your night is probably going to start at your hostel, and you are going to head out with whatever group of people you have started there to the bars. That's how it should be. The hostels that I mention all have little bars in them, and they themselves are a great way to get a night started.
Really cool little bar and cocktail lounge in a relaxed environment. It's a nice vibe in here, dark with neon red glowing signs on the wall. The cocktails are great, and decently priced. They also have good food and Mezcal options.
This is probably the biggest tourist draw of a bar that I discovered while I was there. They usually have a live band playing English language cover songs all night long. But it's usually packed with people dancing and having fun. Right in the center of town. You'll probably end up here if you are going out with your hostel crowd. I know I did. — Was popular with the backpackers. Late night spot.
Another cool little Mezcal cocktail bar. It's the fanciest option on the list, but that still doesn't make it pretentious. It's well located near all the hostels, and a great place to get some great drinks.
SIGHTS
Hierve el Agua is a natural sight located outside of Oaxaca. It's probably the most popular thing to do outside of the city. No, it certainly is. It can get really crowded, but it's beautiful. There's these natural teal blue water pools that have created these sediment deposits that look like a waterfall going down the cliff under the natural pools. Bring a bathing suit.
Lots of stuff to do and see in and around Oaxaca. This list is a pretty good place to start.
This is a massive archaeological zone with old ruins. It really is huge, and honestly rivals that of the ruins in Mexico City. Even though those are pretty insane, and I would say impossible to top. But still. It's not far from the center of the city, and is one of the most amazing and best things you can do here.
If you have read this whole thing I am sure by now you are aware that I like this market. I must have mentioned it 5 times. This market is a must visit. It's one of the best that the whole country has to offer for eating. Go get lost. Explore the other markets like Mercado Benito Juarez (best market for shopping), and Mercado Central de Abastos (largest market in the city).
MEZCAL DISTILLERY OR FARM TOUR
Being the home to Mezcal, one of the best things to do here is go on a Mezcal tour. The Mezcal tours themselves will involve going to farms outside of the city. This won't exactly be cheap but you will get to drink a lot of Mezcal, see how it's produced, and get the history of it. There are also distilleries in town like La Mezcaloteca that you can visit during the day without booking a full tour. The tour is really cool though.
The word Zocalo is something that I guess you should learn to become familiar with. It essentially means town square or town center. Public square or plaza as well I guess. Larger towns will have them named Zocalos. Mexico City being an example. But here the Zocalo is pretty much considered the center of town. It's a giant plaza, bustling with people and life. A must-visit here. Grab some food, buy a souvenir, sit on a bench, whatever. It's a nice thing to do. Also a really good location-marker for where things are.
There's a very pretty church here in Oaxaca. It's a good spot to put on your list of places to go on a walk around town. I went by, took some pictures, and called it a day. But it's a nice thing to see.
SPANISH SCHOOL
I'll say this frequently throughout the bobi book. Go take some Spanish lessons. It's an amazing way to give back to the community and support some local people, and it will also immensely help you communicate with locals and get around. It also gives you something to do. As backpackers we know that sometimes that's exactly what you need. Go take some Spanish lessons here — it is a great place to do it. There is a shitty picture of one of my old Spanish notebooks.
GET LOST
As is the case with these colorful pueblo magicos, getting lost, walking around not knowing where you are going, then figuring out you ended up in the coolest little spot in town that no one you know has ever been to is just the coolest thing ever. Go do it. The place is super-safe — there is nothing to worry about, day or night.
EAT
Just to reiterate here, go and eat everything that you can. It's truly the best thing to do in Oaxaca.
Nothinnnn. Just wait till you get to the coast though, wuff.
SURFING