Oaxaca - my happy place.

Oaxaca! Alright, let me teach you how to say it. Ready?

Wuh-Ha-Kuh. Oaxaca!

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My absolute favorite place I have traveled to in Mexico.

First of all, THE FOOD. Oaxaca is known for its delicious food, I don't even know where to begin.

Secondly - it's very affordable. This isn't a luxury travel blog. I do not stay at the four seasons. This is a different type of blog. We don't stay at the resort all day. We hit the pavement until are legs hurt from walking. We eat street food here. This is a safe place.

How to get there:

We typically fly out of Tijuana, Mexico straight into Oaxaca. There is NO need to rent a car here. Cabs are very affordable, and in most instances you can walk. Make sure to confirm the price with the cab driver before getting into the taxi. If it sounds like too much, it probably is. Move onto the next cab and try again.

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Itinerary:

Okay the stuff you're here for. Here are some must do's for your trip in beautiful Oaxaca.

Day 1: GO WALKING! Almost every single day we walked down to the Zocalo (town square). There is always something going on there and it's a great starting point for your day. Keep your eye out for any weddings in progress, they're so beautiful. They parade down the street with puppets, music, and dancing. If you're there over the weekend, you will see several weddings. There are also so many shops, street vendors, and food options. You can easily spend a whole day here walking the colorful streets lined with cobblestone. It is such a vibrant, colorful city.

Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzman in the center of town. This church is so beautiful and is very ornate. You're allowed to go inside.

Snap a picture in front of the Oaxaca sign, you can't miss it. I love that they have these all over Mexico. It's almost a competition to see how many photos I can get with different ones.

Day 2: Cruise the local markets & go to the Oaxaca Botanical Garden

The two markets we usually ended up at were Mercado Benito Juarez and Mercado 20 de Noviembre. Markets are the perfect place to start your day with some breakfast, come hungry. Get lost among the rows of food and clothing and everything in between. We looked for any booth that had lots of locals eating, that's how you know it's good. Our favorite for breakfast is Chilaquiles Verdes, along with a fresh squeezed orange juice. If you're feeling daring, you must try the chapulines (grasshoppers) roasted with chile and lime. You'll see them all over the markets. Try fruit you don't have back at home. Red bananas, and star fruit caught my eye instantly! Also the clothing in Oaxaca is so beautiful. My sister in laws and I at least bought 5 shirts each, for about $6 USD per shirt. Steal!

Next - walk on over to the Jardin Etnobotanico De Oaxaca - or the Oaxaca Botanical Garden. It was SO AMAZING. There was such a variety. I was truly not expecting it. It's on former church grounds and shows off Mexico's biodiverse region. They have guided tours in Spanish, English, German, and French! Tours are usually around only 100 pesos. The gigantic cacti were so cool to the kids because they towered over them.

Day 3: Monte Alban

Hop in a taxi and head over to the ruins, about 6 miles away from city center. The ruins are the centre of Zapotec and Mixtec culture. We easily spent half of the day here walking around and going through the museum. You can hire a guide as well which I highly recommend as it's easy to get lost in here - it's HUGE!

Day 4: Take a cooking class!

We took the BEST - I mean the best cooking class. I will never get over it. Some of the best food I've ever eaten. I highly highly recommend Que Rico Es Oaxaca. You get to customize your menu so you can cook exactly what you want. We chose guacamole, Mole Negro (omg), tacos with squash blossoms, and homemade icecream. The tour started through the local market which was great to go to with a local. I think a cooking class in Oaxaca is a must do. Being able to make rich mole with peppers and oaxacan chocolate is such a flex.

Day 5: Hierve El Agua, the petrified waterfalls

Hierve El Agua - "the water boils" is a natural rock formation that resembles a waterfall. They're created by fresh water springs with water that's filled with tons of calcium. Bring your swimsuit and water shoes, because you can swim here! This is a day trip because it's a good drive from city center. We took a taxi no problem - it is a little over an hour drive, but worth it in my opinion.

EATS!

Usually I will list off restaurants like no other. But in Oaxaca eat throughout the markets. Eat from street vendors. Food is so affordable and so delicious. Try all the different kinds of mole. Try the tamales wrapped in banana leaves. Try the tlayudas (crispy tortilla with toppings like beans and meat). Get agua frescas and all the icecreams. We loved going to Manalo's to try all their unique and funky flavors.

If you made it this far, congrats! I hope this was a helpful guide for your upcoming trip. Make sure to bring home a small rug or an alebrije. Oh and some chocolate. And some cheeeeeese! Seriously the cheese.

We felt very safe in Oaxaca and would jump at the opportunity to go back. There's something so special about it and you'll feel it instantly once you arrive.

Adios,

Taylor