Oaxaca was the right choice for my one big Mexico trip. A review by MND’s summer intern

I was considering a lot of places for my one big trip while in Mexico. 

Six weeks ago, I arrived in San Miguel de Allende to start a nine-week journalism internship with Mexico News Daily. I had already travelled to Mexico City, Querétaro and Guanajuato. But there was still so much I had not seen and so many places I wanted to explore. 

I could have gone to one of Mexico’s iconic coastal cities. I could have gone to the Sierra Gorda or visited the caves at Tolantongo, but I landed on Oaxaca. 

The southern Mexican city is world-famous for its historic colonial center, ancient ruins, local cuisine and landscape. It had everything I was looking for in a weekend excursion — and a new direct flight from Querétaro made the trip seamless. 

But once I landed I immediately started to wonder if the city would live up to my lofty expectations, especially after Travel + Leisure magazine rated it the fifth best city in the world. Would the weather cooperate? Would I be impressed with the colonial center after living in San Miguel de Allende? Would Monte Albán — a massive archaeological site adorned with Zapotec pyramids — be too crowded to enjoy?

The most apparent thing when I stepped out of Oaxaca’s minuscule international airport was that it was very different from other cities I had visited in Mexico. It has not adapted for the comfort of international tourists with luxury hotels or pristine streets. It is rugged and sometimes dirty. There is more of an emphasis on adventure than in places like Cancún or San Miguel de Allende, which offer more relaxing vacations. 

Oaxaca is also the third-poorest state in Mexico, with over half of the population living on less than US $62 per month, according to the Borgen Project. Dilapidated infrastructure is commonplace, the poverty of some towns is eye-opening and the social exclusion experienced in the state is evident — not a comfortable experience for a lot of tourists. 

But my experience still lived up to my expectations, and sometimes even blew them out of the water. 

After spending almost two months living in San Miguel and taking a trip to Guanajuato, I did not find Oaxaca’s colonial city center to be particularly impressive. However, it is still full of colorful streets and ornate architecture where massive Catholic churches dominate the skyline. The most impressive church — the Temple of Santo Domingo de Guzmán — features the Museum of Oaxacan Cultures, which is filled with artifacts thousands of years old and features incredible views of the surrounding gardens and mountains. 

But the real adventure came the day after I arrived when I boarded a van headed for Hierve el Agua, an incredible rock formation about 90 minutes east of the city with natural hot springs and otherworldly calcified waterfalls. The tour also stopped at ancient ruins as well as mezcal and textile factories. It was a long 12-hour tour, but the unbelievable views and immersion into Oaxaca’s unique culture were well worth it. 

That is the intrigue of Oaxaca: its Indigenous roots are on display everywhere throughout the city, from the street art throughout Centro to the alebrijes lining the artisan shops to the unique food and dress. And just beyond, you’ll find wondrous access to nature. Oaxaca is also one of the few places in Mexico where residents openly speak Zapotec and Mixtec in addition to Spanish. It is an experience that truly cannot be replicated because it is unique to Oaxaca itself.

And the history is some of the oldest in the world. Oaxaca — along with most of southern Mexico — is considered one of six cradles of civilization in the world, where farming was developed independently. The Zapotec people have lived in Oaxaca for thousands of years — with some Monte Alban pyramids dating back 2,500 years.

So did Oaxaca live up to the expectations? Absolutely.