Your expert guide to planning day trips from Oaxaca
In this article we’ll be taking a look at the best day trips from Oaxaca city; what they are, where they are, and how to arrange them. We’ll also consider whether you’re better off arranging a tour or simply going alone.
* I have taken most of the day trips outlined below and those I haven’t taken yet, remain high on my “must do list” because I love adventuring in Oaxaca state so much.
Day trips from Oaxaca – transport options
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🚌 Public transportation
It is generally possible to find colectivos (small buses) between Oaxaca city and the villages of Oaxaca state. If you’re cash poor and time rich, this is your best option, however, you may find that day trips become long and arduous if you’re waiting on colectivos every time you want to move around. While someone on a tour or with a car might be able to fit 4 or 5 activities into a day, you’ll probably manage 1, maybe 2.
🚘 Rental car
Renting a car gives you the freedom to do what you want and to spend as long as you need to at every place you visit. You may not get the tour guide experience or knowledge but the freedom it gives makes it my favourite way to explore.
➡️ Check rental car options now
🚖 Private driver/guide
Hiring a driver lets you call the shots on where you go while relaxing rather than worrying about driving in a new country.
Some private drivers will also act as a guide, or at least share interesting facts about the places you’re going. Others will simply drive you to where you want to go.
👣 Tour guides
Of course hiring a local guide is the best way to learn about the local culture and history as you explore. Tours are also the best way to see as much as possible in as short time as possible.
Whether you want to join a small group tour or take a private tour, you’re likely to learn a great deal from your guide. Taking tours is the easiest way to explore around Oaxaca state if you don’t want to rent a car.
When looking for tours around Oaxaca I use Viator, Get Your Guide, and Where Sidewalks End.
As you plan your day trips from Oaxaca, don’t forget to plan your time and activities in the city, too:
➡️ How to get from Oaxaca airport to Oaxaca city
➡️ How many days do you need in Oaxaca
Day trips from Oaxaca
I’ve broken this section down by type of day trip: archaeology, nature, village visits, and mezcal tastings. Under each heading the most popular/common trips are listed first, followed by the more off-the-beaten-track options.
🏨 Have you decided where you want to stay in Oaxaca already? If not, use my helpful interactive map to find your perfect Oaxaca accommodation.
Archaeological sites to visit from Oaxaca
From Oaxaca there are a number of great archaeological sites to visit although most people generally only visit 1 or 2 of them.
Monte Albán
By far the most famous of the ruins to visit from Oaxaca, Zapotec built Monte Albán is also extremely close to the city, making it an easy outing whether you choose to book a tour or to visit alone.
Monte Albán was founded on a high hill overlooking the Oaxaca Valley around 500 BCE and was the Zapotec’s most important city until around 800 CE when its power declined in favour of smaller city states in the valley. The Mixtec people claimed Monte Albán as their own in around 1350 CE.
Today, along with the centro historico of Oaxaca, Monte Albán has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Day trip details
🧭 10km from Oaxaca. It’s even possible to walk to Monte Albán from Oaxaca (I’ve not walked this route but I have met people who have chosen to visit this way)
🚌 Colectivos run from the Central de Abastos bus station. Look for buses marked “Monte Albán” or “Xoxocotlán”. The journey takes around 30-40 minutes
🚘 Driving yourself is of course, an easy option if you have a car given how close it is to the city. After you’ve explored Monte Albán you could easily continue exploring elsewhere in the same day
🚖 A cab from Oaxaca to Monte Albán shouldn’t cost more than $250 pesos each way (less hopefully). Remember to ask them to wait or you may find yourself stranded
👣 There are numerous tours that include visiting Monte Albán on their schedule. What you have to do is decide if you’re after an in-depth guided tour around the site or just transport to and from the site
🥑 There is a small snack stand inside the site selling drinks and snacks
🚾 There are bathrooms on site
🛍 Outside the site there are market stalls set up where you’ll find some decent souvenirs
Mitla
Mitla is generally visited by people who have chosen multi-activity tours from Oaxaca but if you are a ruins-nerd, like me, Mitla is a great option for an extra activity since it’s considered to be the second best ruins in Oaxaca.
Mitla mans “place of the dead” in Nahuatl and the site is thought to have been an important Zapotec (and later Mixtec) religious centre.
Day trip details
🧭 Mitla is located in the small pueblo magico of San Pablo Villa de Mitla, some 40 km from Oaxaca.
🚌 From the Central de Abastos bus station you can take a bus to Mitla – look for signs for “Mitla” in the window. The buses leave when they’re full rather than to any set schedule.
🚘 Drive yourself in a rental car and add on nearby sites such as Hierve el Agua
🚖 If the bus doesn’t take your fancy, you could take a private driver and make a day of it
👣 There are many tours that stop at Mitla
🥑 There are restaurants in the town. I particularly recommend Origin Maiz. I ate there in 2024 and it was fabulous
🚾 Bathrooms are by the entrance to the site
🛍 There is a decent sized market outside the entrance to the ruins
Atzompa
Atzompa is not a regularly visited site but it’s near to Monte Albán, so is easily visited on the same day if you’re driving yourself or with a private driver. In Nahuatl Atzompa means “at the top of the water”. There are 3 ball courts here, one of which is actually the longest in Oaxaca.
Day trip details
🧭 Like Monte Albán, Atzompa is close to Oaxaca, about 8 km to the north-west
🚌 Head to the Centro de Abastos bus station and look for colectivos heading for “Atzompa”
🚖 A cab or private driver won’t cost too much for a trip to Aztompa given its location near Oaxaca. You could even visit straight from Monte Albán
🚘 Easy to visit with a car along and to tag onto other sites such as Monte Albán, given its proximity to the city
👣 Not too many tours include Atzompa unless you can book a private tour
🥑 🚾 🛍 Although the site is open to visitors, there are no services
Other ruins to visit from Oaxaca
The others include Yagul (better known for the prehistoric caves of Yagul), Zaachila, Atzompa, Dainzú, San José el Mogote, Lambityeco.
Nature trips from Oaxaca
Hierve el Agua
This famous waterfall is one of the most popular places to see for people visiting Oaxaca and with good reason. I’ve been 3 or 4 times and if you invite me I’ll jump at the chance to go again. It’s absolutely stunning. Not only is it amazing to see a petrified waterfall but it’s also an area of natural beauty where you can hike around and you can even swim in the pools at the top of one of the waterfalls.
These formations that resemble petrified water or stalactites are created by fresh water springs. The water is over-saturated with calcium carbonate so when the water trickles over the cliff the excess minerals, over the years, have built up to resemble stalactites.
Day trip details
🧭 Hierve el Agua is about 70 km from Oaxaca city
🚌 There’s no direct bus from Oaxaca but you can (if you really want to) take a colectivo to Mitla and then from there take a second colectivo to Hierve el Agua. I haven’t done this myself so if you do decide to visit this way, let me know how it goes
🚘 Far easier is to rent a car and drive yourself to Hierve el Agua.
💲 Note that not only do you have to pay to enter the site itself but you’ll also meet an informal toll on the road – this is legitimate and everyone pays it, you’re not being ripped off. I’ve driven myself and had to pay it, I’ve also been with private drivers and tours and it’s always paid
🚖 You could take a private tour or driver to Hierve el Agua. I probably wouldn’t recommend a taxi all the way from Oaxaca although it’s certainly possible
👣 There are numerous tour options that include Hierve el Agua. Some will have a brief stop here only, giving you time to do little more than see the view and maybe have a quick dip, others will include more time and even a hike to the base of the waterfall. If you show up alone you can hire a local guide to show you around should you wish to do so
🥑 There are plenty of food stalls to choose from here. I always stop for a fresh coconut water at the very least
🚾 There are public bathrooms and there are even changing rooms by the water
🛍 There is always a market set up here where you can pick up souvenirs
Tule tree
El Arbol del Tule, the famous Montezuma Cypress tree in Santa Maria del Tule, is over 1,400 years old, and is the widest tree in the world and yes, it’s pretty cool.
There’s a small charge to enter the proximity of the tree (20 pesos I think).
It’s unlikely you’ll spend an entire day in Santa Maria del Tule unless you’re really into slow travel. Most organised tours that stop here do so only briefly. If you’re exploring alone you could visit here as part of a longer day out or you could have a nice easy day from Oaxaca where you spend just a few hours here.
Day trip details
🧭 Santa Maria del Tule is just 10 km (20 minute drive) from Oaxaca city
🚌 One block from the baseball stadium on Niños Heroes is a bus stop from whence you can catch a colectivo towards Tule
🚖 Given its proximity to the city of Oaxaca, it’s easy and cheap enough to take a cab or private driver to Tule
🚘 If you’re renting a car then driving to Tule for a quick look at the tree and a stroll around the town is a perfect quick trip
👣 While Tule isn’t the focus of most tours, many do add on a stop here
🥑 There are some lovely restaurants in the town. I particularly love Restaurante El Milenario for its good service and excellent food
🛍 There are artisan stores all around the plaza and there’s also a small market for tourists
Santiago Apoala
One trip I wish I’d taken but never have is to Santiago Apoala. Exploring this gorgeous forest, its turquoise lagoon, the Cola de Serpiente waterfall, the canyon and everything else here looks absolutely magnificent.
Day trip details
🧭 At a 2 hour drive from Oaxaca, a day trip here is most easily arranged as a tour although there are cabins available for people who wish to stay overnight.
👣 Tours to this region are starting to appear on mainstream booking sites (see below). They tend to include visiting the viewpoints, the waterfall, swimming time, and hiking time.
Sierra Norte
As you explore the city of Oaxaca it’s impossible to not notice that you’re surrounded by mountains – this is the Sierra Norte and a highlight of visiting Oaxaca is being able to get yourself into the Sierra Norte. The 2 easiest options are:
Pueblos Mancomunados
The Pueblos Mancomunados is a group of 8 small villages nestled in the pine forests of the Sierra Norte highlands that work together to bring people interested in ecotourism to them.
While it is technically possible to visit without guides, given the size of the villages and the need to book in advance, I highly recommend working with local guides to plan your trip to these small villages.
Once up in the highlands you’ll find there are plenty of opportunities for hiking, cycling, ziplines, horse riding and more.
➡️ Read more about booking tours to the pueblos mancomunados
Hiking Santa Caterina Ixtepeji
If you’re a hiker then this 4 hour hike from Santa Caterina Ixtepeji is a great option. Just one hour from Oaxaca and you’re in the heights of the Sierrra Norte ready to hike through huge, wild agaves, firs and more. The hike along the path offers views over valleys, ridges and the pueblos in the Sierra Norte. Lunch in Las Animas is included.
➡️ Book this tour with Tierraventura now
Visit the beach
It seems nuts that it’s possible to visit the beach for a day from a city like Oaxaca but it really is possible now. And if you have the time, and the energy, why not?
Oaxaca’s beaches and beach towns are absolutely gorgeous. I’m a huge fan of this part of the Pacific coastline although I’ve never been for just the day. If you’re just going for the day then you’re unlikely to travel further than Puerto Escondido.
Day trip details
🧭 At a push you can now visit Puerto Escondido and the nearby beaches of the Pacific Coast as a day trip from Oaxaca. Until the new highway between Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido opened in early 2024 it would take 6-7 hours to drive from Oaxaca to the coast. Thanks to the highway it’s now a 2.5 – 3 hour drive, meaning that for the determined, the beach is within day trip distance.
🚌 Take the 3 hr ADO bus from the main bus station in Oaxaca – best to book in advance
🚘 If you’re renting a car then a drive to the beach is a perfect option (although why not stay longer if you can? There’s nothing like waking up to the sound of crashing waves).
🚖 There are private transfer options between the coast and Oaxaca
👣 Tours from Oaxaca to the beach aren’t plentiful but there are a few. I expect more to appear thanks to the new highway
Mezcal Distilleries
It would be practically impossible, I think, to visit Oaxaca and remain unaware of mezcal, Oaxaca’s most famous, most respected and most beloved spirit. Tequila is actually a form of mezcal – one made only from the blue agave. Mezcal that is not tequila is made from other agave plants, most commonly espadin. While in Oaxaca it’s possible to visit a palenque, that is,a mezcal distillery / farm.
The type of tour you take and the type of palenque you visit will determine how much you learn, how much you imbibe and the type of mezcal you drink.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that mezcal is a way of life for people in Oaxaca, even those who aren’t involved in the production of this beautiful drink.
⭐️ MexicoCassie’s Favourite Mezcal Palenque: Gracias a Dios (you’ll need a driver / rental car to get here)
⭐️ MexicoCassie’s recommended focused mezcal tour providers: Where Sidewalks End – choose between visiting an ancestral or an artisanal mezcal producer.
⭐️ MexicoCassie’s recommended general tour Hierve el Agua & mezcal tour – visiting El Rey de Matatlan (Artisanal) Palenque
Villages to visit from Oaxaca
There are many villages in the state of Oaxaca are interesting to visit so let’s take a look at a few of them. First we’ll check out the most commonly visited and then I’ll suggest a few lesser visited options. The first villages, the regularly visited, are pretty much found on any tour you choose.
🚘 If you’re not taking tours that include stops in these villages, they’re all easily visitable with a rental car.
San Martín Tilcajete or San Antonio Arrazola
Both of these villages are famous for their alebriijes – you know, the hybrid animal forms. You see these wooden creatures everywhere. Truthfully, I think they’re fabulous and I can’t help buying them whenever I see them because they’re so great.
Teotitlán del Valle
Famous for Zapotec textiles, specifically rugs. Last time I visited I bought some tea towels and a couple of small bags.
Direction: 30 km from Oaxaca City. Lambityeco & Yagul archaeological sites as well as Tlacolula de Matamoros. In 2024, I hiked up a mountain just outside Teotitlán del Valle, which was kind of fun!
San Bartolo Coyotepec
Famous for barro negro pottery, the black pottery. You’ll see this pottery everywhere in Oaxaca. In 2009 we bought a shiny sphere here. I never really knew why we bought it.
Direction: 15km from Oaxaca City (near the airport). Close enough to Monte Albán
Tlacolula
This village is famous for its Sunday market, which is the oldest continuous market in all of Latin America.
Direction: 30km from Oaxaca City Near Lambityeco & Yagul archaeological sites as well as Teotilan del Valle
San Jose del Pacifico
Generally San Jose del Pacifico is visited by 2 different types of people:
🍄 people driving the old route through the mountains from Oaxaca to the beach (I did this in 2021)
🍄 people looking for psychedelics and magic mushrooms
but there’s far more to the place than its mushrooms.
What can you do in San Jose del Pacifico?
⭐️ Well, of course you can take part in a magic mushroom ceremony. Magic mushrooms are not legal anywhere in Mexico including in San Jose del Pacifico, but there are tours you can find that will include a ceremony of some sort, many of them extremely respectful of both the psylocibin and local culture.
A note on mushrooms
🍄 Magic mushroom season is July – October. If you go out of season you may still find some for sale but they may not be as potent
🍄 Ask around for prices, don’t just accept the first price you’re given as some may overcharge tourists
🍄 Be careful. While everyone knows people visit San Juan del Pacifico for the mushrooms, it’s still illegal in Mexico
🍄 Many mushroom experiences include a temazcal – this is the traditional way. Be respectful
⭐️ Find the the giant swings that are located around the town (we planned to do this on our way back through San Jose del Pacifico from the beach but car trouble and rain prevented it, sadly), visit the enchanted forests, hike up to the mirador for incredible views, and enjoy the extreme adventures with ziplines, drop swings and more.
🛍 Go shopping – even when I was just stopping for lunch I picked up a bunch of hand crocheted mushrooms that adorn my Christmas tree every year.
Day trip details
🧭 Located in the Sierra Madre Sur mountains around 3 hours from Oaxaca
🚘 It’s a pleasant drive to San Jose del Pacifico from Oaxaca.
🚌 Take the bus going to Pochutla
👣 If you prefer an organised tour, there are a few leaving from Oaxaca. They tend to offer transport and direction to the places where you can swing, walk the suspension bridges, find the miradors and more. The prices of the activities are not always included in the cost of the tour so be sure to ask.
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