Things to Do in Oaxaca

Home to fewer than 100 people—mostly fishermen—San Agustin Bay (Bahía San Agustín) has no electricity or running water. The bay itself is known for its prime snorkeling opportunities. Visitors head into the ocean straight from the shore and are immediately surrounded by schools of tropical fish, coral plates, crabs, snails, bivalves, and sea urchins.

Maguey Bay (Bahía Maguey) is an easily accessible bay with a popular beach of the same name. A handful of busy seafood shacks line the beach, and visitors can sip cold beers on patio chairs, or splash around in the bay’s calm, clear waters. You’ll find lots of amenities here, too, as Maguey tends to be one of Huatulco’s busier bays.

One of just two so-called “petrified waterfalls” in the world, Hierve el Agua—which literally translates to "Water Boils"—is a rock formation with cliff-top pools above it. Visitors can cool off in natural spring waters, which are touted to have healing properties, then hike down to the base of the waterfalls.

Hierve el Agua is currently closed to the public as a result of a local land dispute.

Home to Huatulco’s harbor, Santa Cruz Bay (Bahía Santa Cruz) is located just minutes from La Crucecita and offers shops, restaurants, hotels, and easily accessible beaches. It’s the jumping-off point for boat tours of Huatulco’s bays, or for hiring small fishing boats to visit some of the coast's more remote spots.

Cacaluta Bay is the largest and least accessible of the Huatulco bays. This heart-shaped Oaxacan inlet, which served as a stunning backdrop to the blockbuster Mexican film Y Tu Mamá También, has good snorkeling just a short swim from shore. Its serene setting offers a nice alternative to the noise and excitement of Santa Cruz Bay.

Luxurious all-inclusive resorts and private beachfront villas line the rocky cliffs ofTangolunda Bay (Bahía Tangolunda) in Huatulco. Some of the big names that you’ll find here include Dreams, Barcelo, and Las Brisas. It’s a top choice for those wanting to stay right on the bay, and the endless stretches of sandy shores are perfect for early morning walks.

Nestled in the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca, the Cascadas de Llano Grande (Llano Grande Waterfall) is an ideal spot for hiking, swimming, and rappelling. Its shallow pools and multiple cascading waterfalls give ample opportunity for all kinds of water activities: Climb a tree, leap off the rocks, or swing from a rope into the pristine waters below.

Órgano Bay (Bahía Órgano) is an isolated stretch of beach just south of Santa Cruz in Mexico. Recommended for travelers who want to get away from it all, it’s an ideal spot for snorkeling and diving with calm, clear blue-green water and several interesting rock formations. Organo Bay is very near Maguey Bay, but not as popular or easy to access.

One of the oldest cities in the Americas, Monte Albán—an ancient Zapotec capital—is perhaps the most important archaeological site in Oaxaca and among the largest in Mexico. Head to Monte Albán’s flat mountain top for views of the city, then explore the vast site’s temples, tombs, underground tunnels, and ball court.

Chachacual Bay (Bahía Chachacual) is just half a mile (one kilometer) long, but its world-class snorkeling, impressive birdlife, and serene setting continue to attract travelers to its sunny shores. This tiny bay in Huatulco is best reached by boat and still relatively untouched, making it the perfect destination for those seeking a bit more privacy.

A relatively small Mixtec/Zapotec ruin, Mitla is notable for the detailed and well-preserved geometric stonework that decorates the buildings. The setting is pretty, with a cactus garden and shaded benches. From the ruins you can see the domed Church of San Pablo, built in the 16th century when the Spanish pillaged stones from Mitla. At the gates to the ruins, a small artesanía (folk art) market is home to aggressively competitive vendors, a situation that can yield great deals. Outside the gates, a clean and efficient comedor (diner) serves authentic Oaxacan specialties.

The name Mitla comes from the Náhuatl word Mictlan, which means place of the dead or underworld. An ancient ceremonial center, Mitla includes two cross-shaped tombs, a promenade of hefty stone columns, and an elevated suite of ornately-decorated rooms that were once occupied by the Zapotec high priest. Although theories on the subject differ, Mitla was likely built by the Zapotecs, occupied by the Mixtecs, reclaimed by the Zapotecs, and finally conquered by the Aztecs, who took control in 1494.

Situated 30 minutes outside of Oaxaca proper, this former Dominican convent in Cuilapam de Guerrero is an impressive complex which includes cloisters and a roofless chapel. Once home to praying monks and the place where former Mexican president Vicente Guerrero was executed, the 16th-century Cuilapam Convent is now a place to enjoy religious murals and sweeping views over the valley below.

Opened in response to the dwindling turtle population in Mexico, the Mexican Turtle Center (Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga) is a 10-acre (4-hectare) attraction located in Mazunte, Oaxaca. Here, you’ll find a variety of sea and freshwater turtles across over a dozen aquariums, including hawksbills, leatherbacks, and green turtles, all of which you can learn about on a guided tour of the center.

Tracts of untouched forest, coral reefs, and mangroves characterize the UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve Huatulco National Park (Parque Nacional Huatulco). Unlike other stretches of the Oaxacan coastline, Huatulco National Park is a meticulously preserved hotspot for rare creatures, virgin beaches, and hiking trails.