Mexico, Central America & Southwest USA Travel
Monte Alban sits on a flattened mountaintop above the Oaxaca valley and the views alone justify the trip. But the ruins themselves — the grand plaza, the ball court, the observatory, the carved Danzante stones — make it one of the most important archaeological sites in Mexico. The Zapotecs built this place around 500 BC … Read more
Cemetery vigils, comparsas, ofrendas and marigolds — what Day of the Dead in Oaxaca actually looks like, and how to experience it respectfully.
Getting around Oaxaca city is mostly on foot — the historic center is compact and walkable. For reaching the villages, markets and coast you need buses, colectivos or the occasional taxi. City Transport The centro historico from the Zocalo to Santo Domingo is a 10-minute walk. Most restaurants, museums and shops are within this area. … Read more
The villages around Oaxaca city each specialize in a different craft, and they have been doing it for generations. Black pottery in San Bartolo Coyotepec, woven rugs in Teotitlan del Valle, carved wooden alebrijes in San Martin Tilcajete and Arrazola. You can visit the workshops, watch the process, and buy directly from the makers. Teotitlan … Read more
Oaxaca punches well above its weight for museums. The old Santo Domingo monastery alone would make the trip worthwhile, but the city has a handful of other collections that fill in the picture of Zapotec, Mixtec and colonial history. Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca (Santo Domingo) This is the big one. Housed in the … Read more
Oaxaca is a market city. The Mercado Benito Juarez and Mercado 20 de Noviembre sit side by side near the Zocalo and between them they cover everything from fresh produce to handwoven textiles to grilled meat so smoky you can smell it a block away. But the real treasure is the rotating village market days … Read more
Food, markets, mezcal, Monte Alban and the Pacific coast — a guide to Oaxaca from years of visits.
Crossing the US-Mexico border by bus is straightforward once you have done it. I have crossed at Nogales more times than I can count, and a few times at Laredo and Ciudad Juarez. The process is basically the same everywhere. Nogales: The Western Gateway Nogales is the easiest border crossing for anyone coming from Arizona. … Read more
Mexico City has four major bus terminals, each pointing in a different compass direction. Figuring out which terminal you need is half the battle. Get it wrong and you are facing a crosstown taxi ride that could take an hour in traffic. Terminal Norte The biggest and busiest. Handles everything heading north — Queretaro, San … Read more
Chihuahuenses and Omnibus de Mexico are the bus lines for the far north of Mexico — Chihuahua state, the Copper Canyon region and the routes connecting the northern border cities. If you are heading to Copper Canyon, Creel, Batopilas or anywhere in the Sierra Tarahumara, these are the buses. Chihuahuenses is part of the Estrella … Read more