Oaxaca Itinerary (2 weeks)
Welcome to our 2 week Oaxaca itinerary for backpackers.
With everything from picturesque beaches to vast canyons and the raw jungle, Mexico is an extremely diverse country.
And rightfully so, it’s now one of the world’s ultimate countries to backpack.
The Oaxaca Region is one of the most popular to visit in the country, with everything from ancient ruins and miles of beautiful Pacific beaches to some of the best food you can try in the continent.
Backpacking Oaxaca Itinerary
In this guide we’ll explore the region of Oaxaca.
With our personalized 2 weeks itinerary, we’ll look in-depth at the destinations of Oaxaca City, Puerto Escondido, Mazunte and Huatulco.
Getting around Oaxaca State
Whilst travel between destinations can be somewhat daunting, Mexico had surprised us both when it came to public transport, and for the better too.
The bus system in Oaxaca has many companies serving and connecting the region very well, with both good quality buses and seats.
Many do tend to fly between Oaxaca City and Puerto Escondido, as you can sometimes find cheap flights, however the bus is ultimately the most cost-effective option.
It’s important to say here that the bus is not for the faint of hearted, as this one, in particular, tends to cause a lot of travel sickness (think winding mountainous roads for many hours…).
Aside from this, getting around the rest of the state by bus is a breeze.
Although it’s one of the safest states, you still need to do what you can to avoid potential theft. We recommend bringing this secure Money Belt with you.
Other Things to know: Travel Tips
When completing the itinerary below of Oaxaca, you’ll need a daily budget of $20-25 a day.
This amount will cover a dorm bed, food, some local buses and also a few drinks or extras too.
Other costs such as international flights, travel insurance or long-distance buses are not included in this.
Oaxaca is one of the safest regions you can travel to within Mexico. However this goes without saying, you’ll still need to take precautions where possible.
Some of our best advice includes not going out alone late at night, and also looking up the safest areas to stay before arriving.
See this guide on Oaxaca safety for even more detailed tips on staying safe.
Learning some Spanish beforehand will be helpful as well, so you can get around easier and also make friends with the friendly locals.
Be sure to pack well, as the Oaxacan region is one of Mexico’s most varied.
Here you’ll have everything from cool, mountainous towns to the hot, coastal towns that run along the Pacific.
So for this trip you’ll want to bring a variety of clothes, as well as a raincoat if heading within the wet season (which runs from June until October). This snug Poncho does the job perfectly.
Backpacking Oaxaca (2 Weeks)
Now let’s explore our two week itinerary of Oaxaca, where we’ll cover the very best sights and experiences of the region.
Oaxaca City (Days 1-5)
We first kick off this itinerary by arriving in the capital of the region.
Getting to Oaxaca City is pretty easy from Mexico City, where you can either take a bus or a short flight over.
This city is one of the cultural highlights of any trip to Mexico, and is famed for its outstanding food and architecture.
The best area to stay in is within the historic centre, and if possible close to the main plaza where everything is going on.
One of the best things to do here is a walking tour around the historic center, where you’ll see all of the top sights including the Templo de Santo Domingo, the Catedral Metropolitana as well as the Zócalo.
Food lovers must head to Mercado 20 de Noviembre, where you can try a range of authentic Mexican foods (which really are some of the best in the country).
An authentic cooking class like this one is a great way to experience real Mexican food, where you’ll learn to make a couple of dishes yourself as well as visit a local market!
Oaxaca City is also a great place to base yourself in when heading out to explore the nearby region.
Hierve el Agua is one of these trips, where you can explore the crystallized waterfalls that hang over the edge of a cliff.
There’s also a natural infinity pool here too, making for a dramatic photo op.
Another awesome day trip is to the Monté Albán ruins, which is a large archaeological site set on a mountain above the surrounding plains.
Puerto Escondido (Days 6-10)
From Oaxaca City we’ll then take the bus to Puerto Escondido (or plane if you’re prone to travel sickness, as is common along this route).
This beachside town translates from English as “The hidden port”, but is no longer hidden in any sense of the word!
That’s right, Puerto Escondido has very much found its way onto the major gringo trail through Mexico, and for good reasons too which we’ll cover below.
The best places to stay are either in La Punta (for surfing and nightlife) or in Zicatela (for expansive beaches and a more bohemian vibe).
Both are along the beach and are both great areas to stay. One of the top things you must do here is a turtle release, where you can let baby turtles out onto the sand and guide them into the sea as they start their big adventure.
Head to Bacocho beach around 5pm any day of the week to take part.
Of course surfing is another popular activity to do here, with the town hosting annual global competitions due to its incredible waves.
There’s also many surf schools and safer spots for us mere mortals too.
Other awesome things to do include seeing Dolphins, an ATV ride through the jungle, swimming with bioluminescent plankton as well as lounging on the postcard beach of Carrizalillo.
Of all of these, my favourite (George) trip was to the Bioluminescent Lagoon, where you’ll swim in a tent for the very best viewing conditions.
Mazunte (Days 11-12)
Mazunte is a bohemian town around an hour away from Puerto Escondido by bus, and marks our next stop along the stunning Pacific Coast.
The town itself is pretty small, so it’s not really worthwhile mentioning the best places to stay.
Though of course, next to the beach continues to be the most popular. One of the best things to do here (and is why most come to Mazunte) is to visit the beach of Zipolite.
An official nudist beach, it is one of few with that tag in Mexico, and is a popular place for all to strip their kit off and live their best life.
If you’re not feeling totally comfortable becoming one with the beach, then of course you can still come anyway and enjoy the waves and endless line of bars and beach huts that line the long beach.
Back in Mazunte, another great activity is to go on the Sunset Paddle Tour, where the waves are more still and you’ll be able to experience a truly breathtaking orange and red horizon.
This town is also great for yoga retreats and buying artisanal products, all of which you’ll find along the main strip running from town to the beach of Rinconcito.
For those who love a perfect sunset, then this horseback riding tour will be perfect for you!
Huatulco (Days 13-15)
On our last stop we head to the town of Huatulco, which is located a further hour east of Mazunte.
You can get here by bus as well, which will take you slightly back in-land (the official town is around 7km from the beach; of course there’s some spots and resorts to stay in if you absolutely must be on the coast).
Whilst the town itself isn’t the most cute, it’s the perfect spot to base yourself when exploring the close-by region.
A great thing to do here is to explore a Coffee Plantation in the small town of Pluma Hidalgo, where you can tour the fields, learn about the process and try some pretty decent coffee.
Another awesome activity is to head on a snorkeling tour.
The waters in the bay of Huatulco are some of the clearest along Mexico’s Pacific coast, and here you can head to the best spots to see a variety of species such as Sea Turtles, Angelfish, Parrotfish and Snappers.
Other worthwhile things to do whilst in Huatulco include exploring the seven bays, taking a mud bath in la Bocana beach as well as exploring the ancient ruins of Bocana del Río Copalita.
Best time to visit Oaxaca
We’ve spoken a lot about the best time to visit Mexico on this blog (George is absolutely obsessed with checking the weather when we travel).
Overall (through our experience and the metrics) we have found that the best times to visit Oaxaca are within the months of April and May.
These are just before the start of the wet season, so rainfall in Oaxaca City will be between 1-2.5 inches, and along the coast between 0.5-2 inches.
Average temperatures are very good for both months, with Oaxaca City recording an average of 72°F, with highs of 87°F and lows of 58°F (bring a jumper at night).
Along the coast, average temperatures this time of year are much hotter with between 86-87°F, highs of 94°F and lows of 77°F.
This time of year is also off-season, so you’ll find cheaper flights and hotel prices compared to the more popular Christmas and summer seasons.
Oaxaca Backpacking Tips
⬇️ Below you can find a list of our top recommendations for Oaxaca:
- 🛏️ – Azul Cielo (Oaxaca City), Selina (Puerto Escondido), Hostal Azul y Blanco (Huatluco).
- 🌮 – It’s almost worth finding a food tour in Oaxaca City to try everything out! Otherwise, the street food is amazing here. We recommend trying memelitas, which are open tacos with meat, cheese, sauces, and beans. Also try out froyo, which is a traditional Mexican frozen drink with fresh fruit.
- 🏛️ – Hierve el Agua, Monte Albán Ruins, Zócalo (Oaxaca City), Turtle Sanctuary (Puerto Escondido). See this list of top rated tours in Oaxaca.
- 🍺 – Mezcalería Los Amantes (Oaxaca City), Sativa and the numerous small bars along the beach in Zicatela (Puerto Escondido).
- 💡 – The food and drink. Take a few risks and try out proper Mexican Food, and also Mezcal instead of Tequila.
Oaxaca Backpacking Itinerary
Oaxaca truly is a stunning region, with its culture and foods some of the major pulls for those heading here. As well as it’s cute, authentic cities and towns, here you’ll also find some epic landscapes and beaches too.
In this itinerary-style guide, we’ve looked at the Oaxaca region including the top destinations, how much time we recommend in each, what to see and also our own top tips.
Be sure to come back to this article whenever you need help planning, or even to suggest your own tips once you’ve completed the adventure yourself.
Also see our backpacking Mexico guide for more travel inspiration!
👉🏽 P.S. If you’ve found this guide helpful, buy us a coffee here to say thanks! Or, support us by downloading our South America Travel Bible to get our best content.
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