Weekend Getaway to Oaxaca City
Date of Trip: March 2021
To the land of cheese, mezcal, and mole! I decided to escape the beach for a few days and go North to the city of Oaxaca. I stayed at El Cielo Hostel which was perfectly located and easy walking to the main attractions.
Transportation
Staying in Puerto Escondido and wanting to go to the city of Oaxaca (or vice versa) is a bit of a trek either way. There are a few options including a charter plane, a shuttle bus, or an overnight bus. A shuttle bus takes roughly 7-8 hours and the overnight takes 10 hours, so I figured I’d take the overnight because it was cheaper and have more time in the city. I took the bus with ADO and while the sleep was not horrible, it was not great either. There are about 2-3 stops along the way, but the roads are also windy so it is not the smoothest trip to sleep through. The charter plane through AeroTucan is a great option as it is about 30-45 minutes, but the spots fill up quickly as there are limited flights each day.
Must Do: Mezcal Tour
While I did not do much in my time in Oaxaca, I was there for one thing: mezcal.
Oaxaca is the main producer for mezcal and I took a tour with The Mezcal Journey through AirBnb which exceeded all expectations. The tour was very interactive and never boring, which as a frequent visitor of wineries, tours explaining the production process can become dry after a while. The guides were very informative and walked us through the artisanal process. I learned a lot, tasted a lot, and was excited to continue exploring mezcal and finding my favorites throughout the rest of my trip.
Must Eat
Visit Mercado 20 de Noviembre- a classic market with almost too many options to choose from
Pan Am—ate here every morning for breakfast
La Mezcalerita—great mezcal and cocktails
If I could do my trip all over again, I think I would have stayed a month in Oaxaca instead of Merida. Both are colonial cities, but I felt there was more to do in Oaxaca, and was more lively. If you like food and distilled spirits, then Oaxaca is definitely a place to check out.