Oaxaca's Ancient Ruins, Natural Wonders, and Cultural Gems
Source:
@VoyagersTV
15 places in Oaxaca featured in a youtube post by VoyagersTV, verified on Google Maps: Monte Albán, Hierve el Agua, Tree of Tule, and 12 more.
Monte Albán
Place
Monte Albán is an ancient Zapotec archaeological site in Oaxaca, Mexico, known for its impressive pyramids, temples, and plazas built atop a flattened mountain. It was once the heart of the Zapotec civilization, home to around 25,000 people at its peak, and features elaborate tombs and hieroglyphic inscriptions. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage site, offering panoramic views of the Oaxaca Valley.
Hierve el Agua
Park
4.6
Hierve el Agua is a set of natural rock formations that resemble cascading waterfalls, formed over thousands of years by mineral-rich springs. Visitors can swim in the natural pools at the top of the cliffs, which offer stunning views of the surrounding valley. The site is considered sacred by indigenous communities, who have used the springs for agriculture for over 2,000 years.
Tree of Tule
Landmark
4.6
The Árbol del Tule is a Montezuma cypress tree located in Santa María del Tule, Oaxaca, famous for having the widest tree trunk in the world, measuring roughly 14 meters in diameter. Estimated to be between 1,500 and 3,000 years old, this ancient tree has witnessed empires rise and fall. Locals have given names to the shapes they see in its gnarled bark, and it remains a symbol of resilience, though it faces threats from a severe water crisis in the region.
Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán
Church
4.8
The Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is a magnificent 16th-century Baroque church in Oaxaca City, considered the crown jewel of the city's architecture. Its interior is lavishly covered in gold leaf, creating a breathtaking and luminous space. Originally a Dominican monastery, it was later used as military barracks during the Mexican Revolution before being restored to religious use in the 1990s.
Oaxaca
Place
Oaxaca City is a UNESCO World Heritage site, renowned for its colonial architecture laid out in a grid pattern by the Spanish in the 16th century. The city is known for its vibrant food culture, considered the culinary capital of Mexico, and its rich history, with buildings designed to withstand earthquakes. The city is also a hub for mezcal production and hosts the Guelaguetza festival, a celebration of indigenous cultures.
Mazunte
Place
Mazunte is a designated Pueblo Mágico (Magic Town) on the Oaxacan coast, known for its black volcanic sand beaches, yoga studios, and seasonal sightings of dolphins and humpback whales. It is also home to the National Mexican Turtle Center, which works to protect the sea turtle populations that nest on its shores.
Puerto Escondido
Place
Puerto Escondido, meaning 'the hidden port,' is a renowned surfing destination on the Oaxacan coast, famous for its powerful beach breaks, particularly at Playa Zicatela. This vibrant town attracts surfers from around the world and offers a lively atmosphere with a focus on beach culture and water sports.
Santiago Matatlan
Place
Santiago Matatlán is a town in Oaxaca, Mexico, known as the 'World Capital of Mezcal,' producing roughly 40% of the country's total mezcal. The town is surrounded by fields of agave, the plant from which mezcal is made. Mezcal production here follows traditional methods, with agave hearts roasted in underground pits, crushed by a tahona (stone wheel), and then fermented and distilled in clay pots or copper stills.
Teotitlán del Valle
Place
Teotitlán del Valle is a village in Oaxaca, Mexico, renowned for its traditional Zapotec textile weaving. Families in the village weave intricate textiles on large wooden looms, using techniques passed down through generations. The natural dyes used in their creations come from the land itself, including indigo from plants, yellow from marigold, and a vibrant crimson from the cochineal insect.
Parque Nacional Huatulco
National park
4.8
Huatulco is a coastal region in Oaxaca, Mexico, where the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains plunge dramatically into the Pacific Ocean, creating a coastline of jagged cliffs, hidden coves, and turquoise waters. Protected as a National Park since 1998, it boasts nine bays and 36 beaches, some with pale sand and gentle waves, others with secluded shores accessible only by boat. The area is rich in biodiversity, home to armadillos, white-tailed deer, and over 700 bird species, and its marine portion protects coral reefs, kelp forests, and diverse underwater rock formations.
Zona Arqueológica de Mitla
Museum
4.6
Mitla is an archaeological site in Oaxaca, Mexico, known for its unique geometric mosaic fretwork covering the surfaces of its ceremonial buildings. Unlike other Mesoamerican sites, Mitla's intricate designs are assembled without mortar, fitting together like a three-dimensional puzzle. The site was a significant Zapotec ceremonial center, serving as a gateway to the underworld, and later reused by the Mixtec people for burying their rulers.
Playa Zipolite
Place
Zipolite is unique as Mexico's only legally recognized clothing-optional beach, attracting a bohemian community that has resisted commercial development for decades. Its coves and cliffs provide a secluded atmosphere, and the area is known for its vibrant, free-spirited culture.
Chacahua
Place
Chacahua is a village located within a National Park, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and a vast lagoon system threaded with mangroves. Founded in the late 16th century by people who escaped enslavement, it is home to one of the largest Afro-Mexican communities in the country. The village is accessible only by boat, offering a unique cultural experience and a strong sense of community sustained by fishing and the ocean.
San Bartolo Coyotepec
Place
San Bartolo Coyotepec is a village in Oaxaca, Mexico, famous for its distinctive barro negro (black pottery). Artisans here shape local clay into polished, metallic-sheen pottery without any glaze or paint. The technique was refined in the 20th century by a potter named Doña Rosa, and her innovative method of burnishing the clay before firing created the luminous surface that has become an iconic Oaxacan craft.
San Martín Tilcajete
Place
San Martín Tilcajete is a village in Oaxaca, Mexico, celebrated for its alebrijes, fantastical wooden creatures carved from copal wood and painted in explosions of color. These unique figures, often depicting dragons, jaguars, winged serpents, and other mythological beasts, are hand-carved and meticulously painted, with each piece taking weeks to complete and each one being unique.