Mexico is a country generous in great wonders and in history and its culture is a mystery, for example the State of Oaxaca. Located in the south of the country, it has a unique geography and its great natural biodiversity provides an ideal climate to enjoy its benefits, in addition, the colourful traditions have surprised the world thanks to its extensive and millenary history and its deep-rooted customs.
Its eight geographical regions are as diverse and unique as its people, and in every corner we can marvel at the exquisite Oaxacan gastronomy, with the flavours and aromas of a cuisine that has made the world fall in love with it. The handicrafts, made by master artisans who every day recreate the culture of their place of origin, building a tradition that has passed from generation to generation over the centuries. We cannot forget its six magical towns, which represent the magic and mysticism of a millenary culture, from its communities in the mountains, where impressive landscapes and sea of clouds amaze locals and foreigners alike, to the southernmost point of Mexico, where it is possible to enjoy incredible sunsets, in a magical town full of great natural biodiversity. This is Oaxaca, a corner of Mexico full of great gastronomic and cultural wonders that invite you to stay and enjoy the warmth of its people, always proud of their roots.
There are countless reasons and places to travel to Oaxaca this year. We suggest three places that are a must on your visit to this Mexican state.
Oaxaca City
Few places in Mexico have the cultural richness of the city of Oaxaca de Juárez, also known as “La Verde Antequera”, a city that preserves millenary traditions recreated by the indigenous peoples, in addition to its gastronomic and handicraft richness that has been recognised by thousands of tourists.
The capital of the state has important cultural complexes, museums, temples and buildings of magnificent architecture that invite to know the history of Oaxaca; an example of this is the Santo Domingo Cultural Centre, which houses the Museum of Cultures, the Ethnobotanical Garden and the temple of Santo Domingo de Guzman, which together captivate by possessing precious works of art, making it an excellent place of interest for visitors.
The city of Oaxaca is a place to walk around, because at every step you can find a dazzling expression of high culture, innovative plastic artists, renowned painters, excellent photographers and outstanding personalities of the arts, who enjoy walking through the neighbourhoods and streets, displaying the characteristic Oaxacan hospitality.
For its part, the offer of cultural activities is abundant with a wide range of concerts, painting exhibitions and dance shows, craft exhibitions and an endless number of events, in which the senses are recreated and the artistic vision of a city in which the most deeply-rooted traditions and the most current aesthetic trends coexist.
The vast and delicious gastronomy ranges from traditional pre-Hispanic food, to the fusion food of the new trends, or the signature cuisine, prepared by internationally renowned chefs. Oaxaca City has been considered on several occasions by specialised gastronomic magazines as one of the best gastronomic destinations in Mexico.
Huatulco
With its nine bays and thirty-six beaches, as well as a National Park and an Eco-Archaeological zone, Huatulco is enveloped in a great ecological awareness and service, having international programmes and certifications such as Earthcheck Masters, Blue Flag for Chahué beach, Ramsar Site 1321, Biosphere Reserve and holding the “S” distinction for sustainability, among others, which accredit it as a destination with good environmental practices and make it the main integral development project for environmental preservation and responsible management of resources in Mexico.
There are currently more than five thousand hotel rooms, ranging from inns to Grand Tourism and All Inclusive hotels. Huatulco is an Oaxacan paradise and an ideal place to visit, whether for a relaxing holiday or a memorable adventure.
If you wish to spend a long stay, the pleasant atmosphere and the hospitality of its inhabitants are the perfect hosts to make you feel at home, as the destination has real estate developments that allow you to rent or buy a flat and enjoy each of the corners of incomparable beauty for as long as you wish.
In addition to the thirty-six beaches of crystalline waters, many of them virgin, Huatulco has nine bays: Conejos, Tangolunda, Chahué, Santa Cruz, El Órgano and Maguey, Cacaluta, Chachacual and San Agustín that together form a very diversified catalogue of recreational and leisure activities by the sea, among which we find boat rides, diving, recreational fishing, beaches with little swell, with warm and transparent waters, as well as fine and golden sand. At present, the bays of Santa Cruz, Chahué, Tangolunda, and Conejos are being developed with highly competitive tourist services.
Puerto Escondido
Located in the west of the coastal region, Puerto Escondido is considered the oldest tourist centre in the area. Recognised nationally and internationally as a destination for surfers and lovers of sun and beach tourism, it is an ideal place to enjoy paradisiacal beaches bathed by the Pacific Ocean where you can practice numerous water sports. In addition, the spectacular natural sites scattered in the jungle and mountains, as well as waterfalls and streams are the perfect setting for outdoor activities.
The Manialtepec Lagoon, located fifteen minutes from the Port, is a site of exceptional beauty, surrounded by exuberant vegetation in which mangroves predominate. Its tropical condition and its varied ecosystems favour the presence of wild and marine fauna, making it a nesting place for innumerable birds. And the best way to discover it is to hire one of the tours organised by specialised companies that allow you to visit it during the day and also at night to observe the magical phenomenon of bioluminescence.
The Lagunas de Chacahua National Park is located in the municipality of San Pedro Tututepec, one hour away from the Port, offering a pleasant distraction from the city life and a direct contact with nature. The lagoons are formed by three bodies of water called Chacahua, Pastoria and Salinas, which are home to a great diversity of plant and animal species, mainly birds. The lagoons are surrounded by estuaries and mangrove swamps, and canals that communicate the lagoons with the sea. The park is of great importance for its sandy coastline, as its beaches serve as a sanctuary for nesting sea turtles. Consisting of the beaches of Bacocho, Carrizalillo, Puerto Angelito, Manzanillo, Coral, Punta Colorada, Principal and Marinero, its extraordinary waves of several metres in height have made the port even more famous. This unforgettable tourist destination offers a great variety of activities and services both for lodging and for renting diving equipment, bird watching, snorkelling, boat rides, ATVs, bicycles, rock climbing, horseback riding and sunbathing. And when night falls, Puerto Escondido presents itself as the ideal place to enjoy its fun nightlife.
