Travel Guide

You’re all seasoned travelers, so I’m sure you’ll be prepared. These are some guidelines and a packing list for making the most out of Oaxaca. You can also download the whole list here.

Travel info

    • July is the rainy season. It usually rains in the afternoon/early evening, so keep an umbrella on you while you’re out and about. 

    • And since it's the rainy season, you’ll want to bring bug spray with you and keep it with you all the time. 

    • Eat and drink carefully. Stick to cooked food, fruit you peel yourself, and bottled or purified water. Your Airbnb should have a bomba (a 5gal water dispenser) or even a built in purified water dispenser. Generally avoid frescas (fruit juice) or iced beverages sold on the street. Ice in restaurants is typically always purified, but you can always ask to make sure. 

  • Arriving

    • Order your taxi from INSIDE the airport.

    • As you leave the baggage claim area, you’ll walk into the departures lobby where you’ll find kiosks to order a taxi. 

    • Get a ‘taxi especial’ NOT a collectivo – this is a private taxi. 

    • You’ll need to provide your destination zone to the taxi kiosk. It will likely be ZONE 1. If you’re in Reforma, it could be ZONE 2. If you’re not sure, just ask them.

    • It will cost about $500 MXN (~$30 USD)

    • They’ll give you a ticket to take outside to a specific taxi company. Take note of the name of the taxi service so you know which one to look for in the parking lot. 

    Departure

    • Your Airbnb or hotel can help you arrange transport to the airport.

    Getting around town

    • It’s easy to grab a taxi pretty much anywhere you are. You’ll need cash for taxis

    • Uber doesn’t operate in Oaxaca, but DiDi does. You may have to pay the DiDi driver in cash, so be sure to have some on hand.

    • We have a number of contacts for private drivers if you’re looking to do a day trip outside the city and want to hire transport. Let me know, and I’ll share their info. 

    • Before you leave the airport, grab some cash from the ATM. It’s good to have cash on you for taxis and shopping. 

    • ALWAYS decline the conversion to USD at the ATM and when paying by credit card! It’s a total scam. Select the option to process the transaction in pesos, and you’ll save yourself a lot of money. Processing the transaction in USD will most certainly mean you spend more than you actually should. Santander is the best bank to use with the lowest fees. Read this Reddit post for more details: https://www.reddit.com/r/MexicoCity/s/JlinG7GhYM

    • You can also always order pesos from your bank before you leave. 

    • Oaxaca is a more conservative, traditional city than other locations in Mexico that many of us have visited. While it’s a festive city that loves to celebrate, it’s not a party town. Behavior that might read as normal in other travel contexts can be disrespectful in Oaxaca. 

    • Enjoy the mezcal, but know your limits.

    • Cannabis is illegal throughout Mexico. Do not bring weed with you, full stop. 

    • Vapes were recently banned in Mexico. Getting caught with one can mean stiff penalties: fines up to $12,500 for possession, or a maximum of eight years in jail if travelers are caught with enough vaping gear to warrant distribution charges. Best to leave them at home.

 

Packing list

General stuff

  • A pen! It’s the first thing you’ll need for the trip. You’ll need it to fill out the immigration form you’ll get on the plane before you land in Oaxaca. 

  • Mosquito spray. High altitude + rainy season means mosquitos.

  • Umbrella & light rain jacket. July is rainy season, so having these on hand in the afternoon is a good idea. 

  • Comfortable walking shoes. Oaxaca is full of cobblestones, so bring shoes you can walk in forever. 

  • Sturdy shoes for the mezcal palenque. It’s a rural, farm area, and we’ll be walking around the property quite a bit. Good idea to have sturdy shoes or boots.

  • Prepare your belly for good vibes. Starting 1–2 weeks before the trip, start taking probiotics to help buffer against traveler's diarrhea. Florastor is a good option. See “Health & Wellness” section for more good stuff in this department.

  • Altitude support. Oaxaca is at 5,085 feet, so bring what you might need to take care of yourself – electrolytes (LMNT, Liquid IV), and ibuprofen or aspirin. Take it easy the first day, and keep yourself hydrated. 

  • Water bottle. Bring a reusable one so you don’t have to buy plastic bottles. 

  • Lightweight, breathable clothes. July will be warm - likely 75–82°F (24–28°C) 

  • Light layers. The evenings will be cooler - 55–65°F (13–18°C). Bring a layer to stay warm at night outside. 

Special stuff for our events

  • Calenda (parade) on Thursday: Festive, colorful, fun clothes and comfortable shoes for my 50th celebration parade! We’ll be walking around the centro and ending up at Otro Oaxaca for cocktails and appetizers. 

  • Party at Criollo on Sunday: Festive attire. Desert color palette — cream, white, tan, terra cotta, dusty rose, goldenrod, sage, mauve, etc. Check this for some color inspo.  (Of course, if you want to wear black, I won't be mad .)

  • Pool party: Swimsuit, flip flops, and cover up.

Health & Wellness

  • Insect repellent. Recommend picardin. 

  • Sunscreen. The sun is strong in July. Bring high SPF. 

  • Digestive aids. Bring some pepto. You can take it preventively (two tablets four times a day) to reduce traveler's diarrhea. 

  • Antibiotics. Consider talking to your doctor about a prescription for an antibiotic like azithromycin or rifaximin. The latter is preferred by many travel medicine doctors because it stays in the gut rather than entering the bloodstream, so it has fewer systemic side effects. It’s nice to have this on hand if you start showing symptoms of a major digestive issue. 

Documents

  • Passport and printed copies of it (in case of emergency)

  • Travel insurance documents (print everything out)