Things to Do in Oaxaca

If you head east on winding highway 179 past Mitla, you’ll notice how suddenly Oaxacan landscapes can change - in this case, from arid valley to steep mountains wooded with oak. The thermal springs of Hierve el Agua are located on one such mountain, and a swim in the soothing water affords spectacular views of the surrounding peaks, including the “petrified waterfalls” - sparkling stalactite cliffs created from mineral content in the springs - the area is famous for. If you hike southeast from the camping/parking area, you’ll find trails that lead past an ancient Zapotec irrigation system and down to the bubbling source of the spring. Standing at the edge of this buttress of stalactites affords a dramatic view of the pools and valleys below.

Hierve el Agua is not a hot spring---the water hovers at swimming pool temperature, perfect for a long soak in the heat of the afternoon. Local lore ascribes the pools with healing powers and the site attracts all walks of life, from local families to hippie backpackers.

A tree so fat it seems to strain against the confines of the surrounding square, the Árbol del Tule is at least 2000 years old, which makes it one of the world’s oldest living entities. El Tule is a Montezuma bald cypress (Taxodium mucrunatum), a tree the Aztecs cultivated as an ornamental and a source of medicine. Hoary yet flourishing, the giant has a mesmerizing quality: The bark is so thick and gnarled that various growths have nicknames, including “the pineapple,” “the elephant,” and “Carlos Salinas’s ears” (a reference to former president Carlos Salinas de Gortari).

El Tule is located in the village of Santa María del Tule, 13 km east of the capital. The square surrounding the tree features souvenir shops, snack stands, and the usual army of roving vendors.

A relatively small Mixtec/Zapotec ruin, Mitla is notable for the detailed and well-preserved geometric stonework that decorates the buildings. The setting is pretty, with a cactus garden and shaded benches. From the ruins you can see the domed Church of San Pablo, built in the 16th century when the Spanish pillaged stones from Mitla. At the gates to the ruins, a small artesanía (folk art) market is home to aggressively competitive vendors, a situation that can yield great deals. Outside the gates, a clean and efficient comedor (diner) serves authentic Oaxacan specialties.

The name Mitla comes from the Náhuatl word Mictlan, which means place of the dead or underworld. An ancient ceremonial center, Mitla includes two cross-shaped tombs, a promenade of hefty stone columns, and an elevated suite of ornately-decorated rooms that were once occupied by the Zapotec high priest. Although theories on the subject differ, Mitla was likely built by the Zapotecs, occupied by the Mixtecs, reclaimed by the Zapotecs, and finally conquered by the Aztecs, who took control in 1494.

A Zapotec ceremonial center, Monte Albán crouches on a leveled mountain top. For a thousand years, the rulers of the city extracted wealth from the plains below. Today, the ruins offer panoramic views of the modern city of Oaxaca sprawling across the giant Oaxaca valley.

Monte Albán is the oldest city in the Americas. In addition to being unusually ancient (dating back to 500 BC), the site is unusually extensive. In its heyday, the city covered 25 square miles. Expanses of Monte Albán aren’t yet excavated, but it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to explore all the restored tombs and temples in one afternoon; the ruins encompass enormous plazas, a ball court, a mysterious monument known as the observatory, a network of underground tunnels, and a profusion of dank tombs, which were once decorated with bright frescoes and filled with treasures of gold and jade.