Indie Traveller

experience

“Right now, I'm in Jalatlaco, which is a neighborhood that's, I guess, only a 15-minute walk from the old center, and yet it feels like a little world of its own. Right now, it's Day of the Dead so it's super extra decorated, but even in normal times, it is like an open-air art gallery. It's amazing. There's so much street art, so many murals here. And this area feels like a local neighborhood that kind of became a thing. So there are many little cafes and cute little shops here.”

restaurant

“The other market across the street I find a bit more interesting. You enter the 20th of November market through the Hall of Smoke, which is where there are loads of barbecue stalks. And it's a great market to try, some authentic dishes. And one thing you can try here are grasshoppers and other interesting insects that you can eat.”

shopping

“Oaxaca has several great markets. Firstly, at Mercado Benito Juarez, you'll find mostly wares and souvenirs for sale.”

outdoor adventure

“And then there is Hierve el Agua, which some people refer to as waterfalls, but they're not. They are several streams that leave calcium deposits and so they form these wonderful rock formations. I should mention that this place is popular on Instagram. Very popular on Instagram. Okay, let me try to actually give an honest opinion here. Should Hierve el Agua be like top of the list of things to see in Oaxaca? Maybe not. It's important to know that this is very far outside of the city. It will take two hours at least. And once you get here, I mean, although the video I shot today was in the morning before it gets busy. As the day progresses it gets really busy here. Objectively, of course, the petrified waterfalls are very beautiful, but it also feels a lot like a tourist trap here. This is included in a tour you're doing anyway and there's other things on the tour. Great, go here. But if you have limited time in Oaxaca, then maybe this shouldn't be like the top priority at least. If you do go, I recommend leaving the city in the early morning. Either catch a bus or go on a tour that leaves around 7am.”

experience

hotel

outdoor adventure

outdoor adventure

“If at any point you find the city a bit much you can always escape to Chapultepec Forest. This huge city park is home to many museums and small attractions, as well as a beautiful castle on top of the hill.”

experience

“Frida Kahlo museum”

experience

“Lucha Libre Experience”

experience

“Xochimilco boat ride”

experience

“Of course, be sure to check out the impressive Zocalo or main square and its adjacent Metropolitan Cathedral, the largest and oldest in Latin America.”

outdoor adventure

“I'm reminded actually of Rincon del Mar in Colombia, which I made a video about, which has a similar kind of calm vibe.”

outdoor adventure

“I want to tell you about quite an undiscovered place in Mexico called Chacahua. Chacahua is a village on the coast of Oaxaca in Mexico. You get there by boat... Chacahua is such a remarkable place. When I spoke to another travel a few days ago, they said coming here is like entering another dimension... Chacahua is an Afro-Mexican community on the coast here and the pace of life is just delightfully slow.”

outdoor adventure

“In Asia, when I went to Laos there was this town called Muang Ngoi Neua, which is this gorgeous town by a river with beautiful mountains. Not a big population, maybe a few hundred. It's just an absolute gem.”

experience

“Like, for example, an hour that way is Puerto Escondido. And that is already a super well-known tourism hotspot.”

day trip

“Pyramids of Teotihuacan”