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Oaxaca: Valleys to the Pacific – Route Guide

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Oaxaca's mountains at dusk from the mineral terraces of Hierve el Agua
Photo: Nataly Gómez Gómez · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

A measured six-day crossing from Oaxaca’s historic centre and Zapotec cities to the public beaches and turtle-conservation coast around Puerto Escondido and Mazunte.

Oaxaca: Valleys to the Pacific is a 325 km one-way journey (self-drive). It works best as a 6-day trip; the plan below is the 6-day version for November, built from 352 verified places, with planned transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

6
days
325km
distance
6
Stops
352
curated stops

Plan your own version → 6-day plan · best time to go

The route

Oaxaca historic day→ 20 kmMonte Albán day→ 60 kmMitla archaeology day→ 180 kmPuerto Escondido arrival day→ 10 kmPuerto Escondido coast day→ 55 kmMazunte conservation day

What you'll see

Mitla
Walk through Zapotec religious buildings intermingled with the modern town, embracing the "Column of Life".
Oaxaca historic day
Monte Albán
Explore impressive Zapotec ruins from 500 B.C., inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Monte Albán day
Templo de San Pablo
Admire a beautiful 18th-century church with three domes and crypts.
Mitla archaeology day
Playa Carrizalillo
Swim in crystal-clear waters at this scenic, tranquil beach.
Puerto Escondido arrival day
Playa Principal
Enjoy swimming and boogie boarding on this popular local beach.
Puerto Escondido coast day
Mazunte turtle-conservation circuit
Close at Mazunte with turtle-conservation context and the public headland path.
Mazunte conservation day
Templo de Santo Domingo
Ornate Baroque church from the 1570s displays stunning chapels and restored colonial artistry.
Oaxaca historic day
Monte Albán archaeology circuit
Give Monte Albán a full archaeology day inside the official public window.
Monte Albán day

Choose your length

6-day plan27 stops · 13.4 h transit4.5 stops/day · 2.2 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: November, December, January, February, March

Dry season on both sides of the sierra; Day of the Dead (late Oct–Nov 2) is Oaxaca at its most extraordinary.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

Similar journeys

Plan your own version →