Oaxaca’s Must-Sees: Hierve El Agua, Mitla & More

Oaxaca, a state in southern Mexico, is that it is almost overflowing with stuff that you can look at. This part of Mexico has a blend of stunning natural wonders, age-old archaeological sites, plus, obviously, it’s basically that place that has some really interesting drink called mezcal. We’re going to break down a bunch of must-see spots: Hierve el Agua, Mitla, the Arbol del Tule, plus maybe take a peek into the local mezcal scene, because, well, why not?

Hierve el Agua: Frozen Waterfalls

First, Hierve el Agua: this place looks just a little unreal. Imagine towering rock formations that look, that is, very, very much like cascading waterfalls, that they just so happened to have stopped mid-pour. Basically, this spot came to be thanks to mineral springs, they have been doing this over thousands of years, they have built up these formations that now give the place a unique beauty. But you know, “Hierve el Agua” roughly translates to “the water boils” in English, even if, naturally, the water is not actually boiling. That’s just a quirky detail, alright?

When you go to Hierve el Agua, very few people miss taking a dip in one of the mineral pools perched right on the cliff’s edge. Anyway, the view from up there? Amazing. Arguably, you get panoramic views of the Oaxaca valleys. I guess it’s something. Try to go early in the morning because, for instance, that’s just a bit of a way to dodge the bigger crowds and get some solid lighting for all your photos. It’s pretty common, that, alright?

Now, to get there, anyway, is usually a bit of a drive from Oaxaca City. Maybe a car rental, that could be an option. Many tours offer transportation too. I mean, seriously, for what it’s worth, they usually bundle Hierve el Agua with a bunch of different, super local attractions. You could haggle that way, if you want. Basically, the roads can get a bit bumpy, it’s almost something you have to expect, really, anyway, so preparing for that a little won’t hurt too much. Honestly, it’s kind of true.

Mitla: The City of the Dead

Then comes Mitla, I suppose, and it goes by the nickname “The City of the Dead” in Zapotec. It’s quite the name, to be clear. As a matter of fact, it was an important religious hub. It’s typically the kind of area which predates even the Aztecs. The coolest thing is that, you know, it’s the intricate stone mosaics that decorate the buildings. It’s quite unique. Unlike a few different Mesoamerican sites, you might realize that Mitla, literally, does not lean on massive pyramids. The architecture there focuses quite a bit more on geometric designs and carefully crafted buildings. And stuff.

If you were going to tour the Mitla site, honestly, start checking out the Hall of Columns plus the Patio of the Greca Friezes, for example. These showcase a few of the most really well-preserved mosaics. The site’s basically still shrouded in some mystery; as I was saying, there are underground tombs and some areas of the ruins where, clearly, research might be still underway. This gives that spot that sort of cool adventurous feeling, maybe even unlike any other ruins that you have gone to. I mean, clearly.

Visiting Mitla is just a little bit simpler than Hierve el Agua when it comes to accessibility from Oaxaca City. There are buses, clearly, and organized tours, of course, that typically include stops at places like the Teotitlán del Valle weaving village or some mezcal distilleries close to there. If that’s you bag, naturally. When there, listen to the guides. It can’t hurt to, because frankly they can usually drop interesting information regarding Mitla’s history plus the meaning a few of these really stunning geometric patterns which really sets this area, well, basically kind of set it apart.

Arbol del Tule: A Giant Among Trees

If we get around to it, you know, in Santa María del Tule, you will find a monster Montezuma cypress tree known as El Arbol del Tule. Anyway, that’s Spanish for “The Tree of Tule.” Anyway, that is supposedly more than 2,000 years in age, by the way. It’s got a trunk with a diameter that stretches nearly 40 feet. Anyway, that makes it arguably among the broadest trees in the globe, really. So anyway, take some photographs here, would ya?

Really, you would go see El Arbol del Tule just so you can stand literally directly at the foot of it. That lets you feel like a super small person, I bet. Just walking all the way around its massive trunk and, well, spotting some of the faces and images which have seemingly naturally formed in the bark is cool. It may or may not have the help of your imagination. You may never know. And so on.

It’s easy enough to visit because, really, it’s just that short bus ride or even an easy drive from Oaxaca City to Santa María del Tule. If you go, maybe stop by the local church near that area or even just amble through the little town’s market. It really depends. That part of Mexico will kind of give you that sense of community. You would likely buy a trinket or two at the area. You might.

Mezcal: A Taste of Oaxaca

Alright, last, but not least, you really can’t skip sampling some mezcal if you head over to Oaxaca, naturally. Just so you know, mezcal isn’t just a regular drink; I mean, it’s an experience that’s tied very strongly to Oaxacan culture. We are not supposed to speak on alcohol, but this is mostly informational for people that travel to the area, okay? Okay. Maybe, try hitting up one of the a few mezcal distilleries. If you do this, then the local master mezcaleros, what they like to call themself. This could teach you a thing or two in that part of the world regarding the age-old methods that go all the way from roasting the agave hearts down deep into the earth all the way over up to distilling that into what ends up becoming the final smokey product. And such.

Visiting one mezcalería, then? You could sample various mezcals, and they have flavor profiles. Obviously, you can learn how that’s different versus tequila, in the meantime. Also, learn how to pair them properly thanks to some regional snacks. Honestly, keep an eye out just a little for those kinds of more artisanal distilleries. Very often these may keep up those really classic production ways, that have even sometimes have spanned countless family generations. Pretty common. It seems.

Quite a number of Mezcal tours depart right from Oaxaca City; to be clear, these sometimes take you right to the countryside, frankly to distilleries which dot a few of these picturesque locales. This gives those people the ability to see mezcal produced first hand plus support the local craftsman. If they do good product, maybe even. Drink carefully if you do not know your own tolerance. Actually.

Planning Your Oaxacan Adventure

Now, when is the best time, maybe, to head there? Seriously, the dry season, sometime around October right through to April. You can thank me when it’s not raining. And so on. Maybe that makes it a decent enough time to check all this stuff out. Because, you know, temperatures remain super manageable. Alright? That allows it so there’s comfy travels. Basically, even that rainy season from what I heard, which spans May to September, will still prove alright. But like I said, you have to deal with downpours. Be sure to expect them during a few afternoons. Very common!

While you zip around between various locations, there’s plenty of options you can take! Clearly, rent a car. Maybe join up a few guided tours which drop at all the prime spots. When you decide to ride public transit, be ready for something not exactly speedy. So maybe not that super fast and seamless travel time, like. Actually, the cost? Affordable usually.

You want to set up an adventure, right? When I would, you can even bundle these must-sees which could totally lead to some awesome experiences. You just should think about your own interests and how much the overall schedule could allow! Pretty sure you can plan. More or less.

Any Oaxacan daytrip needs these: sunscreen, that hat, comfortable shoes especially for hiking. Obviously, you’re there in Mexico, just be aware about protecting yourself. Sunblock? Totally something to put in the backpack! If that part has the hikes or ruins, it could also make perfect sense so pack a sturdy bottle filled up from your refill station so then you can stay extra hydrated while outside under that Oaxaca sun!

Spending a little bit of your vacation visiting Hierve el Agua over to Mitla, El Arbol del Tule, also all those smoky flavors found at those mezcal distilleries. Very often these places come out together for delivering just those truly remarkable sneak peeks when experiencing so many cool unique facets. In any case, don’t lose any precious opportunities. It’s almost as easy just to start thinking how to visit those sites when traveling around inside of Mexico.

With careful prep ahead and, frankly, armed already plus just so very ready! All that exploring awaits in this cool beautiful area they call “Oaxaca” throughout all these cool sites and landmarks found all about those little corners hiding within there during any travel itineraries you have created beforehand that now fully capture a rich variety coming when uncovering a spot inside south Mexico so prepare with caution. Safe journeys anyway while searching for your own gems somewhere nearby throughout gorgeous territories waiting now outside when you finally venture right over around these magical lands awaiting with arms wide plus minds that stand receptive and fully take whatever surprises end up suddenly appearing after you!

#Oaxaca #HierveElAgua #Mitla #ArbolDelTule #Mezcal #MexicoTravel #TravelGuide