In Oaxaca, archaeological remains range from monumental architectural groups to ball courts, while protected areas extend from bays and mangroves to diverse inland ecosystems. Historic architecture in the city of Oaxaca and the Caminos del Mezcal route add to these discoveries. Together, they offer several ways to get to know the state—through its history, landscapes, and regional traditions.
Archaeological Sites and Their History
Monte Albán was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. The pre-Hispanic city includes the Zapotec settlement of Atzompa, which was inhabited during Periods IIIB–IV (650–850). Atzompa has three ball courts. Juego de Pelota I is described as the largest ball court in the pre-Hispanic city of Monte Albán—a specific comparison within this archaeological complex.
Mitla has a different architectural layout: the ancient city is represented by five monumental groups: Grupo del Norte, Grupo de las Columnas, Grupo del Arroyo, Grupo del Adobe, also known as del Calvario, and Grupo del Sur. Its historical development also differs from that of Monte Albán. After Monte Albán declined in the 9th century, Mitla rose in importance, reached its peak around 1200, and retained its preeminence in the Tlacolula Valley until the Spanish conquest.
The Prehistoric Caves of Yagul and Mitla include caves with rock paintings that were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as a cultural landscape in 2010. In the 10th century, residents of Yagul built pyramids, palaces, tombs, and a large ball court complex on connected platforms around the Caballito Blanco plateau. The archaeological zone of Zaachila is considered the last capital of Zapotec power. Together, these places illustrate different forms and periods in Oaxaca’s history.
Historic Oaxaca and Native Plants
The historic center of the city of Oaxaca preserves distinctive architecture and buildings from an artistic and historical tradition spanning more than four centuries. A total of 1,000 historic monuments have been inventoried and recorded there. The Museum of Oaxacan Cultures is located in the former Santo Domingo Monastery. Alongside the Templo de Santo Domingo, the Jardín Etnobotánico is home to around 1,300 species native to Oaxaca. The architecture, museum, and garden offer different perspectives on the state’s cultural and botanical heritage.
Protected Areas from the Coast to Inland Regions
Huatulco National Park encompasses nine bays, lowland forest, mangrove areas, a seasonal wetland, beaches, and coral and rocky reefs. Visitors interested in hiking trails can also find Sendero Zanate there, one of the national park’s three trails. Benito Juárez National Park is a protected natural area in Oaxaca that preserves diverse flora and fauna.
Bioluminescence, turtles, crocodiles, and mangroves are associated with Lagunas de Chacahua National Park. The park protects a rich system of lagoons and coastal wetlands. In northwestern Oaxaca, the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve extends across 31 municipalities. It encompasses semiarid, temperate, and tropical ecosystems. Its plant diversity includes nine vegetation types and around 2,700 identified species to date; 11 percent of them are endemic.
Much of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve can be reached via the Cuacnopalan–Oaxaca toll highway and federal highways 150, 135, and 125. Road conditions can change; check them before setting out. The information about ecosystems and plant species offers a different focus from Huatulco’s coastal landscapes, helping put Oaxaca’s varied natural environments into perspective.
Mezcal Traditions and Getting Around
The Caminos del Mezcal route begins in Oaxaca’s Central Valleys and offers a chance to discover traditions surrounding mezcal and regional dishes. It adds a culinary perspective to the archaeological and landscape themes. To reach the archaeological zone of Mitla: it is located in San Pablo Villa de Mitla, in the state of Oaxaca, and can be reached from Oaxaca via the Pan-American Highway 190 and a turnoff to the north. Check road conditions before setting out.
Together, these places and landscapes do not single out any one theme as paramount, but instead show the state’s varied opportunities for discovery.
Discover more destinations: Santa María Huatulco, Oaxaca De Juárez, Puerto Escondido, Guadaloupe, San Felipe Del Agua, San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, Cacaotepec, San Pablo Villa De Mitla, Puerto Ángel, San Pedro Pochutla, Santa María Xadani, Mazunte, La Luz, Asunción Nochixtlán, Santa María Jacatepec, San Juan Bautista Valle Nacional, San Felipe Usila, San Felipe Jalapa De Díaz, Tehuantepec, San Jerónimo Tlacochahuaya, Villa De Tamazulapam Del Progreso, Santa Catarina Lachatao, San Miguel Amatlán, Salina Cruz, Cuajimoloyas, Tlalixtac De Cabrera, Juchitán De Zaragoza, San Antonio De La Cal, Santa Catarina Juquila, Tlachicon, San Pablo Etla, San Agustín Etla, Santos Reyes Nopala, Santa María del Tule, El Barrio de La Soledad, Teotitlan del Valle, San Pedro Mixtepec Distrito 26, Santa María Chimalapa, Santo Domingo Yanhuitlán, San Pablo Etla, Santa María Tonameca, San Juan Bautista Coixtlahuaca, Santa María Colotepec, San Miguel del Puerto.
For the main travel overview: Mexico.
