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Yagul, a Zapotecan stronghold. There is plenty to see at Yagul, like tombs, the largest ball court found in the oaxaca valley, fretted stone mosaics, the ruins on the acropolis, and the huge defensive walls of the fortress at the top of the hill. A good place to see on the way back from Mitla.

This important pre-Hispanic center, which name literally means “old stick” or “old tree”, contains the largest ball court in the Oaxaca valley, and the second largest in all of Mesoamerica. The site’s architecture is similar in many ways to that of Monte Alban. This has been totally excavated.

The ancient city of Yagul was designed with militarily strategic fortifications. In the center lies an enormous man-made platform with staircases which lead to the temples and the main palace. Steps then lead up to the hill on the north side of the city to the acropolis with its defensive walls and watchtower which overlooks both the city and the whole Tlacolula valley. The vast majority of the city’s population lived on the hill behind the fortifications.

The ruins are open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 5:00. Entrance to the ruins costs $3 USD.

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Oaxaca City is located in the southern region of Mexico. It’s a great city to vacation if you like architecture, history and shopping.

Taking a tour through the city, you can see the many beautiful buidlings, such as the Centro Historico (Historic Center), el Templo y ex Convento de Santo Domingo de Guzman (The Temple and Ex-Convent of Saint Domingo de Guzman), la Basilica de la Soledad (The Basilica of Solitude) and el Teatro Macedonio Alcala (The Macedonio Alcala Theater). Santo Domingo is considered the most beautiful church in Mexico. It is also a museum that is home to terrific exhibits displaying the history of the area.

Surrounding the Historic Center in the city’s main plaza, you will find main traditional markets to shop for pottery, textiles and clothing. Now is a time to also sample the local cuisine with foods such as Oaxacan cheese, tamales, peppers and mole dishes. If you a fan of alcohol, don’t miss out on Oaxaca’s mezcal. This regional beverage is created from the maguey plant.

When staying in Oaxaca, a great choice for accommodations is the Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast Inn. This local inn is just 1 1/2 blocks from Santo Domingo in a terrific, convenient area. There are ten great restaurants and four parks within a three block radius. And 10 300-year-old churches are all within a 10 minute walk from the inn. To learn more about Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast Inn, visit their website.

Photos by Mike McElhatton

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Monte Alban is a large Pre-Columbian Archaeological site in the southern Mexican State of Oaxaca. Monte Alban was a sacred City in Prehistoric times and the religious center of the Zapotec culture, which flourished 2000 years ago. The  remarkable central Plaza, the ball court, and many of the tombs, are open to the public. It is an amazing complex situated on a levelled mountain top. Monte Alban is the work of men who knew their architectural business consummately well. The best time to appreciate the spectacular beauty of the buildings in the changing light is either early in the morning or at sunset.

The monumental center of Monte Alban is the Main Plaza ,which measures approximately 300 meters by 200 meters . The site´s main civic ceremonial and elite- residential structures are located around it or in its immediate vicinity.

Los Danzantes is one of the oldest structures. It’s so named (The Dancer´s) because of the presence of a number of engraved stones  depicting what were initially considered to be dancers. A small museum is also located here, displaying some of the artifacts found in the excavations. Several vendors sell replicas of many of the items and other locally produced artifacts.

The archaeological zone is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00am to 5:00 pm. A permit is required it you want to use tripod to take photographs at the archaeological site. In order to enjoy the tour of the ruins, comfortable walking shoes are needed.  View More Pictures…

Puerto Angel is located on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, in the state of Oaxaca. It is accessible via coastal highway 200 from Acapulco Gerrero and Puerto Escondido to the north-west, and Huatulco to the south-east.

In the past the village was an important shipping port for the coffee growers of the area, and its small protected bay provides safe harbor today for many. The town has a population of only about 12,000 inhabitants, and the pace of life is slow and peaceful.

Puerto Angel has only 3 beaches, Playa Principal, Playa Panteon and Playa Zipolite. Playa Principal is located in the town beach. In the mornings one can watch the fishermen bringing in their catch. Fishing is excellent in the area, and fishermen regularly bring in tuna, red snapper and sailfish as well as lobster and octopus.

Playa Panteon, is located at the west end of the beach on a paved walkway curves along the rock cliffs, It is named for the cemetery located nearby, the beach is suitable for swimming but playa panteon is perhaps a little more sheltered and offers better snorkeling around the rocks.

Playa Zipolite is located 4 miles to the west over a narrow secondary road. Zipolite became popular as a nude beach in the 70’s when its mile long solitary beach was visited only by adventurous campers. But now it is a much larger community with a series of restaurants and cafes along the sand, elegant tropical residences and even telephone and Internet service. The beach is on an open ocean and care should be taken in the strong surf and undertow. It is still frequented by backpackers and campers.

Puerto Angel, has different kinds of hotels, one of them is Villa La Luna, located at the top of a hill in Puerto Angel. It is the nicest accommodation in the area. Villa La Luna is a combination of Mexican style and French commodities. The Hotel offers you private bath and terrace for each room, sweeping ocean views, pool, Jacuzzi, air conditioned, sky TV and even a garage.

The small beachfront restaurants all serve delicious, fresh seafood prepare just as you like it. Remember this is a fishing village, so fresh fish comes in each morning.

Dia del Pescador (Fisherman’s Day) is an important celebration in Puerto Angel and it’s celebrated on August 5th. Festivities include music, a foot race, swimming, fishing and boating competitions and land sports tournaments. Awards are given at the end of the day to the winners of the various competitive activities.

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Calm waters due to its southern exposure make Playa Carrizalillo a fine beach for swimming and snorkeling. The beach is accessed by a stone stairway of 180 steps.

The dark area of water is a shelf of coral extending out from the north shore of the bay, which means some really nice snorkeling among pretty fish and sometimes even dolphins can be seen.

This beach is not as crowded as the other better known beaches in Puerto Escondido. It is a great place to snorkel, swim and relax on the beach. Swimmers and kids of all ages will enjoy the calm waves along with those learning to surf. There are Restaurants, most with hammocks, where fresh fish, shrimp and lobster can be eaten. This type of dishes can be eaten fresh because local fishermen catch lobsters and oysters right before your eyes.

Another attraction that you can enjoy in this beach is the Banana. This is a large inflatable tube, pulled behind a motor boat, for 5 dollars you can go on a 15 minute ride.

Villas Carrizalillo Hotel makes for an ideal location to host small weddings and special events such as family reunions, business retreats and other group retreats. The Hotel has nine villas, all with a private bathroom and kitchen. This Hotel also has a Bar, a Restaurant, Internet and an outdoor swimming pool.

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If you are traveling to Mexico, you might want to visit during one of the many Mexican festivals. Here are some of the popular festivals in Mexico, where you can enjoy the dancing, music, culture, history, parades and partying.

Carnival
Three days prior to Ash Wednesday, the streets of Veracruz fill with music, dancing, floats and entertainment. The other main Carnival celebration is in Mazatlán the week leading up to Lent. You will enjoy tradition cultural dancing, strolling musicians, parades, street parties and much more.

Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos)
Celebrtated all over the country from October 31st to November 2nd, the Day of the Dead is a very recognized festival. People build altars of food, drink and marigolds for those who have passed away. Special food festival, art & crafts, and even cemetery celebrations take place throughout the country.

Festival de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe’s feast day is an annual celebration in Mexico on December 12th. The Lady (or Virgin) of Guadalupe is an important icon in the Mexican culture. The basilica just outside of Mexico City has a huge celebration every year. Another popular spot during this time is Puerto Vallarta, where you can enjoy a 12 day festival honoring the Lady of Guadalupe.

There are several other festivals in Mexican, including Holy Week festivals leading up to Lent and the Night of the Radishes festival in Oaxaca the day before Christmas Eve.

Plan your vacation around one of these Mexican festivals to thoroughly enjoy the celebrations of Mexican culture.

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Puerto Escondido is on the southern pacific coast of Mexico, in the state of Oxaca. It’s just 5 hours drive from Acapulco Guerrero. It is a home for fishermen, surfers, vacationers and  it used to be a quiet famous hippie getaway.

Puerto Escondido has 8 beaches. These are called playa principal, marineros, manzanillo, puerto angelito, carrizalillo, bachoco, zicatela and la punta.

The Adoquin is the main tourist area where you can find a multitude of crafts shops, internet cafes, boutiques, restaurants, and coffe shops. There is no star bucks but don’t worry there is an italian coffe and if you have dinner at some of the restaurants on the beach you can enjoy a beautiful sunset.The adoquin is rigt nex to the beach.

To enjoy the nigthlife in Puerto, you will find live music clubs, and discoteques with dj’s playing a variety of contemporary pop, reggae, and salsa. These clubs are found in the downtown area.

Since Puerto escondido is a surfers destination more than anything else, you won’t find luxurious resorts. However, you can still find a variety of options for you to spend a comfortable and relaxing vacation. You will be able to find anything from really cheap to very expensive hotels as well as villas and vacation rentals. One good thing about Puerto escondido being still a small town, is the fact that food, drinks and hotels are really cheap.

If you ever come to Puerto, you are guaranteed to have a very peaceful and relaxing vacation.

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This resort city, Huautulco, is located in the state of Oaxaca, approximately 500 Km. south of Acapulco Guerrero. It is Mexico’s newest resort and It is also still relatively uncrowded and unspoiled.

The bays of Huatulco are actually made of a series of 9 bays called, Bahia de Santa Cruz, Bahia Chahue, Bahia Tangolunda, Bahia Conejos, Bahia Maguey, Bahia Organo, Bahia Cacaluta, Bahia Chachacual, and Bahia San agustin. Huautulco also has other 36 beaches with soft white sand and crystal clear water.

A good example of this is my favorite beach located in the Santa cruz Bay. This beach is called Playa la Entrega, and it is the best beach to snorkel because of the coral reef which is not too far from the shore. If you are a snorkeling lover like myself, you could spend a very good time here. There is no need for you to bring your snorkeling gear because you can rent it at the beach for only $5 dollars and you can use it all day. there are also a few restaurants on the beach where you can eat fresh and delicious seafood at a very reasonable price.

When it comes to places where you can stay, there is also a great variety of hotels and resorts. Among them are: Quinta Real Hotel, Barcelo Hotel, Las Brisas Hotel, and the Gala Resort. There is also a Trailer Park conveniently located on playa Tangolunda. The location is quiet and devoid of traffic as well as very well shaded. There are also showers and restrooms adjacent to the parking area.

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The city of Oaxaca is located about 5 hours south of Mexico city. Oaxaca is one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico because of its colonial style architecture, museums, handcrafts, traditions and its gastronomy. For all of this, the city of Oaxaca is recognized as world heritage by the UNESCO.

This city is mostly visited by many people from all over because of its beautiful colonial style architecture as well as for its interesting museums. some of these museums are: Museo de las Culturas, Museo de Arte Prehispanico “Rufino Tamayo”, Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Oaxaca, Museo “Casa Juarez”, and Museo Religioso de la Soledad. Two other important buildings that people like to visit are the public library and last but not least the Theater “Macedonia Alcala”.

Oaxaca is also famous for its unusual “Arbol del Tule” or Tule Tree. This tree is found in the downtown and it’s 200 years old. This tree is pretty unusual because of its size. It’s 730 m3 in volume, 42 m in diameter, and 40 m. height. To have an idea of it’s size, think about this. It is enough to say that in its shade, there can be sheltered more than 500 hundred people and it takes about 30 people hand to hand, to hold around it at ground level.

Another place that visitor like to visit is the handcrafts market, located also in the downtown area. Most of the things sold there, such as carpets, clothing, table cloths, curtains, towels, handbags and jewelry are made by the indigenous people from nearby towns. Among other things made in the city, Oaxaca is famous for its pottery made of black clay. You can find in most handcrafts shops things like toys, ornaments, dishes, vases, jars and many other things made out of this material. The best thing about shopping in Oaxaca is the prices. Things are really cheap here.

If you are really interested in learning about the Mexican culture, I would really recommend to visit Oaxaca in July. It is in this month that the people of Oaxaca celebrate the Guelaguetza. This celebration is held at cerro del fortin, an amphitheater which offers magnificent views of the city. during this celebration, you are able to see different kinds of colorful dances as well as other shows. It is during this celebration that the city is always crowded because of the popularity of this fiesta. Most visitors are from Mexico’s larger cities and from Europe, though it is becoming more and more popular with North Americans.

And what can we say about Oaxaca’s gastronomy? It is one of the best in Mexico. if you come to Oaxaca, you are guaranteed to eat well. In the city, you can find a great variety of Mexican dishes as well as other international food. I really recommend that you try the typical food called “Tlayudas” which is a huge fried tortilla with beef, Oaxaca cheese, cream, tomatoes, lettuce and avocado.

So if you want to see the real Mexico and learn about its culture, you must come to Oaxaca. I’m pretty sure you won’t regret it and will want to come back again as much as I do.

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