kim-wassermann I have a very special relationship with Mexico and first fell in love with the country in 2018. It was my 5 months university bachelor exchange to Guadalajara. In January 2022 I came back for one month to travel the South and East. And in September 2022 I moved to Mexico City for half a year. I had the privilege to see a lot of this amazing country. From mountains to coast and beaches to big city, pyramids and villages. By far my favourite location is the South: Oaxaca and Chiapas. So if you come to Mexico for the first time and only have about two weeks of time I recommend you those two states.
If you have an additional week (or even two) you can combine this tour with Yucatán and Quintana Roo which I have published another post about.
Overview of the route
We came from Mérida and drove all the way to Palenque which took us about 7 hours. From Palenque we headed towards Puerto Escondido with an overnight stay in Salina Cruz. Otherwise, we would not have made it before darkness. And you should never drive once the sun has set. From Puerto Escondido, we then drove to San Cristóbal de las Casas. Unfortunately, our car broke down and we had to fly back to Cancún where our trip was supposed to end. Oaxaca was actually not part of this trip, since I have visited it back in 2018.
My route suggestion would be the following:
Oaxaca – Puerto Escondido – Salina Cruz – San Cristóbal de las Casas – Palenque
Or if you come from Mérida: Palenque – San Cristóbal de las Casas – Salina Cruz – Puerto Escondido – Oaxaca
How to get around
You have two transport options for this trip. You can either make the trip by bus since Mexico has a very well-connected long-distance bus system. The second option is to take a car.
If you take the bus you can skip Salina Cruz there is nothing to see and just a stopover for a long drive.
As you see our trip was a bit messy and not at all planned through. We decided to go with a rental car which turned out to be not a very good idea, however, we were a bit unlucky and completely unorganized and I still think a car is the most fun and certainly most flexible way to get around. But make sure to tell the rental company your travel plans and not get the cheapest car which might not survive this trip.
Most importantly if you decide to go by rental car: You cannot take the shortest way between Palenque and San Cristobal de las Casas. It is dangerous and controlled by criminal gangs who have been reported of several raids and robberies. Even the buses drive the longer way around it. Also, take good care of the bumps that appear in the middle of road to control the speeding and always have cash to pay for the highway fee.
Day 1 to 3 Oaxaca: Eat your way through the food capital
Start your trip in the capital of Oaxaca state. I recommend you to stay for three days. One to explore the city itself, one to visit the ruins of Monte Albán and one to make a daytrip to Hierve el Agua. Oaxaca is also known as the food capital so make sure to visit as many markets as possible and try all the delicacies they have to offer. Additionally, you can spot beautiful art work and handcrafts.
I personally have not been to Monte Albán since I have visited so many other ruins during my trip I felt like skipping this one. However if this is your first Mexican adventure make sure to check them out.
To make a day trip from Oaxaca City to Hierve el Agua I strongly recommend not taking your rental car. The streets are very narrow and bumpy. I also do not recommend you to book a guided tour. In my opinion they are always overpriced and you travel with a big group of other tourists and cannot really explore the place by yourself. Instead, catch a bus from Oaxaca to San Pablo Villa de Mitla. There you catch a collectivo (a van) that brings you all the way up to Hierve el Agua. If you get car sick easily make sure to take some pills before the trip.
Hierve al Agua is breathtakingly beautiful. Although, I broke my foot there (yes really, not a joke!), I love this place and always will keep it in good memory.
Where to stay in Oaxaca?
Day 4 to 7 Puerto Escondido: Beach hopping and catching sunsets
Puerto Escondido is one of my favorite places in the world. Originally we only wanted to stay for three nights but ended up extending it to an entire week. You lose track of time at this place. And this is a good thing. Every day you can spend at a different beach. For a detailed beach guide see this blogpost. You can try surfing, do whale and dolphin watching, catch beautiful sunsets, party, or just lay at the beach and chill. My favorite thing to do was the turtle release at Playa Bacocho.
Where to stay in Puerto Escondido?
I stayed in Puerto Escondido twice and I felt like there was a lack of good hostels. The first time I stayed in a hostel close to Carrizalillo, but I did not like it so I will not mention it here. The second time I stayed in La Playita Beach House which is a bit more pricey than a hostel but was a great stay when you travel with someone since they only have double rooms. They only have a couple of rooms, a pool, a bar and the location is very close to Zicatela Beach and the lively restaurant and bar scene in Puerto Escondido.
Day 8 Salina Cruz: Roadtrip stopover and great burgers
If you don’t need to go for a road trip stopover you can absolutely skip Salina Cruz. There is nothing to see. However, we had some great (vegetarian) burgers at Bulldog Burgers and enjoyed a cold beer on their cute terrace.
Day 9 to 12 San Cristóbal de las Casas: Beautiful historic city and surroundings
Beautiful city. I sadly only had two days here so I did not get to explore the surroundings. But if you can, I recommend you to stay 4 days to visit the El Chiflon waterfall, the Sumidero Canyon, and the Lagunas de Montebello National Park. But already San Cristobal itself is a reason to visit. Colourful houses, great viewpoints, busy markets, and small streets to stroll along. I got food poisoning here as did my travel buddy and some other people I met during the trip. I have heard it has something to do with the water so be extra cautious when you brush your teeth or shower.
Where to stay in San Cristóbal?
Planet Hostel had a great vibe, central location and female only dorms. My favorite thing was the terrace to hang out, work or just meet people. The price with 9€ per bed in a 6 people dormitory was really cheap.
Day 13 to 14 Palenque: Waterfalls and jungle ruins
Palenque itself I did not really like. Although I had a great and under 2€ dinner at a cute street vendor, there is not a lot to do or see. But still I recommend you to stay 2 or 3 nights to explore the many, beautiful waterfalls around it as well as the famous Palenque ruins in the middle of the jungle.
Personally, I have been to Agua Azules, but there are many other waterfalls to visit like Misol Ha. When you drive by yourself from Palenque to Agua Azules be prepared to get stopped by children. They will ask you for money or to buy some sweets from them to let you pass. It is not worth a fight, they are just trying to make some money and learned to make use of the tourists. They actually had some delicious peanuts for not even one euro we got for the way.
