Buenos días!

Today we’re sharing a guest post written by our lead trip designer, Roni Sivan.

I'll hand the keyboard over to Roni so she can tell you all about her recent experience in southern Mexico. If Oaxaca, or Mexico in general, is on your travel radar, reach out so we can start to dream up your perfect itinerary together!

I’ve been hearing about Oaxaca for years (from Andres and others!) and it always sounded like a magical place, but I'd always prioritized overseas travels (literally, across the sea or it "didn’t count").

This perspective shifted dramatically during the past couple of years, and other parts of Mexico had already dazzled me (hello, CDMX!) so I decided to finally visit Oaxaca.

The colorful town is delightfully charming, but what really blew me away was the incredible cuisine. On nearly every corner, a food cart specializing in one delicacy or another awaits, luring you in with incredible aromas. Crispy tlayudas, fresh memelas, rich mole, steaming tamales...

Fortunately, Oaxaca is very walkable, so all the eating can be balanced out with leisurely strolls through cobblestoned streets to admire the ubiquitous street art and pop into beautifully curated boutiques and bustling markets selling artisan-made textiles, pottery, and huipiles.

While some people may be under the impression that Oaxaca can be "done" in a long weekend, we recommend staying longer. Along with the city itself, there is also so much beauty and culture in the surrounding countryside. From mezcal distilleries to family-run farm eateries, refreshing mountain-top springs to tiny weaving villages, Oaxaca lives up to its reputation.

Here is a look at my 6-day itinerary for Oaxaca.

Day 1: Arrive in Oaxaca and private transfer to your boutique accommodations in the heart of the city. This evening get your first taste of Oaxacan cuisine at a restaurant highlighting seasonal, indigenous ingredients.

Day 2: After grabbing a morning coffee at one of the many stylish coffee shops in town, embark on a delicious private food tour highlighting local street carts and market stalls featuring tacos, memelas, tamales, and more. This afternoon, explore the city’s wonderful street art and boutiques, and snag a balcony table at the most creative cocktail bar in town for sunset views over the surrounding mountains.

Day 3: Continue your explorations with a guided tour of the picturesque Ethnobotanical Garden, before heading to the colorful Jalatlaco neighborhood to explore some of the city’s less-visited backstreets. This evening, enjoy a unique and intimate chef’s counter experience at the establishment of an up-and-coming chef.

Day 4: Today head to the countryside with a private guide and driver bound for the mountains. En route, visit a generations-old textile workshop in Teotitlan de Valle, as well as a small-batch mezcal producer, before eventually arriving at the stunning Hierve el Agua. After a soak in the refreshing and soothing waters overlooking the mountains, head back to Oaxaca, stopping for a traditional carne asada dinner on the way back.

Day 5: This morning take a fun private cooking lesson at the home of a local cook where you’ll be introduced to the basics of making fresh tortillas and mole. Enjoy a final afternoon to explore the city, and this evening splurge on a special meal in the peaceful garden of an acclaimed chef.

Day 6: After a morning at leisure, private transfer back to the airport for your flight home or onward. We recommend setting aside a few extra days to relax on Oaxaca's beautiful coast, which is home to the burgeoning surf and resort town of Puerto Escondido, and the tiny off-the-beaten-path beach town of San Agustinillo.

I hope you enjoyed Roni's account of her time in Oaxaca!

Most of you probably don't realize that I had the chance to spend several months living in Oaxaca a few years back, in the early days after having launched Boutique Japan. Back then, we split our time primarily between Japan and Mexico, working remotely as we've always done.

In those days, Oaxaca was quite off the tourist track — this was before the Instagram culinary travel boom — but even though it's grown in popularity, it still retains a truly special atmosphere, thanks to its sheer beauty, unbelievable cuisine, and inspiring culture.

It's located just six hours from Mexico City by road (you can stop in charming Puebla for a night or two on the way), or a short domestic flight of under one hour. As such, Oaxaca can be a perfect complement for travelers planning to visit Mexico City.

What about travel restrictions?

Fortunately, visiting Mexico is very easy, and there are no special requirements.

If you're traveling by air from the US, you will need to comply with the United States' re-entry requirements. If you prefer to avoid this, consider flying first to San Diego and crossing by land (there is no Covid test required for land entry) to catch a domestic flight from Tijuana via the safe and ultra-convenient Cross Border Xpress.

​Contact us here or reply to this email to start dreaming up your perfect Mexico itinerary together!

Andres, Roni, and the Boutique Explorer team