Comments on: My trip to Mexico City and ???

Question: My trip to Mexico City and ???

smackfu — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:40:32 -0800

Nine days in Mexico in early June. Flying into Mexico City. Where else in Mexico should I go after 4-5 days there?

By: changeling

changeling — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:43:54 -0800

Tulum is impossibly beautiful -- not just the ruins, but the broad, flour-white beaches and turquoise water. Same with Isla Mujeres, which I recommend more than Cancun or Cozumel. Just as striking, but less touristy... unless you like that kind of thing. Have fun!

By: mdonley

mdonley — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:49:04 -0800

I did almost this exact same trip (earlier in the year, 10 days), and went to Puebla, a gorgeous university/cathedral city an easy 1.5 hour bus ride away. It's a bit small for 4 or 5 days, but you could combine it with day trips to Tlaxcala or to Cholula, home to a very cool giant pyramid.

By: Emanuel

Emanuel — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:14:31 -0800

Seconding Puebla and Cholula.

A bit farther away, but very worthwhile, is Oaxaca. It's about a 6 hour bus trip from Mexico but gets you into a quite different culture. The city is a beautiful and fairly quiet old colonial town in a semi-arid valley. Around it, you can go hiking in the "cloud forested" mountains.

By: tiburon

tiburon — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:25:16 -0800

Oaxaca is only a 6-hour bus ride.

By: mdonley

mdonley — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:00:09 -0800

I will say that while Puebla was insanely nice (especially after the organized chaos of DF), I was with my mom, who wasn't down for anything more than a 2-hour bus ride away - had I been on my own, I probably would have gone to Oaxaca.

By: smackfu

smackfu — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:13:58 -0800

I've been to San Cristobal and loved it... is Oaxaca similar?

(I didn't realize how far south Mexico City was. And yet I bought an airline ticket.)

By: Emanuel

Emanuel — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:58:58 -0800

Oaxaca has a similar feel as San Cristobal. It's bigger and not quite as "southern Mexico", but if you loved San Cristobal you'll almost certainly like Oaxaca.

By: kittyprecious

kittyprecious — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:27:20 -0800

Taxco is close by, pretty (nice for getting away from the hustle and bustle of DF), and good for picking up cheap-ish silver jewelry.

By: thinkingwoman

thinkingwoman — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:47:46 -0800

i loved oaxaca. it's a great choice. another choice is guanajuato, a lovely colonial mountain town about five hours' drive north. if i'd stayed longer, i would have gone to puebla.

By: Wet Spot

Wet Spot — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:54:52 -0800

Oaxaca is beautiful, and there is tons to do and see in the area - ruins at Monte Alban, tapetes in Teotitlan de Valle, alebrijes in Arrazola, fabulous mineral formations in Hierve del Agua. Great food, interesting art, music all the time. And the merchants need the business after the unpleasantness in 2006.

I just returned from a week in Puebla, I second this suggestion. You can take a cooking class for 1-5 days at the Meson Sacristia hotel. Taxco is quite picturesque, and you can get very nice silver jewelry as well as cheap-ish stuff.

When you're in DF, spend a day at Teotihuacan.

It might be too late in the season, but 3 hours to the west is the Monarch Butterfly sanctuary; this can be done as a day trip from DF. If you decide to go to Michoacan, I suggest spending some time in Patzcuaro; I found it more interesting than Morelia.

Really, Oaxaca is the place.

By: mosessis

mosessis — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:39:44 -0800

I love Tulum, but I think that area is too far away for a nine day vacation.

I was just in Morelia and Patzcuaro in Michoacan recently and I really enjoyed it. It's beautiful out there. I definitely recommend it. Just a couple hours from the DF I think. However, I think the Monarch season should be well over by then. When I was out there in late March it was already a little too late. But there are lots of things to do around there besides Monarchs.

By: smackfu

smackfu — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 06:21:55 -0800

I ended up going with no set plan, and letting the backpacker winds carry me, and then splurging to get back on time:

4 nights in Mexico City
(6 hour bus ride on good roads)
2 nights in Oaxaca
(7 hour bus ride on awful roads)
2 nights in Puerto Escondido = beach/hot/humid
(1 hour flight)
1 night in Mexico City

It was fabulous! I could have spent another night each in Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido, but I didn't have the time and I wanted to see both.