Mexico, North America
The best time to visit Oaxaca
Mexico's food and folk-art capital, where the calendar of festivals matters as much as the weather.
- Best months
- Jan to Feb and Oct to Nov
- Think twice
- No month is a write-off
- Quietest
- January
- Cheapest
- January
The straight answer
The best time to visit Oaxaca is October through March, the dry season, with late October into early November for Dia de Muertos and January through March for quiet, sunny, mild days.
Go between October and March. Oaxaca City sits at about 5,100 feet, so the dry season brings warm sunny days with highs in the upper 70sF to low 80sF (25C to 28C) and cool nights that drop into the 40sF and 50sF (7C to 12C). The single most famous window is Dia de Muertos, which builds through late October and peaks from October 31 to November 2, when cemeteries glow with candles and the streets fill with comparsas. If you want Oaxaca at its calmest, come in January or February.
The rainy season runs roughly June through September, and it is gentler than the word suggests. Mornings are usually clear, rain arrives as an afternoon or evening storm, and the valleys turn green. July brings Oaxaca's other giant event, the Guelaguetza, a statewide celebration of regional dance and dress held on the last two Mondays of July in most years. April and May are the hot months, with highs near 90F (32C) before the rains break the heat.
Oaxaca rewards travelers who plan around its calendar. Dia de Muertos and the Guelaguetza are sold out months ahead, and prices jump for both. The weeks around Christmas and Semana Santa bring Mexican holiday crowds. Between those peaks, the city is relaxed and affordable, and the markets, mezcal villages, and ruins are easy to enjoy at your own pace.
Oaxaca, month by month
Every month gets a verdict. Tap one for its own page: weather, crowds, prices and what is on.
- 01JanuaryBestDry and sunny, highs near 77F (25C), cold nights near 46F (8C)Crisp, bright, and calm after the holidays end on January 6. One of the best months for markets, ruins, and mezcal villages without crowds.Hotels for January →CrowdsPrice
- 02FebruaryBestDry, highs near 81F (27C), cool nightsWarmer days, empty ruins, and low prices. Great for cooking classes and textile villages.Hotels for February →CrowdsPrice
- 03MarchGoodDry and warm, highs near 86F (30C)Heat building but still pleasant. Semana Santa can fall in late March, bringing processions and local crowds.Hotels for March →CrowdsPrice
- 04AprilQuiet valueHot and dry, highs near 88F (31C)One of the hottest months. Semana Santa processions are moving if Easter falls here; otherwise the city is quiet and warm.CrowdsPrice
- 05MayQuiet valueHottest month, highs near 89F (32C), first stormsHot and dusty until the first rains arrive late in the month. Low prices and few visitors.CrowdsPrice
- 06JuneGoodWarm, highs near 83F (28C), afternoon stormsRains cool things down and green the valleys. Mornings are reliably clear for Monte Alban.Hotels for June →CrowdsPrice
- 07JulyTradeoffsMild, highs near 80F (27C), afternoon rainThe Guelaguetza takes over the city for the last two weeks of the month. Spectacular, but hotels and tickets must be booked early.CrowdsPrice
- 08AugustGoodMild, highs near 80F (27C), afternoon stormsGreen, calm, and cheap after the Guelaguetza crowds leave. Plan outdoor sights for the morning.Hotels for August →CrowdsPrice
- 09SeptemberQuiet valueWettest month, highs near 78F (26C)The rainiest stretch, with heavier afternoon storms that can make mountain roads slow. Independence celebrations on September 15 and 16.CrowdsPrice
- 10OctoberBestDrying out, highs near 78F (26C)Rains taper, marigolds appear in the markets, and Dia de Muertos preparations build through the last two weeks. Book early for late October.Hotels for October →CrowdsPrice
- 11NovemberBestDry and sunny, highs near 78F (26C), cool nightsDia de Muertos peaks October 31 to November 2. After that, the city settles into crisp, sunny, uncrowded days.Hotels for November →CrowdsPrice
- 12DecemberGoodDry, highs near 77F (25C), cold nights near 45F (7C)The Virgen de la Soledad feast on December 18, the Noche de Rabanos on December 23, and posadas all month. Christmas week is busy with Mexican travelers.Hotels for December →CrowdsPrice
Book Oaxaca for October.
Sponsored links to Expedia and Vrbo. We may earn a commission; it never changes a verdict.
- Hotels for October
Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in OaxacaOpens a hotel search for Oaxaca in October, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
- Rentals on Vrbo
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in OaxacaWhole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
- Tours and tickets
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in OaxacaTimed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Oaxaca for October. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Why go to Oaxaca
Mexico's great food region
Seven moles, tlayudas, chapulines, hot chocolate ground by hand, and the markets where it all comes from. Oaxaca is where many Mexican chefs come to learn.
The home of mezcal
Most of the world's mezcal comes from Oaxaca state. The villages around Santiago Matatlan and the valley roads are lined with small palenques still roasting agave in earthen pits.
Living craft traditions
Black pottery in San Bartolo Coyotepec, woven rugs in Teotitlan del Valle, painted alebrijes in San Martin Tilcajete. Each village specializes, and you can buy from the families who make it.
Ruins and landscapes on the doorstep
Monte Alban's mountaintop Zapotec city overlooks the valley, Mitla's stone mosaics are unique in Mesoamerica, and the mineral cliffs of Hierve el Agua are a day trip away.
Things to do, and when to do them
Monte Alban
The Zapotec capital on a leveled mountaintop above the city. Go when it opens to beat the heat and the tour buses; bring a hat, there is little shade.
Templo de Santo Domingo and the Museo de las Culturas
The gilded church interior is one of Mexico's baroque masterpieces; the former convent next door holds the treasures of Tomb 7 from Monte Alban.
Mercado 20 de Noviembre and Benito Juarez market
The smoke-filled grill aisle for tasajo and chorizo, then chocolate, mole pastes, and chapulines next door. Go at lunch.
Museo Textil de Oaxaca
A small, excellent museum of regional and international textiles in the Centro. Free and often overlooked.
Hierve el Agua
Mineral springs and petrified waterfalls about 90 minutes away. Access has occasionally been closed by local disputes, so confirm before you go.
Mitla and the Tule tree
Combine the stone fretwork of Mitla with the massive ahuehuete tree in Santa Maria del Tule, one of the widest trees in the world.
Mezcal villages
Visit family palenques around Santiago Matatlan with a driver or guide. Tastings go down better when you are not the one driving.
Events and seasons worth planning around
Dia de Muertos
Late October through November 2, peaking October 31 to November 2
Altars, marigolds, candlelit cemetery vigils, and street parades. Oaxaca's most famous and most booked time of year.
Guelaguetza
The last two Mondays of July in most years, with events across the surrounding weeks
Dance delegations from all eight regions of Oaxaca perform in an open-air auditorium above the city. Tickets and hotels go early.
Noche de Rabanos
December 23 every year
The Night of the Radishes: giant radishes carved into elaborate scenes and displayed in the Zocalo. Arrive early, the lines are long.
Semana Santa
The week before Easter, March or April
Processions and solemn ceremonies in the Centro. Mexican holiday travelers fill hotels.
Fiesta de la Virgen de la Soledad
Around December 18
The feast of Oaxaca's patron saint, with fireworks, processions, and a crowded basilica.
Beat the crowds
- For Dia de Muertos, book hotels four to six months ahead, and consider arriving a week early to see altar building and markets before the peak crowds arrive.
- January and February are the empty, sunny months. You get the same food and markets at half the Dia de Muertos price.
- Go to Monte Alban at opening time and save the markets for the afternoon, when the ruins are hot and busy.
- For the Guelaguetza, free community versions and parades happen around the city even if the main auditorium tickets are gone.
Open or closed
- Many museums close on Mondays, which catches visitors out. Check hours for any museum you plan around.
- Christmas through January 6 and Semana Santa are Mexican holiday periods: sights are open but crowded, and some small businesses shut for a few days.
- Access to Hierve el Agua and some villages is occasionally closed by local community disputes or blockades. Ask your hotel before heading out.
- Teacher and labor protests sometimes block streets in the Centro or roads to the airport, especially in late spring. Leave extra time and follow local news.
With kids in tow
- Oaxaca is easy with kids: a walkable center, plenty of open plazas, and craft villages where kids can watch alebrijes being carved and painted.
- Dia de Muertos is a family celebration in Mexico, and kids are welcome, but the late-night cemetery visits and crowded streets are best with older children.
- Altitude is about 5,100 feet; most people adjust quickly, but go easy on the first day and keep everyone hydrated.
- For homeschool families, Oaxaca offers pre-Hispanic history at Monte Alban, living Indigenous cultures and languages, and hands-on lessons in chocolate, weaving, and pottery.
Getting there
- Oaxaca International (OAX) is about 30 minutes south of the city. Most travelers connect through Mexico City, a flight of about one hour.
- From Texas: nonstops from Houston and Dallas to Oaxaca have run in recent years; check current schedules, as service shifts with the season.
- Oaxaca's Pacific coast (Puerto Escondido, Mazunte) is a short flight or a long mountain drive away, and pairs well with a city stay.
Packing? Packing cubes and the airport kit.
Oaxaca timing, quick answers
What is the best month to visit Oaxaca?
November, for the Dia de Muertos peak followed by dry, sunny, calm weeks. For fewer crowds, January and February are the pick.
What is the cheapest time to visit Oaxaca?
May and August through September, outside the big festivals. January and February are also inexpensive and have much better weather.
When is Dia de Muertos in Oaxaca?
The main days are October 31 through November 2, with altars, markets, and parades building through the last week of October.
When is the rainy season in Oaxaca?
Roughly June through September. Rain usually falls in the afternoon or evening, so mornings are fine for sightseeing.
When is the Guelaguetza?
It is held on the last two Mondays of July in most years, with related concerts, parades, and fairs filling the weeks around it.
How far ahead should I book for Dia de Muertos in Oaxaca?
Four to six months for hotels and flights. The best-located rooms in the Centro can go even earlier.
Weighing alternatives
Similar trips, with their best months.
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