Mexico, North America

Oaxaca in February

Warmer days, empty ruins, and low prices. Great for cooking classes and textile villages.

BestDry, highs near 81F (27C), cool nights

The ruins of Monte Alban above Oaxaca — OaxacaPhoto: DavidConFran, CC BY-SA 3.0

The straight answer

February is one of the best months of the year to visit Oaxaca. Warmer days, empty ruins, and low prices. Great for cooking classes and textile villages.

Weather: Dry, highs near 81F (27C), cool nights
Crowds: 2 of 5
Prices: 2 of 5

What February is like in Oaxaca

February is warm, dry, and quiet. Highs reach near 81F (27C), nights stay cool, and rain is rare. Crowds and prices are low, the ruins are nearly empty, and the whole city feels unhurried.

It is a top pick for couples, food travelers, and families who want easy sightseeing without festival crowds. Cooking classes and textile villages are at their most relaxed. If your heart is set on Dia de Muertos altars and candlelit cemeteries, you will need to come in late October instead.

Make the most of February

What is especially good about Oaxaca this month.

Cooking classes

It is a great month to learn to make mole or tlayudas, starting with a market shopping trip. Classes are less booked than in the fall.

Mitla and the Tule tree

Pair Mitla's stone mosaics with the huge ahuehuete tree in Santa Maria del Tule on a clear, dry day trip.

Museo Textil de Oaxaca

This small, free museum in the Centro is a calm midday break and makes the village weaving you see later much richer.

What to pack for February

Light layers for warm days and cool evenings
A sun hat, since Monte Alban has little shade
Lip balm and moisturizer for the dry season
A tote bag for market shopping

Our timing tip

Plan museum days around Mondays, when many museums close, and use Mondays for markets or village trips.

Book Oaxaca for February.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Oaxaca
Opens a hotel search for Oaxaca in February, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for February
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Oaxaca
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Oaxaca
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Oaxaca for February. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

Things to do in Oaxaca

Full guide

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.

Tickets and tours →

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.

Tickets and tours →

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.

Tickets and tours →

Museo Textil de Oaxaca

A small, excellent museum of regional and international textiles in the Centro. Free and often overlooked.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

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.

Tickets and tours →

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.

Tickets and tours →

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.

Know before you go

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.

Oaxaca in February, quick answers

Is February a good time to visit Oaxaca?

February is one of the best months of the year to visit Oaxaca. Warmer days, empty ruins, and low prices. Great for cooking classes and textile villages.

What is the weather like in Oaxaca in February?

Dry, highs near 81F (27C), cool nights.

Is Oaxaca crowded in February?

February is one of the quieter months in Oaxaca; most sights can be done without long waits.