Bello Oaxaca! - This was our 2nd time in Huatulco, Oaxaca & really wanted to visit the city. The drive is worth it! Be ready for a curvy drive through the mountains with beautiful views! The stop at San Jose de Pacifico was really a coffee stop but super cute! From there another 3 hours before arriving to the city. Oaxaca City is colorful, beautiful, & rich in history. Since it was only my husband and I , our time was flexible in regard to what we wanted to explore. The Hotel Helena was small but so nice & clean with friendly staff. Definitely take a stroll in the evening, enjoy a coffee, or dinner with mezcal drink! The archaeological sites are more than I could have expected! Rich in history and simply beautiful! Then, the Mezcal tasting was phenomenal! That’s a learn how it’s made and learned about quality. We also truly enjoyed the Artisanal shop. They were we had the opportunity to see how traditional craft is made and all the hard work put into their products. The family owned business was welcoming, kind, and did not pressure us into purchasing any items. However, I could not resist the beauty purchased a few souvenirs. El Tule is a majestic sight to see. Settled in a cute town with favorite flowers and wonderful people. Due to having to return to our hotel for Covid testing, we unfortunately had to cancel one stuff but hope to return and explore Hierve El Agua. Overall, despite loving the whole Experience, I would have appreciated an extra day in the city. The exploring Felt rushed and the reality is that the long drive can and very likely will tire anyone! But it is absolutely worth it! Our guide and Driver, Benjamin Castro, was knowledgeable, kind, funny, and flexible with any adjustments we needed to make. He has great driving skills and I had to go off to him for getting us there and back safely. He also made recommendations along the way for various stops, things to see, or food to try. We are very lucky to have him with us throughout our overnight stay. Altogether, I definitely recommend this trip and make sure to take your camera!

Amazing Oaxaca Experience - My husband and I went on this tour with another couple and we all enjoyed it immensely. While the drive is long, it's definitely worth it. Our tour guide, Karla, was fantastic. She spoke very good english and reviewed the rich history within the area. She took the time to translate for us and also took some wonderful photos of us during the tour. Our driver, Antonio, was also great and very friendly. He handled the drive wonderfully. It's important to note that the drive can induce motion sickness. I'm not particular prone to motion sickness, but elected to take a long acting Gravol prior to the trip and I'm glad I did. It's a very curvy, hilly road with a lot of hairpin turns so be prepared! Our first stop was at a restaurant in San Jose del Pacifico. The mountain view was breathtaking. We enjoyed a hot cup of coffee which I definitely needed to warm up. Ensure you take a light jacket/sweater for this tour as it is cooler in the mountains, especially in the morning (approximately 12 degrees Celsius). Next we visited San Bartolo for a brief lesson on how black clay pottery is made at Alfareria Dona Rosa. Very beautiful and detailed pottery pieces can be seen and purchased here. Following this, we headed to the ruins of Monte Alban which was the highlight of our visit. We spent approximately 90 minutes here which was an adequate amount of time. It's important to note that upon our arrival here it was quite hot and sunny so ensure you pack the sunscreen and a hat. Eventually we headed to Oaxaca City and checked into our hotel for the night. The hotel (Sta. Helena Plaza) was very nice, quiet, clean and comfortable. Once checked in, we began exploring the city. Karla led us through the busy downtown area where we did a lot of sightseeing, shopping and, of course, eating and drinking. Karla helped translate the food menu and even reviewed the type of cuisine that Oaxaca is famous for, such as the tlayuda (or as Karla nicknamed it, "Oaxacan Pizza"). The next morning we visited El Tule -- the largest and oldest tree in Oaxaca City. And when they say large, they mean large! I was shocked by its size. We then drove to Teotitlan del Valle and visited Dixza Rugs and Organic Farm for a demonstration of the making of hand-woven wool rugs. The amount of work and talent that goes into making these beautiful rugs is outstanding. Our last stop before heading back to Huatulco was another ruins site called Mitla. While it is a fraction of the size of Monte Alban, it was still just as extraordinary. Overall, this excursion was remarkable and we are so glad we did it. Thanks so much for the great experience, Karla and Antonio!

La Traviata performance shown at Teatro Macedonia Acalá (from the Met, New York). Wonderful! Beautiful building . - Travelled from Huatulco by Tar Airlines to see the opera La Traviata. Stayed at The Holiday Inn Express (again). A quick trip and as we needed to be in Oaxaca Sat morning, we flew with Tar Airline. A great choice. 20 minutes there and 15 minutes on our return flight. Holiday Inn fabulous as usual. Wonderful performance at the Teatro. Oaxaca didn’t disappoint. Lots of Christmas festivities, lights and decorations.

Too far for a two day trip! - It is a six hour trip each way from Huatulco so you are very rushed when you get there and very tired from the journey. A two night or three night stay would have been ideal. Oaxaca City deserves more time.