If you're a queer visitor, you gotta come here to see what the typical Mexican gay bar is like…read more Dropped by twice and both were fun people-watching nights. The handful of attractive gals and, especially, guys was cool too. Thanks, Oaxaca.

The place to be super fun and friendly. Gavy the bartender is such a sweetheart love that girl.read more

Gay dive bars will never be the same for me. Tucked away…read morefrom the beaten path, la envidia appeals to the more colourful and queer of Oaxaca's locals. The staff definitely didn't seem thrilled to see some tourists in for happy hour but in all seriousness, I get it- we're obnoxious outsiders. If you're a gringa like the likes of me be respectful of what the locals have going on here- it's a dying breed of gay bar in the rest of North America and it relies on a special local aura to keep it going. Dark, exceptionally dingy and reminiscent of those places your mother warned you against, I wish I could be a less obtrusive regular here. For a couple sweet hours my partner and I sat at low little barstools and enjoyed 13 peso beers and mezcal that makes your nose hairs actually burn. Oaxacan queers party hard. Finally, entering the washroom I was greeted by three cockroaches, zero toilet seat and among the more questionable bars of soap I've seen in my life. It was a bit of an anxious pee session, lemme tell ya. These facilities are not for the faint of heart. Stop here for the booze, not the glamour.

Good vibes, & drinks are worth it. Definitely recommend to try it out. They do charge for to get in…read morebut worth it

Glad to see there is a dedicated queer space in Oaxaca. However, the cover was larger than other…read moreplaces. I do appreciate the security in place but felt odd that it was a bit confusing to enter and what to do as we were not aware it was a drag night. The drag show was alright. Only complain for me is that I wish the lights would dim when it was time to dance and there wasn't a drag artist on.

Who doesn't like freebies? I do, and that's why this is one of my favourite holidays in Oaxaca…read more I know it's not the most important part of the holiday but it makes it quite exciting. So the basic story is that on the fourth Friday of lent people recreate a bible passage in which a Samaritan woman gave Jesus water from a well. So now every year there's people lineups waiting to get a glass of free "agua", which is not the same as a jugo (agua is somewhat of a watered down juice mixed with sugar or syrup). The beauty of this is the people don't deny the glass of water to anyone and the tables where the water jugs are, tend to be decorated with flowers to make it look like a well like in the bible.

A beautiful spot with good views of the city, but be careful hiking around there alone. Numerous…read moremuggings occur in the area, and it is under patrolled by police. A person staying in the B&B I'm in was mugged at knife point by 2 people in id day, taking his watch, call phone and the little cash he was carrying.

Mid July is a very popular time for tourists to visit Oaxaca - mainly for Guelaguetza parades…read more(desfiles, calendas, and convites), music/dance performances, and specialized festivals - with the two Mondays on the Hill being the biggest draw. Many nearby towns also have their own events and celebrations. The main auditorium features morning and afternoon shows each of the two main Mondays. For those who want to watch for free, come EARLY and line up and WAIT to get in. You can often get a great seat! The multi-group dance shows go for about 4 hours each - with pre-event bands playing for about 2 hours prior to the main event. To get in requires passing through an airport style security check - where water is taken away and empty bottles are not allowed. This mainly just protects the concession owner(s) selling things inside. There are also vendors selling food and other items outside. The Sunday night before the first main Monday shows features a (free) performance of the famous local legend about (Zapotec Princess) Donaji. The auditorium can probably hold around 1,500 people? For those not able to get a paid or free ticket, wanting to watch dance shows, the baseball stadium can hold more people and doesn't charge for the shows by the "teachers". There are also many similar performances at the various festivals, in the city's plazas and almost nightly parades. Almost all events mentioned randomly throw various small gifts into the crowd - and many people also often offer free shots of of Mezcal.

I've visited Oaxaca twice for Dia de Muertos and I can't imagine a better place to participate in…read morethe festivities. The city is positively hopping with vendors and parades and the decorations and ofrendas are amazing! We usually go to the Pantheon General on the night of Nov. 1, where the locals are celebrating the lives of their dearly departed. Outside the Pantheon, it's very similar to a carnival/street fair atmosphere you'd experience in the states. All manner of bright lights and street food available. It's definitely a strange juxtaposition to the relatively somber, yet festive atmosphere inside the cemetery. The arcade walls are lit with votive candles and it's just beautiful. The city of Oaxaca is beautiful, no matter what, but during DDM, it's so wonderfully colorful and it's such a special atmosphere to in which to participate and experience.