This post shares everything you need to know to prepare for a visit to Monte Albán, near to Oaxaca. We’ll cover how to get there, where to get tickets, pros/cons of going solo or with a guide, plus a load more useful information.
Why Visit Monte Albán?
Before we jump in to the guide, let’s first shed some light on Monte Albán and why it’s so fascinating and worth a visit.
Monte Albán is one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Mexico. It’s about 2,500 years old, and was once the thriving heart of the Zapotec civilisation – the indigenous people located in the state of Oaxaca.
Monte Albán rose quickly to become a powerful ‘city-state’ and remained the Zapotec capital for over one thousand years. At its height, Monte Albán was home to around 25,000 people and featured grand plazas, enormous pyramids, temples, and even an observatory! The city became a cultural and political hub in Southern Mexico where the Zapotecs developed their own writing system and calendar.
Around 800 AD, Monte Albán began to decline (cue conspiracy theories – but possibly due to changing political dynamics and the rise of other powerful cities nearby). By the time the Spanish arrived in the 1500’s, the once-great city had long been abandoned, leaving behind this amazing archaeological site.
Today, Monte Albán is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers visitors a glimpse into one of Mesoamerica’s earliest civilizations.
How to Get to Monte Albán
Monte Albán is about 10km from the centre of Oaxaca, which takes around 20 minutes to drive.
You’ve got 3 options to get to Monte Albán: take a shuttle, a taxi, or drive yourself. Let’s breakdown these three options:
Shuttle
There are convenient shuttles that run between Monte Albán and Oaxaca City. You’ll find many shuttle bus/tour companies as you explore the city, so one option is to pop your head in and enquire. Prices for these are typically around MX $120 (£4.75 / US $6.50) for a return ticket.
For example, Viajes Turísticos Mitla offers a round trip for MX $120. Departure & pick up times are fixed. They depart hourly from 8am – 3pm and the return is on the half hour from 10:30pm to 3:30pm, and then at 4 & 5pm.
You can buy these tickets from the office itself or at the reception of Hotel Riviera. The tickets have a specific time written for the return but they are pretty relaxed so you can get an earlier or later bus, depending on how much time you need to explore the ruins.
It’s also possible to hop on a shuttle/bus back to Oaxaca even if you haven’t paid for a return in advance. This is what we did – we took a taxi one way and then took the shuttle back. Our shuttle wasn’t with this exact company, it was simply the first bus that was waiting in the car park. The price of a single ticket from Monte Albán to Oaxaca cost us MX $50 each (£2 / US $2.70).
One last option is via a serviced shuttle, again operated by a handful of companies in town. They’re a little more up-market than the shuttles previously mentioned, as they’re cleaner, guaranteed to be air-conditioned and more convenient, with guaranteed pick-up times. We’d recommend Lescas Co, which can be booked on Viator for £9.97 per person, which is a great deal for the convenience and comfort you’re getting!
Taxi
Taxis are one of the more expensive ways to get to Monte Albán, but you can haggle the price with the drivers if appropriate. If there’s more than 2 of you it can be pretty reasonable with little-to-no wait time.
We took a taxi out and it cost us MX $200 (£8 / US $10.80) total for the 20 min drive. If you’re splitting this between 4 people it works out a little cheaper than the shuttle.
Tip: If your priority is to arrive at opening time (i.e. 8am) with no other tourists around, you might want to get a taxi. The first shuttle bus departs at 8am and arrives around 8:30am.
Drive Yourself
The last option, if you have a rental car, is to drive yourself! There’s a free car park at Monte Albán and the drive is pretty simple. Once out of Oaxaca city, head west. The drive will take around 20 minutes to the car park.
If you’ve not sorted your car rental for your Mexico trip yet, we’d strongly recommend Rentalcars.com, which is our go-to for rental cars in Mexico & worldwide.
Opening Hours & When to Visit
Monte Albán is open everyday from 8am to 5pm. We arrived at 8am and were some of the first at the site.
It’s best to visit earlier in the day, since there will be fewer crowds & you’ll avoid the hottest part of the day (if you are there in the dry season: Nov-Apr).
The site is free on Sunday for Mexican residents. This might make it a slightly busier day, so best to avoid if you want a quieter visit.
Should You Join a Tour?
The easiest (and best) way to see Monte Albán is to join a tour. A tour will usually include your transport to and from the site, as well as a knowledgeable guide to lead you around the site as they explain the history & interesting facts along the way.
Check out some of these popular options:
If you don’t join a tour, you can still find a guide to take you around once you arrive. More on that below.
Tour vs DIY
At the entrance of the site (before the ticket barriers) you’ll find local guides waiting to offer their services. Prices for these guides seems to range from MX $600 to MX $1200 per group, but it will depend on which guide you ask, and they might have a fixed cost per group or you can agree a cost per person.
Remember, you can always haggle a little with a guide to a reasonable price.
Guides aren’t mandatory or strictly necessary at Monte Albán – there are signs as you explore in both Spanish and English – but we’d still recommend one, as they add so much more colour and story-telling to the experience. Not to mention they can answer all of your burning questions!
Where Can I Buy Tickets and How Much Is It?
You can buy Monte Albán tickets from the front office or the self-service machines next to the museum entrance at the site itself.
Monte Albán tickets cost MX $100 (£3.95 / US $5.40) per adult and allow for 1 time entry. You’ll need to scan your tickets at the gate to gain entry. Children under 13 are free.
If you want to take videos in the site you will need to pay an additional MX $50 (£2 / US $2.70).
Make sure you use the bathrooms before going in as the only other toilets are across the other end of Monte Albán at the South Platform.
You can use a card to make the payment at the self-service machines but it’s good to have cash also.
How Long Do I Need at Monte Albán?
Allow for 2-4 hours to explore Monte Albán to get the most out of it – that includes a little time for the small museum too. We arrived at 8am and were finished around 12 before getting the shuttle back to Oaxaca, so it’s a perfect half-day trip.
What Do I Need to Bring?
You don’t need much else other than the basics for this half-day trip, but here is what you shouldn’t be without:
- 🚰 Water! It gets hot and there aren’t any shops or drinking water stations inside the site (after the ticket barrier). You can buy snacks and drinks outside.
- 🧢 Sun-protection – a good hat and some sun cream.
- 🥾 Sturdy shoes are a good idea.
- 📷 Camera – for all the amazing pictures
- 💵 Cash – always good just in case. Take enough to cover the entrance ticket, your shuttle/taxi & a guide if you plan to get one.
What Else Is There To Do in Oaxaca?
Oaxaca is one of the most popular spots in all of Mexico, and for good reason. It’s a beautiful city with so much to see and do. We put together this list of the Best Things To Do in Oaxaca which will cover everything you need to know, but here’s a quick-fire list anyway:
- 🏘️ Take A Walking Tour Of The City
- 🖼️ Woodcut Workshop With Prietos
- 🏞️ Visit Hierve El Agua
- 🍎 Mercado Benito Juárez & Mercado 20 De Noviembre
- 🎨 Explore The Street Art
- 🍸 Rooftop Bars
- 🌳 Arbol Del Tule (big Tree)
- ⛲️ Central Zocalo
- 🌺 Jardín Etnobotánico (botanical Gardens)
- 🥘 Street Food!
- 🥃 Taste Mezcal
- 🏝️ Visit The Beach
- 🍳 Take A Cooking Class/experience
How to Get to Oaxaca
There are many ways to get to Oaxaca from wherever your previous destination is. Typically, it’ll be a bus or flight away – or a smooth drive if you’ve got your own car.
Let’s briefly round up the best ways to get to Oaxaca from popular destinations:
Mexico City To Oaxaca
🚌 Take a Bus
Getting from Mexico City to Oaxaca by bus is probably the most budget-friendly option. The two main operators – ADO and AU – will both get you there safely and comfortably, with ADO being a little higher quality and new but a touch more expensive than AU. There’s also an ADO Platinum service which is much nicer than the other two – check it out if you want to ride in style!
The journey will take about 6.5 – 8 hours typically. Prices vary, but you can expect to pay between £30 – £45 ($40 – $60 USD) for the cheaper ADO/AU buses, and around £65 for ADO Platinum ($85 USD).
Check out the bus options, timetables and prices from Mexico City to Oaxaca on Busbud.
🚙 Drive yourself
Another option is to drive yourself down to Oaxaca. This route well-travelled, safe and easy to navigate – you’ll spend most of the 460km journey on the 150D and 135D highways. It’ll take around 6 – 7 hours though, so bear that in mind and plan accordingly.
Typically, roads ending in D (like the 150D and 135D in this route) are toll roads. Charges vary per vehicle, and if you wanted to avoid tolls altogether you can take an alternative route, but it’ll add 3 – 4 hours on to your journey.
We always use Rentalcars.com when we rent cars in other countries, as you get to compare prices upfront and avoid hidden fees. Check out some rental car options below:
✈️ Opt for a Flight
Taking a plane is definitely quicker and in some cases can be cheaper than other options – we’ve seen deals on SkyScanner from £30!
Flights from Mexico City to Oaxaca are direct, so you’ll only be in the air for around 1 hour and 20 mins. If you’re short on time or prefer plane travel to buses, this might be a good option for you.
While it’s certainly quicker to fly, the impact on the climate is much worse. Consider whether the environmental trade-off is worth it before you travel.
Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca
🚌 Take a Bus
Once again, the most budget-friendly way to get from Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca is by bus. The main operator this time is ADO, with trips costing around £17 ($23 USD). The journey takes around 3 hours.
Check out the bus options, timetables and prices from Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca via Busbud.
🚙 Drive yourself
You can opt to drive yourself to Oaxaca, of course. The route is simple once again – you’ll spend most of the 190km journey on the 175 & 175D highways, and it’ll take around 3.5 – 4 hours without stopping.
As we mentioned before, roads ending in D are toll roads in Mexico. That means that the 175D part of the journey will cost you, but it’s a much smoother and quicker drive than alternative routes.
✈️ Can I Take a Flight?
While it’s technically possible to fly from Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca, we really don’t think it’s worth it. Almost all flights available involve at least one stop in the middle, they generally cost much more than the bus and take more time overall, especially factoring in time to arrive at the airport early.
It’s a no-brainer – catch the bus or drive yourself!
San Cristóbal de las Casas to Oaxaca
🚌 Take a Bus
The bus from San Cristóbal de las Casas to Oaxaca typically takes around 12 – 13 hours, so it’s best taken as an overnight bus.
We enjoyed plenty of overnight buses in Mexico, including this exact journey – albeit going in the opposite direction from Oaxaca to San Cristóbal de las Casas. They’re really not too bad – and remember, it’ll save you a night of accommodation anyway, so it’s great for budget-travellers and those looking to maximise on time!
Make sure to bring:
- 🤿 Eye mask
- 🎧 Ear plugs / headphones
- 😴 Neck pillow – if you’ve got one!
- 🧣 Warm clothes – it gets cold on those buses during the night.
The price of an overnight bus from San Cristóbal de las Casas to Oaxaca starts from around £52 ($70 USD). Check out the options, timetables and prices on Busbud.
Tip: While you’re asleep on overnight buses in Mexico, you obviously won’t be able to keep a close eye on your belongings. Do your best to secure them – we like to put our valuables in our pockets while we sleep or use a shoelace to tie our small bags to something fixed, which is much harder for an opportunist to grab!
🚙 Drive yourself
If you’re feeling brave, you can attempt the drive yourself, but be aware that it’s around 600km and will take over 9 hours.
You’ll be sticking to the 190, 190D and 185D (D = toll roads!) highways for the majority of the journey, so it’s not a complex route.
✈️ Can I Take a Flight?
Similar to coming from Puerto Escondidio, it’s technically possible to fly from San Cristóbal de las Casas to Oaxaca, but just don’t think it’s worth the hassle. You’ll have to get to the nearest airport which is Tuxtla Gutierrez Airport an hour away, then board a flight that will undoubtedly require a layover in Mexico City as well.
It’ll cost more, won’t save you much time in the long-run, it’s worse for the planet and just requires a lot more effort. Once again, we’d recommend taking the bus for the best combo of convenience and price.
Cancun to Oaxaca
✈️ Take a Flight
Taking a plane is the best option for travelling from Cancun to Oaxaca. It’s MUCH quicker and often cheaper than other modes of transport.
There are lots of direct flights from Cancun to Oaxaca which makes it really easy! Direct flights take around 2 hours and we’ve seen excellent deals on SkyScanner for around £30 ($40 USD), which is a bargain.
🚌 🚙 Can I Take a Bus or Drive Myself?
Yes… but we wouldn’t recommend it. The journey will cover over 1500km and will take anyway from 22 hours to over 35 hours in total depending on your chosen mode of transport and route, which is absolutely mental!
If you’re road-tripping and you’ll be stopping at other popular destinations such as Merida, Valladolid & Palenque over the course of multiple days, then it’s doable. However, it’s still a heck of a lot of driving. Consider doing a Yucatán loop then flying to Oaxaca instead.
You might still be considering the bus, and while we applaud your bravery it might be far more exhausting than it’s worth. Most buses leave in the afternoon of day 1 and won’t arrive until the morning of day 3 – upwards of 35 hours in the same bus! Plus, prices seem to all be over £120 ($160 USD) for one way, which is far more than the flight would be. If your heart is set on it make sure you check out the various times, prices and options on Busbud.
If you’re interested in more of our articles covering Mexico’s incredible archaeological sites, check these out:
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