travelmiss

Hi!
I'm a 30s solo female traveler going to be doing a one week program in Oaxaca. Flights back to my city in the USA are dreadful so my plan is to fly back from cdmx. The plan is as follows:

Week 1: Monday to Sunday program in Oaxaca
Week 2:​​​​ Monday to Thursday work remotely in Oaxaca
Friday - morning bus to Puebla (any recs?), explore puebla
Saturday - explore Puebla & Cholula
Sunday - morning bus & uber (or blabla car? Something else to easily get to airport from Puebla?) directly to CDMX airport for direct flight home

Does this seem safe and reasonable? Any recommendations on how to make the transit feel as minimally stressful as possible? I plan on doing all transit during daylight hours, but it always stresses me out to get an Uber/cab when arriving by bus in a new city as the availability and bus station is so different in each city.

Bonus for any artistic or foodie recommendations or places to hang with other solo 30 somethings!

crellston

Ado and ETN are two of the biggest and best bus companies in Mexico. We used them almost exclusively to get around the country on our last visit and found then to be efficient and comfortable. I would start with looking at the Ado schedules to see if they have a service that suits . I am pretty sure they offer a service direct to the airport (around 2 hours) , if not you would need a change in Mexico City which would be pretty straightforward . Personally, I think a first class bus would be less stressful and more reliable than an Uber or taxi. Public transport in Mexico is very good (a lot better than my home country at the moment!)

Your plan seems entirely reasonable. Oaxaca is an amazing city and one we plan on returning to later this year.

Oaxaca is arguably the best foodie destination in Mexico . You will be falling over great places to eat. I hesitate to recommend anywhere as it was 2019 when we were there and things change though I dod recall the stall in the central market offering some excellent food. Sorry , cants help with a place to hang out with 30 something solo travellers - that ship has sailed!

mlgb

Mexico City is worth spending time if you can.

I might shave a few days from Oaxaca for that, and to have a little cushion.

bald0ne

ADO is the bus you want from Oaxaca to Puebla, ETN doesn't serve that part of Mexico. Book a seat on the driver's side for the view, which is pretty stunning through the mountains. Depending on when you'd be traveling, ADO bus schedules are only posted about 2 months in advance, but rarely change. So if you're traveling 4 months from now, you won't see any schedules, just look for something in a few weeks and the times won't change. Be aware that if traveling around the month of May, that's when the teacher's contract is up in Oaxaca, so you may experience roadblocks & demonstrations around that time of year. ADO & Estrella Roja offer bus service directly to MEX from Puebla. The 2 bus stations to use are CAPU and/or Paseo Destino.

Fra_Diavolo

Agree with mlgb.

mlgb

I have a couple trip reports under my name for CDMX, Puebla and Oaxaca, if they help.

Yes there is an ADO terminal at CDMX.

Daniel_Williams

Hi travelmiss

I would recommend (at least) squeezing in an extra day in Puebla and Cholula, if you can do it—one for the sites in Puebla and one for the sites in Cholula. Your current plan seems to be: Oaxaca to Puebla one day which might get you in to the city a bit late to enjoy some of its offerings, then one full day for Puebla and Cholula, then next day the pressure of getting to the airport. The way I read it you’re short changing Puebla, which is a fascinating city with plenty to do. Even though Cholula is reasonably close, when I went, with the pyramid and taking in the views plus general exploration of the town, it took a me a decent chunk of the day, which did not leave much time and energy for exploring Puebla that day. The extra day would give you a true day of Puebla exploration. I took Estrella Roja (big, comfortable) bus from the CDMX airport to Puebla which worked nicely; at the time I took it, it did not arrive in the big CAPU bus station in Puebla but another smaller station.

Have a great trip whatever you decide! Daniel

ekscrunchy

Agree with Crellston. I doubt if there would be any safety concerns with the luxury bus from Puebla to the airport. And also agree with MLGB and others who recommend a few days in Mexico City, taking time from Oaxaca. You could work remotely from there, right?

You should think about half-day trips to MonteAlban and to one off the big weekend market towns, such as Tlacolula. GREAT food at that market. Look for the "barbacoa," the meat that is usually steamed in a pit and then shredded for you to wrap in a tortilla, add salsa and devour!!

If you have an interest in rugs and the weaving process, you would love Teotitlan. We took taxis for all of our side trips outside the city. The taxi drivers will know of a family that makes rugs and they will explain the process, from the plants that they choose for dyes, the making of the natural dyes, and all, down to the weaving of the rugs. That was among the best experiences I've had during many, many visits to Mexico. If you have a space in your home for a rug, bring measurements and even color chips and they will weave one in your choice of patterns, size, colors.

You can also visit pottery villages, and villages where the residents are dedicated to making various artisanal items. It's a gold mine for anyone with an interest in handcrafts.

For anyone interested in food, that trip is divine, apart from all the other pleasures!! Do not miss the chocolate made in Oaxaca. You can also see how it is made at one of the various motions (mills). If you go to a big weekend market like Tlacolula, you can skip the big Abastos market on the fringe of Oaxaca city. Once you set your plan, come back and we can back-and-forth about things to buy in the markets....

Do you speak Spanish? If so, you do not need a guide for those villages, or the markets, but you would probably want one for MonteAlban and any archeological site. You can find one when you arrive. Talk to a few before choosing one. They wait at the entrance to the various sites. Official guides wear some kind of badge or can show you a certificate.

Do you have an idea of which hotels you would book? If you want advice on that, make sure to state your budget per night.

bald0ne

A site I found interesting (if not a bit macabre) in Oaxaca was the ex-convento de Cuilapan. It's where Vincente Guerrero was executed, and as such holds some obscure history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monast...an_de_Guerrero
I agree with eks that Teotitlan is a worthwhile stop if you can fit it in. We bought a couple of large rugs from Casa Santiago years ago. They were also featured in National Geographic.
https://www.mexconnect.com/articles/...-valle-oaxaca/

Michael

There is a direct bus from Puebla to MDX,

travelmiss

Thank you all! This helps so much! I decided to update my trip as follows based on your advice:

1 week program Oaxaca
1 week work remotely Oaxaca
Saturday - bus to Puebla, explore Puebla in afternoon
Sunday - day trip (Uber?) To Cholula
Monday & Tuesday - work remotely from Puebla til 3 or 4ish, explore Puebla in afternoon/evening (museums seem to be open late!)
Wednesday - morning bus to MEX airport and afternoon flight home

I've already been to cdmx (didn't love it) and don't want to add another hotel stay to my trip, so I think this itinerary will work!
Please let me know if you have any advice on where to stay in Puebla (or if I should stay in Cholula instead!) That will feel safe walking around or to/from dinner after dark. I would like to walk as much as possible but will also Uber/didi for safety or longer distances.

crellston

We stayed in two places in Puebla, Meson Sacristia de la Compañia and Hotel Boutique Casa de la Palma. Both were very nice "mid range" places in a great location close to the main plaza, good eating places all around and it felt perfectly safe in that area. We visited Cholula by bus and whilst pleasant , I don't think I would stay there in preference to Puebla.

mlgb

The plaza area in Puebla is fine people are out late.
Checking in from Puebla

ekscrunchy

I'd not have any worry about walking around the central areas of Puebla after dark. No worry at all.

I stayed at this hotel and would recommend it, but there seem to be many more accommodation choices than there were when I was there, about 8 years ago.

https://www.casonadelachinapoblana.mx

We had a few meals at La Ranas, pretty courtyard dining area; inexpensive local food. But again, that was a while back and I have a feeling it is more tourist-centric now...you can
't go wrong with street food in Puebla..ask around to see the stands favored by locals.

I remember feverishly seeking out a restaurant that served duck mole...I never found a great one but its something that you might want to ask around about. (We had this dish in DF and I then went on a real quest to replicate it)

bald0ne

We've stayed at a few different places in Puebla over the years, but typically prefer Hotel Colonial. Mid-range, double-pane windows really block out outside noise. Close to Callejon de los sapos & The Zócalo. Busy restaurant for breakfast. Parking garage is an attraction for us, but even if we didn't drive it'd be a good option.
https://www.colonial.com.mx/default.htm
We've been to Cholula I think 3-4 times now and stayed twice. Agree with crellston, stay in Puebla.

Lydia

We took it in January 2020 and it was comfortable.