Me and my wife just came back from a trip to Oaxaca with a couple of other friends.
We stayed at the hotel Camino Real, a true beauty. However, we suspect that some of the maids stole some of my wife's jewels, since we didn't find them all of a sudden. For one day, we forgot to put them into the safe.
As for the rest, we've been on day trips to Monte Alban, Mitla/Tule/Yagul and to the Ruta Dominica, all of them worth going.
We checked out a lot of restaurants, including Los Danzantes, Casa Oaxaca, Marco Polo, and Catedral. We had some of the best food in ages, in all of them.
As for the night life, there are at least a couple of venues in Oaxaca that are not on Fodor's guide which deserve some attention, especially if you're in your late twenties/early thirties and want to go out and meet people your age.
One is Cafe' Central, at Hidalgo 302. The scene is dark and a little kitsch on purpose, in a good way. There is a 35 pesos ($3.5) cover to get in on Saturdays, but you can get a bottled beer for 2 pesos. The other days there is no cover before 2a. Live music is usually on Thursdays. As for the djs, they spin from indie to funk/rare grooves to latin music. Dancing can be really fun, both if you know your steps and if you don't. A must-go.
Always on Hidalgo, at 608, there is another nice place called Barlequin. There is a live scene music with very good sound equipment, where local bands play good indie, ska and reggae, and there is enough room for you to dance the night away. In an adjacent room there is a pool table, and next to it a room with tables where you can get the typical Comida Corrida.
Finally, remember that it is legal to smoke in public places in Oaxaca, so go prepared if you're not a smoker.

Glad to hear you had a good trip! We were in Oaxaca in late June and also had a wonderful time and some of the best meals we've had while traveling. What was your favorite experience overall? I'd love to hear more details!

How long were you in Oaxaca? We are considering a trip there in January but possibly thinking of 3-4 days there and combining it with some other location, maybe Huatulco. I am not sure if there is enough in Oaxaca to stay for a full week, your thoughts?

Debbie

We've been to Oaxaca twice and both times stayed for a week. Second week was spent in Puerto Escondido.

Have been going to OAX for years, plenty to do for a week or months if you want, alhough the beach is nice. In OAX and surroundings to name a few things to do: Oaxaca City, Regional Museum, Abastos Market, Monte Alban, Arrazola, Zachilla, Coyotec, San Martin Tilcajete, Ocotlan, Atzompa, Etla, San Jose el Mogote, Tule, Teotilan de Valle, Tlatcolula, Yagul, Mitla- further a field, but still day trips- Hierve del Agua, Benito Juarez, Guelatao, Ixtlan, Coixlahuaca etc., etc., you get the idea, its just if you would prefer to go to the beach or not. A week is hardly enough for an introduction to the OAX Valley

We spent an amazing week in the Oaxaca area in late June (I haven't posted a trip report yet but am happy to respond to questions.) We spent four nights in Oaxaca city at a B&B; in that time we wandered around the markets, went to Monte Alban, took a cooking class, read the Sunday paper and watched families plan in Llano park, visited several museums (we enjoyed the photography museum with it's exhibit on the protests in Oaxaca very much), and enjoyed the Zocalo.

We spent our last three nights in Teotitlan del Valle at an inn/retreat center with horseback riding, hiking, more cooking and eating, a local market, and rug/weaving demonstrations and displays. We could have ventured out to Mitla or a large local market, too.

It was my second trip to Oaxaca--my first was a couple years ago and it was about 4-5 nights--and I still feel like I haven't done/seen everything. Part of what I love is being able to relax in a way that I don't often relax at home--in a park or square, listening to the music, watching the families, reading a paper or guidebook.

Enjoy!

Our third time in oaxaca and we enjoyed it a lot more every time.
Our friends were totally satisfied and amazed for all the beautiful and amazing things oaxaca has to offer and
but the high light fo the trips has been a very hidden restaurant called "teatro culinario" and taking the chef's cooking class was a moment we will always cherish, monte alban is always inspiring and makes you wonder.

I am going to Oaxaca in June and would like to go to Huatulco. Using public transportation, what is the best way to get there? How long does it take? The cost?

Also, I have 8 full days. How would you divide the time between these two places.

I have not personally combined Huatalco with Oaxaca City, but I understand it takes 5+ hours on the bus and is not advised if you are prone to car sickness, or a short hop (an hour maybe) on a plane. Obviously the bus is much cheaper but I don't know the specifics.

Only you can say how much time you would need at the beach--there is plenty to do in Oaxaca City for 8 days.

With some time searching I was able to find a commuter airline that has an hour flight between Huatulco and Oaxaca for $100 each way. That, however, opened up another possibility. I am now considering Puerto Escondido instead. I have four days and will be flying. Tell me the joys of both Puerto Escondido and Huatulco to help me decide which one to see.

Puerto Escondido is for hippies, and Huatulco is for the bourgeoisie.

Your choice.

Eight days? Like marylinn said, you could spend that much time in Oaxaca proper and not begin to see everything. But the beaches are great, too. I would definitely consider flying at least one way, to save time. Aerotucan and Aerovega both make the flights. Either beach town could easily keep you happy for 4+ days.

Huatulco is a planned "integrated resort" (like Cancun) and a little bit sterile, but has great beaches and a cute downtown, definitely do one of the boat tours of the "36 beaches and 9 bays." If you want five-star resorts, this is your beach. But, there are good mid-range hotels as well; budget places are in La Crucecita, 15min from the beach, ahem. There are also waterfall, rafting, and coffee finca tours close by. Unfortunately, everything is spread out, so you'll either need to take collective taxis everywhere (US$2 car taxis, a bit more for boat taxis) or rent a car. Something like 75% of the tourists who come here are Mexican, so everything is geared to wealthy Mexicans, ie, very family friendly, very relaxed, but perhaps not many English speaking staff.

Puerto Escondido is more international (ie, maybe better if you don't speak any Spanish), more budget-traveler oriented, more walkable, and more organic (though I'd argue that Zipolite, with nude beaches, is more for hippies, tee hee). It has excellent surfing (most for intermediate and above), a good nightlife scene, a super cool beach walk, and several excellent beaches. If you've got some cash to blow, my favorite hotel on the Oaxacan coastline is Villas Carrizalillo (www.villascarrizalillo.com), with fabulous views, the prettiest beach in the area, and a truly excellent Portuguese-African restaurant that you should try even if you stay elsewhere.

Oh - and in the Huatulco para, I meant 15min on foot. Less than 5min in a taxi from La Crucecita to the closest beach, Chahue.