Hey guys, I'm kinda lost on where I should be staying in Oaxaca. I know this is where I want to go, but if I stayed central in Oaxaca, I'd be 5 hours from the beach! The beach is one of the main attractions for me, so obviously we dont want to have to drive 5 hours to go to it. At the same time, I want to be at a town thats inland enough to have Mexican culture and activities, with good places to eat and shop.

Any suggestions?

Also, if someones between to both Oaxaca and Jamaica, can i get a recommendation on which you'd choose?

Have you had a look at the Oaxaca guide right here on this site?

http://www.fodors.com/world/mexico-a...mexico/oaxaca/

I'm going to Oaxaca soon, but to the city, no interest in beaches. But it looks to me, with a quick glance at my LP guide, plenty of choices for near-coast towns.

Your question is a little vague when you say you want to be in a town that's inland enough, as the only real option is Oaxaca De Juarez, or Oaxaca city. As far as getting to the beach, it's a pretty grueling drive, probably more like 6+ hours in bus. Less in a car. The best way is to fly via Aerotucan in less than an hour. But I would agree in that if someone wants colonial Mexico, ruins, food, culture and beaches, Oaxaca is the way to go.

I didn't mean for it to be vague. What I had meant was, there are many towns in Oaxaca. Would there be enough culture, shopping, places to eat to make a 10 day trip enjoyable in staying in somewhere like Peurto Escondido, Huatulco, or Salina Cruz?

Certainly you can spend 10 days doing the coast of Oaxaca, starting in PE, moving on to San Augustinillo, Manzute, Zipolite, Puerto Angel and then on to Huatulco and Salina Cruz. Pretty much any town of any size (10,000+) has a market where you can shop and eat Mexican style. Tehuantepec and Salina Cruz are really the only cities of size on or near the coast outside of PE and they probably have little of interest to most tourists, other than typical Istmo food and some indigenous influences. Salina Cruz is a port/refinery city, so it can tend to be kinda scruffy. The Huatulco area will mostly have typical not-very-unique beach resort type shopping. If it were me, I'd fly into Oaxaca d J, stay there for at least 2 nights, 3 would be better, then fly to either PE or Huatulco and depart out of either. Or vice versa. Oaxaca city will have far superior eating/drinking/shopping to what you'll find anywhere on or near the coast. Beautiful colonial architecture and Monte Alban ruins nearby.