3 Best Places to Shop in Mexico

The city's sprawling market is a long walk (but short cab ride) from the beaches. It's divided into orderly sections of comedors (humble eateries), crafts and souvenirs, produce, and fish and meat vendors (a section that vegetarians should stay away from if they’re squeamish). For culinary adventurers, this is the place to sample Oaxacan specialties such as chapulines (toasted grasshoppers sprinkled with lime and chili), chocolate, and stringy cheese. The best time to visit is on the weekends, when indigenous Mixtec and Zapotec vendors bring their goods from the highlands. Watch for handwoven baskets, unique vegetables, and black pottery.

La Crucecita's Mercado Municipal is a fun place to shop for postcards, leather sandals, and souvenirs amid mountains of fresh produce. Watch as Zapotec street vendors prepare bags of pale green nopal cactus to go, or enjoy a free tasting of exotic fruit such as mamey sapote.

The city's commercial heart is its main market, where locals shop for seafood, produce, and housewares in a newly refurbished setting. You'll find little of tourist interest here, but the clothing section has some nice, inexpensive embroidered and beaded pieces among the jeans and T-shirts. Adventurous eaters can also find a bargain meal of local dishes like salbutes (a deep-fried tortilla dish). Next to the market is a small yellow bridge aptly named Puente de los Perros—four white plaster dogs guard the area.