Oaxaca, once one of the poorest states in Mexico, has emerged as an exciting destination for gourmands, surfers and adventure travelers. The capital city of Oaxaca de Juárez, commonly referred to as Oaxaca city, has a compact downtown filled with colorful colonial architecture. The city is filled with exciting restaurants innovating on centuries-old cooking techniques and local ingredients, charming craft markets and boutiques and fascinating museums. Outside of the city, the landscape is rugged and mountainous. Winding roads lead to tiny farm towns, marvelous natural wonders, dazzling ancient sites and sprawling mezcal palenques, or distilleries. On the coast, you’ll find artist-centric surf towns and rustic retreats along remote beaches with some of the biggest surf in Mexico.