Oaxaca

Small-town Mexico may not come immediately to mind when you think of a queer traveller’s paradise, but throughout Oaxaca the beach villages and city streets offer both queer history and modern hotspots.

Writer Tim Wenger came to Oaxaca in search of mezcal and mole. Thanks to an off-hand recommendation, he ended up deep in the mountains and gained a whole new appreciation for the region.A field of bright green agave plants stretches across the hillside, dozens of expertly planted rows a quarter-mile long-standing in sharp contrast to the surrounding wild pine forest. The midday sun reveals some letters carved into the skin of one sharp agave branch and I lean in to get a better look. “Aquí estuvo Renada,” it says. “Renada was here.”

Oaxaca City has plenty to enthrall visitors – and day trips from this regional capital and cultural center complement any visit here.

Few regions in Mexico conjure up as many superlatives as Oaxaca.

With near-perfect weather and a calendar packed with unique fiestas and cultural events, it's no wonder this captivating corner of southern Mexico lures visitors year-round.

Oaxaca City is a fascinating amalgam of vividly enchanting neighborhoods, some with a history older than the town itself and each with its own distinct personality.