Season guide · Oaxaca · Mexico
Oaxaca in the rainy season
June–September: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: nsaum75 !Dígame¡ , CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Sunny mornings, afternoon storms and green countryside, with the Guelaguetza and mezcal fair in July and quiet, cheaper weeks otherwise. Expect highs up to 29°C (84°F) and lows around 15°C (59°F), with about 60 rainy days across June–September.
Key facts
- Months
- June–September
- Temperatures
- 15°C (59°F) to 29°C (84°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 60
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in the rainy season
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 29°C (84°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 15 | 13.1 h | 2/5 |
| July | 28°C (82°F) | 15°C (59°F) | 15 | 13.1 h | 5/5 |
| August | 28°C (82°F) | 15°C (59°F) | 15 | 12.7 h | 2/5 |
| September | 27°C (81°F) | 15°C (59°F) | 15 | 12.2 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 28°C (82°F) against a yearly 29°C (84°F), and 60 of the year's roughly 85 rainy days fall in these 4 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in the rainy season
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- July: Guelaguetza — regional dance festival on the Cerro del Fortín (usually the last two Mondays of July)
- July: Feria Internacional del Mezcal (usually alongside the Guelaguetza)
- September: Independence Day celebrations on the Zócalo (night of 15 September)
Good choices for the rainy season
Museum · Centro Histórico
Museo de Arte Prehispánico Rufino Tamayo
The Oaxacan painter Rufino Tamayo collected more than a thousand pre-Hispanic pieces and displayed them for their artistic rather than archaeological value, in colour-washed rooms of a colonial house on Avenida Morelos.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Gallery · Santo Domingo and the Andador
Instituto de Artes Gráficas de Oaxaca
Use the courtyard as a calm break from the Andador, and ask about other cultural centres Toledo founded in the city.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Centro Histórico
Oaxacan cooking class
Many local cooks run classes that start with a market visit to buy chiles, herbs and quesillo, followed by hands-on preparation of a mole, salsas made on a stone metate and tortillas on a clay comal.
- Time needed
- 4–6 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Food
- Couples
- Rainy day
Museum · Santo Domingo and the Andador
Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca
Go before visiting Monte Albán to understand the site, and leave time for the window views of the garden and the church dome.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
- Architecture
Market · Centro Histórico
Mercado 20 de Noviembre
Two blocks south of the Zócalo, this food market is known for its Pasillo de Humo, a smoky corridor where you choose tasajo, cecina and chorizo from butchers, have it grilled over charcoal, then buy tortillas, grilled onions and salsas from the women walking the aisles.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Day trips in the rainy season
- Teotitlán del Valle (About 40 minutes by road) — A Zapotec weaving village where families make wool rugs on foot looms, using natural dyes from cochineal, indigo and pomegranate.
- Tlacolula Sunday market (About 45 minutes by road) — One of the valley's largest and longest-running weekly markets fills the streets of Tlacolula de Matamoros every Sunday, with villagers buying and selling produce, livestock, baskets, mezcal and barbacoa.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the rainy season a good time to visit Oaxaca?
It is a trade-off: Sunny mornings, afternoon storms and green countryside, with the Guelaguetza and mezcal fair in July and quiet, cheaper weeks otherwise. The best months overall are October–March.
+What is the weather like in Oaxaca in the rainy season?
Highs of up to 29°C (84°F) and lows around 15°C (59°F), with about 60 rainy days over the season.