If you go to Oaxaca Mexico…
Getting there: Continental flies direct from Houston, Texas, to Oaxaca, or visitors can fly into Mexico City and get one of the frequent connecting flights to Oaxaca.

Getting around: Bicycle tours and local bus routes will take you to nearby towns. Some local restaurants and hotels offer day-trip package tours stopping at several towns or ruin sites, and first-class bus service to Mexico City and area beaches are available at a station near the city’s center, Calzada Heroes de Chapultepec 1036. For bicycle tours near Oaxaca City, try Bicicletas Pedro Martinez, 011-52-951-514-5935.

Information: Oaxaca state tourism office: 011-52-951-516-0123 and 951-502-1200. The state’s tourism Internet site — http://www.oaxaca.travel/ — is only in Spanish.

Food: Oaxaca is perhaps the food capital of Mexico, with native dishes ranging from fried grasshoppers to the state’s famous string cheese. The most sought-after products are mescal, a cousin of tequila, and locally-grown but somewhat crudely processed chocolate. Two must-try meals: tlayudas — huge corn tortillas covered with a variety of toppings — and Oaxacan tamales.

What to wear: Weather in Oaxaca is generally quite warm – especially on the coast — but in the city, a light sweater or windbreaker could come in useful after the sun sets. At higher altitudes, a light jacket is often needed.

When to go: Oaxaca’s hallmark folk festival, the Guelaguetza, is held in the second half of July.

Other attractions: Oaxaca has archaeological sites, nature reserves, and Pacific coast beaches such as Huatulco, Puerto Escondido, Zipolite and Puerto Angel.