Oaxaca was our first taste of southern Mexico, a region of the country with a high indigenous population. The town is a gem, with plenty of character and life. For a western visitor it strikes a great balance between accessibility and a genuine town with people just going about their daily lives.

Besides the bustling markets in Oaxaca, the smaller surrounding towns were worth experiencing the public transport too, with plenty to see and taste at their own weekly markets. We also made the longer and more complex day trip to a volcanic pool area and petrified waterfall. The naturally formed pools were pretty impressive, reminiscent of the type of pools in Yellowstone National Park in the USA, the main difference being that in Mexico you could walk all over them and bathe in them. It seems that the conservation concept hasn't caught on yet in Mexico.