April is the hottest month in Oaxaca and the last of the true dry season. The valley is brown, the light is harsh, and afternoons in the city reach about 33°C. It is also, once Semana Santa is out of the way, one of the quietest and cheapest months of the year – and the first thunderstorms usually arrive before it ends.
The numbers
The hottest month, and how to work with it
Oaxaca City sits high enough that even 33°C is dry rather than oppressive, and the nights still drop to about 14°C. The heat is an afternoon problem, not an all-day one.
- Do the outdoor sites early. Monte Alban, Mitla and Hierve el Agua are all exposed and there is almost no shade. Aim to be there by 9am.
- Take the middle of the day indoors – the markets, the Santo Domingo cultural centre, the textile museum, a long comida.
- The coast is hotter and far more humid. Puerto Escondido in April is in the low thirties with high humidity, which is a different proposition from the dry valley.
- Carry more water than feels necessary, and remember the altitude makes the sun stronger than the temperature suggests.
What April buys you
- Low crowds and low prices from about the second week, once the Semana Santa and Pascua travel ends.
- Reliable weather. Almost nothing is cancelled for rain, and the first storms, when they come, are short and late in the day.
- Village markets without the tour groups – Tlacolula on Sunday, Etla on Wednesday, Zaachila on Thursday, Ocotlan on Friday.
- Mezcal palenques with the dirt roads still firm and dry.
- The coast at shoulder rates, hot and empty after the first week.
The turn of the season
Look for the signs at the end of the month. Cloud starts building over the Sierra in the afternoons, the first proper thunderstorm usually falls somewhere in late April or early May, and within days the hills begin to green. The valley goes from brown to green faster than anyone expects – a fortnight of rain transforms it.
- April averages about 17 mm, most of it in one or two late storms.
- Storms come in the late afternoon and evening, which is the pattern that holds all through the wet season. Mornings stay clear.
- Nothing needs rescheduling for it yet – that starts in June.
Where to go in April
- Monte Alban and Mitla, early in the day.
- The Sierra Norte – Cuajimoloyas, Benito Juarez and the Pueblos Mancomunados sit at 3,000 m and are cool when the valley is baking.
- Hierve el Agua, at opening time or late afternoon.
- Puerto Escondido, Mazunte and Zipolite after the first week, when Mexican holidaymakers go home.
- Teotitlan del Valle, San Bartolo Coyotepec and San Martin Tilcajete for weaving, black pottery and alebrijes.
Prices and crowds
Two different months in one. The first week carries the tail of Semana Santa and the Pascua school holiday; from roughly 10 April prices drop to some of the lowest of the year and stay there through May. See what a trip to Mexico costs.
What to pack
Light, loose clothes and a hat – this is the month sun protection matters most. High-factor sunscreen and sunglasses. A light jacket for evenings, which still fall to about 14°C. Proper water capacity. A very light rain layer is worth having by the last week, but nothing heavy.
The April 2027 calendar
- First week of April – the tail of the Semana de Pascua school holiday; the coast is still busy.
- From about 10 April – low season begins; among the cheapest and quietest weeks of the year.
- Through April – the hottest month, about 33°C by day and 14°C at night in the city.
- Late April – the first thunderstorms of the year, usually in the late afternoon.
- No federal public holidays fall in April 2027, because Semana Santa days are not official holidays in Mexico.
- Every Sunday – the Tlacolula market, at its least crowded of the year.
Read alongside
- Oaxaca in March – Semana Santa and Benito Juarez Day.
- Oaxaca in May – the rains arrive.
- Oaxaca in June – the valley turns green.
- Best time to visit Oaxaca – all twelve months compared.
- Oaxaca travel guide – the city, the valley and the coast.
- Oaxaca itinerary – how to put a trip together.
- Things to do in Oaxaca – the year-round list.
- Oaxaca food guide – moles, tlayudas and the markets.
Frequently asked
How hot is Oaxaca in April?
About 33°C by day, the hottest of the year, with nights near 14°C. The altitude keeps it dry rather than oppressive, but the midday sun is fierce.
Is April a good time to visit Oaxaca?
After the first week, yes – it is one of the cheapest and quietest months, with completely reliable weather. Before that, the Semana Santa holiday is still running.
Does it rain in Oaxaca in April?
Only about 17 mm, usually in one or two late-afternoon thunderstorms at the end of the month. Nothing you need to plan around.
When do the rains start in Oaxaca?
The first storms typically fall in late April or early May, and the wet season is properly established by June. The valley greens within a fortnight of the rains starting.
What time should I visit Monte Alban in April?
As early as possible. The site is completely exposed, there is no shade, and it is uncomfortable by late morning.
Is the Oaxaca coast good in April?
It is hot and humid, in the low thirties, and much stickier than the dry valley. After the first week it is also empty and cheap.
Where can I escape the heat in Oaxaca?
The Sierra Norte. Cuajimoloyas and the other Pueblos Mancomunados villages sit around 3,000 m and are cool even in April.
Are there public holidays in Mexico in April 2027?
No federal ones. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are not official public holidays in Mexico, although in practice most of the country stops.
Oaxaca month by month
- January – dry, bright days and genuinely cold nights.
- February – carnival, Candelaria and perfect dry-season weather.
- March – Semana Santa, jacarandas and the heat building.
- April – the hottest and driest month, just before the rains (this page).
- May – the rains arrive and the valley turns green.
- June – clear mornings, afternoon storms, and no crowds.
- July – Guelaguetza, the biggest festival of the year.
- August – deep green season and the quietest city of the year.
- September – Independence, the wettest month and the hurricane peak.
- October – Dia de Muertos and the end of the rains.
- November – dry, clear and arguably the best month of all.
- December – Noche de Rabanos, posadas and the Christmas peak.
You Might Also Love
Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
