November is the month Oaxaca is at its best. The rains have just stopped but the valley is still green, the air is washed clean, the temperature sits at a perfect 28°C, and the Day of the Dead tail runs into the first days of the month. Nothing else in the Oaxacan year combines this much good weather with this much landscape.
The numbers
The short window that makes November special
For about four to six weeks after the rains end, Oaxaca holds two things at once that it never holds otherwise: green hills and dry, clear skies. By January the valley has browned off; in September it is green but wet. November is the overlap.
- Visibility is the best of the year. The rains wash out the dust and the burning haze has not started. The long views from Monte Alban are at their sharpest.
- Rainfall drops to about 15 mm, and any storm is short and unusual.
- Nights cool quickly to about 10°C as the cloud cover goes, so the jacket is back.
- Waterfalls are still running from the end of the wet season.
The first two days still belong to Muertos
- 1 November is Dia de Todos los Santos, traditionally for children who have died, and 2 November is Dia de Muertos proper.
- The cemetery vigils at Xoxocotlan, Atzompa and San Felipe del Agua run over the nights of 31 October to 2 November and are the heart of it.
- Neither is a federal public holiday, though many businesses close or reduce hours on the 2nd.
- Accommodation is at its annual peak until about 3 November, then falls away sharply.
- From about 4 November you get the good weather without the Muertos prices – which is the single best-value window in the Oaxacan calendar.
The full account of the vigils, the altars and how to attend respectfully is in Oaxaca in October.
What else November is for
- Monte Alban, Mitla and Hierve el Agua with green surroundings, clear air and dry access roads.
- Turtle arribadas, which continue on the Oaxaca coast through the autumn.
- The coast turning dry – humidity drops, the hurricane season closes on 30 November, and the beaches head into their best months.
- The full market circuit – Tlacolula on Sunday, Etla on Wednesday, Zaachila on Thursday, Ocotlan on Friday – without the crowds of Muertos or Christmas.
- Mezcal, with the agave harvest and the palenque roads dry again.
- The Sierra Norte, still green, cold at night and excellent for walking.
Where to go in November
- Oaxaca City, for the first days of Muertos or, better value, for everything after them.
- Monte Alban, on the clearest mornings of the year.
- The Tlacolula valley – Mitla, the Tule tree, Hierve el Agua and Teotitlan on one road, all with good access now.
- Puerto Escondido, Mazunte and Zipolite, as the coast dries out and turtle season continues.
- The Sierra Norte, for hiking in cool green mountains.
Prices and crowds
Two halves. The first three days are the most expensive of the year after Guelaguetza; from about 4 November prices fall sharply and stay reasonable until the Christmas build-up. That middle stretch is the best combination of weather and value Oaxaca offers. See what a trip to Mexico costs.
What to pack
A warm jacket for evenings, which drop to about 10°C now that the cloud has gone. Light clothes for 28°C days. Strong sunscreen and sunglasses for the clear, high-altitude sun. Comfortable shoes. A very light rain layer is enough. Swimwear if the coast is on the plan.
The November 2027 calendar
- Monday 1 November – Dia de Todos los Santos.
- Tuesday 2 November – Dia de Muertos, with cemetery vigils continuing from the night before. Not a federal holiday, but widely observed.
- From about 4 November – accommodation prices drop sharply; the best-value window of the year begins.
- Monday 15 November – Revolution Day, a federal public holiday observed on the third Monday of November.
- Tuesday 30 November – the Pacific hurricane season officially ends.
- Through November – green valley, clear air, about 15 mm of rain.
Read alongside
- Oaxaca in October – Dia de Muertos in full.
- Oaxaca in December – Noche de Rabanos and Christmas.
- Oaxaca in January – the driest month.
- 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
Is November the best month to visit Oaxaca?
For weather and landscape together, yes. The rains have stopped but the valley is still green, the air is clear, and days sit at about 28°C. After the first three days the prices are reasonable too.
Is Day of the Dead in October or November?
Both. The vigils begin on the night of 31 October, 1 November is for children who have died, and 2 November is Dia de Muertos itself.
When do Oaxaca prices drop after Day of the Dead?
From about 4 November. The drop is sharp, and the weeks that follow are the best value in the whole calendar.
Does it rain in Oaxaca in November?
Barely – about 15 mm. The rainy season has effectively ended.
Is the valley still green in November?
Yes, for roughly four to six weeks after the rains stop. It is the only time you get green hills and clear dry skies at once.
When is Revolution Day in Mexico in 2027?
Monday 15 November, a federal public holiday observed on the third Monday of the month rather than on 20 November itself.
Is the Oaxaca coast good in November?
Increasingly so. Humidity falls, the hurricane season ends on 30 November, and turtle arribadas continue on the nesting beaches.
How cold are November nights in Oaxaca?
About 10°C, and falling fast after sunset now that the cloud cover has gone. Bring a jacket.
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.
- 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 (this page).
- 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.
