Oaxaca: Zenith of the Zapotec

The enchanting city of Oaxaca, 440 kilometres south of Mexico City, is situated in the middle of spectacular rocky deserts of towering cacti. Encircled by protective mountains, this sophisticated city boasts some of the finest Spanish colonial architecture in Mexico. Oaxaca, which is one of the country’s major arts and crafts centres, also has numerous pre-Hispanic ruins nearby and a large Zapotec and Mixtec indigenous population.

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Mui Ne: Dune with a view

The old, former US army jeep suddenly turns off the road and accelerates into the sand hills. I cling to the dash as the ancient vehicle lurches and bumps its way over the hills and careers towards the looming South China Sea.

Ten metres before we reach the crashing breakers, the jeep swerves and heads along the wet sand, neatly dodging the water washing up onto the shore.

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