Huatulco to Oaxtepec is about 458 road miles (737 km): roughly 8 h 25 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 458 mi (737 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 25 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-175D → MEX-175 → MEX-190 → MEX-135D → MEX-150D → PUE 438D → MEX-160 |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Puebla, Morelos |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-175D, MEX-135D, MEX-150D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora) |
|---|---|
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
How the Huatulco to Oaxtepec drive plays out
MEX-135D (152 mi) and MEX-175D (63 mi) carry about 47% of the 458 miles. It runs through 3 states: Oaxaca, Puebla, Morelos. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-175D, MEX-135D and MEX-150D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Huatulco to Oaxtepec
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-200 | 3–63 | 60 | Oaxaca |
| connecting roads | 63–64 | 1 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175D | 64–127 | 63 | Oaxaca |
| connecting roads | 127–131 | 4 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 131–138 | 7 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175 | 138–150 | 12 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 150–160 | 10 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-175 | 160–173 | 13 | Oaxaca |
| connecting roads | 173–176 | 3 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 176–181 | 5 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-135D | 181–333 | 152 | Oaxaca, Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 333–376 | 43 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 376–377 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 377–391 | 14 | Puebla |
| local roads | 391–403 | 12 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 403–436 | 33 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-160 | 436–452 | 16 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 452–454 | 2 | Morelos |
| local roads | 454–458 | 4 | Morelos |
- Mile 281 of this route: Oaxaca → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 429 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
Places worth a stop between Huatulco and Oaxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (mile 167), Historic centre of Oaxaca (mile 174)
- Nature and outdoors: Mermejita (mile 35), Benito Juárez National Park (mile 181), Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 290)
- Museums and history: Zaachila (mile 167), Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (mile 167), Historic centre of Oaxaca (mile 174), Monte Albán (mile 175)
Mermejita
On Oaxaca's central coast just west of Mazunte and San Agustinillo, Mermejita is a small beach village where newcomers have built simple houses from local materials.
Zaachila
Zaachila was a Zapotec city, later shared with Mixtecs, that was still inhabited when the Spanish arrived; its occupation reaches back to about 1500 BC. Visitors come for its excavated tombs, including Tomb 1 with stucco figures of those buried there.
Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca
In San Bartolo Coyotepec, the town known for its black clay pottery (barro negro), this state-run museum traces the history of that craft and shows works by Oaxaca's folk art masters alongside temporary exhibitions.
Historic centre of Oaxaca
The historic center of Oaxaca de Juárez has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, listed together with the archaeological site of Monte Albán as an example of Spanish colonial town planning.
Monte Albán
Carved into a mountaintop above the Valley of Oaxaca, Monte Albán was a Zapotec capital for some 1,300 years; visitors walk a 300-meter ceremonial plaza lined with temples, a ball court, tombs and carved reliefs. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Benito Juárez National Park
Hikers heading just north of Oaxaca City reach Benito Juárez National Park, where trails cross roughly 2,737 hectares of pine and oak. La Coronilla, a moderate loop, runs about 5 km.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
This arid valley straddling Puebla and Oaxaca joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2018 as a mixed site. It is a major center of cactus diversity and preserves ancient canals, wells, terraces and dams built to manage scarce water.
Tonantzintla Observatory
The Tonantzintla Observatory in Puebla was home to the National Astrophysical Observatory directed by Guillermo Haro. Its main instrument, a Schmidt camera, was a wide-field telescope built for photographing the sky.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Yecapixtla
The 16th-century church and former monastery of San Juan Bautista in Yecapixtla belongs to the Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl, inscribed by UNESCO in 1994 as early missionary architecture with large open courtyards.
In Oaxtepec itself
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
More drives to Oaxtepec
- Malinalco to Oaxtepec
- Mexico City to Oaxtepec
- Metepec to Oaxtepec
- Toluca to Oaxtepec
- Otumba to Oaxtepec
- Taxco to Oaxtepec
From Huatulco to other places in Mexico
- Huatulco to Capulalpam de Méndez
- Huatulco to San Juan Chamula
- Huatulco to Chipilo
- Huatulco to San Miguel, Morelos
- Huatulco to Ocuituco
- Huatulco to Tetela de Ocampo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Huatulco to Oaxtepec?
About 8 h 25 min of driving without stops, over 458 miles.
What is the driving distance from Huatulco to Oaxtepec?
About 458 miles (737 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Huatulco to Oaxtepec?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.
Is it safe to drive from Huatulco to Oaxtepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Huatulco to Oaxtepec?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-175D, MEX-175, MEX-190, MEX-135D, MEX-150D, PUE 438D and MEX-160. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Huatulco to Oaxtepec?
Closest to the road: Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca (folk art museum, mile 167, 0.2 mi from the route); Historic centre of Oaxaca (historic center, mile 174, 0.9 mi from the route); Monte Albán (archaeological site, mile 175, 2 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.