The Wayro route from Salina Cruz to Malinalco is 501 miles (807 km), about 10 h 12 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 501 mi (807 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 12 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-185 → MEX-190 → MEX-135D → MEX-150D → PUE 438D → MEX-94D → MOR 21 → MEX-181 |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Puebla, Morelos, State of Mexico |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-135D, MEX-150D, MEX-94D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.0 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.
Driving Salina Cruz to Malinalco: the shape of the trip
MEX-190 (176 mi) and MEX-135D (151 mi) carry about 65% of the 501 miles. It runs through 4 states: Oaxaca, Puebla, Morelos, State of Mexico. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-135D, MEX-150D and MEX-94D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Salina Cruz to Malinalco: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-185 | 0–11 | 11 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 11–172 | 161 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-135D | 172–323 | 151 | Oaxaca, Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 323–367 | 44 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 367–382 | 15 | Puebla |
| local roads | 382–393 | 11 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 393–427 | 34 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-94D | 427–459 | 32 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 459–462 | 3 | Morelos |
| MOR 21 | 462–472 | 10 | Morelos |
| local roads | 472–492 | 20 | Morelos, State of Mexico |
| MEX-185 | 492–496 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-181 | 496–501 | 5 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 272 of this route: Oaxaca → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 419 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 490 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
What to see on the way from Salina Cruz to Malinalco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Yagul (mile 145), El Palmillo (mile 146), Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca (mile 166)
- Nature and outdoors: Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 280)
- Museums and history: Guiengola (mile 18), Yagul (mile 145), El Palmillo (mile 146), Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca (mile 166), Archaeological Zone of Atzompa (mile 168), Historic centre of Puebla (mile 382), Las Pilas archaeological site (mile 429), Museo de sitio de Xochicalco (mile 476)
Guiengola
Guiengola is a Late Postclassic Zapotec archaeological site near Santo Domingo Tehuantepec, on high ground above the Tehuantepec River and known as a fortified settlement.
Yagul
On a rocky hill in Oaxaca's Tlacolula Valley, Yagul is a Zapotec site whose builders linked platforms by paths. Explore the Palace of the Six Patios, a ball court, tombs and a fortress wall with lookouts.
El Palmillo
On a hilltop in the eastern Tlacolula arm of the Valley of Oaxaca, El Palmillo is a Classic Period Zapotec archaeological site just south of Mitla and east of Monte Albán.
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca
Founded on February 28, 1992, by a civic association with state government backing and support from the National Institute of Fine Arts, this museum grew from an initiative by artists including Francisco Toledo and Rodolfo Morales.
Archaeological Zone of Atzompa
About 8 km west of Oaxaca City on Cerro del Bonete, in Santa María Atzompa, this archaeological site was a monumental complex that belonged to nearby Monte Albán.
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.
Historic centre of Puebla
Laid out from scratch in 1531, Puebla's UNESCO-listed core is a grid of tile-covered houses, colonial churches and the 16th–17th-century cathedral, with the old archbishop's palace that houses the Palafox Library, established in 1646.
Las Pilas archaeological site
Set inside a bathing park in Jonacatepec, Las Pilas was a ceremonial center devoted to water, where inhabitants built channels to collect and store underground water for irrigation; burials were found within the channel system.
Museo de sitio de Xochicalco
Next to the Xochicalco archaeological zone in Morelos, the site museum sits along the Xochicalco–Tetlama federal road.
In Malinalco itself
Malinalco
Carved straight into the hillside above Malinalco, the Cuauhcalli is a rock-cut temple at the heart of this archaeological zone. The Mexica took the Matlatzinca town around 1476 and used it to train and consecrate elite warriors.
Desierto del Carmen National Park
Declared a national park on October 10, 1942, Desierto del Carmen is a protected area in the municipality of Tenancingo, in the State of Mexico.
More drives to Malinalco
- Valle de Bravo to Malinalco
- Zitácuaro to Malinalco
- Tlalpujahua to Malinalco
- San Juan del Río to Malinalco
- Tequisquiapan to Malinalco
- Salvatierra to Malinalco
From Salina Cruz to other places in Mexico
- Salina Cruz to Capulalpam de Méndez
- Salina Cruz to San Juan Chamula
- Salina Cruz to Ocosingo
- Salina Cruz to Tapijulapa
- Salina Cruz to Huamantla
- Salina Cruz to Ixtenco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Salina Cruz to Malinalco?
About 10 h 12 min of driving without stops, over 501 miles.
What is the driving distance from Salina Cruz to Malinalco?
About 501 miles (807 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 Salina Cruz to Malinalco?
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 Salina Cruz to Malinalco?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Salina Cruz to Malinalco?
In order: MEX-185, MEX-190, MEX-135D, MEX-150D, PUE 438D, MEX-94D, MOR 21 and MEX-181. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Salina Cruz and Malinalco?
Closest to the road: Yagul (archaeological site, mile 145, 0.9 mi from the route); El Palmillo (archaeological site, mile 146, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca (contemporary art museum, mile 166, 0.6 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.