How to Get to Hierve el Agua from Oaxaca (2026): Local Guide

This article contains affiliate links. If you book or hire through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting Qué Onda Oaxaca.

Hierve el Agua is one of those photos everyone has seen before visiting Oaxaca: a turquoise pool hanging over the edge of a cliff, with what looks like a frozen white waterfall stretching below. What almost nobody tells you is everything that happens between the city center and that photograph: buses, a flatbed truck bouncing along a dirt road, two community toll checkpoints, and a return journey that can get complicated if you don't plan it.

This guide is so you arrive without surprises. I'll walk you through going independently, when a tour or rental car makes more sense, how to spend the night up there, and why it sometimes closes. If you're planning your full trip, start with my guide to what to do in Oaxaca.

Quick Reference

Option	Approx. cost	Time	Best for
GOMA bus to Mitla + shared truck	~$30 + ~$75 each way + 2 tolls	2–2.5 hrs each way	Backpackers and those not in a hurry
Colectivo to Mitla + shared truck	~$50 + ~$75 each way + 2 tolls	~2 hrs each way	Slightly faster
Shared truck or taxi from Mitla (after bus from Oaxaca)	Negotiate on site	~1.5 hrs	Groups who want a single ride
Rental car	Rental + gas + tolls	~1.5 hrs	Anyone wanting to combine several villages
Tour	Check the platform	Full day	Limited time, want to see it all

Before You Go: What Nobody Tells You

▸It closes at 6 PM. It opens in the morning — arrive early before tour groups hit between 10 AM and noon.
▸You pay twice, and they're not highway tolls. Community members collect a local toll: about $50 MXN at the first village and another $50 to enter Hierve el Agua. More on why below.
▸Cash only. No ATMs. Bring small bills and coins.
▸Almost no signal. Download maps before you go, get your driver's WhatsApp, and don't count on calling a DiDi from up there.
▸It sometimes closes. The site has an ongoing dispute between communities that's been going on for years. Before you leave, ask in our Facebook group or your hotel whether it's open that week.
▸It's a full day. Going independently means at least 2 hours each way, plus 3 hours on site. Plan your whole day around this.

Option 1: Bus to Mitla and Shared Truck to Hierve el Agua (on your own)

This is the cheapest option and, honestly, the most fun if you're up for an adventure. Step 1: Take the bus to Mitla. The best spot is the corner of Estadio Yu'Va (formerly the baseball stadium) and McDonald's, on Highway 190. Here's the departure point on Google Maps.

Camión a Mitla en la esquina del Estadio Yu'Va, Oaxaca. Foto: Qué Onda Oaxaca

▸Look for the lime-green bus with a "Mitla" sign, from the GOMA line.
▸It costs about $30 MXN — pay the driver. Bring exact change.
▸Buses pass approximately every 15 minutes, depending on traffic.
▸The ride to Mitla takes around 40 minutes with stops along the way.
▸Tip: There's a woman with a fruit and sandwich stand at that corner who can help you spot the right bus. Tip her.
▸Taxis also wait there and will offer to take you. Not necessary — buses come frequently and seats are comfortable.

Buses also leave from the second-class terminal, next to the Central de Abastos. Honestly, it's more chaotic and if you look like a tourist you'll attract pickpockets. Better to get on at the stadium corner. Step 2: In Mitla, find the shared trucks. When you get off you'll see signs for Hierve el Agua. Here are the Hierve el Agua trucks on Google Maps.

Señalamiento de las camionetas a Hierve el Agua en Mitla. Foto: Qué Onda Oaxaca

▸These are Nissan flatbed pickup trucks (estaquitas). Up to 5 people ride in the cab and the rest ride in the truck bed.
▸They leave when 12 people have gathered. Sometimes bus drivers let passengers know more tourists are on the way to help fill the truck.
▸While you wait, there's a shaded area around the corner plus a small shop and bakery nearby.
▸The cost is around $75 MXN per person each way when full. If it doesn't fill up, the price rises — fewer passengers split the cost.
▸The ride takes about 30 minutes along a dirt road. Expect dust and bumps. It's not comfortable, but if you chose to go independently for the adventure, that's part of the deal. Worth it.

Camioneta de estaca que sube de Mitla a Hierve el Agua. Foto: Qué Onda Oaxaca

Step 3: Pay the two tolls and go in. The first is collected on the road, the second at the entrance. About $50 MXN each.

Option 2: Colectivo to Mitla

Colectivos also leave from the stadium corner, cost about $50 MXN, and are slightly faster with fewer stops. Ask the price before getting in — sometimes they try to charge taxi rates. They might ask $10 more than the base fare, not much more. In Mitla, take the same shared truck from Step 2.

Option 3: Shared Truck or Taxi from Mitla

Once you're in Mitla (by GOMA bus or colectivo from Oaxaca), you can take a shared truck or taxi the rest of the way:

▸In front of the FYPSA/GOMA terminal in Mitla, shared trucks wait for passengers heading to Hierve el Agua.
▸The Sitio de Taxis Hidalgo can also take you.

Everything is negotiated on the spot. Most taxis return at closing time — 6 PM. Agree clearly on pickup time and get your driver's WhatsApp. If you hire a car with driver, parking up there runs about $100 MXN. What about Uber or DiDi? Uber launched in Oaxaca in October 2026, but the Secretariat of Mobility says it's not yet authorized. I'd recommend avoiding it for now and using DiDi, which works basically the same way. For Hierve el Agua though, apps aren't practical — almost no signal up there for the return trip. Everything on apps and taxis is in my transportation guide.

Option 4: Rental Car (My Favorite If You Want to See It All)

I'll be honest with you: it's not worth making the whole trip just for Hierve el Agua. What makes the day special is what's along the way: the Tule Tree, the weavings of Teotitlán, the Tlacolula market, the Mitla ruins, the mezcal distilleries. With a car you do everything at your own pace.

If you'd rather have the market and distillery covered with a guide, the Tlacolula Market & Family Mezcal Palenque tour makes a great separate day: Sunday market, family distillery, up to eight mezcal tastings, and round-trip transport included.

▸Route: Highway 190 east, past the Tule and Tlacolula, to Mitla. From there you head up to Hierve el Agua.
▸The stretch from San Lorenzo Albarradas is all dirt road: dust and mild bumps. Drive steadily.
▸You'll pay both community tolls and parking.
▸If the plan includes mezcal, one person doesn't drink. Driving drunk will never be a recommendation.

You can compare rental car prices in Oaxaca here.

Renta de autos · Oaxaca

from $400 MXN / day

Comparar precios ↗Enlace de afiliado · sin costo extra para ti

Option 5: Tour (For the No-Hassle Option)

If you have few days, a tour handles what would otherwise eat up your whole day on public transport. The most complete is this Tule Tree, Mitla, Hierve el Agua and mezcal distillery tour: they pick you up, take you across the valley, and you don't have to think about catching the last truck back.

Full day · Tule Tree, Mitla, Hierve el Agua and mezcal distillery

Includes transport, guide and entrance fees. Book on Viator →

The Return: How to Get Back Without Stress

This is the part that causes the most anxiety, so here's my plan:

1. If you're going by shared truck, don't wait for the last one. I leave about an hour before closing — around 5 PM. If you're last and not enough people have gathered, you could be waiting a long time. 2. In Mitla, head straight to the return stop. GOMA buses back to Oaxaca have no fixed schedule: they wait for about 15 people. Supposedly the last departure is around 9 PM. If you leave Hierve el Agua at 6 and take an hour to Mitla, you have decent margin. But don't leave it to the last minute. 3. Any transport that says "Oaxaca" works for you. Colectivos also run from Mitla to the city, and others come down from the Sierra Mixe. 4. If it gets too late, just stay. Details below.

What to Do at Hierve el Agua

The pools. There are two levels, in what's called "the amphitheater." Some are natural, some were built; the most photographed — the one right at the cliff's edge — was constructed in 2007. The water is between 22–27°C: cool, not thermal.

Poza de agua mineral al borde del acantilado en Hierve el Agua. Foto: Qué Onda Oaxaca

Can you swim? Yes, depending on the season. And no, the water isn't dirty — that smell is from the minerals. The bubbling that gives the place its name isn't boiling water; it's gases rising from the springs. There are changing rooms and bathrooms. The small waterfall. At pool level, with about a 12-meter drop — the one in all the photos. The large waterfall and lower viewpoint. The most impressive, with about 30 meters of cascade. It's visible from the viewpoints above, but the best view is from the base: 20–30 minutes down and the same back up. Wear shoes with good grip. Why it looks petrified. The spring water is heavy with calcium carbonate. As it flows over the cliff, it deposits minerals layer by layer over thousands of years — like a stalactite forming horizontally. That's why it looks like a waterfall frozen in stone. The Zapotec canals. From the pools area you can see irrigation channels and terraces over 2,500 years old. They're considered the only example in Mesoamerica of lined canals — and the lining formed naturally from the same minerals. Almost nobody stops to look at them. You should. Food. There are several small restaurants serving regional food. If you're vegan, don't expect much beyond the same dishes without the animal proteins. Bring water and snacks just in case.

✦

☕ Is this guide saving you some hassle? I write from Atzompa, without editorial sponsors. Buy me a mezcal if it kept you from a rough situation.

Staying Overnight: the Secret to Hierve el Agua Without Crowds

The best-kept secret is staying in the site's cabins. You have the pools to yourself after the groups leave and in the morning before they arrive. You get the sunset and a night without city lights — perfect for photos nobody else has.

Atardecer en Hierve el Agua después del horario de visita. Foto: Viator

What you need to know:

▸You can't reserve them. No phone, no website. They're assigned on arrival, first come first served.
▸Simple, but the views are incredible.
▸Almost no signal, though the cabins have rental internet.
▸Eat before 6 PM when the food stalls close, or bring your own. Once the doors close you're inside with nothing to buy.

If you don't get a cabin. It happened to us once. We ended up in the village at Comedor Citlali: they rent a few rooms and serve food too. Saved us. If you prefer to have everything sorted, there's this sunrise and overnight camping experience at Hierve el Agua. You arrive in the afternoon, have a local dinner, sleep under the stars and wake up for sunrise over the mountains. Then you do the full hike through the formations and viewpoints, swim in the pools, and finish with lunch at the Tlacolula market.

Casa de campaña en Hierve el Agua. Foto: Viator

Why You Pay Twice (and Why It Sometimes Closes)

Hierve el Agua is in the municipality of San Lorenzo Albarradas, but the site is operated by San Isidro Roaguía, an agency of the same municipality. The two communities have been in a dispute for nearly two decades over who owns the property, who manages it, and how tourism revenue gets split.

That's where the double toll comes from: a community toll on the road, and another to enter the site. And that's also where the closures come from. The site closed from 2005 to 2007, had blockades in 2014, and was closed for almost a year and a half — from March 2020 to October 2021 — between the pandemic and the conflict. For Roaguía, tourism is their main source of income.

I'm not telling you this to scare you, but so you understand what you're paying for: those tolls go to people from here. Pay without bargaining, and ask before you go whether it's open. If you're generally concerned about safety, read my guide on is Oaxaca safe?.

Is It Sunday? Stop at the Tlacolula Market

If your day falls on a Sunday, plan to stop at the Tlacolula market — one of the largest weekly markets in the Oaxacan valleys: barbacoa, bread, mezcal, and half the valley doing their shopping. It's right on the same highway, on the way there or back. I cover everything in my Tlacolula market guide.

Plan Your Day: What to Combine with Hierve el Agua

▸Mitla: the ruins with stone fretwork unlike anything else in Mesoamerica. You're there anyway — it's a must-stop.
▸Mezcal in Matatlán: the so-called mezcal capital of the world is right on the road.
▸San Marcos Tlapazola: this one almost never appears on popular tours, and that's exactly what makes it worth it. The village women handcraft red clay pottery. If you're into ceramics and want your money to go directly to the makers, this tour through little-visited archaeological sites and the red pottery of Tlapazola passes through Yagul, Lambityeco and Dainzú — three Zapotec sites where there's almost nobody around.

Mujeres alfareras de barro rojo en San Marcos Tlapazola. Foto: Viator

For all the valley day-trip routes, check my guide to day trips from Oaxaca.

Did you fall in love with the local crafts? Our little shop features hand-selected local pieces. What you buy there keeps our cultural calendar free.

What to Bring

Swimsuit, towel, a change of clothes, sunscreen, a hat, good footwear, water, snacks and cash in small bills. If you're staying overnight: a flashlight, a jacket (it gets cold at night) and food for dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get to Hierve el Agua by public transport?

Take the GOMA bus or a colectivo to Mitla from the corner of Estadio Yu'Va. In Mitla, get on a shared flatbed truck that leaves when 12 people have gathered. About 2 hours each way.

How much does it cost to enter Hierve el Agua?

You pay two community tolls of about $50 MXN each: one on the road, one at the entrance. Cash only.

What time does Hierve el Agua close?

At 6 PM. If you're going by shared truck, head back an hour early so you don't miss the last one.

Can you swim at Hierve el Agua?

Yes, depending on the season. The water is between 22–27°C and the smell is from the minerals, not from pollution.

Is Hierve el Agua open?

Normally yes, but it has had closures due to community disputes. Confirm it's open the week of your visit in our Facebook group or with your hotel.

Can you reserve the cabins at Hierve el Agua?

No. They're assigned on arrival, first come first served. If you don't get one, Comedor Citlali in the village rents rooms.

Is there Uber to get to Hierve el Agua?

Uber announced its arrival in Oaxaca in October 2026, but it's not yet authorized. Use DiDi for getting around the city. For Hierve el Agua, public transport, a car or a tour is better — almost no signal up there.

Is it worth going to Hierve el Agua on its own?

Given the travel time, it's worth combining it with Mitla, the Tlacolula market or a mezcal distillery. You'll get more out of it with a rental car or on a tour.

✦

Hierve el Agua isn't just that photo. It's a place the Zapotecs were already managing 2,500 years ago, and one that today supports an entire community. Go with time, pay the tolls without bargaining, and if you can — stay to watch the valley go dark from up there.

✦

More guides you'll find useful

✦