MONTE ALBAN, Mexico -- What's daunting about visiting Mexico's many archaeological wonders is standing at the foot of a multi-tiered temple -- and realizing you must climb to the top with the rest of your tour group or be left behind.

It would be so easy to wave everyone on and head back to the bus. Or lie low and rejoin them after they've descended, wheezing appropriately in the thin air at 6,000 feet.

A tempting thought, but Mexico's archaeological sites aren't to be missed. Most visitors know of the great pyramids of Teotihuacan near Mexico City, and you must see them to appreciate their grandeur and size. But magnificent ruins and natural beauty abound throughout Mexico, and a trip through the Central Valleys region in the state of Oaxaca offers many visual rewards.

Monte Alban -- the former Zapotec capital that sits high above the city of Oaxaca -- is a worthy stop to admire its temples, carvings and ball court. East of Oaxaca are Mitla and Yagul, two smaller but equally interesting sites, and the more than 2,000-year-old Tule tree, even more impressive than a California redwood. South of Mitla, over twisting, dusty roads, is Hierve el Agua, where so-called petrified waterfalls dazzle tourists and attract locals to the natural swimming pools.

There are plenty of gasp-inducing stairs to climb if you begin at Monte Alban, but standing at the top of a ceremonial temple overlooking the city below and the surrounding mountains, you gain an appreciation of its vastness.


Monte Alban was first occupied around 500 B.C. by the Zapotec Indians, and the site, which covers 2 1/2 square miles and sits 1,200 feet above Oaxaca, includes a large plaza, a ball court, several buildings, altars and massive platforms at its north and south ends. Structures called ziggurats resemble pyramids (minus their peaks) and are made from stone blocks.

It costs 37 pesos (about $3.60) to enter the area, and tour guides offer their services at varying prices, depending on how many people are in their group. Our guide, Juan, charged us 15 pesos each (about $1.45) for a group of 20.

Once inside, you see a majestic ancient city full of intricate stone carvings and large, sloping staircases. From the north plaza, you can see the ball court to the west, the central buildings below and, of particular note, the danzantes building to the east. The danzantes (Spanish for dancers) are in-motion figures carved into stone slabs standing side by side next to the structure. Historians say they are probably not dancers at all but most likely captives and Zapotec leaders. Inside the building, through a narrow passageway, are more carvings.

The Zapotecs, who numbered about 25,000 and ruled for some 1,200 years, planted corn, squash, beans, chiles and fruits. During their reign, the city was continually rebuilt with new walls, staircases and plazas. Our guide told us that about 80 percent of Monte Alban remains underground and still undiscovered.

Although not as large or imposing, Mitla -- it's 25 miles east of the city of Oaxaca, off Highway 190 -- has a particular beauty, perhaps the result of its geometrically cut stones, its six huge stone columns and the painted red walls on what is known as the Hall of the Columns.

It costs 28 pesos (about $2.70) to enter Mitla, and you can usually locate a guide if you listen closely for English-speaking tours in progress. Most visitors are interested in viewing and touching the columns -- you'll have to trundle up a sizable set of stairs to reach them -- which are about three feet in diameter. Archaeologists assume the columns held up a roof inside the patio.

Arguably the most dazzling part of Mitla is the finely cut inlaid stones in the inner patios. The stones were laid in precise mosaic patterns and were placed into the walls. They were then painted, and it's believed that Zapotec the high priest lived in these quarters.

A trip to Mitla is more than just seeing the archaeological site. Outside the entry gates, there are small crafts stalls where you can buy decorative pottery, wood carvings, clothes and other inexpensive souvenirs. In fact, the area is so crowded with vendors and visitors that it's often difficult to navigate a path to the ruins. And there are more vendors hawking traditional Mexican clothes a block away, where tour buses park.

Two other natural wonders that might pique interest: the Tule tree in the village of El Tule and Hierve el Agua, both east of Oaxaca. The hugely magnificent Tule tree -- El Arbol de Tule -- is an impressive sight even if you've seen a redwood up close. It stands 138 feet tall and 190 feet in circumference and requires more than 1,300 gallons of water a day.

The tree, which is a type of cypress, stands regally in a gated area just outside the entrance to the town's church. It costs 3 pesos, or 30 cents, to enter the viewing area -- although, considering its size, it's easily viewed from just about anywhere free. The town of El Tule is just six miles east of Oaxaca near Highway 190.

It takes considerably longer to reach Hierve el Agua, a popular place for locals and tourists. The drive is a bit threatening, though, because once you turn off the highway, it's a harrowing ride up a mountainside on a dirt road barely wide enough for two cars. When a bus and truck converge in opposite directions -- as it did a couple of times on my visit -- it's best to close your eyes and hope the drivers can maneuver the tricky pass.

Hierve el Agua, south of the town of San Lorenzo Albarradas, is often referred to as a petrified waterfall, and tourist offices in the city of Oaxaca display posters making it appear so. But it's an illusion.

In fact, what looks like frozen waterfalls are really petrified minerals (that's what my guidebook said) appearing to cascade down massive boulders. You can take a long hike around the area (it takes about an hour to complete, I was told) or a dip in the icy cold bathing pools served by mineral springs -- not a bad idea on a hot day.

Just as enjoyable is finding a perch overlooking the pools and mountain vistas, shooting a few photographs, then retreating to one of the small outdoor restaurants for a beer and meal. If you feel like a swim but don't care to walk down to the natural pools, there's a swimming pool behind the restaurants that costs just a few pesos to use.

It'll cool you off sufficiently for the long ride back to the city.

Published: Sunday, August 17, 2003