How do I get to the ‘Feria del Tejate’ in San Andrés Huayápam 2026 on Palm Sunday?
An annual Palm Sunday tradition in Oaxaca
Each year on Palm Sunday, the small town of San Andrés Huayápam just outside Oaxaca City bursts into celebration with its famous Feria del Tejate, the festival of tejate. Streets fill with visitors and local vendors offering this creamy cacao and corn drink, along with traditional foods and crafts. If you are planning to attend on Domingo de Ramos, it helps to know your options ahead of time so you arrive relaxed instead of stressed out and sunburnt on the Periférico.
San Andrés Huayápam sits in the foothills north of Oaxaca de Juárez, close enough to feel like a quick hop, but far enough that first time visitors can get turned around if they wing it. The good news is that you have three realistic ways to get there from the city: a local bus, a shared taxi colectivo, or your own car. And if you want the simplest version of reality, the option with the fewest moving parts is a private guide or driver who knows the route, the pickup points, and how the town handles traffic closures on festival day.
Taking a second class bus from Oaxaca City
The most budget friendly option is a second class local bus. These buses serve the towns north of Oaxaca and are the everyday way many locals move between the city and nearby communities. On Palm Sunday there can be more riders than usual, so going earlier in the day is smart if you want breathing room and a smoother arrival.
To catch a bus toward Huayápam, aim for the Central de Abastos area and the north side transport corridors where regional routes circulate. Ask for the bus to San Andrés Huayápam, and confirm with the driver that it goes into town rather than only to the highway junction. The ride is usually around 30 to 40 minutes depending on stops and festival traffic. Keep small bills or coins ready, keep your phone and wallet where you can feel them, and treat it like any city bus anywhere in the world.
Shared taxis and colectivos
If you want faster and more direct than the bus, look for a taxi colectivo. A colectivo is a shared taxi that follows a set route, picks up multiple passengers, and leaves once it fills. This is often the sweet spot for visitors because it is still inexpensive, but it cuts the travel time and reduces the guesswork.
Colectivos for Huayápam commonly load up on the north side of the city near the Periférico and the Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos area, which locals treat as a practical meeting point for transport heading toward the Sierra Norte side roads. Look for a car with a visible Huayápam sign, or ask taxi drivers where the colectivos to Huayápam are lining up that day. Expect about 15 to 20 minutes of travel once you leave, and be flexible about where you get dropped off if the plaza streets are closed for the feria.
Driving yourself
Driving is straightforward if you are comfortable with Oaxaca traffic and you do not mind the festival day parking situation. From Oaxaca City you head north on the main highway corridor toward the Sierra Juárez direction. The key navigation moment is the turn off that leads into Huayápam, which locals commonly reference around the Benito Juárez monument junction area and the access road that climbs into town.
On Palm Sunday, assume you will not park right next to the plaza. Expect traffic control, temporary closures, and a short walk from wherever you end up parking. Arrive earlier than you think you need to. If you show up at peak time, the town will still welcome you, but your car will be negotiating the same puzzle as every other visitor, and nobody wins that game quickly.
Why a private guide is the safest and easiest option
If you want the calmest version of this day, hire a private guide or driver. It is the option with the fewest opportunities for small problems to stack into big ones. You get hotel pickup, you avoid the bus guessing game, you skip the colectivo scavenger hunt, and you do not have to think about parking at all. Your only job becomes enjoying the feria and deciding how many bowls of tejate are too many. Spoiler: you will find the limit, and it will find you.
A good local guide also adds value beyond transportation. They can explain what you are drinking, help you order confidently, and steer you toward reputable vendors. If you do not speak Spanish, that support matters. If you do, it still matters, because a guide knows how the day flows, when the crowds surge, and what route works when streets get blocked.
Practical tips for Palm Sunday
Plan to go early, bring cash, wear comfortable shoes, and pack sun protection. If you are taking public transportation, agree on a return plan before you get distracted by food. If you use a colectivo, ask the driver where they will be picking up for the return trip, because pickup points can shift when the streets are busy.
Finally, keep your expectations realistic. This is a popular local festival, not a theme park with signs in five languages. That is exactly why it is special. If you arrive with patience, you will have a better experience, and you will blend in like you belong there.
