Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca — Attraction in Oaxaca

I took lovely pictures of this jardin from inside the museum two years ago, so was glad to have the opportunity to see it up close. It was lovely, but the organization was a mess. They offer 3 tour times. I regret that I chose the 5 pm.

Score: 5 for the gardens, 2 for the ill-organized entry. When I arrived, there was quite a crowd. I was told to go to the far side to wait for the tour. I explained that I hadn't bought a ticket yet and the guy just waived me away. Okayyyyy...I found a seat along a wall. After awhile another guy came over and seemed to randomly hand me a clipboard with a form for my name, entry-type (student, etc) and how many in my party. Then he went away. Then I and the people next to me were directed to some other seats. Eventually, just 1-3 at a time, we were directed into a room with a man at a table selling tickets. More waiting. By now it was about 5:15. Then a different staff came over and directed us to a pathway...where we waited some more in a group. No one ever confirmed I had a ticket and I don't know what the clipboard was for...each guide had one in hand, but I didn't go with the guide that had my info.

Finally, the tour started with instructions on how to pass by the other groups to avoid conflict/interruption. The tour itself was okay but not a lot of info. My group didn't stop at the same trees/plants as another. All tours apparently vary according to the guide.

The guide's voice was not the strongest, but apparently a lot of the people in the group didn't speak Spanish anyway and just paid to get entry. Their constant chatting was rude and annoying.BTW-the groups were quite large, so each stop required more waiting for everyone to catch up and gather around.

The "hour-long tour" stopped at 5:45 in a popular spot for photos. So the tour was 30 minutes at most. With everyone wanting to pose, jump, etc. multiple times in front of the cactus and the pool-- the lighting quickly became poor as the sun set and my own opportunity was pretty much lost.

But the gardens? Definitely worth seeing! Just don't choose the late one when it becomes dark and they want to go home! This was in late November-- can't imagine what the entry process is like during...

Very disappointed with this place. You can only enter the botanic garden at specific times. We tried yesterday at 5pm and we werent allowed to go in. We would learn that you have to come 15, 20, 30 minutes in advance if you want to go in. But there is nowhere information explaining this detail. The thing is they expect groups of 30 people to go in. Also you cant walk around on your own. Have to follow a guide who at the end will ask for a tip.

Anyhow, so we came again on a Friday. Again for the 5pm slot. We got there 4:35. They let us in immediately. Quite surprising as there is no slot for this time. And it wasnt the 5pm slot either, a 2nd group entered at 5pm. So go wonder. Why couldnt we go in the day before at 5pm? A mystery. Very disorganized. When inside they dont let you come in with plastic bags. It is ok if you bring backpacks, dufflebags, tote bags, etc. Plastic bags with your souvenirs, no. Why? Another mystery. But thats not all, the person who asked for our bags asked us to give them our "trash" bags, that they are not allowed. We had a few souvenirs inside in regular white and green bags... not sure why they would say they are trash... And yeah then the worst. I wish I could remember the name of the guide. He was just talking and talking. Everything he said was commonplace to be honest. And suddenly a baby made a few sounds. And he was like "lady can you move back, you are distracting me"... thats what he said to the mom!! Wow. Who the hell he thinks he is? A professor at Harvard? This was really mean and showed a lack of respect to families that try to have a good time. The family was pissed, they were disrespected and left. I did the same. The experience was terrible and didnt want to support this guide. There was no administrator not anyone to give our complains. Just a bunch of teenagers running...

Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca has beautiful grounds, but the overall experience felt overly restricted and disappointing. From the moment we arrived, the strict rules seemed unnecessary—people in our group were called out for having water bottles and coffee outdoors, which felt excessive.

The garden is located on the historic grounds of a former convent and military barracks, and it seems like the strictness from its past has rubbed off on the way it’s run today—which isn’t how a botanical garden should feel. Visiting is only allowed through a guided tour, and the lack of freedom to explore on your own makes it hard to fully enjoy the gardens or take photos, especially with such a large group. Even if you’re walking on the same path the guide just took you, you can’t deviate to look at a pond or take a photo of a particularly beautiful cactus without security immediately intervening. The tour I joined was only in Spanish, and while there is an English option, I’ve heard it’s only offered once a day, so plan accordingly. Even with an English tour, the rigid structure would still detract from the experience.

I’ve visited many botanical gardens that are not only more impressive but also far more welcoming and flexible for visitors. The strict rules here feel unnecessary—especially when even places like the Vatican offer way more freedom to roam. While the garden is pretty, it’s also small, making the need for a tour feel silly. The experience felt more about sharing a few facts before guiding you to the final Instagram-worthy photo op than about providing a meaningful or enjoyable visit.

I don’t regret visiting, but I do hope feedback like this encourages the garden staff to rethink some of the rules and make the experience smoother and more enjoyable...