Santa María Chimalapa: Festivals, Cuisine and Nearby Sites

Festivals, clothing and cuisine give Santa María Chimalapa a distinctive cultural profile. The surrounding area also has archaeological sites. When planning your stay, you can first decide whether you want to focus on local festival traditions and food culture or on historic sites in the surrounding area. This also makes it easier to choose when to look for a vacation rental.

Festivals and Cultural Expressions

A recurring festival tradition is the Mayordomía in honor of the Virgen de la Asunción on August 15. Another Mayordomía honors San Fabián and San Sebastián and runs from late December until Carnival. The most important day of this festival period is Carnival day. Thus, a specific date in August falls alongside a longer festival period spanning the turn of the year. If you want to plan your trip around a particular festival, check the date for the year in question.

Festival culture also includes a Calenda, considered a celebration of Zapotec origin. For the Mayordomía celebrations, young women known as Capitanas commission the making of the banner for the saint. The Tehuana dress is also part of everyday life: women wear it both in daily life and at festivals. It is therefore not associated only with individual festival days.

Handicrafts made in the Chimalapa communities, including Santa María Chimalapa, include Tenates and Petates made from Ixtle, hammocks and hand-embroidered napkins. These crafts add another cultural dimension to the festival and clothing traditions.

Corn Dishes and Their Distinctive Differences

Ane moxi is a fish tamale made from corn and wrapped in leaves of Acuyo, also known as Hierba Santa (Piper auritum). It is usually prepared with Bobo fish, and occasionally with Lisa. The tradition is associated with the period from August to September.

Ane moxi also has its own way of being served: the fish is placed in the middle of the plate, with the tamale arranged around it. Diners take a small amount of masa with their hands and use it as a spoon to pick up the fish flesh. The ingredients and the way it is eaten together define the dish.

Other tamales differ in their preparation and ingredients. Tosotsaye is wrapped in Hierba Santa leaves and made with fish other than Bobo. Piti, by contrast, is made with Totomoste, or corn husks. Residents also eat fish from the Cichlidae and Mugilidae families, including at religious festivals or when these species are especially abundant.

Archaeological Sites and Activities Nearby

The Chimalapilla archaeological zone lies about 20 kilometers east-northeast of Santa María Chimalapa. It includes numerous mounds, large stones, a large ball court and a pre-Hispanic ceremonial center. Congtzajo is about three kilometers southwest of the town, beyond the Río Negro. There, footprints of a tiger and other animals are imprinted in a large, prism-shaped rock. The two sites are therefore quite different: Chimalapilla comprises several archaeological features, while Congtzajo is marked by the rock bearing animal footprints. If you want to plan a visit to either site, check access in advance.

In La Esmeralda, within the municipality of Santa María Chimalapa, a report from May 2025 describes the Paraíso Jaguar ecotourism center. It mentions guided walks through the tropical rainforest, exploring caves and grottoes, and visiting the protected Cenote Paraíso Jaguar. The report also states that swimming in the cenote is prohibited to protect the water. Check current visitor conditions before making plans.

Choose Your Travel Dates and Vacation Rental Based on Your Plans

Your reason for traveling is a useful starting point when choosing a vacation rental: August 15 falls within the August-to-September period associated with Ane moxi, while the second Mayordomía runs from late December until Carnival. If you want to travel for a festival, check the date for your travel year. The archaeological sites are in the surrounding area and call for different planning from the festival and food culture in the town itself; check access before planning a visit.

Discover More Destinations

Tehuantepec, Puerto Ángel, Santa María Jacatepec, San Juan Bautista Valle Nacional, Teotitlan del Valle, San Felipe Usila, La Luz, Santa María Huatulco

For the broader travel overview: Oaxaca.