October 20 – November 5
Day of the Dead in Mexico
The Best Cities to Celebrate Día de los Muertos
You've probably seen the photos: painted faces, marigolds, candlelit cemeteries and streets full of music.
But where should you actually go for Día de los Muertos?
Co404 is founded and run by us – Jocelyn, from Mexico, and Laurens. We live in Oaxaca with our daughter and previously lived in San Cristóbal, where Co404 began in 2021. We've spent years living in both places, not just visiting for Día de los Muertos, and we know how to help you experience it as a guest rather than a tourist.
We've got houses in both cities, and they're very different experiences. Here's everything you need to know about how to choose.
Two locations, two experiences
Two destinations. Two completely different experiences.
A month before the celebrations begin, our rooms in Oaxaca and San Cristóbal start filling. Here's how to choose.
Oaxaca City
The heartbeat of Day of the Dead in Mexico. A full month of events drawing visitors from every corner of the world, while maintaining deep local roots.
- Mexico's most famous Day of the Dead destination
- Large-scale street parades and processions
- International festival atmosphere
- Elaborate public altars throughout the city
- Costume culture and face-painting traditions
- Access to marigold fields outside the city
- Mezcal culture, artisan markets and food scene
- UNESCO World Heritage city centre
San Cristóbal
A colonial pueblo mágico where Tzeltal and Tzotzil Maya communities have practiced their own version of Day of the Dead for centuries.
- Indigenous Maya influence on ceremonies
- Intimate Indigenous cemetery ceremonies
- Deeply intimate, community-focused traditions
- Significantly fewer international tourists
- Traditional ofrendas and family-centred rituals
- Festival Colores de la Muerta music festival
- Cool highland climate (bring a jacket)
- Lower cost of living during peak season
Find your match
Comparing Oaxaca and San Cristóbal
| You are... | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Visiting Mexico for the first time | Oaxaca City — the most iconic experience |
| A photographer or content creator | Both — dramatically different imagery |
| Seeking cultural immersion over spectacle | San Cristóbal — tradition lived, not performed |
| Wanting famous parades and energy | Oaxaca City — parades, festivals, street events |
| Wanting less commercial, more authentic | San Cristóbal — indigenous ceremonies and quiet cemeteries |
| A remote worker wanting focus + culture | San Cristóbal — calmer, excellent internet |
| A social person wanting a busy community | Oaxaca City — larger community, more events |
| Travelling on a tighter budget | San Cristóbal — generally lower prices |
What is Día de los Muertos?
Día de los Muertos is a Mexican tradition of remembering and honouring people who have died. Families and communities create ofrendas, visit cemeteries, share food and celebrate the lives of people they've lost.
There isn't one single way to celebrate Día de los Muertos. Traditions vary across Mexico, shaped by local Indigenous cultures, Catholic traditions and generations of family practice.
Día de los Muertos isn't one festival happening in one place. It's a living tradition experienced differently across Mexico.
With us specifically
What the month actually looks like at Co404.
You don't turn up on November 1st and hope you find something interesting. You arrive mid-October, share a table with the same twenty people every night, and get dragged along to everything. The calendar we work off, together:
- Cempasúchil field visit — a two-hour drive to a marigold farm at peak bloom. Bring good shoes and an appetite for the roadside comedor on the way back.
- Altar-building workshop — we build ours together in the common room. A local cocinera shows us what goes on it, and why.
- Cemetery night — we go together, not for photos, and stay quiet. This is the part guests keep messaging us about years later.
- Cocina compartida — one long night of the guests who cook well cooking for the rest of us, mostly mole and pan de muerto.
- Comparsas & catrinas (Oaxaca) — night parades through Jalatlaco. Some of us paint each other's faces. No one is forced to.
- Chamula visit (San Cristóbal) — the day trip that most first-time visitors don't know to book, and never forget once they've done it.
Everything above is for Co404 guests. Nothing is sold as a day tour.
Important travel advice
When Is Day of the Dead in Mexico 2026?
The main Día de los Muertos celebrations take place around October 31st to November 2nd, but the experience begins much earlier.
Events, markets, altars and community celebrations start building throughout October. At Co404, we recommend arriving before October 20th so you have time to settle in, meet your community and experience the build-up before the main celebrations.
If you're travelling specifically for Día de los Muertos, don't just arrive for November 1st. The build-up is part of the experience.
Events begin in mid-October
Parades, exhibitions, altars and cultural events begin in the second half of October. Many of the most memorable experiences happen before November 1st.
Limited accommodation
We operate boutique coliving spaces with a limited number of rooms. During Day of the Dead season, these fill completely. There is no waitlist.
Community events are guests-only
Our marigold field visit, altar-building and cemetery ceremonies are for Co404 guests. They cannot be joined as day visitors.
Our recommendation
Arrive before October 20th for the full experience. Between October 20 and November 5 we hold a hard 28-night minimum stay, no exceptions.
If you can only travel for 7 to 27 nights, we can still host you — just outside the DDLM window. Come after November 5 for a quieter, warmer Oaxaca, or before October 20 to be there for the run-up.
In their own words
The guests who came, and why they came back.
"I've travelled for Day of the Dead twice before staying at Co404. Nothing compares to experiencing it as part of a community — the altar-building, the marigold field, the cemetery at midnight. This is the only way to do it."
Sarah M. · 4 weeks in Oaxaca
"San Cristóbal completely changed my understanding of Day of the Dead. The ceremonies in the local cemeteries are unlike anything I've ever seen. Deeply moving, completely authentic."
Julien T. · 2 weeks in San Cristóbal
Frequently Asked Questions About Día de los Muertos in Mexico
What is an ofrenda?
An ofrenda is an altar created to honour someone who has died, decorated with photographs, personal objects, food, candles and flowers. It's a way of keeping the memory and relationship with the deceased present.
Why are marigolds part of Día de los Muertos?
Cempasúchil, the Mexican marigold, is one of the most recognisable symbols of Día de Muertos. Its bright colour and fragrance are traditionally associated with guiding the dead back to their families and their ofrendas.
Is Día de los Muertos just for Mexicans?
It's a deeply meaningful Mexican tradition, but visitors are welcomed in many places. The important thing is to experience it respectfully, as an invited guest rather than treating someone else's traditions as a tourist spectacle. That's why Co404 focuses on community, context and experiencing the celebrations alongside the people you're living with.
When is Day of the Dead in Mexico in 2026?
The main celebrations take place from October 31st to November 2nd, although traditions and events begin earlier throughout October. Co404 recommends arriving before October 20th for the full experience.
Where is the best city for Day of the Dead in Mexico?
It depends on what you're looking for. Oaxaca is the bucket-list choice for large-scale celebrations, while San Cristóbal offers a quieter experience with strong Indigenous Maya influence and intimate cemetery ceremonies.
Where should I stay in Mexico for Day of the Dead?
Co404 has coliving houses in both Oaxaca and San Cristóbal. Both offer digital nomads a community to experience the celebrations with, plus coworking spaces and reliable internet for working remotely.
What is the difference between Day of the Dead in Oaxaca and San Cristóbal?
Oaxaca is larger, busier and more spectacular, with major parades and public events. San Cristóbal is quieter and more intimate, with traditions shaped by the Tzeltal and Tzotzil Maya communities surrounding the city.
Can I work remotely during Day of the Dead?
Yes. Both Co404 houses are designed for digital nomads, with coworking spaces and reliable internet. Oaxaca offers a busier, more social environment, while San Cristóbal offers a calmer pace.
Two cities. One month. Twenty new friends.
Pick the location that speaks to you. If you're still deciding, drop us a WhatsApp and we'll help you choose.
Or ask us on WhatsApp — we reply during Mexican hours, Monday to Saturday.