Santa Catarina Juquila is a mountain town in the foothills of the Sierra Madre del Sur, inland from Puerto Escondido on Oaxaca's coast region. It is one of Mexico's major pilgrimage destinations: its sanctuary keeps the Virgin of Juquila, an image only about 30 centimeters tall, and thousands of devotees arrive from across Oaxaca and beyond. The town is also a center of the Chatino people, and the surrounding hills produce coffee.
History
Juquila lies in the homeland of the Chatino people, who are related to the Zapotecs but speak their own language. The name comes from Xiuhquililla, usually translated as place of blue quelite.
The town's history is bound up with its small image of the Virgin, venerated since the 16th century. In 1633 a fire destroyed the village where the image was then kept, and the statue was found intact, which spread its fame. At the beginning of the 18th century it was moved to its present home in Juquila, where the sanctuary was built for it.
Pilgrimage has shaped the town ever since, bringing visitors from across the state, the rest of Mexico and abroad. Juquila joined the Pueblos Mágicos program in 2020.
Climate mild
Best months to visit: Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec (driest months with comfortable afternoons)
Average daily high and low (°C) and monthly rainfall, 2020–2024.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Juquila
Juqulia Mágico Hotel Hotel · 260 m from the center Find on Booking.com San Nicolas Hotel Hotel · 270 m from the center Find on Booking.com Metzli Hotel · 290 m from the center Find on Booking.com Hotel 8 De Diciembre Hotel · 290 m from the center Find on Booking.com Estancia Los Cedros Juquila Hotel · 300 m from the center Find on Booking.com Piscis Hotel · 310 m from the center Find on Booking.comLinks open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you. Hotel names from OpenStreetMap.
Photos
Where it is
Juquila within Mexico
The town up close · Open in Google Maps
Getting there
- Fly into PXM: Puerto Escondido International Airport, about 45 km away in a straight line
Drive times are estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, without traffic.
Nearby Pueblos Mágicos
101 km away
125 km away
143 km away
148 km away
Sources: population from Wikidata (may count the whole municipality) · elevation and climate from Open-Meteo · airports from OurAirports (straight-line distance).