Area Code- The telephone area code is 951.
Currency Exchange- Casas de cambio cluster on the streets at the northeast corner of the zócalo, at Alcalá and Valdivieso. These places post their rates, have short lines, and keep better hours than banks. Several exchange Canadian dollars.
Doctor- Dr. Carlos Arnaud Carreño is a reputable internist at Calle Reforma.
Emergencies- The phone number for emergencies is tel. 060.
Safety- By any standard, Oaxaca is a safe town for tourists. A government agency, CEPROTUR, helps tourists who have been robbed or feel service providers have cheated them. It has compiled several years worth of data showing that the incidence of crime against tourists in the city is remarkably low. Most of it is simple theft, which commonly happens in crowded areas such as the markets. One method is to slice open a tourist's backpack; another method is to distract someone who has set down a bag while a partner makes away with it. Should you lose any documents or possessions covered by insurance, contact CEPROTUR, in the same building as the state tourism office on the north side of the Alameda. It can document your losses and facilitate paperwork.
Seasons- April and May are the hottest, driest months. (Also in May, rural teachers invade the zócalo and create havoc in the downtown area while they demonstrate for higher wages.) The rains come in June and improve things considerably. June through March the city is most enjoyable. High seasons for tourists, when you can expect higher hotel rates, are late July and August (especially around the Guelaguetza), early November (around the Days of the Dead), the entire month of December, and during Easter.
Shipping- The cheapest way to transport your goods is to have them packed securely so that you can check them as extra baggage on your flight home. Another way is to ship them. Many stores will pack and ship their own merchandise but not other stores' goods. Recommended shippers are Corazón del Pueblo and ARIPO.