My trip to Oaxaca and Chiapas.

So, I finally started saving for my trip to Oaxaca again, since I had to spend the money I'd already saved trying to figure out what was wrong with my back. MRIs and appointments with various doctors are not cheap. Anyway, I had a couple of extra payments come my way that I wasn't expecting and I now have quite a bit of money put aside. I have the money to get me to Oaxaca and home again but not the money for hotels, food, day trips etc. So I'm working on that and I have my savings strategy in place which is working out well so far. All I really need to do is figure out the cost of accommodation, food and other expenses and then decide when to go. Then I also need to work out the Chiapas portion of it. If this will be my only trip to Mexico (I really hope not), then I want to visit Chiapas while I'm there.

I found a cruise to Mexico from Los Angeles which I can already afford to do but it doesn't go to Oaxaca or Chiapas. The cruise isn't until November but I need to book by April 9 and I don't want to book anything this early until I figure out all the places I want to go, how much it's all going to cost and all of those other things.
$2099 -- Mexican Riviera 8-Night Fly, Cruise & Stay Package
Travel dates: Departs 7, 14 Nov
You will board the Sapphire Princess in Los Angeles and cruise down through the Mexican Riviera, stopping off at Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas before returning to Los Angeles. All meals and onboard entertainment are included.
http://au.deals.travelzoo.com/holidays/561958
The other thing that puts me off this cruise, other than the fact it doesn't go to Oaxaca or Chiapas is cruise don't appeal to me. There are lots of cruises closer to home that are far more affordable but who really wants to get on a boat just to gamble in a casino on board. If I get on a boat I want to be close to the water with the wind in my hair and tasting the salt, if you know what I mean. So I think that cruise is out even though it seems like a great deal, it'sjust not for me but I'm still considering it anyway.

I'm not sure about visiting Chiapas since I don't know anybody who lives there and I have no idea about accommodation or anything, unlike I do with Oaxaca. I'm not even sure of locations of places I want to visit or anything like that. I could be planning a trip that's totally not doable and that would be horrible to find out once I get there.

So, I'm currently making a list of things I want to do in Oaxaca and then I'll work out the best way to go about it.
The things I want to do/places I want to visit in Oaxaca are:
*Cafe Los Cuiles (I've been wanting to go there for 2 years)
* eat a tlayuda (I've been drooling over the sound of these for 2 years - time to finally try one)
* Mitla
* Yagul
* Monte Alban
* taste the chocolate (highly recommended by Ricardo :D)
* Hierve el Agua
* San Jose del Pacifico
* hiking in the mountains (but I don't have a clue where to start. Any help with this one would be very much appreciated)

So, about two years ago I heard about Yu'us http://gorp.away.com/gorp/location/latamer/mexico/mader2.htm and I thought they were a brilliant idea - my kind of thing, really. I hear they're very cheap but hard to locate. I'm thinking this might be the way to go for a few days and then I can go hiking in the mountians from there. Yesterday I read that you're only provided with a sheet and a thing blanket - I'm Australian and I really feel the cold so I'll need to buy a blanket (or two) once I get to Oaxaca. If anyone can tell me where I can buy a cheap (but warm) blanket from, please do. I won't be taking the blanket home with me, it's only for while I'm there so then I can give it to a charity over there or something, I'm sure they can find someone who could use it. If you have any advice about that, please let me know.

My only concern after that is where to stay in the city. There's a few hostels and things that are quite cheap but they're mixed dorms. I don't fancy that. It really puts me off but at this point I can't afford anywhere else.

Hiking trails
What are the best hiking trails in Oaxaca? Any recommendations? Please keep in mind that I'm an Aussie girl and not used to mountainous terrain so it can't be anything too demanding physically. I'm capable of walking 20 miles but probably not capable of 20 miles up a mountain. :P

What are the best places to try chocolate, tlayuda and I guess Mezcal too? I don't drink alcohol but since I'm going to be there and it's an experience, I might as well give mezcal a try. Is there any cafes that I should visit? Where are the best tacos? You know I have to have a proper taco. The tacos we have in Australia are nothing like what real tasos are. It's funny but it's actually quite sad.

San Jose del Pacifico
I saw photos on the internet a few years ago and decided it was a place I just had to visit. It looks like such a beautiful, amazing place that I can't not go, at least for one night. I heard it's quite cold there but I really know nothing else about it. I found this website http://www.sanjosedelpacifico.com/ but they're renovating it and I can't see prices of the rooms so if you know how much a room there will cost me, please advise me. I'm thinking I'd like one night there, maybe two or three. I think it'd be a great place to work on my book (because it's just so beautiful) and I'd also like to go hiking in the area. If you know anything about hiking here, please tell me this too.

I'm open to suggestions about other places to visit in Oaxaca. Ivan suggested Atzompa but I know nothing about it and have no clue how to get there. Any help with that would be appreciated, as would any suggestions of where else to visit.

I'm actually really excited about going. It'll probably be a few months before I can book my flights or anything but I want to get it pretty much planned well in advance so I can make sure I have the money to go and do everything I want to do.