Mexico travel guide

Dive into Mexico City

The capital is a mega-sprawl that can feel overwhelming at first, but give it time and it will win you over completely. Explore the ancient Aztec ruins of the Templo Mayor, wander Frida Kahlo’s blue house in Coyoacán, eat astonishing street food, and soak up one of the world’s great food cities.

Read Next: The Best Things to Do in Mexico City

See the Maya Ruins of Chichén Itzá

One of the New Seven Wonders of the World and the most famous of Mexico’s countless Maya sites. The towering El Castillo pyramid is the headline act, but the wider complex of ball courts, temples and observatories deserves at least half a day. Go early to beat the heat and the crowds.

Read Next: The Most Famous Landmarks in Mexico

Explore Oaxaca

One of Mexico’s great cultural and culinary cities, Oaxaca is all colour, mezcal and the legendary moles for which the region is famous. It’s also the gateway to the extraordinary Zapotec ruins of Monte Albán and one of the best places in the country to experience Día de los Muertos.

Read Next: The Best Things to Do in Oaxaca

Discover Mérida and the Yucatán

I adore Mérida, with its colourful buildings, rich Maya and colonial heritage, and a food scene that’s quietly one of the best in Mexico. Less polished and more laidback than the Riviera Maya, it’s the perfect base for exploring cenotes, colonial towns and Maya sites like Uxmal.

Read Next: Why You’ll Fall in Love with Mérida

Relax in Tulum and the Riviera Maya

One of the Caribbean coast’s most famous spots, Tulum pairs clifftop Maya ruins with white-sand beaches and crystal-clear cenotes. Dive into the cool freshwater sinkholes, explore the ruins early, and find your own quiet stretch of coast away from the busier beach clubs.

Honour the Day of the Dead

The annual Día de los Muertos is one of the most extraordinary festivals in all of the Americas, a joyful reuniting of families with their departed loved ones held at the start of November. Costumes, altars, marigolds and parades fill the streets, especially across the central and southern regions.

Visit Teotihuacán

Just outside Mexico City lie the colossal pyramids of Teotihuacán, one of the most significant archaeological sites in the world, built by a mysterious civilisation that predates the Aztecs by centuries. Climb the Avenue of the Dead between the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon for one of Mexico’s great experiences.

Read Next: The Best Day Trips from Mexico City

Wander Colonial Guanajuato

A UNESCO-listed former silver-mining town and one of the prettiest cities in the country, Guanajuato spills up its hillsides in a riot of colourful houses, grand plazas and atmospheric tunnels. It’s a joy to wander, especially in the evening when the student bands roam the streets.

Mexico is vast, and the cities are spread far apart, so it’s best to focus on one region or a handful of highlights rather than trying to see it all. Most trips begin in Mexico City, the main international hub. Here are four itineraries to suit different interests and timeframes.

Mexico Highlights: Mexico City, Oaxaca and the Yucatán 2 to 3 weeks Mexico City – Oaxaca City – Mérida – Chichén Itzá – Tulum The classic all-rounder, covering the capital, colonial culture, Maya ruins and Caribbean beaches. This is roughly the route I followed on my recent road trip.

The Pacific and Colonial Heartland 2 weeks Mexico City – Guanajuato – Guadalajara – Puerto Vallarta Colonial cities, tequila country and a relaxed finish on the Pacific coast.

Yucatán in Depth

10 days to 2 weeks

Cancún – Mérida – Uxmal – Valladolid – Chichén Itzá – Tulum – Bacalar

A slower exploration of the peninsula’s ruins, cenotes, colonial towns and lagoons.

Southern Culture and Cuisine

2 weeks

Mexico City – Puebla – Oaxaca City – the Oaxaca coast

For food and culture lovers, taking in two of Mexico’s great culinary cities before unwinding on the coast.

Read More: The Ultimate 2-Week Mexico Itinerary

Puebla

Two hours south of Mexico City, Puebla is a UNESCO-listed colonial gem famous for its Talavera-tiled facades, baroque churches and exceptional food (this is the birthplace of mole poblano). Nearby sits the Great Pyramid of Cholula, the largest pyramid in the world by volume.

Sayulita

A low-key, bohemian surf town just north of Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita has colourful streets, a relaxed bohemian vibe and gentle waves perfect for learning to surf. It’s beginning to make a name for itself but still flies pleasantly under the radar.

Taxco

A charming colonial town tumbling down a hillside not far from Mexico City, Taxco is famous for its silver and its dramatic setting. Wander the white-and-terracotta streets, browse the silver market, and try the local pozole.

Lake Bacalar

Known as the Lagoon of Seven Colours, this long, narrow lake in Quintana Roo shifts through extraordinary shades of blue and turquoise. Kayak the crystal-clear water, visit the ancient stromatolites and explore the surrounding jungle. Far quieter than the Caribbean resorts to the north.

Dishes to try

• Tacos — the national obsession, endlessly varied by region, from al pastor to Baja fish tacos.
• Mole — the complex, layered sauces of Oaxaca, the land of the seven moles.
• Tamales — masa dough filled with meat, cheese or chillies and steamed in a corn husk.
• Mezcal — tequila’s smoky, artisanal cousin, best sipped slowly in Oaxaca.
• Tejate — a pre-Hispanic drink of maize and cacao, earthy and delicious, found around Oaxaca.

Mexico is one of the great food countries of the world, and these are three of the most memorable places I’ve eaten across my travels here, one in each of my favourite corners of the country.

Pujol

Mexico City

The most talked-about restaurant in Mexico, and with good reason. Enrique Olvera’s Polanco institution has long held a place on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, and its signature dish, the mole madre, mole nuevo, is a genuinely profound thing to eat: a circle of fresh mole surrounded by a ring of mole aged for well over 1,000 days. Book well ahead for the tasting menu. Visit the website

Criollo

Oaxaca

One of the most stylish places to eat in Oaxaca, set in a bohemian UNESCO heritage house with a beautiful courtyard dining room. The focus is firmly on seasonal, local ingredients, and the tasting menu is a proper culinary event that showcases the depth of Oaxacan cuisine. Visit the website

Mexico is a relatively good-value destination, more affordable than its northern neighbour though not as cheap as countries further south in Central America. Expect to spend between £50 and £90 (around $70 to $120) per day per person on a mid-range basis, covering a comfortable hotel, meals out, local transport and attractions. Add around £80 to £150 ($110 to $200) per day if you’re travelling on a luxury basis. Budget travellers can get by on around £30 ($40) a day with hostels, street food and public transport. Travelling outside high season and away from the famous coastline brings costs down considerably.

Average Daily Costs

• Hotel (mid-range): £50 to £100 / $70 to $135
• Hotel (luxury): £150+ / $200+
• Food: £15 to £35 / $20 to $47 per day
• Public transport: £5 to £15 / $7 to $20 per day
• Attractions: £5 to £15 / $7 to $20 per site
• Tours: £30 to £90 / $40 to $120 per day

Safety

Mexico has long been associated in the headlines with drug-related crime, but the reality for most travellers is that this is concentrated in specific areas well away from the tourist trail, and foreign visitors are rarely targeted. The main day-to-day concern is petty theft and pickpocketing in larger cities, so keep an eye on your valuables, especially at night. Check current advice for specific regions and steer clear of known trouble spots near parts of the US border and certain areas like Acapulco.

Health

Check that your routine vaccinations (including measles, typhoid and Hepatitis A and B) are up to date before you travel. Mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue exist in some regions, so use repellent and cover up at dusk; malaria risk is low and limited to specific rural areas, so check with your doctor based on where you’re going. Do not drink the tap water: stick to bottled water or, better for the environment, bring a purifier such as a LifeStraw or SteriPEN.

Tipping

Tipping is customary and appreciated. In restaurants and bars, 10 to 15 percent is standard. For hotel staff, a few pesos per bag and per night for housekeeping is normal. Rounding up the fare is fine for taxis, though tipping isn’t strictly expected.

Tips for travelling

• Learn a few words of Spanish — even basic phrases go a long way and are warmly appreciated.
• Carry pesos in cash, especially small notes, for markets, street food, tips and smaller towns where cards aren’t accepted.
• Keep your immigration tourist card (FMM) safe — you receive it on arrival and must hand it back when you leave.
• Use Uber in the cities where it’s available rather than hailing street taxis; it’s safer and removes the haggling.
• Don’t underestimate distances — Mexico is enormous, so build in realistic travel time and consider domestic flights for longer hops.

How to see the best for free

Some of the best experiences in Mexico cost nothing at all. Take advantage of the excellent free walking tours in most major cities, a great way to get your bearings with a knowledgeable local guide (a tip is expected, so do leave one).

Mexico’s markets are free to wander and offer hours of colour, atmosphere and cultural immersion, from Mexico City’s century-old Mercado de Coyoacán to Oaxaca’s bustling food halls. And in Mexico City in particular, many of the top museums offer free entry on Sundays, while landmarks like the Metropolitan Cathedral and the murals of the Palacio Nacional cost nothing to visit.

Packing

• A good reef-safe sunscreen: essential for the beaches and cenotes, and kinder to the marine ecosystem.
• A reusable water filter bottle like a LifeStraw: you can’t drink the tap water, and this saves you buying endless plastic bottles.
  Comfortable walking shoes or sandals: you’ll cover serious ground on cobbled streets and at sprawling ruins.
• A lightweight rain jacket: vital if you’re travelling in the wet season or heading south.
• A universal travel adapter: for keeping everything charged on the road.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is non-negotiable, wherever you go. Over years of travelling for this job, I can tell you that things do go wrong, and comprehensive cover protects you against illness, injury, theft and cancellations. I recommend AXA Travel Insurance for reliable, comprehensive coverage. If you plan to hire a car, note that Mexican car insurance through the rental company is typically required on top of your own policy, so check it is fully comprehensive before you set off.

Suggested guidebooks

• Moon Mexico — practical, well-organised and great for trip planning.
• Lonely Planet Mexico — the comprehensive all-rounder.
• Rough Guide to Mexico — strong on history and culture.

Interesting facts

• Mexico City is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, home to over 21 million people in the greater area.
• The Mexican government recognises 68 official indigenous languages, with hundreds of further variations.
• Mexico has 35 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, among the most of any country in the Americas.
• The country is home to Pico de Orizaba, the third-highest mountain in North America at 5,636 metres.

Handy phrases

• Hola — Hello
• Sí — Yes
• No — No
• Por favor — Please
• Gracias — Thank you
• ¿Cuánto cuesta? — How much is it?
• ¿Dónde está el baño? — Where is the bathroom?
• No hablo español, ¿habla inglés? — I don’t speak Spanish, do you speak English?
• ¡Salud! — Cheers

Time zone

Mexico spans four time zones, but most of the country, including Mexico City, uses Central Time. The northwest uses Mountain and Pacific time, and the state of Quintana Roo (Cancún, Tulum) uses Eastern Time. Most of Mexico no longer observes daylight saving.

Electricity and adapters

Mexico uses 127V and Type A and Type B plugs, the same as the United States and Canada. Type A (two flat pins) is most common, so a universal travel adapter is the safest thing to carry.