Travel advice for Mexico
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Mexico
Book your individual trip, stress-free with local travel experts
written by Stephen Keeling
updated 28.10.2021
Mexico is a headline-grabbing country – and not always for the right reasons. But while Mexico has faced challenges in its time, most of the country remains safe for visitors. Away from the major sights in Mexico City and the resorts of Cabo, Puerto Vallarta and Cancun lies a land crammed with tantalizing but lesser-visited destinations – here's our guide to the best places to visit in Mexico.
17 days / from1590 USD
The Magic of the Yucatan and Mexico City
Explore the magic of the Yucatan Peninsula: from colonial towns like Merida to Archaeological sites like Uxmal and Calakmul, close to the Guatemala border, to beaches in Bacalar and Tulum, this itinerary shows you the real Yucatan before heading out to explore Mexico City.
customize ⤍15 days / from1430 USD
Mexico City, Oaxaca & the Yucatan
Explore Central Mexico with its ever-busy capital Mexico City, visiting Teotihuacan and the famous museums in the city. Further on to Oaxaca City, the gateway to the Archaeological Site Monte Alban. Afterwards, continue to the white beaches of the Yucatan: Cancun and Isla Holbox await.
customize ⤍18 days / from1735 USD
Fascinating Mexico: From Guanajuato to the Yucatan
Discover Mexico from fascinating San Miguel de Allende over busy Mexico City all the way to the Yucatan Peninsula. This itinerary combines public transportation with domestic flights to ensure you can make the most of discovering fascinating Mexico within two weeks.
customize ⤍18 days / from2190 USD
Marvelous Mexico: From Yucatan to Mexico City
Your trip starts on the wonderful coast of Yucatan, exploring the beaches and archaeological highlights like Chichen Itza and Tulum. From there on continue the exploration to Palenque and Oaxaca before taking a flight to Mexico City - 3 days in the capital await your discovery.
customize ⤍10 days / from2147 USD
Mexico's Highlands and Coast
Discover Mexico City's historic highlights and the wonders of sites like Teotihuacan, Campeche and Palenque before you jet off to the Central HIghlands. Discover archeological ruins and traditional tribal villages, then fall for the charms of Mexico's old colonial cities and glitzy Caribbean coast.
customize ⤍7 days / from1499 USD
Mexico's Mayan Trail
Follow the Mayan Trail around Mexico on this archaeological adventure. Begin your journey with a refreshing taste of sea and salt air in the Yucatán Peninsula on one of Playa del Carmen's gorgeous Caribbean beaches before heading off to discover magical Mayan ruins and glorious colonial towns.
customize ⤍12 days / from3057 USD
Magnificent Mexico and Mayan Treasures
From Mexico City down to the southern state of Oaxaca, this trip packs in all of Mexico's colonial charms and archeological wonders. You'll also get to take to the beach at Playa del Carmen, swim in the Caribbean Sea and under cascading waterfalls and boat along lovely Sumidero Canyon.
customize ⤍7 days / from1518 USD
Mexico's Churros and Chiapas
Arrive in exciting Mexico City and get a taste of its surprising charms, imposing plazas and beautiful colonial old town. Then jet off to Chiapas where you'll spend your days exploring canyons, waterfalls and national parks. Then finish with a dose of Mayan culture deep in the jungle at Palenque.
customize ⤍10 days / from890 USD
Los Cabos Self Drive
Take your rental car and explore the beaches and islands of Cabo. Located in Baja California Sur, Los Cabos, Todos Santos, and Cabo San Lucas do not only have excellent beaches to offer for your exploration but also a fascinating wildlife.
customize ⤍15 days / from1450 USD
From Mexico City over Chiapas to Cancun: The Best of Mexico
This itinerary combines the metropolitan glamour of Mexico City with its fabulous museums and pyramids with an outdoor adventure in Chiapas visiting the Sumidero Canyon and the fascinating wildlife and cultural heritage of the Yucatan. Two weeks showing you the true highlights of Mexico!
customize ⤍9 days / from1670 USD
Mayan Heritage Tour in Yucatan
Yucatán is calling you, and this trip is the way to do it; go into the jungle and know it like no one else has ever known it; enjoy incredible food, beautiful sunsets, and the warmth of its communities that will do everything possible to offer you a dream experience. Are you ready?
customize ⤍8 days / from1516 USD
Mexico City to the Yucatán
Enjoy a whirlwind tour of Mexico City, taking in the museums, churches and colonial plazas of Mexico's vibrant capital. Then relax on Playa del Carmen's Caribbean beaches before you take off to explore some of the country's most amazing archeological treasures.
customize ⤍10 days / from2307 USD
Mexico's Nature and Beaches
Explore the nature and wildlife of Chiapas and Tabasco by visiting the Sumidero Canyon and Agua Azul waterfalls before heading off to the Yucatan Peninsula: Chichen Itza awaits to impress you with its magnificent pyramids before ending the trip at the white beaches of Holbox.
customize ⤍14 days / from1350 USD
Chiapas, Tabasco, Yucatan: Explore the Eastern Highlights
Explore the wide depths of Sumidero Canyon in Chiapas, the fascinating archaeological site of Palenque in Tabasco before moving on to the Yucatan to explore Merida, Chichen Itza and the peaceful island of Cozumel. This itinerary offers adventure and relaxation in 14 days.
customize ⤍20 days / from1280 USD
Discovering Central Mexico: from Guanajuato to Oaxaca
With this itinerary, you will get to know the real Mexico: from magic towns to archaeological sites all the way down to the beautiful beaches of Huatulco - this itinerary combines history, cuisine, and relaxation, all compactly available in a 3-week trip.
customize ⤍21 days / from1490 USD
Enchanting Mexico: from the capital to the beaches
Discover Mexico's capital before heading to your first Mexican beach: Puerto Escondido. After some days relaxing in the sun, head to Cancun to pick up your rental car and explore the Yucatan Peninsula in your own car. From archaeological sites to stunning beaches, the peninsula awaits.
customize ⤍11 days / from2415 USD
Culture & Jungle in Chiapas
Get ready for an adventure through Chiapas with hosts who are prepared to welcome you and discover the natural beauty of canyons, waterfalls, lakes, and rivers! The magnificent archaeological sites will amaze you as well as the charming towns.
customize ⤍16 days / from1850 USD
Mexico City and the Yucatan - from the city to the beaches
Take this trip to explore the best of Mexico City: From the museums to the pyramids of Teotihuacán. Afterwards continue to Merida to explore the famous Pink Lake and the Haciendas of the Yucatan. At the ed, take your time relaxing on the beaches in Playa del Carmen and Cancun.
customize ⤍7 days / from925 USD
Authentic and unique Mexico City
Mexico City seems to have it all - over 50 museums, a beautiful historic city center, an extensive city park with a majestic castle, upscale neighborhoods like La Condesa or La Roma, bohemian Coyoacan and mouth-watering cuisine. This trip shows you the best of this mega city.
customize ⤍7 days / from590 USD
Mexico City Explored
Mexico City is one of the most fascinating cities in North America. This week-long itinerary grants you an insight to the museums, restaurants, and events in the capital, as well as exploring surrounding cities such as Taxco or Puebla. Get ready for a true Mexican adventure!
customize ⤍12 days / from3405 USD
Mexico's Tomb Raider Experience
Explore the caves, cenotes, pyramids, and beaches of the Yucatan Peninsula. Inspired by the famous Tomb Raider video game, this itinerary takes you exploring across the pyramids of Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, and Coba, before relaxing at the white beaches of Cozumel.
customize ⤍10 days / from1695 USD
Oaxacan Coast Adventure
Adventure awaits you on this trip to the Oaxacan coast, a place as spectacular as the activities you will do. From a boat trip to the beautiful bays of Huatulco to a warm horseback ride on the seashore in Puerto Escondido. Enjoy freedom of traveling with your own rental car.
customize ⤍12 days / from850 USD
The Gems of Yucatan - a Self Drive Trip
Go at your own pace and discover the Peninsula de Yucatan with its many archaeological sites, its colonial villages, and stunning beaches. Having your own car allows you the maximum freedom to explore and the easy road access makes driving yourself a breeze.
customize ⤍11 days / from2846 USD
Amazing Mexico
This 11-day trip takes you from Mexico City, where you will enjoy the La Merced Market to Merida where you can discover Maya ruins...with more adventure along the way, such as Hierve el agua where nature will surprise you and Oaxaca city a great cosy UNESCO World Heritage City.
customize ⤍7 days / from2251 USD
Baja: Pacific Coast Paradise
Baja California is an off-the-beaten-track unspoiled paradise. The area is home to mountains, deserts and thousands of kilometers of gorgeous Pacific coastline. Come here to explore, snorkel, dive or do a spot of whale watching (in season). Otherwise, sit back and relax on its soft sandy shores.
customize ⤍9 days / from1475 USD
Taste of Mexico
Discover the most unique places in Mexico City before heading out to Puebla and Oaxaca, tasting the best Mexico has to offer: mole poblano, chocolate, a corn workshop - this is a hands-on tour, showing the variety Mexico has to offer, both in food and culture wise.
customize ⤍8 days / from2230 USD
Small Group Tour: Yucatán Off the Beaten Path
This is a trip immersed in Maya culture, considering visits to essential places, accommodations in different Maya communities, and cultural and outdoor sports activities. Trip starts February 1st & April 29, 2024 - prefer to do this trip in private? Send us a request for individual pricing.
customize ⤍9 days / from3035 USD
Mayan Heritage on the Yucatan Peninsula
Embark on a Yucatan self-drive adventure, blending renowned treasures like Tulum and Chichen Itza with hidden gems. Wander off the beaten track to discover local communities, engaging in community-based experiences. Delve into Mayan culture, sample authentic cuisine, and explore the region.
customize ⤍7 days / from1800 USD
Immersive Mexico City
Discover the vibrant heart of Mexico City in 7 unforgettable days. A stroll through historic downtown, explore colorful markets, and savor delicious street food. Day trips to Teotihuacan's ancient pyramids and Chapultepec Park's museums offer cultural enrichment.
customize ⤍10 days / from3275 USD
Flavours of Central Mexico
Start in Mexico City, exploring its rich history and vibrant markets. Journey to Cholula to uncover ancient pyramids and partake in cooking classes. Conclude in Oaxaca, where you'll dive deep into local markets and culinary traditions, forging unforgettable memories.
customize ⤍Mexico is blessed with an abundance of gorgeous beaches, but there’s something special about the otherworldly scenery of Bahía Concepción. A pristine bay off the Sea of Cortez, halfway down the Baja California peninsula, spell-binding white-sand beaches line its shores for over 30 km (20 miles), hemmed in by forests of cacti and desert-fringed mountains. As far as kayaking goes, few places in the world can match it.
Bahia Concepción is a kayaker's dream © Stella the Giant/Shutterstock
Mexico’s most extraordinary “ghost town”, Real de Catorce is tucked away in a remote corner of the Bajío, a region once littered with booming silver mines. Since the mid-1990s, an influx of artists, artesanía vendors, wealthy Mexicans and a few foreigners have re-built the virtually abandoned colonial centre, with its narrow cobbled streets and elegantly faded mansions. Huichol pilgrims visit the city on their way to harvest fresh peyote in the nearby desert.
The "ghost town" of Real de Catorce © Eleni Mavrandoni/Shutterstock
Most famous for its Day of the Dead celebrations (Nov 1–2), this enchanting lake is a worthy destination year-round. There’s the gorgeous waterside town of Pátzcuaro itself, plus the tranquil island of Janitzio and its indigenous fishermen, throwing their traditional butterfly nets from tiny dug-out canoes. Each of the small villages that surround the lake specializes in different arts and crafts.
Known for its gravity-defying mountain railway, the isolated, beautiful region dubbed the Copper Canyon is best experienced on foot. The village of Creel high in the Sierra Tarahumara acts as a base for expeditions to remote valleys, waterfalls and Rarámuri villages, while the four-hour drive from Cerocahui to the bottom of the Barranca de Urique is mesmerizing. Here the town of Urique marks the start (or end) of the popular two-night, three-day trek to Batopilas, a sleepy village home to a ruined Jesuit mission.
Urique, Copper Canyon © Staceyarturogi/Shutterstock
English eccentric Edward James discovered the picturesque small town of Xilitla in the 1940s and was inspired to create his own version of the Garden of Eden in the rainforest outside the town. He spent much of the 1960s and 1970s creating the jungle fantasy garden of Las Pozas, full of outlandish statues and structures. James was a patron of the Surrealist movement (he was pals with Dalí and Magritte), and the movement's influence is obvious here, with spiral staircases that curl up into the air, giant stone hands, a mosaic snake and “The House Destined To Be a Cinema”.
The Sculpture Garden, or Las Pozas de Edward James, in Xitlia © schlyx/Shutterstock
Oaxaca City remains one of Mexico’s most popular destinations, for good reason: it’s rich in folklore and culinary traditions and features numerous fiestas, indigenous markets, fine local chocolate and a magnificent colonial centre.
Oaxaca is also widely regarded as the artistic centre of Mexico, with several state-run and private galleries, craft and jewellery master classes and regular exhibitions. In our opinion, it is also one of the best places in Mexico for travelling with kids.
With fresh seafood, gorgeous sandy beaches, the chance to swim with dolphins, a population of sea turtles and vibrant coral reefs (check out the sculptures in the Cancun Underwater Museum), the Isla Mujeres is the most enticing slice of Mexico’s Riveria Maya. It's close to Cancun, yet compared to the bigger resorts the island offers a refreshing dose of Caribbean languor, with its narrow streets lined with colourful wooden houses.
If you're in search of an island holiday in Mexico also check out Cozumel Island - a Caribbean jewel that offers stunning beaches and plenty of activities to suit all tastes.
Isla Mujeres – a quiet option near Cancun © Aleksandar Todorovic / Shutterstock
Few of Mexico’s great Mayan sites are as atmospheric as Yaxchilán. This ancient city can only be approached by boat and is shrouded by jungle in an incredibly evocative setting along the river, where the eerie moans of howler monkeys echo around the ruins.
Another interesting Mexican region to visit is Tabasco. Read our guide to Tabasco, Mexico and find out why you should consider this region when travelling in Mexico.
The atmospheric ruins of Yaxchilán© Andreas Wolochow/Shutterstock
Fantasy Mexico – San Cristobal is a place where whitewashed red-tiled houses huddle together on the plain, giving the city an unrivalled provincial colonial charm. Though often bursting with foreign travellers, the appeal of San Cristóbal is undiminished, a mix of colonial churches, little museums and markets. It’s also a great base for visiting the nearby Tzotzil Maya village of San Juan Chamula; the two-hundred-year-old church, with its floor smothered in pine needles, is one of the most captivating sights in Mexico.
This gorgeous colonial city presents an astonishing sight: upon emerging from the surrounding hills you come upon the centre quite suddenly, a riot of colonial architecture, tumbling down hills so steep that at times it seems the roof of one building is suspended from the floor of the last. There’s an old-fashioned, backwater feel to the place, reinforced by the local students’ habit of going serenading (and boozing) in black capes, on their famed musical walks known as callejóneadas.
The steep, colourful hills of Guanajuato © Bill Perry / Shutterstock
Carlos Slim – one of the world’s wealthiest men – funded the phenomenal Museo Soumaya in 1994. Designed by the Mexican architect Fernando Romero, it’s not just the revolutionary architecture that appeals. The six-storey building is smothered by 16,000 hexagonal aluminium tiles and the museum also contains over 66,000 works from Pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica to twentieth-century Mexican art and beyond, including pieces from Rodin, Dalí, Murillo and Tintoretto.
Though it might appear to be just another alluring colonial city that’s littered with Spanish language schools, opulent Cuernavaca has attracted rebels since Aztec times. In the 20th century, converts included singer María Félix, Rita Hayworth and Malcolm Lowry, who set Under the Volcano (1947) here, and hippie guru Timothy Leary came to take magic mushrooms here in the 1960s. Many current residents are artists, intellectuals and writers – stay a few days and let the city's infectious charm work its magic on you, too.
written by Stephen Keeling
updated 28.10.2021
Stephen Keeling grew up in England and graduated from Jesus College, Oxford in 1992 with a degree in history. After working as a financial journalist in Eastern Europe and East Asia, he moved to New York City in 2006. Since then he has authored and updated numerous Rough Guides, Insight Guides, Frommer's guides and DK travel books in addition to writing for Google, Zagat, the Independent, Budget Travel and other publications.
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From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Mexico
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