When you hear Mexico, does your mind wander straight to tropical beaches, sombreros and land of tequila and tacos? Well, you’re not the only one. Most people view Mexico as a beach holiday destination, focusing mainly on the south coast of the country, where the Caribbean Sea showcases its crystal-clear waters and white sand beaches. Truly, the south coast of Riviera Maya is absolutely beautiful and worth visiting, but Mexico has so much more to offer too. Let this Mexico Travel Guide inspire you to go off the beaten track and explore Mexico far and wide.
7 interesting facts about Mexico
What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Mexico? Is it tacos or tequila? Although these are the well-known Mexican staples, the country has an unbelievable amount of interesting and surprising gems up its sleeve – let’s pull some out, shall we?
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Tlachihualtepetl or Cholula Pyramids
Oh yes, Mexico is home to many pyramids, but did you know that the Cholula Pyramid in the state of Puebla is the largest in the world? Egypt might claim the tallest one, but this piece of Aztec history has a volume of 4.5 million cubic meters!
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Lingual diversity
Mexico is home to many indigenous people and tribes all around, making it a country with 69 languages spoken to this date. Did you think learning Spanish was enough? Think again lol.
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Corny cuisine
Did you know corn came in many varieties? Me neither. Turns out Mexico produces a whooping 64 different strains of corn! Corn is one of the few indigenous ingredients found in Mexican cuisine, which by the way, made it to the UNESCO’s Immaterial World Cultural Heritage list in 2020.
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Coca-Cola as a Mexican staple?
A single person in Mexico consumes over 160 litres of Coca-Cola each year. I’m sure reasons are many, but one super unusual is this – it helps them burp out bad spirits! Some indigenous societies in Mexico take part and carry out spiritual ceremonies or rituals in the churches when their family members are not well. They lay hay on the church floor, light candles, stick them to the ground with wax and pray to saints to heal their loves ones.
During the ceremonies, they drink water to cleanse, Coca-Cola to burp out any bad spirits aka illnesses, and in more serious situations – they sacrifice a chicken. These rituals are prescribed by the doctor, with specific indications like what color candles to use or which saint to pray to.
In the past, indigenous people used self-made plant mixtures, but I guess Coca-Cola saw the opportunity to step in with their burp-inducing drinks and ‘modernized’ the traditions.
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Hey taxi!
Mexico’s taxi fleet is quite impressive – over 60,000 taxis are registered in Mexico with fares cheaper than in most countries in the world – but beware, tourists are often greeted with ‘special rates’ 😉 Always make sure to agree on a price before jumping in the taxi!
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Watch out for the kitties!
Mexican’s southern jungles are home to a wide variety of animal species, including the largest wildcats on the continent – jaguars! As you drive down the roads in Riviera Maya, you can see your typical ‘cow crossing’ warning signs but replaced with a figure of a jaguar. Although they don’t usually show themselves during the day, if staying near or in the jungle, you’ll be advised to stay indoors (or within property walls) after dark.
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Mexican food is not actually that spicy!
Authentic foods, like tacos or enchiladas are not as spicy and hot as you may think – Mexicans use a lot of limes in their dishes, making some foods more sour than spicy. Usually, the spice comes from the super-hot sauces served on or alongside the dishes.
Weather & climate
If you pull up your map and look at Mexico, it might surprise you how large of a country it actually is. Mexico is the 5th largest country in the Americas and 14th largest in the world, which means weather in the North and the South can be pretty different throughout the year.
In general, Mexico has a tropical climate with high temperatures all year round and the seasons split into dry and rainy. Most of the country experiences rain from June to October, with potential storms and hurricanes affecting the coastal areas from June through November. The rest of the year falls under the dry season. There are little fluctuations in temperature from season to season.
The northern and central parts of Mexico are very arid and desert-like, while southern parts are more humid, subtropical and rainforest-like. The temperatures range between 70°F (21°C) and 90°F (32°C) throughout the country’s low-lying, sea-level regions. Mountainous regions and places of higher elevation experience cooler weather with temperatures dropping to 50°F (10°C) during winter months of December to March.
Money
cards vs cash
Mexico can be very different depending on where you go. If you’re only staying in big towns or cities, use your phone for any bookings and dine in well-established restaurants, you’ll probably be fine with using your bank cards. However, if you do plan on trying some local street food, want to waive down a taxi or do laundry, you’re going to need some pesos.
As you may have heard before, exchanging your money in the airport is far from ideal – you’re almost always guaranteed to lose money that way. Exchanging money in your home country before you travel won’t get you the best of deals either. So, what do you do?
Your biggest mission is to get to the city, where the rates are a lot more competitive, and you can get more for your buck. And the ATM fees don’t try to swallow you.
Try pre-booking and paying for your airport transfers online. In cities like Cancun or Mexico City, you can find bus company desks in the airports where you can buy your tickets and pay with card.
Decide whether it’s best for you to carry cash or pay with card. The best option here will really depend on your bank – but I know how annoying this answer can be if you don’t know much about interest rates, currency conversions, banking fees and all the other bits banks charge us for. I’ve been there and probably still am there myself. My best advice is to call your bank and ask directly. I’ve called with clear examples, like if I’m withdrawing xxx amount in local currency, what fees will I be charged, or if I’m paying xxx amount at a restaurant, what will the fees be. Some fees are fixed amounts, and some are variable percentages, so you might have to do the math here.
Personally, I don’t use my standard bank card from home when traveling as the fees are just ridiculous. Both Dan and I use Revolut and it has honestly saved us some big bucks over the years, especially during our travels in Mexico. The conversion rates are pretty much always better than what we can get at money exchange desks so we tend to pay with the card whenever we can. When taking cash out, we always try multiple ATMs (from different banks), and often manage to find ones that don’t charge us anything for withdrawal. It’s a bit of running around at the start, but once we know which one to use, we just go back to the same one all the time. This is especially worth the effort when we’re staying in one place for longer periods of time. If you’re traveling around and do find one that works for you, take a note of the banks name, and when you’re in a different city, try searching for this bank’s ATM to save time 😊
How to travel around Mexico
⋅ Bus ⋅
Traveling around Mexico is pretty easy and the most convenient and affordable way is to travel by bus. With so many connections and routes, great onboard amenities and varied schedules, you can be sure to find a way to get from A to B with little to no hassle. Check out Bus Travel in Mexico for more info on which busses to take, how to buy tickets in English and what you can expect onboard.
⋅ Car ⋅
Another viable option is renting a car. There’s nothing better than the freedom of leaving when you want, going where you want and taking as long as you feel like in between. We didn’t rent a car for our interstate travel, as we were going one way and the prices for different state drop-offs were crazy.
We did get a chance to drive a campervan through Quintana Roo over a few weeks, and that was one of the highlights of our entire Mexican trip.
If you do decide to rent a car, here is what you should be aware of: Mexico’s correct name is actually the United States of Mexico, meaning it is very similar to the US in terms of the division of states and state-specific laws and regulations. When renting a car with plans of visiting various states, not only should you double check with the rental company if interstate travel is permitted in your rental agreement, but also get familiar with the laws and rules on each state. Also, remember to always check the government’s advisory statements on which states are not recommended for tourist visits – not only for your own safety, but also because some restrictions may void any contracts and policies you or your rental agency may have if you travel to that state.
⋅ Taxi ⋅
On shorter journeys, you might be keen to use a taxi, so here’s what you should know about taxis in Mexico – taxi drivers love tourists. Why? Because many tourists on their holidays don’t usually like to (or know how to) negotiate and arrive in Mexico with the idea of the country being cheap. Don’t make your first taxi ride show you how wrong that idea can be (especially if that first ride is from the airport)! Rule of thumb when grabbing a cab in Mexico is this – BEFORE you get in, tell the driver where you want to go and ask him how much it will cost you. You should know, at least roughly, what you’ll be expected to pay before the driver puts his foot on the gas.
⋅ Bicycle ⋅
Renting a bicycle is also a popular way of getting around, and it’s pretty easy to find a rental place in most cities and towns. You can always ask at your hotel for local recommendations.
⋅ Metro ⋅
If you’re visiting Mexico City, a good way to get around is by metro. You can purchase a metro card at one of the machines at the stations and top it up as you go (5MXN per ride). Like in most cities, metro can get you across the city in a quick and affordable way. Certain subway lines here have special carts and waiting areas at platforms dedicated specifically to women and children – these are located at the front of the train. If you’re not a fan of metros, you can opt for buses or taxis – Uber works here too, and I highly recommend using it to avoid overpaying!
⋅ Plane ⋅
Mexico has over a hundred airports and many domestic flights operating daily by airlines such as AeroMexico, Volaris or Viva Aerobus. If you’re on a short trip and want to maximise your time in Mexico, flying between your places of interest might be the best option for you.
Ready for your trip? Don’t forget to check out the packing list for Mexico!
Happy travels!
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