Mexico travel guide
Hot as a habanero chilli, cool as a dip in the Pacific, ancient as the Mayan temples and new as Mexico City's bars and restaurants – Mexico bridges North and Central America
From the vivid wall paintings at Bonampak to the mighty temples of Chichén Itzá, the sheer variety of archaeological sites in Mexico is astounding. Add to this the brilliance of the Caribbean Sea, huge canyons and dense jungles and you have an invigorating cocktail of culture and landscapes.
Congested, polluted and gloriously manic, Mexico City was originally founded by the Aztecs. Beyond the capital, the pace slows. Colonial cities, founded on the wealth of silver mines, rest assuredly on their architectural laurels. Within easy striking distance of Mexico City, the lakes and volcanic hills of Michoacán are another world: people quietly go about their business as they always have, fishing, farming and producing crafts for sale at the local markets.
Adventurers flock to Mexico to climb the volcanic peaks, to descend into the deepest cenotes or to spill down the white waters of the Antigua and Pescado rivers. The Caribbean offers superb diving off the Quintana Roo coastline, while on the west coast surfers ride the giant rollers beside the beautiful beaches of the wild Pacific and Baja California. In the far north-west, the Sea of Cortéz is one of the planet’s richest marine feeding grounds – where, if you’re lucky, you’ll spot hammerhead sharks, dolphins and California grey whales.
Wanderlust recommends
- Take the vertigo-inducing train ride from the deserts of Baja California through the gorges of the plunging Copper Canyon
- Go whale-watching in Baja California – and swim with the world’s biggest fish, the whale shark
- Explore the jungle-clad ruins of Palenque and the mighty pyramid of Chichén Itzá
- Treat yourself to fine jewellery from the silver merchants of Taxco, or arts and crafts in Oaxaca or San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Visit Xochimilco’s floating gardens on a Sunday morning and join the locals for a mariachi-led punt through a maze of canals
- Come eyeball to eyeball with a great white shark in Guadalupe
- Head to Santiago, north of Los Cabos and ask the locals how to get to Sol del Mayo, a 12m waterfall with a magnificent wate hole
- Stroll through the Mayan ruins of Tulum, overlooking a stunning stretch of the Caribbean
Wanderlust tips
Time your visit for the Night of the Radishes (23 December), a Oaxacan festival with ornate sculptures carved from radishes, or Carnival and Semana Santa (Holy Week), celebrated throughout the country with much colour and partying. When riding the Copper Canyon Railway, for the best views, sit on the right-hand side of the carriage to Creel and on the left to Los Mochis.