Mexico essential info
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
Travel in Mexico: vital stats
Capital of Mexico: Mexico City
Population of Mexico: 110 million
Languages in Mexico: Spanish
Time in Mexico: Mostly GMT-6 (GMT-5 early April-late October); some western states GMT-7/GMT-8
International dialling code for Mexico: +52
Voltage in Mexico: 127V 60Hz AC
Visas for Mexico: Mexican visas
Money in Mexico: Mexican peso (M$). Credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted.
Mexico travel advice: Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Mexico tourism board: Mexico Tourism Board
When to go to Mexico
You can visit at almost any time of year. The driest season is from mid-December to April, though July and August are the peak holiday times for international visitors. The highlands of the interior can be quite chilly at night. Hurricane season runs roughly from June to October/November.
International airports
Benito Juárez Airport (MEX) is 13km from Mexico City; Cancun Airport (CUN) is 14km fromthe city.
Getting around in Mexico
Luxury inter-city coaches and simple buses use Mexico’s good road network. Hiring a car is possible but be warned: traffic is a nightmare. Ferries connect Baja California with mainland Mexico. Trains are restricted to a couple of tourist servces. Internal flights are useful if covering long distances. The Mexipass airpass is good if you want to visit several places in a short amount of time; book before arriving in Mexico.
Mexico accommodation
Across Mexico, finding a room is usually only a problem in coastal resorts during peak season and anywhere at fiesta time. For budget travellers, hostels are ten a penny, apart from in areas such as Cancún where luxury resort hotels with private beaches rule the roost. There are few official campsites. Hotels should have an official price displaced outside.
Mexico food & drink
You really should prepare your stomach for a trip to Mexico; the food is so fabulous you’ll struggle to leave the table. A world away from the fare on offer in ‘Mexican’ restaurants outside the country, food in Mexico varies from region to region. Wherever you go, expect to come across lovingly prepared dishes based on corn, tortillas, chilli and beans. Try mole poblano, a thick sauce of chocolate, chillies and nuts usually served with chicken. In the Yucatán, look for cochinita pibil, a tasty dish of pork marinated in spices and garlic, and the scarily hot chilli pepper habanero. No trip to central Mexico is complete without a few glasses of tequila, while only the brave will be tempted by the chapulines in Oaxaca – crispy grasshoppers fried in chilli and lime. Vegetarians should note that many Mexicans think vegetarianism means eating no red meat: make sure that the ‘vegetarian’ special doesn’t feature fish or chicken.
Health & safety in Mexico
Ease your way into the pleasures of Mexican cuisine – bacteria in the food can cause problems for sensitive stomachs. Go for freshly cooked food and steer clear of salads, unpeeled fruit and raw seafood for at least the first few days.
Mexico does have some alarming statistics when it comes to crime but if you keep your wits about you and take sensible precautions, you should be fine. Petty theft and pick-pocketing are the biggest problem, especially in cities. Don’t hail cabs or take taxis parked outside nightclubs or restaurants in Mexico City; instead, phone a taxi service (sitio).