Mexico offers a great variety of attractions for visitors. Rich in cultural heritage, it is home to numerous ancient ruins and mystic pyramids, archaeological sites and charming colonial towns, as well as lively contemporary culture. The diverse landscape of Mexico consists of tropical beaches and deserts, volcanoes, snowy mountain ranges, waterfalls and rainforests, and offers good opportunities for diverse water sports and other outdoor activities. In the busy historical cities of Mexico you can taste the delicious and unique Mexican cuisine and enjoy the wide entertainment scene.
Caribbean beaches. The world-famous Caribbean beach resort of Cancún is home to white-sanded beaches and turquoise blue lagoons ideal for water sports activities. The magnificent Mayan Barrier Reef with its rich and diverse underwater world is located south from here, close to the beach resort town of Playa del Carmen. The Caribbean Islands of Isla Mujeres and Cozumel are paradises for beach lovers and divers.
Colonial & Mayan heritage. The beautiful colonial capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán, Merida is a good starting point to attractions in the Yucatan Peninsula, such as small villages, ecological parks and Mayan ruins. One of the most visited tourism destinations in Mexico, the magnificent archaeological site of Chichén Itzá is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World with spectacular Mayan and Toltec pyramids, temples and palaces, while Tulum in the Caribbean coast offers both old Mayan ruins and excellent beaches.
Mexican Pacific Coast. Acapulco is the largest and the most spectacular beach resort city in the Mexican Pacific, offering a wide variety of water sports and outdoor activities, as well as vibrant nightlife and shopping. Guadalajara is a center of Mexican culture and the birthplace of the famous Mexican traditions such as tequila, the Mexican rodeos, the mariachi music and the Mexican hat dance, surrounded by magnificent mountains. The nearby beach resort destinations of Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, as well as Puerto Escondido are all located on the beautiful Pacific shore of Mexico and offer a variety of water sports activities.
Nature & adventure. The magnificent Copper Canyon is a remote and rugged wilderness area in Northern Mexico that is exceptionally rich in history and nature with waterfalls and hot springs. The Copper Canyon is a destination for the adventurous travelers interested in trekking, mountain biking and horseback riding. The southern state of Chiapas offers intriguing indigenous cultures, old Mayan ruins, picturesque colonial towns, and scenic natural attractions.
Baja California region on the northwestern corner of Mexico is a popular vacation area with several interesting places to visit. Cabo San Lucas area is a famous beach and activity destination on the southern tip of Baja California Peninsula, while Tijuana is a popular destination for short visits from the USA. Located just a stone's throw from the US-Mexican border, Tijuana offers mainly inexpensive shopping and nightlife, while the nearby Ensenada has nice beaches and opportunities for surfing and sports fishing.
Historic cities, beaches and nature wonders in Mexico
The historic and multicultural metropolis, Mexico City is the capital and the cultural center of Mexico, and one of the largest cities in the world. There is a wide selection of excellent museums, interesting historical sites, shops and a wide entertainment scene in Mexico City. The nearby colonial cities of Cuernavaca and Guanajuato offer a wide range of historic attractions as well, while the southern city of Oaxaca offers great archaeological sites and affordable shopping, and the Northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey has a wide range of attractions for culinary, shopping and nightlife enthusiasts.Caribbean beaches. The world-famous Caribbean beach resort of Cancún is home to white-sanded beaches and turquoise blue lagoons ideal for water sports activities. The magnificent Mayan Barrier Reef with its rich and diverse underwater world is located south from here, close to the beach resort town of Playa del Carmen. The Caribbean Islands of Isla Mujeres and Cozumel are paradises for beach lovers and divers.
Colonial & Mayan heritage. The beautiful colonial capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán, Merida is a good starting point to attractions in the Yucatan Peninsula, such as small villages, ecological parks and Mayan ruins. One of the most visited tourism destinations in Mexico, the magnificent archaeological site of Chichén Itzá is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World with spectacular Mayan and Toltec pyramids, temples and palaces, while Tulum in the Caribbean coast offers both old Mayan ruins and excellent beaches.
Mexican Pacific Coast. Acapulco is the largest and the most spectacular beach resort city in the Mexican Pacific, offering a wide variety of water sports and outdoor activities, as well as vibrant nightlife and shopping. Guadalajara is a center of Mexican culture and the birthplace of the famous Mexican traditions such as tequila, the Mexican rodeos, the mariachi music and the Mexican hat dance, surrounded by magnificent mountains. The nearby beach resort destinations of Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, as well as Puerto Escondido are all located on the beautiful Pacific shore of Mexico and offer a variety of water sports activities.
Nature & adventure. The magnificent Copper Canyon is a remote and rugged wilderness area in Northern Mexico that is exceptionally rich in history and nature with waterfalls and hot springs. The Copper Canyon is a destination for the adventurous travelers interested in trekking, mountain biking and horseback riding. The southern state of Chiapas offers intriguing indigenous cultures, old Mayan ruins, picturesque colonial towns, and scenic natural attractions.
Baja California region on the northwestern corner of Mexico is a popular vacation area with several interesting places to visit. Cabo San Lucas area is a famous beach and activity destination on the southern tip of Baja California Peninsula, while Tijuana is a popular destination for short visits from the USA. Located just a stone's throw from the US-Mexican border, Tijuana offers mainly inexpensive shopping and nightlife, while the nearby Ensenada has nice beaches and opportunities for surfing and sports fishing.
Practical information for your trip to Mexico
Mexico is located between Northern and Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. Mexico has a very diverse climate depending mainly on topography. The Mexican coasts usually have hot and humid weather while the interior of the country has drier and more temperate climate. The most pleasant time to travel to Mexico is from October to May outside the main rainy season. However, if you are coming here not just for the sun, you can visit Mexico any time of the year.
Photo: Owen Prior, used under Creative Commons License (By SA 2.0)
Tourist services. Mexico is one of the most popular tourism destinations in the world, receiving more than 20 million foreign visitors a year. The country has an excellent and wide selection of hotels, restaurants and facilities for visitors. The cities and towns in Mexico have very vibrant nightlife with bars, clubs and colorful festivals.
How to get there. Mexico has more than 30 airports receiving flights from North America and Canada. Mexico City and Cancún receive direct flights also from Europe. Mexico can also be accessed by road from the Unites States. There are regular bus connections to Mexico also from Guatemala and Belize. Mexican ports also receive numerous cruises from the United States.
Getting around. Domestic flights are an effective and relatively affordable way of travelling around Mexico. The country also has an extensive network of comfortable, fast and reasonably-priced long-distance buses. The local transportation is handled but relatively old buses, minibuses and shared taxis, colectivos. The biggest Mexican cities Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey have metro systems. Ferries connect the Mexican Mainland to Baja California and the Caribbean Islands of Isla Mujeres and Cozumel.
Rental cars are widely available in Mexico. There are many toll roads in Mexico. The smaller roads in Mexico are often in poor condition and highway robberies are not rare. Taxis are relatively affordable and widely available in towns and cities. Trucks are used for transportation in the countryside. The spectacular Copper Canyon Railway or Chihuahua del Pacifico rail line is a tourist railway with breathtaking views over the dramatic landscape in the area.
Safety. Mexico is a relatively safe travel destination. However, violent crime is not rare and it is advisable to exercise caution and avoid travelling alone or after dark. Some areas in the North of Mexico are experiencing high levels of drug-related violence, while some political unrest and violence may also occur in the southern states of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Guerrero.
History and culture of Mexico
The area of Mexico has been inhabited for more than 40,000 years. The land was first inhabited by hunters and gatherers until the agricultural revolution started the formation of modern Amerindian civilizations around 9,000 years ago. The area of indigenous Mayans, Olmecs, Aztecs and many other civilizations was conquered by the Spanish in the early 1500s. Mexico declared independence from Spain in 1810 after 300 years of Spanish colonial rule.The Mexican culture is a fascinating mixture of European, especially Spanish culture and Mesoamerican traditions. The country is ethnically diverse melting pot of races with Mestizos, Amerindians, white Spaniards and later immigrants from Europe and Asia. Spanish is the national language in Mexico, while a variety of indigenous languages are also spoken in rural areas. English is widely understood and spoken in business and tourism industry.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Guanajuato, Guadalajara
