Mexico: Ancient, Wild & Completely Addictive
Jungle ruins, Caribbean reefs, world-class food, colonial cities. Here's how to see it properly.
Why Mexico, Why Now
Mexico doesn't ease you in gently. It throws everything at you at once, the heat, the colour, the noise, the smell of street tacos at midnight, the fact that you're standing next to a pyramid that's literally older than the concept of a nation state. It's one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth, one of the most archaeologically rich, and quietly one of the best places in the world to eat. The Caribbean coast has water so blue it looks edited. The Pacific has surf breaks that'll ruin you for every other beach.
And the cities, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Merida, San Cristobal, are proper, endlessly interesting places where people actually live, not just tourist backdrops. This guide covers all of it: the ruins, the food, the costs, and how to get between it all without either flying everywhere or losing half your trip to a bus seat.
Best Time To Visit
Mexico is mammoth, with four time zones, four deserts, two oceans and mountains everywhere, so the climate is genuinely as convoluted as a Cancun cocktail menu.
Dec to Mar
Peak, dry, whales off BajaThe genuine sweet spot. Dry, hot and sunny on the coasts, with whales in abundance off Baja. You're also missing the rainy season, and hurricane season is dying down.
Apr to May
Spring break crowdsFrom around March, cruise crowds and spring breakers pile in, especially in Cancun. Worth giving parts of the coast a miss and moving inland for Mayan ruins and Monarch butterflies instead.
Jun to Oct
Hurricane season, YucatanHurricane season across the Yucatan and Caribbean coast. Worth avoiding that region specifically if you can, though Mexico City itself is genuinely good year round despite the afternoon showers.
Late Oct to Nov
Day of the DeadOaxaca's Day of the Dead, late October into early November, is genuinely worth timing a trip around if you have any interest at all in culture. One of the best festival windows in the country.
Doing Mexico City? It runs on its own pattern almost independent of the coasts, genuinely good most of the year. For a full month-by-month breakdown, see our Best Time to Visit Mexico guide.
See Mexico in 60 Seconds
A minute of jungle pyramids, Caribbean blue and Mexico City's endless streets. Then read on for the full story.
Mexico is a country where ancient civilisations, vibrant cities, stunning beaches, and world-famous cuisine come together to create one of the most diverse destinations in the world. In just 60 seconds, we’ll explore the Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá, the turquoise waters of the Riviera Maya, the colourful streets of Mexico City, the dramatic Copper Canyon, and charming colonial towns full of character. Whether you’re travelling for history, culture, adventure, or unforgettable food, Mexico is a destination that surprises and inspires at every turn.
Book The Essentials
The exact booking sites we use ourselves. Nothing here we wouldn't personally recommend.
What To Expect
The practical stuff, minus the waffle.
Capital
Mexico City is one of the largest cities on Earth, and genuinely one of the best. Roma and Condesa are the neighbourhoods most first-timers gravitate to, and for good reason.
Language
Spanish is the official language. Hello is "hola" and thank you is "gracias". English is common in the big tourist zones but genuinely patchy elsewhere, so a bit of Spanish goes a long way.
Currency
The Mexican Peso (MXN). Rough guide: £1 is about 23 MXN, $1 is about 17.4 MXN, and €1 is about 19.8 MXN. Check XE before you go, and always pay in pesos rather than dollars or euros, dynamic currency conversion can quietly cost 5 to 8 percent per transaction.
Cards & ATMs
Visa, Mastercard and American Express are widely accepted in cities and tourist areas, and cash machines aren't hard to find. Use ATMs attached to actual banks, Banamex, BBVA, Santander, rather than standalone machines, to reduce skimming risk. Smaller towns, markets and colectivos still run on cash, so always carry some pesos.
Plugs
Types A and B, running at 127V and 60Hz, the same as the US. If you're visiting from the US you won't need an adapter. Everyone else, grab a universal adapter before you go.
Safety
Mexico has a reputation for being unsafe that doesn't tell the whole story. Tourist areas, Roma and Condesa in Mexico City, the Yucatan Peninsula, Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende, are visited by millions every year and are generally safe with normal precautions. Some northern border states carry genuine security concerns and are better avoided. Research by region rather than treating the whole country as one picture, and keep your wits about you, especially walking alone at night.
Random Useful Tip
Restroom doors marked with an "M" are for the ladies, "damas". Don't lose the paper slip (FMM) you get at customs on arrival, you'll need it again when you leave the country.
Never Ever
Never forget to tip. Just like in the US, waiters and bartenders rely on it here. Good practice is leaving between 15 and 20 percent of the bill in restaurants.
Live Weather in Mexico City
Straight from the source, updated as you read this.
18°C
- Temperature
Explore Mexico
From Mexico City's streets to the Yucatan's jungle ruins. The essential six to start with.
Top 10 Places to Visit in Mexico: Pyramids to Beaches
Chichen Itza, Tulum, Oaxaca and the rest. The ten places that make it onto every good itinerary.
See the list12 Things To Do in Mexico
Cenote diving, mezcal tasting, ruins at sunrise. The essential list beyond the beach chair.
Read the guideThe Best Time To Visit Mexico: A Season-by-Season Guide
Four time zones, four deserts, two oceans. Here's how to time it region by region.
Read the guideMexico Travel Tips For First-Timers
Everything we wish we'd known before our first trip. Etiquette, scams, and the practical stuff nobody tells you.
Get the tipsSolo Travel Guides & Safety
Mexico is genuinely doable solo, especially along the main tourist routes. Our solo hub covers the how and the where.
Explore the hubTheft & Scams: What to Watch For
Petty theft and the odd tourist trap are the real risk in most regions, not violent crime. Here's how to stay ahead.
Protect yourselfLatest Mexico Articles
Every Mexico guide we publish lands here automatically.
City Guides (coming soon)
Itineraries + Maps
Best Places to Visit & Things to Do
Best Time to Visit
Travel Tips
Everything Else
How Much Does Mexico Cost?
Mexico punches well above its weight for value, but only if you know where to spend and where to save. Prices in pounds with dollars, euros and pesos alongside.
Backpacker
- Hostel dorms from £8 a night
- Street tacos and mercado comidas corridas
- Local buses and colectivos
- Free cenotes, beaches, and low-cost ruins entry
Mid-Range
- Private rooms and boutique guesthouses
- Sit-down restaurants and local spots
- ADO buses and the occasional domestic flight
- Cenote tours, ruins entry, day trips
Upscale
- Boutique hotels and Tulum eco-lodges
- Fine dining and curated mezcal bars
- Private transfers and domestic flights
- Private cenote tours, beach clubs, helicopter excursions
Detailed Cost Breakdown
Real prices in pounds, with dollars, euros and pesos alongside. Pick a category.
Budget
Mid to Luxury
City Travel
Long Distance
Eat Cheap
Eating Out
Budget Fun
Big Experiences
10 Ways to Save Money in Mexico
Mexico is already good value. These tips squeeze out even more.
Comidas corridas are full hot meals for under £4 / $5 / €4.60. Genuinely some of the best value food anywhere.
A fraction of flight cost and genuinely comfortable, reclining seats and air conditioning included.
Refill stations are everywhere across the country and it saves a genuine fortune over a two-week trip.
Dodges both the tour groups and the worst of the midday heat. Genuinely a different experience before 9am.
It runs expensive December to January regardless of budget. Other Yucatan spots offer better value the same time of year.
Guesthouses that are often cleaner than hostels and cheaper than hotels. A genuinely underrated middle ground.
Never dollars or euros. Dynamic currency conversion silently costs 5 to 8 percent on every single transaction.
A flat £0.50 / $0.65 / €0.60 rate beats any taxi for getting between nearby towns.
Lockers at some sites charge extra, and occasionally items go missing. Keep essentials with you instead.
Telcel or AT&T Mexico, around £8-12 / $10-15 / €9-14 for a month's data. Way cheaper than roaming.
Getting Around Mexico
Mexico is big and the transport options vary wildly by region. Here's how to figure out the right combination for your trip.
Domestic Flights
Best for long distances. Mexico City to Cancun is 2.5 hours by air versus 26 hours by bus. Do the maths.
- Budget airlines from £30 / $38 / €35 one-way, Volaris and VivaAerobus
- Frequent routes with reliable departures
- Baggage fees add up, always check allowances before booking
Car & Campervan
Best for the Yucatan, Baja, or reaching places buses simply don't go. Read the insurance requirements first though.
- From £25 / $32 / €29 per day, essential for cenotes and remote ruins
- Total flexibility, access to places no tour bus reaches
- Mexican third-party liability insurance is mandatory and rarely included in the base price
ADO Bus
Best for medium distances. ADO's coaches have reclining seats, air conditioning, and actually depart on time.
- CDMX to Oaxaca from £12 / $15 / €14
- Overnight buses save a night's accommodation
- CDMX to Oaxaca is still 6 to 7 hours, bring snacks
Mexico City Metro
Best for getting around CDMX. One of the best-value metro systems on the planet, genuinely.
- Single fare around £0.22 / $0.28 / €0.25, genuinely
- Fast off-peak, covers most of the city
- Rush hour, 7 to 9am and 6 to 8pm, is genuinely intense
Colectivos
Best for short hops between nearby towns. Shared minibuses on fixed routes for next to nothing, used by absolutely everyone.
- Flat rate around £0.50 / $0.65 / €0.60 for most short routes
- No booking needed, just flag one down on the route
- Can get crowded, and routes aren't always obviously signed
Ferries & Boat Travel
Best for island access. Isla Mujeres, Holbox, Cozumel, Isla Contoy, all need a ferry, there's no other way in.
- Quick, 30 to 45 minutes to most islands from Cancun or Playa del Carmen
- Multiple departures daily on the popular routes
- Can get properly rough in bad weather, check conditions first
Which Is Right For You?
Use the metro, cheap, fast, safe enough off-peak.
ADO bus or domestic flight depending on distance.
Rent a car, the only way to reach cenotes and smaller ruins independently.
Overnight ADO bus, saves accommodation costs too.
Quick Tips
Your home policy won't cover driving in Mexico. Buy local cover, don't skip it.
Their app is reliable. Book a day ahead for popular routes, earlier around holiday weekends.
Avoid the metro 7 to 9am and 6 to 8pm. It's intense. Mid-morning is fine.
Signal in ruins, cenotes, and rural areas is patchy. Download maps before leaving the city.
Related Resources
Because good trips still hit bumps. Here's the backup plan.
Travel Problems
Missed flights, lost luggage, dodgy hotels. It happens. Here's how to handle all of it without losing your mind.
Read the GuidesTheft & Scams
Pickpockets, tourist traps, and cons you won't see coming. We break down the most common ones and how to avoid every single one.
Protect YourselfTravel Insurance
Don't skip this one, especially travelling solo. We compare policies and explain exactly what you actually need.
Find the Right PolicyMexico Travel FAQs
The questions we get asked most, answered honestly.
Is Mexico safe for tourists?
Do I need a visa to visit Mexico?
When is the best time to visit Mexico?
How long do I need in Mexico?
Is tap water safe to drink in Mexico?
What currency does Mexico use and can I use cards?
Is it safe to drive in Mexico?
Travel Hubs Worth A Look
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