Mexico: Ancient, Wild & Completely Addictive
Jungle ruins, Caribbean reefs, world-class food, colonial cities. Here’s how to see it properly.
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, Mérida, San Cristóbal, are proper, endlessly interesting places where people actually live, not just tourist backdrops. This guide covers all of it.
10-11 hrs
From the UK
Nov – Apr
Dry season
Spanish
Main language
MXN (Peso)
Currency
Best Time To Visit
The best time to visit Mexico is between December and March. The weather on the coasts is glorious: dry, hot and sunny, with whales to be seen in abundance off Baja. You’re also missing the rainy season, and the hurricane season is dying down. From around March the cruise crowds and hedonistic spring breakers can make it advisable to give some parts of the coast a miss, especially Cancun, and move further inland for Mayan ruins and Monarch butterflies. Mexico is mammoth though, with four time zones, four deserts, two oceans and mountains at every turn, meaning the climate is as convoluted as a Cancun cocktail menu.
For a month by month look click here
What To Expect
13°C
- Temperature
Capital: Mexico City
Language: Spanish is the official language of Mexico. Hello is “hola” and Thank you is “Gracias”
Currency: Visa, American Express, and Mastercard are widely accepted in Mexico. You won’t have a hard time paying with card or finding cash machines in the major cities. While it is wise to carry some cash on you at all times, carrying too much at one time can put you in danger. Check the latest rates here
Credit Cards & ATMs: At the moment, no US credit or debit card can be used in Cuba. This also includes using a US debit card to try to get cash out of a Cuban ATM. However, if you are using a card from somewhere else, like Canada or Europe, it’s likely your card will work, but you will run into a 3% charge for every payment. Any other country-issued card will work just fine but again, expect a small fee.
Plugs: In Mexico, the power plugs and sockets are type A and B and standard voltage is 127 V and the frequency is 60Hz. These are the same plugs used in the United States so if you’re visiting from the US, you don’t need an adapter or converter. I recommend buying a universal adapter
Safety: Mexico has a bad rap for being unsafe. You’ll want to keep your wits about you and always be aware of your surroundings. Avoid walking alone at night and invest in an anti-pickpocketing bag.
Random useful tip: 1. Restroom Doors Marked With an “M” Are For the Ladies! 2. Don’t Lose the Paper Slip (FMM) You Get at Customs
Dont’s: Don’t Forget to Tip . Just like in the United States, waiters and bartenders rely on tips. It’s good practice to leave between 15-20% of the bill.
Explore Mexico
From Mexico City’s streets to the Yucatán’s jungle ruins — everything you need to plan your trip.
City Guides (coming soon)
Itineraries + Maps (coming soon)
Best Places to Visit & Things to Do
Best Time to Visit
Travel Tips
Everything Else (coming soon)
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. Here’s the full breakdown.
🎒
Backpacker
~£30 / $38 / €35 per day
✅ Hostel dorm from £8–12 / $10–15 / €9–14 per night
✅ Street tacos & mercado comidas corridas
✅ Local buses & colectivos
✅ Free cenotes, beaches & low-cost ruins entry
🍜
Mid-Range
~£75 / $95 / €88 per day
✅ Private rooms & boutique guesthouses
✅ Sit-down restaurants & local spots
✅ ADO buses & the occasional domestic flight
✅ Cenote tours, ruins entry, day trips
🏨
Upscale
~£175 / $220 / €205+ per day
✅ Boutique hotels & Tulum eco-lodges
✅ Fine dining & curated mezcal bars
✅ Private transfers & domestic flights
✅ Private cenote tours, beach clubs, helicopter excursions
Detailed Cost Breakdown
Budget
- Hostel dorm: £8–14 / $10–18 / €9–16 per night
- Campsite / hammock: £5–10 / $6–13 / €5–12 per night
- Budget guesthouse: £20–40 / $25–50 / €23–46 per night
Mid–Luxury
- Airbnb apartment: £40–80 / $50–100 / €46–92 per night
- Boutique hotel: £70–150 / $88–190 / €80–174 per night
- Tulum eco-resort: £200+ / $250+ / €230+ per night
City Travel
- City metro / local bus: £0.20–0.60 / $0.25–0.75 / €0.22–0.68
- Colectivo minibus: £0.50–1.50 / $0.60–1.90 / €0.55–1.75
- Uber (short city trip): £3–8 / $4–10 / €3.50–9
Long Distance
- ADO bus (CDMX to Oaxaca): £12–25 / $15–32 / €14–29
- Domestic flight (CDMX to Cancún): £30–80 / $38–100 / €35–92
- Car rental per day: £25–55 / $32–70 / €29–64
Eat Cheap
- Street taco: £0.40–0.80 / $0.50–1.00 / €0.45–0.90
- Comida corrida (set lunch): £3–6 / $4–8 / €3.50–7
- Market meal: £2–5 / $2.50–6 / €2.30–5.50
Eating Out
- Restaurant meal: £8–20 / $10–25 / €9–23
- Mezcal at a bar: £3–8 / $4–10 / €3.50–9
- Fancy brunch in Condesa/Roma: £12–22 / $15–28 / €14–25
Budget Fun
- Teotihuacán ruins entry: £4 / $5 / €4.60
- Chichen Itza entry: £13 / $16 / €15
- Public beach: free
Big Experiences
- Private cenote tour: £35–70 / $44–88 / €40–81
- Copper Canyon train ride: £85–150 / $107–190 / €98–174
- Whale shark snorkelling tour: £50–90 / $63–113 / €58–104
10 Ways to Save Money in Mexico
🌮 1. Eat where locals eat — comidas corridas are full hot meals for under £4 / $5 / €4.60
🚌 2. Take ADO buses between cities — fraction of flight cost and genuinely comfortable
💧 3. Get a big refillable water bottle on arrival — refill stations everywhere, saves a fortune
📅 4. Visit ruins early morning — dodge the tour groups and the worst heat
🏖️ 5. Skip Tulum in peak season — it runs expensive Dec–Jan regardless of budget
🏠 6. Stay in local posadas (guesthouses) — often cleaner than hostels, cheaper than hotels
💳 7. Always pay in pesos, never dollars or euros — dynamic currency conversion costs 5–8% per transaction
🛺 8. Use colectivos for short hops — £0.50 / $0.65 / €0.60 flat rate beats any taxi
🎒 9. Pack a daypack for ruins days — lockers charge and occasionally “lose” things
📱 10. Buy a local SIM on arrival — Telcel or AT&T México, around £8–12 / $10–15 / €9–14 for a month’s data
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 Cancún is 2.5 hours by air vs. 26 hours by bus. Do the maths.
✅ Budget airlines from £30 / $38 / €35 one-way (Volaris, VivaAerobus)
✅ Frequent routes, reliable departures
❌ Baggage fees add up — always check allowances before booking
Car & Campervan
Best for the Yucatán, Baja, or reaching the places buses simply don’t go. Read the insurance section 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, AC, and actually depart on time.
✅ CDMX to Oaxaca from £12 / $15 / €14
✅ Overnight buses save a night’s accommodation
❌ CDMX to Oaxaca is still 6–7 hours — bring snacks
Mexico City Metro
Best for getting around CDMX. One of the best-value metro systems on the planet.
✅ Single fare: £0.22 / $0.28 / €0.25 — genuinely
✅ Fast off-peak, covers most of the city
❌ Rush hour (7–9am and 6–8pm) is genuinely intense — you’ve been warned
Colectivos
Best for short hops between towns. Shared minibuses on fixed routes for next to nothing — used by absolutely everyone.
✅ Cheapest long-distance option from ~£15
✅ FlexiPasses let you bundle multiple trips at a discount
❌ Auckland to Wellington is a long day. Pack snacks.
Ferries & Boat Travel
Best for island access. Isla Mujeres, Holbox, Cozumel, Isla Contoy — all need a ferry.
✅ Quick — 30–45 mins to most islands from Cancún or Playa del Carmen
✅ Multiple departures daily
❌ Can be properly rough in bad weather
Which Is Right For You?
Exploring Mexico City
Use the metro — cheap, fast, safe enough off-peak
Moving between major cities
ADO bus or domestic flight depending on distance
Yucatán road trip
Rent a car — the only way to reach cenotes & smaller ruins independently
Tight budget, long journey
Overnight ADO bus — saves accommodation costs too
Quick Tips
🛡️
Always Get Mexican Insurance
Your home policy won’t cover driving in Mexico. Buy local cover — don’t skip it
🚌
Book ADO Online
Their app is reliable — book a day ahead for popular routes, earlier around holiday weekends
⏰
Time Your CDMX Journey
Avoid the metro 7–9am and 6–8pm. It’s intense. Mid-morning is fine
🗺️
Download Offline Maps
Signal in ruins, cenotes, and rural areas is patchy. Download maps before leaving the city
Book Tours & Tickets
Travel Resources
Travel Problems
Missed flights, lost luggage, dodgy hotels. It happens. Here’s how to handle all of it without losing your mind.
Theft & 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.
Travel Insurance
Don’t skip this one. Especially travelling solo. We compare the best policies and explain exactly what you actually need.
FAQs
Is Mexico safe for tourists?
It depends heavily on where you’re going — and that’s an honest answer, not a dodge. Tourist areas like Mexico City’s Roma and Condesa neighbourhoods, the Yucatán Peninsula, Oaxaca, and San Miguel de Allende are visited by millions of people every year and are generally safe when you take normal precautions. Some northern border states have genuine security issues and are better avoided. The key is researching by region, not treating Mexico as one homogenous safety picture. Check your government’s official travel advice before you go — it’s updated regularly and region-specific.
Do I need a visa to visit Mexico?
UK, US, EU, Australian, and Canadian passport holders don’t need a visa for tourist stays of up to 180 days. You’ll receive a tourist card (FMM) on arrival — keep it, you need it when you leave. If you’re flying it’s digital now. Always double-check current requirements on the official Mexican government site or your home country’s foreign travel advice page before booking.
When is the best time to visit Mexico?
November to April is dry season across most of Mexico and widely considered the best window. The Caribbean coast (Cancún, Tulum, Playa del Carmen) follows this closely. Avoid the Yucatán during hurricane season (June–October) if you can. Mexico City is genuinely good year round — the rainy season brings afternoon showers but also lush parks and fewer tourists. Oaxaca’s Day of the Dead (late October/early November) is worth timing a trip around if you have any interest at all in culture.
How long do I need in Mexico?
Two weeks covers a solid first trip. Mexico City (3–4 days), Oaxaca (3–4 days), and the Yucatán (5–7 days) is the classic route and genuinely satisfying. Three weeks gives space to slow down — add San Cristóbal de las Casas or the Copper Canyon. A month and you’ll still feel like you’ve barely scratched the surface. Most people who visit Mexico once go back.
Is tap water safe to drink in Mexico?
No — not anywhere in Mexico, including tourist areas and upmarket hotels. Always drink bottled or filtered water. Most accommodation provides garrafones (large water jugs) for refilling. A reusable bottle with a filter pays for itself in about a week and saves a serious amount of money on plastic.
What currency does Mexico use and can I use cards?
Mexican Pesos (MXN). Cards — Visa and Mastercard especially — are accepted widely in cities and tourist areas. But smaller towns, local markets, street food vendors, colectivos, and tips all run on cash. Always carry some pesos. Use ATMs attached to actual banks (Banamex, BBVA, Santander) rather than standalone machines to reduce skimming risk. And always pay in pesos, never dollars or euros — dynamic currency conversion silently costs 5–8% on every single transaction.
Do I need vaccinations to visit Mexico?
No mandatory vaccinations for most visitors. Hepatitis A and typhoid are commonly recommended though, particularly if you’re planning to eat street food (which you absolutely should). Malaria precautions may apply if you’re visiting jungle areas in Chiapas or the southern Pacific coast. Speak to your GP or a travel health clinic at least 6–8 weeks before departure.
Is it safe to drive in Mexico?
In most tourist areas, yes — with a few non-negotiable caveats. You legally need Mexican third-party liability insurance, which your home policy won’t cover. Buy it separately — rental companies offer it, or get it in advance online. Stick to daytime driving, use toll roads (cuotas) where possible — better maintained, faster, safer. The Yucatán Peninsula is particularly easy to drive: good roads, clearly signposted, and brilliant for reaching cenotes and smaller ruins independently.
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