The Rough Guide to Mexico (Travel Guide eBook)

By Rough Guides

Practical travel guide to Mexico featuring points-of-interest structured lists of all sights and off-the-beaten-track treasures, with detailed colour-coded maps, practical details about what to see and to do in Mexico, how to get there and around, pre-departure information, as well as top time-saving tips, like a visual list of things not to miss in Mexico, expert author picks and itineraries to help you plan your trip.

The Rough Guide to MEXICO covers: Mexico City, Acapulco and the Pacific beaches, inland Jalisco and Michoacán, the Bajio, Veracruz, the north, the northwest and Copper Canyon, Baja California, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco and the Yucatán.

Inside this travel guide you'll find:

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERY TYPE OF TRAVELLER
Experiences selected for every kind of trip to Mexico, from off-the-beaten-track adventures in Chiapas to family activities in child-friendly places, like Oaxaca or chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas, like Tulum.

PRACTICAL TRAVEL TIPS
Essential pre-departure information including Mexico entry requirements, getting around, health information, travelling with children, sports and outdoor activities, food and drink, festivals, culture and etiquette, shopping, tips for travellers with disabilities and more.

TIME-SAVING ITINERARIES
Carefully planned routes covering the best of Mexico give a taste of the richness and diversity of the destination, and have been created for different time frames or types of trip.

DETAILED REGIONAL COVERAGE
Clear structure within each sightseeing chapter includes regional highlights, brief history, detailed sights and places ordered geographically, recommended restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs and major shops or entertainment options.

INSIGHTS INTO GETTING AROUND LIKE A LOCAL
Tips on how to beat the crowds, save time and money and find the best local spots for surfing, learning about local history and sampling local delicacies.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THINGS NOT TO MISS
Rough Guides' rundown of Palenque, Merida, Baja and Guanajuato's best sights and top experiences helps to make the most of each trip to Mexico, even in a short time.

HONEST AND INDEPENDENT REVIEWS
Written by Rough Guides' expert authors with a trademark blend of humour, honesty and expertise, to help to find the best places in Mexico, matching different needs.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Comprehensive 'Contexts' chapter features fascinating insights into Mexico, with coverage of history, religion, ethnic groups, environment, wildlife and books, plus a handy language section and glossary.

FABULOUS FULL COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
Features inspirational colour photography, including the stunning Lagos de Montebello National Park and the spectacular Pirámide del Sol.

COLOUR-CODED MAPPING
Practical full-colour maps, with clearly numbered, colour-coded keys for quick orientation in Cuernavaca, Tampico and many more locations in Mexico, reduce need to go online.

USER-FRIENDLY LAYOUT
With helpful icons, and organised by neighbourhood to help you pick the best spots to spend your time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Insight Guides
• Release date: Nov 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781839058967

Rough Guides

Rough Guides are written by expert authors who are passionate about both writing and travel. They have detailed knowledge of the areas they write about--having either traveled extensively or lived there--and their expertise shines through on every page. It's priceless information, delivered with wit and insight, providing the down-to-earth, honest read that is the hallmark of Rough Guides.

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Contents

Introduction to Mexico

Where to go

When to go

Author picks

things not to miss

Itineraries

Basics

Getting there

Visas and entry requirements

Getting around

Accommodation

Crime and personal safety

Health

Food and drink

The media

Festivals

Sports and outdoor activities

Culture and etiquette

Shopping

Travelling with children

Travel essentials

Mexico City

Central Mexico City

Bosque de Chapultepec

South of the centre

North of the centre

Around Mexico City

North of Mexico City

East of Mexico City

South of Mexico City

West of Mexico City

Acapulco and the Pacific beaches

Acapulco

Zihuatanejo

Ixtapa

The Michoacán coast

The Colima coast

Colima and around

The Costalegre

Puerto Vallarta and around

Inland Jalisco and Michoacán

Guadalajara

Tequila

Laguna de Chapala

South towards the coast

Northwestern Michoacán

Morelia

The Bajío

Querétaro and around

The Sierra Gorda and Xilitla

San Miguel de Allende

Guanajuato and around

León and around

Aguascalientes

Zacatecas

Around Zacatecas

San Luis Potosí

Real de Catorce

Veracruz

Veracruz

Sierra Madre Oriental

Xalapa and around

Veracruz to Papantla

Papantla and around

South of Veracruz

The north

Monterrey

Around Monterrey

The coastal route

The central corridor

The northeast border towns

The northwest and Copper Canyon

Tepic

San Blas and around

Mazatlán

Northern Sinaloa

The Copper Canyon

Sonora

Baja California

Tijuana and around

Ensenada

South to La Paz

La Paz

Los Cabos

Oaxaca

Oaxaca

Monte Albán

The Zapotec and Mixtec heartland

Puerto Escondido and around

Puerto Ángel and around

Huatulco

The Isthmus of Tehuantepec

Chiapas and Tabasco

Chiapas

Tabasco

The Yucatán

Campeche and around

Mérida

Gulf Coast

South and east of Mérida

Chichén Itzá and around

Valladolid and around

Cancún and around

Playa del Carmen and around

Tulum and around

Costa Maya and Bacalar

Chetumal and around

Río Bec sites

Contexts

History

Environment and wildlife

Music

Books

Language

Glossary

Small print

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Introduction to Mexico

The home of tacos, Aztecs, sombreros and tequila, not to mention Pancho Villa, Salma Hayek and Frida Kahlo: almost everyone on the planet knows something about Mexico. Yet there’s far more to this country than the stereotypes. One of the world’s great civilizations, Mexico offers a tantalizing blend of Mesoamerican cultures, Spanish traditions and contemporary arts. Its landscapes range from the shimmering blue coastline of Baja California and the iconic cactus-strewn deserts of the north, to the Maya villages and gorgeous palm-smothered beaches of the south. You can climb volcanoes, watch whales, sunbathe on golden beaches and tour agave farms. And sprinkled throughout you’ll find richly adorned colonial churches, giant pyramids and some of the tastiest food in the world.

The 130 million people of Mexico reflect this variety, too. Indigenous communities represent around ten percent of the population, with the Nahua, Maya, Zapotec, Mixtec, Otomí and Totonac the largest groups. There are also a few Mexicans of predominantly Spanish or European descent, invariably forming the ranks of the mega-rich, even if billionaire Carlos Slim (see page 9) actually has Lebanese ancestry. The great majority of the population (over eighty percent), though, is mestizo, with a mix of European, African, Middle Eastern, Asian and Indigenous heritage. Add in a multitude of distinct regional identities, from the cowboy culture of the northern deserts to the Mesoamerican traditions of the south, and you have a thrilling, constantly surprising place to travel.

Despite the inevitable influence of the US, looming to the north, and close links with the rest of the Spanish-speaking world (an avid audience for Mexican pop and soap operas), the country remains resolutely individual. The music that fills the plazas in the evenings, the buildings that circle around them, even the smells emanating from a row of taco carts: they all leave you without any doubt about where you are.

Mexico has a fairly robust economy, the world’s fifteenth largest, a remarkably thorough and efficient internal transport system and a vibrant contemporary arts and music scene. Indeed, in the past twenty-five years or so Mexico has largely become a middle-class society, perhaps the country’s greatest achievement since Independence. Mexico has the highest GDP in Latin America after Brazil, but huge inequalities of wealth remain and it is far from all suburbs and SUVs.

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Day of the Dead parade

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Adventure in Mexico can be found through happening upon a village fiesta, complete with rowdy singing and dancing, or hopping on a rural bus, packed with farmers all carrying machetes half their height and curious about how you’ve wound up going their way. It’s also true that Mexico is not always an easy place to travel around. The power may go off, the water may not be drinkable and occasionally it can seem that there’s incessant, inescapable noise and dirt. Although the mañana mentality is largely an outsiders’ myth, rural Mexico is still a land where timetables are not always to be entirely trusted, where anything that can break down will break down (often when it’s most needed) and where any attempt to do things in a hurry is liable to be frustrated.

More deeply disturbing are the extremes of wealth and poverty that still exist, most poignantly in the big cities, where unemployment is high and living conditions beyond crowded, as well as the ongoing drug wars that provide a seemingly non-stop stream of sensational, often gruesome, headlines. While the violence is very real in some parts of the country and it pays to be vigilant, the danger for tourists is generally minimal – for the most part, you’ll find this is a friendly, varied and enormously enjoyable place in which to travel. Mexico is a country that draws you back again and again.

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Fact file

The world’s richest person in the 2010–2013 period was Mexican: Carlos Slim Helú is thought to be worth around US$67 billion thanks to his holdings in companies such as Telmex and América Móvil.

Because it is built on an ancient lake bed, Mexico City is sinking at a rate of 15–20cm per year.

Mexico is the home of chocolate (from the Náhuatl xocolatl), chiles and maize (corn), though it exports more tomatoes than any other crop (also derived from the Náhuatl word tomatl).

The Chihuahua is officially the world’s smallest breed of dog and really is named after the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

Bugs have been culinary delicacies in Mexico since Aztec times, with some of the most popular cocopaches (a type of cockroach), chicatanas (flying ants) and escamoles (ant larvae and pupae).

Some 66 million years ago the Chicxulub asteroid crashed into the Yucatán Peninsula, dramatically disrupting the climate around the world and triggering the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Where to go

Mexico City, though a nightmare of urban sprawl, is totally fascinating, and in every way – artistic, political, cultural – the capital of the nation. Around the city lie the chief relics of the pre-Hispanic cultures of central Mexico: the massive pyramids of Teotihuacán and the main Toltec site at Tula. Guadalajara, to the west, is a city on a more human scale, capital of the state of Jalisco and in easy reach of Michoacán: between them, these states share some of the most gently scenic country in Mexico, where the thickly forested hills are studded with lakes and ancient villages.

South of the capital, the states of Oaxaca and Chiapas, home to some of the largest populations of pure Indigenous groups, are mountainous and beautiful, too, but in a far wilder way. The city of Oaxaca is especially enticing, with an extraordinary mix of colonial and Indigenous life, superb markets and fascinating archeological sites. Likewise, the strength of Indigenous traditions in and around the market city of San Cristóbal de las Casas in Chiapas continues to make it a big travellers’ centre. It’s typically the stop before the picturesque Maya ruins of Palenque. East into the Yucatán there is also traditional Indigenous life, side by side with a tourist industry based around truly magnificent Maya cities – Chichén Itzá and Uxmal above all – and the burgeoning Caribbean resorts that stretch down the coast, most notably Cancún and Playa del Carmen.

On the Pacific coast, where the surf is wilder and the scenery more rugged than in the Caribbean, Acapulco is the best known of the beach destinations. Along the ocean to the north, hundreds of kilometres of relatively empty sand are broken up only by resort cities like Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta. Relatively few tourists venture over to the Gulf coast, despite the attractions of Veracruz and its mysterious ruins. A pity, as for music and general bonhomie, the city’s central plaza is one of the country’s finest destinations.

Coming through the Bajío, the heart of the country, you’ll pass the beautiful silver-mining towns of Zacatecas and Guanajuato, the historic centres of San Miguel de Allende and Querétaro, and many smaller places with a legacy of superb colonial architecture. Between here and the US border lie vast deserts and mountain ranges, home to the Copper Canyon, with its spectacular rail journey, the mysterious ruins at Paquimé and the dynamic industrial city of Monterrey. Baja California in the far northwest of Mexico is a major destination in its own right, with world-class whale watching, untrammelled beaches and crumbling Spanish ruins.

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Street food in Mexico City

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Mexico’s magnificent markets

The colour and bustle of Mexico’s markets is hard to beat. Even if you have no intention of buying, half an hour is always well spent meandering through narrow aisles surrounded by heaps of perfectly ripe fruit and stacks of nopal cactus leaves (though stay away from the meat sections if you’re at all squeamish). In small villages, like those around Oaxaca (see page 471), inhabitants still recognize one day of the week as the traditional market day.

Towns of any size will have a market, usually daily, an important centre of local life and source of cheap eats (San Cristóbal de las Casas and Papantla are good examples), while in the cities, each barrio has its own vibrant mercado: among the best are Mexico City’s La Merced (see page 128) and the arts and crafts-oriented Ciudadela (see page 127). Markets in San Miguel Allende are also better known for arts and crafts (see page 275), as are Oaxaca’s city mercados (see page 461). Toluca (see page 168) is the mother of them all, Mexico’s largest market held every Friday.

Mexico’s best beaches

Mexico boasts a mesmerizing coastline of around 9330km, with millions of tourists coming here solely for the country’s exceptional beaches. The following have been selected as much for the scene – whether backpacker or spring-breaker – as for sand quality, water and scenery.

Playa Cacaluta Wonderfully isolated Huatulco beach, accessible only by boat. See page 490

Mahahual A real castaway, end-of-the-world beach. See page 609

Playa La Audiencia, Manzanillo Bay Perfect cove of honey-coloured sands. See page 193

Playa de Balandra, La Paz Family-friendly, shallow lagoons of crystal-clear water. See page 439

Playa Maruata, Michoacán Long, wild and mostly empty, save for nesting green turtles at certain times of the year. See page 190

Playa El Requesón Gorgeous spit of sand jutting into the Sea of Cortez and surrounded by cactus-spiked mountains. See page 434

Playa La Ropa, Zihuatanejo Classic Pacific resort beach, hemmed in by palm trees. See page 185

Tulum Maya ruins, pristine Caribbean waters and silky sands. See page 600

Yelapa, Puerto Vallarta Another beach only accessible by boat, lined with fun bars and palapa restaurants. See page 209

Zipolite This laid-back beach is a great place just to chill out. See page 485

When to go

Summer, from June to October, is in theory the rainy season in Mexico, but just how wet it is varies wildly from place to place. In the heart of the country you can expect a heavy but short-lived downpour virtually every afternoon; in the north hardly any rain falls, ever. Chiapas is the wettest state, with many minor roads washed out in the autumn, and in the south and low-lying coastal areas summer is stickily humid too. Along the beaches, September to mid-October is hurricane season – you’ll usually get wet weather, choppy seas and mosquitoes, if not a full-on tropical storm. Late winter is the traditional tourist season, and in the big resorts like Acapulco and Cancún, the months from December through to April are the busiest. Mountain areas, though, can get very cold then; in fact, nights in the mountains can be extremely cold at any time of year.

Visitors come all year round – sticking on the whole to the highlands in summer and the coasts in winter. November is probably the ideal time to visit, with the rains over, the land still fresh and the peak season not yet begun.

Climate

Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov

Acapulco

Max/Min (°C) 31/22 31/22 32/25 33/25 32/25 32/24

Max/Min (F) 88/72 88/72 90/77 91/77 90/77 90/75

Rainfall (mm) 13 5 0 203 279 15

Mérida

Max/Min (°C) 28/18 32/20 34/21 33/23 32/23 29/19

Max/Min (F) 22/64 90/68 93/70 91/73 90/73 84/66

Rainfall (mm) 25 13 76 127 178 25

Mexico City

Max/Min (°C) 22/6 27/10 27/13 24/13 23/13 23/9

Max/Min (F) 72/43 81/50 81/55 75/55 73/48

Rainfall (mm) 13 13 76 152 127 13

Oaxaca

Max/Min (°C) 28/8C 32/12 32/15 28/15 27/15 28/10

Max/Min (F) 82/46 90/54 90/59 82/59 81/59 82/50 82/50

Rainfall (mm) 51 25 127 203 279 51

Tijuana

Max/Min (°C) 20/6 21/8 23/12 27/16 27/16 23/10

Max/Min (F) 268/43 70/46 73/54 81/61 81/61 73/50F

Rainfall (mm) 51 25 5 0 13 25

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Author picks

Our author recommendations don’t end here. We’ve flagged up our favourite places – a perfectly sited hotel, an atmospheric café, a special restaurant – throughout the Guide, highlighted with the ê symbol.

Surviving 42-degree desert heat, tramping hurricane-battered Pacific beaches and scaling lofty volcanoes, our hard-travelling author has visited every corner of this vast, magnificent country – from the ancient caves of Baja California to the dense rainforest of the Lacandón Jungle. Here are a few of their favourite things:

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La Paz Beach, Baja California Sur

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Dawn by kayak Paddling through the glassy, desert-backed waters of Bahía Concepción as the sun rises, surrounded by marine life, is an otherworldly experience (see page 434).

Hit the Road Driving Hwy-1, from the US border to the southern tip of Baja California, through deserts, isolated mountain ranges and tropical beach towns, rates as one of the world’s greatest road journeys (see page 416).

Death-defying cliff divers A dazzling display of skill and courage takes place four times a day in Acapulco (see page 183), when the resident clavadistas throw themselves from the rocky cliffs of La Quebrada – with a somersault or two thrown in for good measure.

Subterranean swimming The cenotes of northern Yucatán – vast sun-lit caverns filled with water – are magical places for a refreshing dip; X’keken and Samula are two of the best (see page 575).

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Iglesia de San Juan Bautista, San Juan Chamula

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A window onto the Aztec world Rent a boat and soak up the carnival atmosphere, flowers and traditional floating gardens at the Mexico City suburb of Xochimilco (see page 112).

Go syncretic The Iglesia de San Juan Bautista (see page 517), in the village of San Juan Chamula, Chiapas, is an incredibly vibrant blend of Catholicism and animist tradition, with the local Maya praying on a floor of pine needles.

Best underground club You can’t get more underground than La Mina Club (see page 301) in Zacatecas – it’s inside the old El Edén mine shafts.

Microbreweries Baja California’s expanding craft-beer scene can be sampled at Plaza Fiesta (see page 420), Cervecería Wendlandt (see page 425) in Ensenada and Baja Brewing Co in San José del Cabo (see page 448).

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things not to miss

It’s not possible to see everything Mexico has to offer in one trip – and we don’t suggest you try. What follows, in no particular order, is a selective taste of the country’s highlights: ancient ruins, vibrant cities and spectacular landscapes. All highlights are colour-coded by chapter and have a page reference to take you straight into the Guide, where you can find out more.

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1 Guanajuato

See page 282

This gorgeous colonial town, sandwiched into a narrow ravine, is home to one of the country’s finest Baroque churches, a thriving student scene and a relaxed café and bar culture.

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2 Silver jewellery from Taxco

See page 163

The town of Taxco, an interesting place in itself, offers the most exquisite silver products in the country.

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3 Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve

See page 607

A huge, stunning coastal nature reserve with ecosystems ranging from tropical forest through fresh- and saltwater marshes to barrier reef. Wildlife of every sort lives here, but it’s especially good for bird watching.

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4 Tequila

See page 234

Visit the town that gave birth to Mexico’s favourite tipple, surrounded by fields of blue agave, and enjoy tours of local distilleries.

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5 The Bonampak murals

See page 532

The ancient temples at Bonampak, in the far south of Mexico, depict vivid scenes of Maya life.

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6 Baja beaches

See page 434

Tour the Sea of Cortez beaches along Bahía Concepción, whose pristine azure waters contrast with desert-fringed mountains.

Copyright (c) 2014 Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

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7 El Tajín

See page 333

Once the most important city on the Gulf coast but only rediscovered in 1785.

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8 Diving off Cozumel

See page 598

Mexico has fantastic diving opportunities: the coral reefs off Isla Cozumel provide some of the best.

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9 Baja whale watching

See pages 430 and 431

Between December and April, thousands of grey whales come to mate in the lagoons of Guerrero Negro and San Ignacio.

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10 Real de Catorce

See page 308

This extraordinary ghost-town once thrived on the wealth of its silver mines. Huichol pilgrims visit the nearby desert in search of peyote.

Copyright (c) 2017 gerardo daniel paez/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

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11 The Zócalo, Mexico City

See page 88

The eternal heart of the city, the capital’s main plaza is surrounded by its cathedral and the ruins of Aztec Tenochtitlán.

Copyright (c) 2016 Aleksandar Todorovic/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

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12 Voladores de Papantla

See page 333

An ancient religious ritual, this gravity-defying dance is still mesmerizing.

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13 Calakmul

See page 615

Deep in the heart of the jungle, this is the largest-known archeological zone in Mesoamerica.

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14 Tulum

See page 600

This fashionable town boasts a picturesque Maya site overlooking a spectacular beach, plus an array of great places to stay, eat and drink.

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15 Cenotes, Valladolid

See page 575

Take a refreshing dip in crystal-clear sinkholes, one with the roots of a huge alamo tree stretching down into it.

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16 Museo Frida Kahlo

See page 109

Politics, art and national identity combine at the home of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

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17 Mariachi

See page 127

You’ll find mariachi played the length and breadth of the country but most notably in Mexico City’s Plaza Garibaldi.

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18 Palenque

See page 525

This Maya site is remarkable for its distinctive architectural style and its setting in jungle-smothered hills.

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19 Chichén Itzá

See page 569

The most famous of the Maya cities. See the sprawling ruins and complex carvings over a couple of days.

Copyright (c) 2022 Aleksandr Medvedkov/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

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20 The Rivera murals

See page 89

Diego Rivera’s murals at the Palacio Nacional in Mexico City.

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21 Museo Nacional de Antropología

See page 103

An enormous collection of artefacts from all the major pre-Hispanic cultures.

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22 Nightlife in Playa del Carmen

See page 594

Dance on the sand or in super-hip small clubs alongside stylish Mexico City weekenders and European expats in this Caribbean boomtown.

Copyright (c) 2022 Semyon Nazarov/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

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23 Xochimilco

See page 112

Take in the carnival atmosphere and colours while being punted around the canals and serenaded by mariachi bands.

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24 Pyramid of the Sun, Teotihuacán

See page 137

The granddaddy of all ancient Mesoamerican pyramids, built in 100 AD and some 70m high.

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25 Lago de Pátzcuaro

See page 248

Most famous for its Day of the Dead celebrations, this enchanting lake is a worthy destination year-round.

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26 Oaxaca markets

See page 461

Any market in Mexico is a feast for the senses, but Oaxaca’s are especially vibrant, with everything from fresh produce to some of the country’s most imaginative textiles.

Copyright (c) 2018 Crystal Egan/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

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27 Mérida

See page 553

The capital of Yucatán state, nicknamed the White City, has a gorgeous historic centre filled with architectural gems, plus a lively cultural scene.

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28 Zacatecas

See page 295

Ancient silver mines, thrilling ziplines and one of Mexico’s most opulent cathedrals.

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29 Charreada

See page 73

The ultimate charro (cowboy) event, traditional charreadas (rodeos) make a brilliant spectator sport.

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30 The Copper Canyon

See page 392

Whether you take the awe-inspiring train ride or hike along the canyon floor, a visit to this vast system of chasms is a definite highlight.

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Itineraries

Create your own itinerary with Rough Guides. Whether you’re after adventure or a family-friendly holiday, we have a trip for you, with all the activities you enjoy doing and the sights you want to see. All our trips are devised by local experts who get the most out of the destination. Visit www.roughguides.com/trips to chat with one of our travel agents.

The following itineraries span the entire length of this incredibly diverse country, from the deserts and jaw-dropping canyons of the north to the grand colonial cities of the centre and the Maya ruins, beaches and jungles of the south. Given the vast distances involved, you may not be able to cover everything, but even picking a few highlights will give you a deeper insight into Mexico’s natural and historic wonders. The trips below give a flavour of what the country has to offer and what we can plan and book for you at http://roughguides.com/trips.

Classic Mexico

This three-week tour focuses on the southern and central parts of the country, traditionally the most popular targets for independent travellers.

1 Mexico City Soak up the museums, murals and markets of the nation’s crazy, high-octane capital, leaving a couple of days for Cholula and Teotihuacán. See page 82

2 Oaxaca Head to Mexico’s most enticing state, its capital the best place to sample mole, mescal and Indigenous crafts. See page 457

3 Zapotec and Mixtec heartland After the obligatory visit to Monte Albán, spend two to three days exploring the Indigenous markets and lesser-known ruins around Oaxaca. See page 470

4 Palenque Heading north, these are some of the grandest jungle-smothered Maya ruins in the country, all easily accessible from the town of the same name. See page 525

5 Yaxchilan and Bonampak From Palenque you can strike out into the Lacandón Maya heartland and these more isolated, romantic ruins. See pages 534 and 532

6 Tulum Back on the Yucatán mainland enjoy the stunning beach, enigmatic ruins and top eating and drinking options at the hippest spot on the Riviera Maya. See page 600

7 Chichén Itzá and cenotes End your trip by soaking up Mexico’s most magical Maya ruins followed by a dip in the cooling waters of a giant limestone sinkhole. See pages 569 and 575

The Great Outdoors

Mexico is home to exceptionally varied landscapes and ecosystems, but you can get a decent taster in two to three weeks. This tour starts at the US border and works south.

1 Whale watching in Baja Witness the annual grey whale migration from the central Baja towns of Guerrero Negro and San Ignacio. See pages 430 and 431

2 Bahía Concepción South of Mulegé lie the finest beaches in Baja, perfect for kayaking or just lounging on the sands. See page 434

3 Isla Espíritu Santo Take a day trip from La Paz to see sea lions, dolphins, manta rays and whale sharks. See page 437

4 Copper Canyon Railway Take the ferry from La Paz to Los Mochis and the terminus for this thrilling train ride into the mountains. See page 392

5 Hiking in the Sierra Tarahumara Jump off the Copper Canyon railway to explore remote trails, ruins and Rarámuri settlements. See page 399

6 Costalegre Continue south along the Pacific to the wildest, least-developed stretch of Mexican coast. See page 197

7 Climbing volcanoes Head inland to conquer the majestic peak of the Nevado de Colima, or bypass Mexico City to check out volcanic activity at Popocatépetl. See pages 196 and 153

8 Rafting at Jalcomulco End up on Mexico’s Gulf coast near Xalapa for whitewater rafting, kayaking, climbing and canyoning. See page 320

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Ruta de la Plata (the silver route)

Spanish Mexico was fuelled by silver, leaving a rich architectural and cultural legacy in the heart of the country. Take at least two weeks to travel this route between Mexico City and Monterrey.

1 Taxco Start by loading up on jewellery at Mexico’s silver capital, just south of Mexico City, a confection of cobbled alleys and colonial, whitewashed homes. See page 161

2 Real del Monte, Hidalgo Head north of Mexico City to this charming mountain retreat, an old mining town with a curious Cornish connection. See page 142

3 Guanajuato Continue into the Bajío to enjoy the cafés, bars, restored mining shafts and creepy nineteenth-century mummies of this grand colonial silver town. See page 282

4 San Miguel Allende Take the short bus ride to the most beautifully preserved and cosmopolitan town in the Bajío, crammed with art galleries and craft stalls. See page 272

5 Pozos This crumbling mining community is a less developed, more romantic version of San Miguel, home to vast, abandoned mine workings. See page 281

6 San Luis Potosí Dynamic, booming city with elegant Baroque buildings and museums dedicated to sculptor Federico Silva. See page 303

7 Zacatecas The capital of the northern Bajío is rich in silver history, with the restored El Edén mine, silversmith school and spectacular art collections. See page 295

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Basics

Getting there

The quickest and easiest way to get to Mexico is to fly. If you’re willing to have your journey take a little longer, it is also possible to travel overland from the US via train, bus or car, or by water – several cruise lines stop along the country’s Pacific and (to a lesser extent) Caribbean coasts.

To some extent, airfares to Mexico depend on the season. Ticket prices to Mexico City and other non-resort destinations show little, if any, fluctuation. Some fares though, especially to resort areas, do vary; they tend to be highest around Easter, from early June to mid-September and at Christmras and New Year. Prices may drop during the shoulder seasons – mid-September to early November and late April to early June – and the best deals are usually available during the low season (November to March, excluding Christmas and New Year). Flying at weekends can also sometimes add to round-trip fares, however if you book far enough in advance you can often avoid paying more. At the time of writing, schedules were still being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, making prices even more unpredictable.

Image ID:101-1

The Arch (El Arco) of Cabo San Lucas

Shutterstock

Flights from the US and Canada

From most places in North America, flying is the most convenient way to reach Mexico. There are flights from just about every major US city, with the least expensive and most frequent leaving from gateway cities in the south and west, especially Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and Orlando. If you live close to the border, it’s usually cheaper to cross into Mexico and take an internal flight. If it’s a resort that you want, you may well find that one of the airlines offers an attractive deal including a few nights’ accommodation.

Aeroméxico (http://aeromexico.com) flies direct to dozens of destinations in Mexico, and can make connections to many others. The bigger US airlines – especially American Airlines (http://aa.com), Delta (http://delta.com), United (http://united.com) and US Airways (http://usairways.com) – have connections to Mexico City and the more popular resorts from all over the US. Budget Mexican airlines, such as Viva Aerobus (http://vivaaerobus.com) and Volaris (http://volaris.mx), also run flights into Mexico from a handful of American cities.

For the lowest-priced round trip to Mexico City or Cancún in high season, travelling from the US, try to fly out of Dallas, Miami, Houston, New York or LA. There are direct flights to many parts of Mexico from numerous other US airports, but adding a feeder flight from any US or Canadian city to one of the main gateways should be straightforward. The Delta hub in Atlanta is also a good origin point if you’re looking for the best deal in high season.

There are fewer direct scheduled flights from Canada to Mexico, although Air Canada (http://aircanada.com) flies to Mexico City from Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and Aeroméxico flies there from Montréal. Air Canada also serves Cancún from Toronto and Montréal. However, the biggest choice of direct flights is offered by WestJet (http://westjet.com), which does not serve Mexico City, but does have flights to Cancún and several other beach resorts from a number of Canadian airports, supplemented in some cases by Sunwing (http://flysunwing.com), Air Transat (http://airtransat.ca), and winter charter flights. Flying via the US expands your options further.

To bag the lowest high-season round-trip fares to Mexico City or Cancún try to fly out of Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver and reserve your tickets as far in advance as possible.

Rough Guides online

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Flights from the UK and Ireland

BA (http://britishairways.com) has direct scheduled flights from London to Mexico City and Cancún; Virgin (http://virgin-atlantic.com) has direct flights to Cancún. There are also (generally cheaper) charter flights to Cancún from Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester with TUI (http://tui.co.uk) and Thomas Cook (http://thomascook.com). Flying from anywhere else in the UK or Ireland, or to any other destination in Mexico, you will have to change planes somewhere.

Even from London, although a direct flight is easiest, it can be cheaper to take an indirect flight with a European or US carrier. From other British and Irish airports, you can either fly via London with BA, or use a European or North American airline, changing planes at their hub cities (Air Europa, for example, codeshares with Aeroméxico via Madrid; http://aireuropa.com). Another possibility is to fly via the US and either continue overland or buy an onward flight once in the country. LA and Houston are logical points from which to set off overland, and, along with Miami, have reasonably priced onward flights to several Mexican destinations. Prices for scheduled return flights from London to Mexico City are lowest in the winter off-season, but peak in price during the month of August. Charter flights to Cancún are also at their most affordable in the low season, cost the most in August, and your stay will probably be limited to one or two weeks.

A better kind of travel

At Rough Guides we are passionately committed to travel. We believe it helps us understand the world we live in and the people we share it with – and of course tourism is vital to many developing economies. But the scale of modern tourism has also damaged some places irreparably, and climate change is accelerated by most forms of transport, especially flying. We encourage our authors to consider the carbon footprint of the journeys they make in the course of researching our guides.

From Australia, New Zealand and South Africa

The high season for flights to Mexico from the southern hemisphere is mid-June to mid-July and mid-December to mid-January, though prices do not vary vastly between seasons. There are no direct flights to Mexico from Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, so you will have to change planes somewhere en route.

From Australia, your widest choice of airlines is out of Sydney, where there are flights to Mexico with Delta (http://delta.com) via LA or Houston, with United (http://united.com) via LA, with Air Canada (http://aircanada.com) via Vancouver, or with LAN (http://lan.com) via Santiago de Chile. United also serve Melbourne. Otherwise, you can fly with Qantas (http://qantas.com.au) from almost any Australian airport to LA, continuing to Mexico with an American or Mexican airline.

From New Zealand, your choice is very similar: Air Canada via Vancouver, an American airline via LA or Auckland to LA with Air New Zealand (http://airnewzealand.com), continuing with a Mexican or American airline. From other New Zealand airports, you will probably need to change planes additionally at Auckland or Sydney. Prices vary however the best deals can be booked up to a year in advance.

From South Africa, your most direct route is with Delta or United from Johannesburg via the US, or on SAA (http://flysaa.com) in combination with an American or Mexican airline. You can also fly with a European airline such as KLM (http://klm.com), Lufthansa (http://lufthansa.com) or British Airways (http://britishairways.com) via their hubs in Europe. From other South African airports, you’ll usually have to fly via Johannesburg. Fares will vary according to the season.

Trains

US passenger train services reach the border at El Paso, on the LA–Dallas line. El Paso is served by Amtrak’s Sunset Limited service three times weekly from New Orleans, Houston, Tucson and LA. The Sunset Limited also picks up Amtrak’s Texas Eagle (from Chicago, St Louis, Little Rock and Dallas) overnight at San Antonio. The journey takes just over sixteen hours from LA, nineteen and a half from Houston, or – including an eight-hour layover in San Antonio – 26.5 hours from Dallas and 48.5 hours from Chicago.

Arrivals on these services (around 8am from LA, 4.15pm from Chicago and New Orleans) give you time to cross the border, have something to eat in Ciudad Juárez and catch a bus on to Mexico City.

Check current timetables with Amtrak (1 800 872 7245, http://amtrak.com).

Buses

US bus travel is pretty grim compared to the relative comfort of Amtrak, but you have a wider range of US border posts to choose from. Count on at least 52 hours’ journey time from New York to El Paso or twelve hours from San Francisco to Tijuana – and at least a further day’s travel from either point to Mexico City.

Greyhound (1 800 231 2222 or 1 214 849 8100, http://greyhound.com) runs regularly to all the major border crossings. Some of their buses will also take you over the frontier to a Mexican bus station, which saves a lot of hassle. Greyhound agents abroad should be able to reserve your through tickets with their Mexican counterparts, which is even more convenient but involves pre-planning. Additionally, many Mexican bus companies cross the border into the US, so that you can pick up a bus to Mexico City as far north as Houston or LA.

More countercultural, and arguably better value, are overland tours from San Francisco with Green Tortoise Adventure Travel (http://greentortoise.com). Converted school buses provide reasonably comfortable transport and sleeping space for up to 35 people; the clientele comes from all over the world, and communal alfresco cooking is the rule.

Border crossings

There are some forty frontier posts along the US–Mexico border. Many of them are only open during the day, and are more or less inaccessible without your own transport. For a full list, see http://bwt.cbp.gov. The main ones, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, are, from west to east:

San Diego, California (San Ysidro)–Tijuana, Baja California.

Calexico, California–Mexicali, Baja California.

Nogales, Arizona–Nogales, Sonora.

Douglas, Arizona–Agua Prieta, Sonora.

El Paso, Texas–Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.

Laredo, Texas–Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas.

Brownsville, Texas–Matamoros, Tamaulipas.

Border practicalities

Crossing the border, especially on foot, it’s easy to go straight past the immigration and customs checks. There’s a free zone south of the frontier, and you can cross at will and stay for up to three days. If, as likely, you’re heading further south, however, be sure to stop at the Mexican immigration office, pay the entry fee (derecho de no inmigrante), pick up a tourist card (FMM), and get it stamped and your bags checked. Otherwise, you’ll be stopped after some 20km and sent back to complete the formalities. See Entry requirements, see page 57, for more information.

Troubled areas

The area bordering the US, particularly Ciudad Juárez, and also Tijuana, are some of the biggest hot spots in Mexico’s drugs war (see page 64). Extra caution should be exercised when crossing this area, especially by car.

Driving

Taking your own car into Mexico will obviously give you a great deal more freedom, but it’s an option fraught with complications. Aside from border formalities, you’ll also have to contend with the state of the roads, the style of driving and the quality of the fuel.

Licences and permits

Driving licences from the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and most European countries are valid in Mexico, but it’s a good idea to arm yourself with an International Driving Licence – available from motoring organizations such as the AAA in the US, the CAA in Canada or the AA in Britain. If you fall foul of a Mexican traffic cop for any reason, show that first; if they abscond with it you at least still have your own licence.

As a rule, you can drive in Baja California, western Sonora and the Zona Libre (the border area extending roughly 25km into Mexico) without any special formalities. To drive elsewhere in Mexico, however, you must obtain a temporary importation permit (for a fee) at the border, or online at http://www.banjercito.com.mx/registrovehiculos.

To make sure you don’t sell the car in Mexico or a neighbouring country, you’ll also be required to post a cash bond, the amount of which will depend on the make and age of your vehicle, though it will be around US$500 for a car less than five years old. This can be done in cash (US dollars only), or with the credit or debit card of the owner of the vehicle (who must be present), at Banjército, the Mexican army bank, which has offices at border posts specifically for the purpose. You’ll need to show registration and title documents for the car, plus your driver’s licence and passport, and you’ll probably be asked to supply two photocopies of these as well as your tourist card.

The permits are good for 180 days, during which time you can drive your car out of Mexico and return, but there are penalties in force if you exceed the limit, including forfeiture of your vehicle, and you must be sure to have your importation permit terminated when you finally do leave, or the authorities may assume your vehicle is still in the country; if you write it off while you are in Mexico, you need to inform Mexican customs and obtain permission to leave without it.

Top 5 archeological sites

Chichén Itzá. See page 569.

Teotihuacán. See page 135.

Palenque. See page 528.

Calakmul See page 615.

Monte Albán. See page 467.

Insurance

US and Canadian auto insurance policies don’t cover Mexico, so you will need to take out a Mexican policy, available from numerous agencies on either side of every border post. Rates depend on the value of the vehicle and what kind of coverage you want, but be sure to set aside a daily budget for basic liability on a short trip. To arrange a policy before leaving the US, contact Instant Mexico Insurance Services (http://instant-mex-auto-insur.com), Oscar Padilla Mexican Insurance (http://mexicaninsurance.com), or the acknowledged leader in the field, Sanborn’s Insurance (http://sanbornsinsurance.com).

To get discounts on insurance, it might be worth joining a travel club, such as Discover Baja Travel Club (http://discoverbaja.com) or Sanborn’s Sombrero Club (1 800 222 0158). These clubs typically also offer discounts on accommodation and free travel advice.

The American and Canadian AAs produce road maps and route planners for travel to Mexico, and members may qualify for discounted insurance at affiliated border agencies, but their emergency/breakdown services do not cover you once you are inside Mexico.

Boats

If you want to sail to Mexico in your own boat, similar conditions apply to those in effect for motor vehicles (see page 56).

Alternatively, you could take a cruise. Several lines offer cruises on the Pacific coast, most popularly between LA and Acapulco, stopping at Los Cabos, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta and Zihuatanejo. Others ply the Caribbean side out of Miami, taking in Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and other Mexican destinations. Prices per person (not including drinks) for a week-long cruise, plus airfare are lowest when booked up to a year in advance and go (way) up from there the closer you get to the day of departure. Agencies specializing in cruises include those listed below.

Agents and operators

Journey Latin America http://journeylatinamerica.co.uk. Well-established Latin America specialists offering a range of itineraries throughout the country, including ones focusing on the country’s Maya and Aztec heritage.

My Mexico Tours http://mymexicotours.com. A range of interesting small-group tours, on and off the beaten track, with an emphasis on getting to know the country.

North South Travel http://northsouthtravel.co.uk. Friendly, competitive travel agency, offering discounted fares. Profits are used to support projects in the developing world, especially promoting sustainable tourism.

Trailfinders http://trailfinders.com. One of the best-informed and most efficient agents for independent travellers.

Travel Cuts http://travelcuts.com. Canadian youth and student travel firm.

USIT http://usit.ie. Ireland’s main youth and student travel specialists.

Cruise Line contacts

Carnival Cruise Lines http://carnival.com. One of the world’s largest and most well connected cruise ship operators.

Holland America http://hollandamerica.com. US based cruise and vacation company with a good range of itineraries for most budgets.

Royal Caribbean Cruises http://royalcaribbean.com. One of the world’s largest cruise line operators based out of Miami, Florida.

Visas and entry requirements

Citizens of the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and most EU countries do not need visas to enter Mexico as tourists for less than 180 days. Other Europeans can stay for ninety days. Non-US citizens travelling via the US, however, may need a US visa (see page 58).

Visas, obtainable only through a consulate (in person or by mail), are required by nationals of South Africa and many developing countries, as well as by anyone entering Mexico to work, to study or for stays longer than six months. Business visitors usually need a Business Authorization Card available from consulates, but nationals of countries exempt from a tourist visa can enter on business for up to thirty days on a tourist card (see below). For more detailed information on who needs a visa, visit the website of the Instituto Nacional de Migración at http://inm.gob.mx (click on English top right).

For the latest travel restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic, please consult your country’s foreign office or state department.

Tourist cards and the derecho do no inmigrante

All visitors, regardless of nationality, need a valid passport and a tourist card (or FMM – Forma Migratoria Múltiple). The only exception applies to visits of less than three days to the 20km, duty-free strip adjoining the US border, into which you can come and go more or less as you please (though you still need a passport or photo ID). Visitors entering by land and passing beyond this Zona Libre (you’ll be sent back at a checkpoint if you haven’t been through customs and immigration) are also required to pay a M$460 derecho de no inmigrante entry fee, payable at a bank. Some land crossings have a bank at the border post, otherwise you’ll need to go to a bank to pay it before you leave Mexico.

Tourist cards are otherwise free, and if you’re flying direct, you should get one on the plane or from the airline before leaving. A good travel agent should be able to arrange one for you, too, and they’re also issued by Mexican consulates (every major US city and most border towns have one), in person or by post. Finally, failing all these options, you should be able to get tourist cards at airports or border crossings on arrival. However, if they’ve run out, you’ll have to twiddle your thumbs until the next batch comes in, and if your passport is not issued by a rich Western country, you may encounter difficulty in persuading border officials to give you a card at all; it’s therefore preferable to get one in advance. Entering from Belize or Guatemala, it’s not unknown for border posts to run out of tourist cards, or for officials to (illegally) demand a fee for issuing them. To find the address of an embassy or consulate not listed below, see under Representaciones at http://sre.gob.mx.

Most people officially need a passport to pick up their tourist card, but for US and Canadian citizens entering by land, all that’s required is proof of citizenship (an original birth certificate or notarized copy, for instance, or naturalization papers), along with some form of photo ID (such as a driver’s licence). Passports are still best, however.

A tourist card is valid for a single entry only, so if you intend to enter and leave Mexico more than once you should pick up two or three. On the card, you are asked how long you intend to stay. Always apply for longer than you need, since getting an extension is a frustrating and time-consuming business. You don’t always get the time you’ve asked for, and at land borders with Belize and Guatemala they sometimes only give fifteen or thirty days (though they may give you more if you specifically ask). Immigration officers sometimes ask to see bank statements or other proof of sufficient funds for your stay, especially if they judge that you do not look sufficiently wealthy (or are from a developing country).

Don’t lose the tourist card stub that is given back to you after immigration inspection. You are legally required to carry it at all times, and if you have to show your papers, it’s more important than your passport. It also has to be handed in on leaving the country – without it, you may encounter problems and delays. Note that, contrary to what crooked border officials may tell you, there is no exit fee when leaving Mexico.

US visas

Non-US citizens travelling via the US may need a US visa, even if they will only be in the country in transit. Citizens of the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and most Western European countries can enter under the Visa Waiver Program. Apply well in advance at http://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta. South African citizens need to obtain a visa. Visit the website of the US embassy in your country of residence for further details.

Should you lose your tourist card, or need to have it renewed, head for the nearest immigration department office (Departamento de Migración); there are branches in the biggest cities. In the case of renewal, it’s far simpler to cross any of Mexico’s borders (or even fly to Cuba or Jamaica) for a day and get a new card on re-entry than to apply for an extension; if you do apply to the immigration department, it’s wise to do so a couple of weeks in advance, though you may be told to come back nearer the actual expiration date. Whatever else you may be told, branches of SECTUR (the tourist office) cannot renew expired tourist cards or replace lost ones – they will only direct you to the nearest immigration office.

Mexican consulates and embassies abroad

Australia 14 Perth Ave, Yarralumla, Canberra, ACT 2600; 02 6273 3947, http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/australia.

Belize Corner of Wilson St and Newtown Barracks, Belize City; 223 0193, http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/belice.

Canada 45 O’Connor St, Suite 1000, Ottawa, ON K1P 1A4; 1 613 233 8988, http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/canada; 2055 Peel, Suite 1000, Montreal, PQ H3A 1V4; 1 514 288 2502, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/montreal; 11 King St W, Suite 350, Commerce Court W, Toronto, ON M5H 4C7; 1 416 368 2875, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/toronto; 1177 W Hastings St, Suite 411, Vancouver, BC V6E 2K3; 1 604 684 3547, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/vancouver; 833 4th Ave SW, Suite 1100, Calgary, AL; 2P 3T5, 1 403 264 4819, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/calgary.

Cuba 518 C 12 (at the corner of Ave 7ma), Reparto Miramar, Municipio Playa, Havana; 53 21 41433, http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/cuba.

Guatemala 7–57 2ª Av, Zona 10, Apartado Postal 01010, Guatemala City; 2420 3400, http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/guatemala; 5 C 17–24, Zona 3, Quetzaltenango; 7767 5542 to 4, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/quetzaltenango; 3-A Av 4-74, Zona 1, Tecún Umán, 7776 8114, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/tecunuman.

Ireland 19 Raglan Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4; 01 667 3105, http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/irlanda.

New Zealand 185–187 Featherston St, Level 2 (AMP Chambers), Wellington; 04 472 0555, http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/nuevazelandia.

South Africa Parkdev Building, Brooklyn Bridge, 570 Fehrsen St, Brooklyn, Pretoria 0181; 012 460 1004, http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/sudafrica.

UK 16 St George St, London W1S 1FD; 020 7499 8586, http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/reinounido.

USA 1911 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20006; 1 202 728 1600, http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/eua; and in nearly fifty other US towns and cities, including these near the border:

Arizona 1201 F Ave, Douglas, AZ 85607; 1 520 364 3107, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/douglas; 135 W Cardwell St, Nogales, AZ 85621; 1 602 287 2521; http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/nogales.

California 408 Heber Ave, Calexico, CA 92231–2811; 1 760 357 3863, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/calexico; 1549 India St, San Diego, CA 92101; 1 619 231 8414, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/sandiego.

Texas 301 Mexico Bvd, Suite F-2, Brownsville, TX 78520; 1 956 542 4431, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/brownsville; 2398 Texas Spur 239, Del Rio, TX 78840–8980; 1 830 775 2352 or 1 866 701 7777, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/delrio; 2252 E Garrison St, Eagle Pass, TX 78852; 1 830 773 9255 or 6, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/eaglepass; 910 E San Antonio Ave, El Paso, TX 79901; 1 915 549 0003, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/elpaso; 1612 Farragut St, Laredo, TX 78040; 1 956 723 6369, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/laredo; 600 S Broadway St, McAllen, TX 78501; 1 956 686 0243, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/mcallen; 127 Navarro St, San Antonio, TX 78205; 1210 227 9145 or 6, http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/sanantonio.

Customs

Duty-free allowances into Mexico include: 20 packets of cigarettes, 25 cigars or 300g of tobacco; three litres of alcoholic drinks or six litres of wine; two cameras; one laptop; and three mobile phones. If you are carrying more than US$10,000 with you, you must declare it. For full details, see http://omawww.sat.gob.mx (click on English top right). Leaving Mexico, note that it is illegal to take antiquities (including Aztec and Maya artefacts) out of the country, and penalties are serious.

Getting around

Distances in Mexico can be huge, and if you’re intending to travel on public transport, you should be prepared for some very long journeys. Getting from Tijuana to Mexico City, for example, can take nearly two days nonstop by bus. Although public transport at ground level is frequent and reasonably efficient everywhere, taking an internal flight at least once may be worthwhile for the time it saves.

By bus

Within Mexico, buses (long-distance buses are called camiones rather than autobuses in Mexican Spanish) are by far the most common and efficient form of public transport. The legendary craziness of Mexican bus drivers is largely a thing of the past, and many bus companies have installed warning lights and buzzers to indicate when the driver is exceeding the speed limit (though these are often ignored by the driver). In recent years the government has been trying to improve the safety record through regular mechanical checks and also with random alcohol and drug tests on the drivers.

Classes

There are basically two classes of bus, first (primera) and second (segunda), though on major long-distance routes there’s often little to differentiate them. First-class vehicles have reserved seats, videos and air-conditioning (which can be fierce – you may want a jumper), though an increasing number of second-class lines have the same comforts. The main differences will be in the number of stops – second-class buses call at more places, and consequently take longer to get where they’re going – and the fare, which is about ten percent higher on first-class services (sometimes a lot more). On important routes there are also deluxe, or pullman, buses, with names like Primera Plus or Turistar Plus and fares around thirty percent higher than those of first-class buses.

Stations

Most towns of any size have a modern bus station, known as the Central Camionera or Central de Autobuses. Don’t let the word central fool you, as they are usually located a long way from the town centre. Where there is no unified terminus you may find separate first- and second-class terminals, or individual ones for each company, sometimes little more than bus stops at the side of the road. There is some form of baggage deposit (left luggage) office in most bus stations – usually known as a guardería, consigna or simply equipaje. Before leaving anything, make sure that the place will be open when you come to collect your bags. If there’s no formal facility, staff at the bus companies’ baggage dispatching offices can often be persuaded to look after your things for a short while.

Tickets

Always check your route and arrival time, and whenever possible buy tickets from the bus station in advance to get the best (or any) seats. Alternatively, try the operator’s website or an agent such as Ticketbus (http://ticketbus.com.mx). Prices are reasonable: a first-class ticket on the Cancún–Mérida route can be enjoyed on most travel budgets, for example. While there are very rarely problems getting a place on a bus from its point of origin or from really big towns, in smaller, mid-route places, you may have to wait for the bus to arrive (or at least to leave the previous stop) before discovering if there are any seats – the increased prevalence of computerized ticketing is easing the problem.

Timetables

Terms to look out for on the timetable, besides local and de paso (buses that originate in another destination), include vía corta (by the short route) and directo or expreso (direct/nonstop – in theory at least). Salida is departure, llegada arrival. A decent road map will be extremely helpful in working out which buses are going to pass through your destination. http://miescape.mx/miescape is a useful site for checking schedules.

Banditry: a warning

You should be aware when driving in Mexico, especially in a foreign vehicle, of the danger of bandits. Robberies and even more serious assaults on motorists do occur, above all in the northwest and especially in the state of Sinaloa. This was something tragically highlighted in late 2015 when two Australian travellers driving through Sinaloa were stopped, robbed and shot dead by a gang. Robbers may try to make you stop by indicating that there is something wrong with your vehicle; they’ve also been known to pose as policemen, hitchhikers and motorists in distress, so think twice about offering a lift or a helping hand. On the other hand, there are plenty of legitimate police checkpoints along the main roads, where you must stop, and increased security (to combat the drug cartels) has very much reduced hold-ups of buses. Robbers mainly target cargo trucks rather than private cars, but it is nonetheless best to avoid driving at night, particularly in the north of the country, but also in Michoacán and Guerrero, on Hwy-200 along the Pacific coast from Jalisco to Oaxaca, and on Hwy-57 (Mexico City–San Luis Potosí–Matahuela). It’s always safer to use a toll (cuota) highway than a free one. The US State Department currently advises its citizens to avoid travelling at night on highways anywhere in the country.

By air

There are more than fifty airports in Mexico with regular passenger flights run by local airlines, plus several smaller airports with feeder services. The big company – formerly state-owned and with inter-national as well as domestic flights – is Aeroméxico (http://aeromexico.com), which connects most places to Mexico City, usually several times a day. There are numerous other smaller and no-frills airlines such as Aeromar (http://aeromar.com.mx), Volaris (http://volaris.com), Mayair (http://mayair.com.mx), Viva Aerobus (http://vivaaerobus.com) and AeroServicio Guerrero (http://asg.com.mx), which also cover most major destinations. Competition between the companies keeps prices steady and relatively low: one-way tickets are generally the most affordable however they are also nonrefundable.

Internal airfares reflect the popularity of the route: the more popular the trip, the lower the price. Thus the flight from Tijuana to Mexico City costs much the same as the much shorter but less popular flight from Tijuana to Chihuahua, but even the more expensive routes can