Mexico is a land of extremes, with high mountains and deep canyons in the centre of the country, sweeping deserts in the north, and dense rain forests in the south and east.
From basking on soft white sandy beaches to partying the night away in the bustling nightlife, or if you want to get a taste of Mexico’s magical past, unleash your inner Indiana Jones and pay a visit to the ancient Mayan pyramids, deep in the heart of the jungle.
The official language of Mexico is Spanish, which is spoken by 90 percent of the people. Indian languages of the Aztecs, Mayans, and other tribes are still spoken throughout the country. The Mexican Peso is the currency in Mexico; however, the US Dollar is widely accepted in many tourist areas.
The climate in Mexico over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 43°F to 80°F and is rarely below 37°F or above 86°F. The wet season (May to September) is warm and overcast and the dry season (December to April) is comfortable and partly cloudy.
Mexico’s Resorts
Cancun
Cancun has a reputation as party central with all-inclusive resorts that serve bebidas (drinks) from a.m. to p.m. There are plenty of recreational activities and family-oriented properties too. Once a small fishing town along the northern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the city has now bloomed into a thriving holiday resort destination. Due to the long stretches of golden sandy beaches, luxury hotels and electric nightlife And with the Mayan Museum and ruins just a short drive away.
Riviera Maya
Riviera Maya are popular with both families and couples, offering plenty of things to see and do, but with a definite emphasis on indulgence. Nightlife is an important part of any holidays to Riviera Maya and, if you enjoy bright lights, stunning stage shows and the best beats, you won’t be disappointed by the nightclubs in the area.
Tulum is one of the most visited Archaeological Sites in México and the most visited Mayan Archaeological Site in the Cancún-Riviera Maya area, it’s located in a beautiful and calm town also called Tulum where you can find mostly eco-focused restaurants and hotels.
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is situated on the east side of Mexico’s sun-soaked Caribbean coastline, between the chaos of Cancun and the tranquillity of Tulum. Its palm-fringed beaches are indeed as lovely as you’ve heard. Coral reefs provide a surfeit of opportunists for snorkelling and scuba diving, in fact some of the best diving on the Riviera Maya.
Playacar
Just south of Player del Carmen on the Yucatan Peninsula, Playacar is known for its upmarket residential villas, all-inclusive resorts, and luxury golf club. Ideal for families or couples, embracing peace and tranquillity on the white sandy beaches and turquoise waters, you can drift away into your very own dream land. If water sports are your thing, you can take to the water by snorkelling, kayaking, parasailing and bodyboarding.
Cabo San Lucas
located at the tip of the 1,000-mile-long Baja Peninsula, Cabo San Luca is known for its beaches, water-based activities and nightlife. Playa El Médano is Cabo’s main beach, with outdoor restaurants and numerous barsIts desert backdrop is flanked by the coastlines of the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez. The marine life in Los Cabos is one the area's signature features. From January to April, the waters where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez are packed with humpback whales and dolphins.
Puerto Vallarta
Made famous by Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Puerto Vallarta continues to lure travellers as one of the most popular Mexico vacation spots. And vibrant nightlife that is particularly popular with LGBT travellers. From adrenaline activities such as surfing and jungle canopy ziplining to calming excursions including whale and bird watching, Puerto Vallarta keeps travellers engaged with the many wonders of this region.
Cozumel
Off the eastern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, in the Caribbean Sea, is an idyllic island with long stretches of powder-soft sand, lively nightlife, and world-class dive sites unlike any you’ll see in other Mexico destinations.
Riviera Nayarit
Riviera Nayarit is home to the resort town of Nuevo Vallarta, the historic village of San Blas, the celebrity haven of Punta de Mita, the “boho-chic” surf town of Sayulita and a variety of picturesque fishing villages. Activities abound from world-class golf courses, zip lining, diving, and surfing to bird watching, whale watching and turtle release programs. Accommodations range from luxury branded resort destinations and family-friendly all-inclusive to intimate boutique properties and everything in between.
Loreto
Loreto and Baja Sur in general are known for small-town settings surrounded by vast open spaces of desert, mountains, and beaches.
Regionally, the majority of accommodations are small, family-owned hotels, some with two, four or eight rooms, ideal for small groups.
La Paz
La Paz is the capital city of Mexico’s Baja California Sur, and is located about two hours north of Los Cabos on the eastern side of the Baja Peninsula. Situated on the Bay of La Paz in the tranquil Sea of Cortez, La Paz is renowned for its friendly local community, world-class sport fishing, diving and an array of aquatic adventures as well as land-based excursions in the surrounding mountains and desert terrain.
Acapulco
Acapulco is a resort with the best harbour on the Pacific coast of Mexico and one of the finest natural anchorages in the world. The town lies on a narrow strip of land between the bay and the steeply rising mountains that encircle it. Dubbed the ‘Pearl of the Pacific’ during its heyday as a Playground for the rich and famous. Acapulco offers many luxury hotels, excellent beaches, bars and restaurants, and is perfect for deep-sea fishing.
Mexico City
Located in a valley in Mexico's central region, 2,250 metres above sea level, with a magnificent backdrop of the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes, the nation's capital has a pleasant climate, and is a hub of art, culture, and cuisine.
What to do in Mexico
With Cancun being one of the most tourist of destinations, here you can indulge by the pool with a cocktail lapping up your all-inclusive delights. Or for the active family, plunge into the water & Amusement parks with the kids. Escape the hotel and find the latest fashion in the nearby shopping mall or take a trip out for the day on a cultural tour and explore the local landmarks. For those party goers, watch Cancun come to life at night with many nightclubs on offer.
Live the Riviera Maya adventure at Xplore Theme Park. From zip-lining in a hammock and finishing with a big splash into a refreshing cenote, to driving your way through narrow roads, caverns and hanging bridges in your own ATV. Or why not discover the underground caverns full crystal-clear water, from stalactite caverns and rivers to the trails of the Riviera Maya jungle.
A holiday to Tulum is not complete without exploring the historic Tulum ruins and a visit to the iconic Mayan ruins of Chichen itza. Take a step back in history and learn about this large pre-Columbian city built by the Maya people of the Terminal Classic period. For total history buffs, you can find an amazing history museum in Mexico City.
Hiking is a great way to explore the forests and find many waterfalls that Mexico has to offer. Enjoy a refreshing dip before making your way back through some beautiful sights.
A must thing to do in Acapulco is to witness the crazy professional La Quebrada Cliff divers. Performing daily for tourists, they dive 30-41 meters from the cliff to the sea below, with the width of the channel only being 12.8-14.6 metres and the depth 4.8 – 5.8 metres.
Cabo San Lucas is stunning location offering boat trips around the Peninsula. Here is a popular spot for gatherings of sea lions and the Arch of Cabo San Lucas, a distinctive rock formation which is locally known as "El Arco," which means "the arch" in Spanish, or "Land's End."
Wherever you decide to holiday in Mexico, you can really make it your own. From an adventurous holiday with the kids, to fun with your friends, to exploring the historic ruins, to a more relaxing beach couples’ holiday, Mexico really does have everything for everyone.
MEXICAN CUISINE
Enchiladas
Enchiladas date back to Mayan times, when people in the Valley of Mexico would eat corn tortillas wrapped around small fish. These days both corn and flour tortillas are used and are filled with meat, cheese, seafood, beans, vegetables, or all of the above. The stuffed tortillas are then covered in a chilli sauce, making for a perfect Mexican breakfast.
Chilaquiles
This popular traditional breakfast dish features lightly fried corn tortillas cut into quarters and topped with green or red salsa (the red is slightly spicier). Scrambled or fried eggs and pulled chicken are usually added on top, as well as cheese and cream. Chilaquiles are often served with a healthy dose of frijoles (refried beans).
Tostadas
tostadas are a simple but delicious dish involving corn tortillas fried in boiling oil until they become crunchy and golden. These are then served alone or piled high with any number of garnishes. Popular toppings include frijoles (refried beans), cheese, cooked meat, seafood, and ceviche.
Tacos al pastor
This historic dish is one of the most popular varieties of tacos, with origins dating back to the 1920s and 30s and the arrival of Lebanese and Syrian immigrants to Mexico. To create tacos al pastor (meaning ‘in the style of the shepherd’), thin strips of pork are sliced off a spit, placed on a corn tortilla and served with onions, coriander leaves and pineapple.
Guacamole
Guacamole is undoubtedly one of Mexico’s most popular dishes, but few people know that this traditional sauce dates back to the time of the Aztecs. Made from mashed-up avocadoes, onions, tomatoes, lemon juice and chilli peppers (and sometimes a clove or two of garlic), guacamole is often eaten with tortilla chips or used as a side dish.
Chiles en nogada
Boasting the three colours of the Mexican flag, chiles en nogada is one of Mexico’s most patriotic dishes. Poblano chillies filled with picadillo (a mixture of chopped meat, fruits, and spices) represent the green on the flag, the walnut-based cream sauce is the white and pomegranate seeds are the red. Originating from Puebla, history relates that the dish was first served to Don Agustin de Iturbide, liberator and subsequent Emperor of Mexico.
Tamales
Tamales were first developed for the Aztec, Mayan and Inca tribes who needed nourishing food on the go to take into battle. Pockets of corn dough are stuffed with either a sweet or savoury filling, wrapped in banana leaves or corn husks, then steamed. Fillings vary from meats and cheeses to fruits, vegetables, chillies, and mole. Remember to discard the wrapping before eating!
Mole
Three states claim to be the original home of mole (pronounced ‘mol-eh’), a rich sauce popular in Mexican cooking. There are myriad types of mole but all contain around 20 or so ingredients, including one or more varieties of chilli peppers, and all require constant stirring over a long period of time. Perhaps the best-known mole is mole poblano, a rusty red sauce typically served over turkey or chicken.
Elote
Elote is the Mexican name for corn on the cob, and you find someone selling them on nearly every city street corner in Mexico. The corn is traditionally boiled and served either on a stick (to be eaten like an ice cream) or in cups, the kernels having been cut off the cob. Salt, chilli powder, lime, butter, cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream are then added in abundance.
FUN FACTS
Mexico City which was originally built on a lake is sinking at a rate of about 10 inches a year as the city pumps draw water from the lake that supports it.
Children in Mexico receive their Christmas presents on January 6th, not December 25th. Rather than celebrating the birth of Jesus, Mexicans instead celebrate the day the Three Wise Men arrived to give gifts to Jesus. Everyone gets presents when Jesus gets presents!
There are women-only cars in the subway. Mexico City is one of those cities with subway cars where it is illegal for men to enter, creating a space that's completely safe for women.
Mexico is home to the world’s smallest volcano! A small-cano which it is called. The Cuexcomate Volcano sits just outside the city of Puebla and stands a cute 43 feet tall.
Colour TV was invented by a Mexican. Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena the then 23-year-old requested a patent for the first colour image transmission system, which was later used in the Voyager 1 spacecraft.
The largest wildcat in North America is the jaguar, which can be found in Mexico’s southern jungles. They can also be seen hopping around Mayan ruins.
The largest pyramid in the world is the Great Pyramid of Cholula in Mexico. It is also the largest monument ever constructed in the world, not the pyramids of Giza.
The smallest dog in the world the “Chihuahua” is named after a Mexican State.
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