Things to Know Before Visiting Mexico

Why Visit Mexico?

Mexico has such a diverse range of attractions, there is something for everyone to enjoy. It has a long and fascinating history, from the Aztec, Zapotec and Maya civilizations, to the colonial cities that developed after the arrival of the Conquistadors. Ancient sites such as Monte Albán, Chichen Itza (one of the seven wonders of the modern world) and Palenque are astonishing in scale.

Mexico City has so much culture and history to enjoy. Art lovers will enjoy the many galleries, partiularly those dedicated to Frida Khalo or Deigo Rivera. There are also plentiful museums and opportunities to discover Aztec history, even in the city centre, at the Museo del Templo Mayor.

Mexico is the place to enjoy festivals, whether it’s local events in cities, or the amazing Day of the Dead celebrations.

Mexico is sports crazy with football, boxing and baseball being amongst the most popular. And who wouldn’t want to watch Lucha Libre – Mexican wrestling? Matches are popular in many towns and cities, and the Arena México in Mexico City hosts bouts several times a week. Audiences love booing and cheering the heroes and villains in a thoroughly entertaining night out.

If you’re after relaxing beach time, the resorts in Quintana Roo offer the perfect place to enjoy some R&R. Or you can go swimming in the multiple cenotes in the Yucatan – sinkholes filled with clear blue (or green) water.

There are still some areas of the country which fiercely protect their cultural heritage and you can visit indigenous villages to discover local traditions. The area around San Cristobal de la Casas in the state of Chiapas is fascinating.

Along with a friendly welcome and one of the best cuisines in the world, what’s not to love?

Getting There

Most people will fly into Mexico City or Cancun. There are an increasing number of direct flights from Europe these days. Visitors from the USA or central America may cross the land border.

Getting Around

Mexico City has a good metro system which is cheap to use at 5 Pesos per ride.

In terms of travelling between cities you can fly between many of the major locations but we used buses to get around. The buses are cheap and reliable, but journey times can be long. For some of the longer journeys we used overnight buses. Make sure you travel with your valuables and documentation with you (rather than putting it into your bags in the bus luggage compartment) as there are often checkpoints along the road and you may be required to produce ID.

Inter-city bus stations are sometimes located a little way out of town, so we caught taxis to the bus stations from our accommodation.

Taxis are generally cheap and the majority of taxi drivers were very honest. We had one incident in Merida where we were totally ripped off. So we recommend agreeing the price beforehand and knowing how to count in Spanish. Alternatively Uber is available in Mexico City and some other cities.

Colectivos are another way of getting around and are much cheaper. These are private vehicles which generally run a set route and have a fixed fare. You cram in with a bunch of other people and are taken to a specific destination on that colectivo’s route. Pay a fixed fee in cash at the end of the journey.

If you’re up for an adventure and want maximum flexibility, you can rent a car and self-drive.

If you are travelling to Quintana Roo there is no time change between summer and winter so there may be a time difference in winter if you are travelling into or out of Quintana Roo – you’ll need to add an hour if you are visiting and take an hour away if you are leaving this state.

Language

Spanish is spoken in Mexico. English is generally understood in hotels but not so much if you’re using public transportation. We recommend learning some Spanish before you visit – it’s a really useful language to know. Learning to count would also be helpful.

Money

The currency is the Mexican Peso. The symbol is the $. Most goods and services are priced in pesos but sometimes more touristy areas price their goods in US dollars. Pesos will have one line strike through the $, US dollar prices are usually marked with two line strikes.

You can usually buy pesos before you arrive in Mexico. ATMs are widely available but we recommend using machines that are located inside banks, rather than on the street, if you can. There is usually a charge for taking out cash.

Many hotels, restaurants and shops will accept credit cards but some will only accept cash. We found that most of the visitor attractions, such as art galleries and museums, would only accept cash for the entrance fee.

Tipping

Tipping isn’t mandatory but is appreciated. We tended to round up taxi fares. Tip restaurant staff around 10% for good service. If you are take a guided tour, $5 (US) per person would be a reasonable tip.

Electricity

Mexico operates a 237V electricity network running at 60 Hz. Plugs have two parallel flat pins.

Internet and Wi-Fi

You can get a SIM card that will cover Mexico (as well as the USA and Canada). We found that wifi was generally available in all the hotels we visited but not so much outside in the cities.

Can I Drink the Water?

No, Mexican tap water is not safe to drink. Bottled water is widely available. Many hotels provide drinking water in large containers, either in the lobby or in your room, so you can fill up your own water bottle.

Depending on where you are staying, you might not be able to flush toilet paper down the loo. This is because the plumbing system might not be able to cope with flushing paper without getting clogged up. If this is the case, there will be a bin next to the toilet – put your waste paper in there. The bin is usually emptied on a daily basis.

Culture and Etiquette

We found that Mexican people were really friendly and very helpful. There were so many occasions, particularly when using buses, that people went out of their way to look out for us or help us make sure we caught the right bus.

All our attempts at speaking Spanish were appreciated. We always made a point of greeting people – buenos dias, buenos tardes, buenos noches (depending on the time of day) before conversing. We had conversations (in bad Spanish) with loads of people in zocalos, or we just got chatting as we explored cities. And it’s polite to say goodbye as well.

As always, treating people with respect is important when visiting any country. Mexican people are delighted when you show appreciation of their cuisine – and it is not difficult to show appreciation because Mexican food is so delicious!

Safety

Basic Phrases