Mexico: Updates & Travel

Travel in Mexico
Updates Mexico

Travel in Mexico

In Mexico you will find temperamental and colorful people with music in the leading role. You can travel from the fantastic beaches on the Pacific right through the Aztec empire to the Caribbean East Coast, ending on the Yucatan Peninsula where the ancient Mayan ruins rise from the jungles.
The high and often snow-capped peaks of the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Nevado de Toluca are easy to climb. You can even take a spectacular dive in the water-filled craters.
The reefs of Los Manchones, Cuevones, Chital and La Bandera have beautiful underwater life and are known among divers for their underwater caves.
Another reason to visit Mexico are the impressive remains of the ancient Indian cultures. It is impossible to see them all, but if you follow the famous Mayan route you can make a selection of the most impressive ruins. Teotihuacan just outside Mexico City, Palenque in Chiapas, Chichen Itzá and Tulum on the Yucatán Peninsula are the must-sees.
Play cowboy in one of the many luxurious farms with guest houses (estancias) that Mexico has to offer. During the day you can explore the ranch on foot or on horseback and then enjoy a glass of tequila by the campfire in the evening.
Far away from Venice, but also in Mexico you can rent gondolas, the so-called trajineras. In these brightly painted gondolas you can admire the beautiful canals and the floating gardens of Xochimilco built by the Aztecs, accompanied by a mariachi singer.
The political unrest in Chiapas (Zapatistas) is the direct result of the Indian majority that gives this state a very special place in Mexico. Mysterious Mayan villages and the fascinating Lacandona jungle give Chiapas a Central American touch. Absolute highlights are San Cristobal de las Casas and the surrounding villages, the breathtaking boat trip through the Cañon del Sumidero and the waterfalls of Aguazul.
Merida is a real Mexican city, which is not (yet) very touristy. The center is very nice and clean with beautiful colonial buildings. In the evening it is often more fun than during the day in Merida: then everyone comes together outside and listens to the music of the many musicians and orchestras.
The Caribbean can also be found in Mexico; ideal to recover from the long distances that you have to cover. Relax on pearly white beaches (Tulum and Playa del Carmen), enjoy the exuberant life in the tropical sea... Islands such as Cozumel and Isla Mujeres have extensive -and affordable- diving facilities.
Like most metropolises in Latin America, Mexico City also has the reputation of being dangerous and highly polluted. Nevertheless, this city of extremes has a lot of attractive sights. The historic center (Zócalo), the beautiful museums (Museo de Antropología) and the pleasant parks (Chapultepec) are more than worth it. If you can brave the altitude, the smog and the raging bustle of the city, you should definitely visit the picturesque and art-loving Coyoacan and San Angel. The centuries-old labyrinth of canals, Xochimilco, is also highly recommended.
You will undoubtedly recognize the stereotypical image of Mexicans in and around Guadelajara, Mexico's second largest but most "Mexican" city. Tequila, sombreros and Marriachi music that originated there can be experienced in all their glory.
Mexico also has an abundance of sea and beach. Surfers will not be bored along the southern Pacific coastline; Around towns like Puerto Escondido, Puerto Angel and Bahías de Huatulco you will find, besides the perfect wave, fantastic lagoons full of tropical life that can best be discovered while snorkeling. A little further inland you can't really ignore the beautiful colonial city of Oaxaca; the ruins of Monte Alban and Mitla are the perfect day trip.
Take the time to adapt to the food; Moctezuma's revenge is the popular name for the diarrhea that almost everyone has to deal with. Meat and unwashed vegetables and fruit are the main culprits. Tap water is also not safe; so take the necessary precautions (immodium, O.R.S., charcoal, etc.)
The biggest fear of every tourist and traveler in Mexico is to get involved in the drug war in one way or another. Stay away from that, and take great care of your luggage. In Mexico, there is a greater chance that something will be put in than taken out.