It’s been a while since I wrote about specific destinations, and today, I would like to write about Mexico, the country that is probably among the most rewarding in the world for any traveler our there.
Every backpacker worth his flip-flops should visit Mexico. If you are from the US, it’s easy to overlook the neighbor to the south as some place banal and not that exciting. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mexico is a huge, culturally and historically fascinating country. It contains almost every ecosystem and natural landscape on Earth. Mexico has a lot of bad rap both because the drug crime and from the party and package tour destinations of Cancun, Los Cabos and Tijuana. However, there is much, much more to Mexico than that. In fact, as a backpacker, you can and should avoid either peril.
Being closely tied to the US economically, even the less educated Mexicans will have a command of at least a few words in English, but really, if you do want to study and practice your Spanish, Mexico is as good a destination as any other in Latin America. Generally, its Spanish is easy to understand, especially compared to either Spanish from Spain or the Caribbean countries.
What stands Mexico apart from almost every other country in Western Hemisphere is its incredible historical heritage in the shape of well-preserved ancient as well as amazing colonial sites. You can visit such pre-Colombian jewels as Chechen-Itza, Uxmal, Teotihuacan and Palenque, and beautiful colonial cities of Oaxaca, Campeche, Guanajuato and Mexico City itself, just to name a few.
If beach is what you seek on your journey, then few countries in the world can compare to the hundreds of miles of yellow or white sand along Mexico’s both coasts, with killer waves for surfing on the Pacific side. And if you seek mountains and trekking adventure, Mexico has canyons, volcanoes, mountain ranges and of course, its famous deserts.
Mexican food is famous world-wide, but don’t go there expecting delicacies on every street corner. Just as with so many exotic cuisines, what we think of Mexican food abroad is not completely Mexican, and often times, it is made more palatable for the Western folks by either using more familiar ingredients or making it less spicy. Or both. What you have to remember is that the quality of ingredients in any third world country (and make no mistake, Mexico is still one of them), will often suffer unless you eat in a really fancy restaurant. The good news is that fancy restaurants in Mexico as in any other Latin American country won’t send your bank account to naught, but the bad news is that the street food might sometimes disappoint. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it anyway, as just as often, you will be amazed at the taste and the quality.
Safety-wise, Mexico is perfectly safe provided you are treating it with respect and take all the usual precautions. The drug gangs rarely bother foreigners and you’d have to be pretty unlucky (or stupid) to cross paths with them. Petty theft can occur, so always keep an eye on your belongings. Mexico City is the only place where you’d have to be somewhat careful in the streets, especially when taking taxis. Always have your hotel or hostel arrange the ride for you or just take public transport.
I would like specifically to mention one region of Mexico as my favourite – it’s Yucatan. I know, for most people Yucatan equals Cancun, and by all means, you should fly there since it is a convenient and a relatively inexpensive airport to arrive. But instead of setting your foot in Cancun’s infamous Zona Hotelera, head for the multitude of Mayan ruins peppering the peninsula, the pretty town of Campeche or unspoilt wild islands of Holbox or Contoy, or at least Isla Mujeres, a low-key holiday island that is nowhere near Cancun in terms of glamour and noise.
Yucatan is a great place to scuba dive, especially around the island of Cozumel. The widespread cenotes – sinkholes often filled with water, somewhat a natural phenomenon of Yucatan, are unique places to swim and sometimes, even scuba dive. And if it’s a party you are seeking, I’d still say, skip Cancun and go to Playa del Carmen instead. Really the only thing Yucatan lacks is mountains, but on the flip side, it is probably one of the safest parts of Mexico.
Another great area to explore is the Baja Peninsula. Its proximity to California, USA, means the presence of the two of the most notoriously popular destinations among day- and weekend trippers from the States – Tijuana and Cabo San Lucas. Thankfully, both can be safely avoided by an independent backpacker in favour of places such as La Paz, a pleasant city only a couple of hours away from Los Cabos yet offering a much more authentic Mexican experience, not to mention a rare opportunity to swim with whale sharks and sea lions.
All in all, you can spend months in Mexico. If you live in North America, you have the luxury of visiting it frequently and covering different regions each time. For those who want to “do” Mexico in one go, allow yourself at least a month to 6 weeks.