Oh Mexico you stunningly beautiful and immensely varied country. Not only have you inadvertently given the world immense joy through celebratory days such as Taco Tuesday, Mojito Monday and Flan Friday, you have also continuously thrilled us with ancient history, unique political situations and some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. With a country so full of foodie wonders, beautiful beaches and the height of historical sites how do you make the most out of your time in Mexico. This isn’t your typical how-to guide and instead, we’re looking at some travel basics to make sure you spend all your day yelling YOLO and not Oh No I need the bathroom again.

Accommodate Me

Now when I think of Mexico I do naturally lean my thoughts towards spring break. Thinking about the white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, college boys walking around in G-strings and lazy college ladies enjoying a break from the books on the beach and getting a good dose of vitamin D. I also think dodgy accommodation. Less than desirable hostels and the semi-budget friendly hotels full of aforementioned spring breakers.

Where I really want to find myself is in a beachfront home in Mexico. In a luxury home, with my own private pool and if at all possible in a house that comes complete with a bar that comes with a friendly bartender to make me mojitos and margaritas on call.

A girl can dream, right?

In all seriousness though choosing the right accommodation in Mexico can be a breaking point for your vacation. Read the reviews. Ask questions and don’t be afraid to walk away if it’s not right for you.

Image credit: Flickr via Gabreil GM

Take A Free Walking Tour

Local tourism boards have started to host amazing free walking tours. Like the ones, we’ve seen for years across Europe. It’s a fantastic way to get an idea about what’s happening in a city. See the tip of the iceberg of the best bits. If you find yourself in Merida the tourism board hosts a free walking tour which departs daily at 9am and goes for around 90 mins. Or you could take yourself on a walk in the Roman Museum.

Explore Ancient History

Mexico is famous for its colourful history. It would be a shame to visit Mexico and only see the pool in your private beach front home. Mexican history is usually split into two major eras – pre-European and post-European. The pre-European visit refers to things like Mayan buildings such as El Tajin. Post-European will see you looking at historical areas such as churches and fountains.

Photo credit: Flickr via Arian Zwegers

Street Food – It’s More Than Just Tacos

I love Taco Tuesday. So don’t get my wrong here. We are in no way anti-taco. What we are saying is it’s time to put the taco down and explore a more authentic and interesting selection of Mexican street food. Here are a few safe culinary items to try out.

Al Pastor– very thinly sliced pork, cooked on a spit, and commonly served with pineapple.
Quesadillas – Ok so really these are essentially tacos with cheese. The taco is folded over, grilled and delicious. You can have these plain cheeses or add a meat/mushroom.
Tamales– Seasoned meat is wrapped in cornmeal dough and then steamed or baked in corn husks or banana leaves.
Flan – the Mexican version of creme caramel. It’s so delicious.

You’ll find that street food stalls have a variety of salsas, lime and other delicious toppings on offer. Make sure you ask which are picante (spicy) as color doesn’t always correlate to spice level.

If you’re unsure about street food safety and worry about getting travellers tummy try to find a place that is busy. High turn over of food means that there is less risk of catching something you don’t want. Street food stalls are busiest in the morning and evening, as generally speaking the mid day meal is a big sit down affair. In saying that a change in diet will always upset your stomach. So don’t write off a place because it made you gassy. The food is just different and your stomach will adjust.

Image credit: Flickr via sarahstierch

Getting Around

Mexico is kinda a big place. There are huge distances between cities. Much like Australia. It might look close on the map but not quite. If you are planning on going between cities you might want to consider flying.

Hail a taxi from a designated sitio because those taxis are registered and designated safe. Typically, the registered taxis are maroon and gold.

Cash or Card?

Cash is king in this part of the world. A lot of places will accept your credit/debit card but to be sure always carry some cash.

Safety

Your safety should be your number one priority. Violence is an issue in Mexico. No one is denying that. Is Mexico as dangerous as Trump says? Well no it’s not quite that bad and we don’t need to start sending in donations for a wall. As in ANY country that you visit you need to be aware of where you are, who you are with and what you are doing. Now I don’t expect you to walk around like a timid mouse. Just be aware of your surroundings and don’t walk around flashing all your touristy bling around – jewellery, cameras, GoPro, vagina.

Health Safety

Mexico is a hot, sultry country. One of the most common traveller concerns is illness caused by heat exhaustion. The beers and cheap and the fun level are high. I get it. But spending three days in bed with heat exhaustion is a waste of your vacation time. So keep hydrated with water. Basic I know.

Worried about drinking the water? In recent years the Mexican government has taken huge steps to improve the quality of water for tourists. Understanding the value of the tourist dollar has seen this change happen. Hopefully, this will be a positive step and trickle down to the locals. If in doubt drink bottled water.

Carry a basic first aid kit. There are some common first aid kit mistakes that backpackers make but these are easily avoided. A little bit of pre-vacation preparation can go a long way.

Mexico has a lot on offer. Far too much to cover off in one small post. We haven’t delved into the wonders of the jungle, taken a walk along the many beautiful beaches or taken the time to talk to the locals.

Have you been to Mexico? What was your experience like? Let us know in the comments below.