Forget about doing all of Mexico in one trip. It would literally take months and you would be physically and mentally drained from all the impressions. So decide for an area and indulge, instead of just scratching the surface everywhere.
Where to start?
Choose a region and plan accordingly, because Mexico has several main ports of entry. So let’s start by narrowing the options down into several regions and itineraries:
- the north: an admittedly unlikely choice, as these regions have an image of drug gang violence. Monterrey though is an impressive town. Chihuahua would take you to the start of the famous roadtrip to Los Mochis. From here, go a bit south to Mazatlan and decide to either head towards holiday paradise Baja California peninsula (20 hours by boat) or connect to the central section (see below) towards Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara
- The central belt: start for example in Puerto Vallarta if you want some beach life. This being the Pacific, the water is always warm enough to swim. Then move onwards to Guadalajara, a bustling city much more Mexican than international Mexico City. To change atmosphere completely, take the bus a couple of hours for short visits to student town Guanajuato (perched in between steep hills) and colonial San Miguel de Allende. From here, move on towards crazy Mexico City for culture, entertainment and more. Don’t forget to visit the Teotihuacan pyramids on a daytrip. You can end the trip here, or get some bonus points by visiting Puebla or go to Oaxaca 500km south, which connects you to the southern section
- The south: if you can, fly to Puerto Escondido to enjoy the warm weather, the beautiful beaches and the Mexican pipe waves. From here, head to Oaxaca city, the culinary capital of the country and a melting pot of cultures. Awesome place to stay for a couple of days. Then it’s off further south to Tuxtla Gutierrez or straight to San Cristobal de las Casas. The former is the better base to visit Sumidoro Canyon, but you can also do that from indigenous San Cristobal. That is also definitely your base to visit the Palenque ruins on a long daytrip, or move onwards to the Yucatan area. San Cristobal has the best connection to Guatemala by road
- Yucatan: also in the south and known for the tourist metropolis of Cancun, whose international airport has many direct and cheap connections to Europe. Once you go past the highrise apartment buildings though, this part actually hides some great Mexican treasures. Merida and especially Campeche are great relaxed towns. Chichen Itza is an awe-inspiring archaelogical site, only to be surpassed by aforementioned Palenque (which is not in Yucatan province, but would be a beautiful and logical ending of this trip)
Where should I definitely go?
Depends on what you want to do. All four itineraries have culture, beach, history and adventure, but Mexico is so diverse that you wouldn’t be bored if you would do all these four areas. Personally, as a city person, I was blown away by the ‘central belt’ option, but that was only good because I flew to Puerto Escondido to have some much-needed relaxation after that. Puerto Vallarta is a slightly busier alternative. But as said: you will also enjoy any of the other options.
What more possiblities are there?
Endless. There are so many hidden and not-so-hidden gems in any area, you could easily travel Mexico for six months and not be bored. You can go to remote Xilitla, north of Mexico City, to enjoy the sculptural gardens of Las Pozas in the jungle. You can go to Acapulco to discover the famous beaches there. You can do eco tours everywhere. You can visit the ghost town of Real Catorce, slowly being resuscitated by expats. And there is still so much more…
| North | Central belt | South | Yucatan |
| Monterrey 3 days |
Puerto Vallarta 3 days |
Puerto Escondido 4 days |
Cancun 3 days |
| Chihuaha – Los Mochis 3 days |
Guadalajara 4 days |
Oaxaca 4 days |
Merida 3 days |
| Puerto Vallarta 3 days |
Guanajuato & San Miguel 3 days |
San Cristobal 4 days |
Valladolid / Chichen Itza 3 days |
| Guadalajara 4 days |
Mexico City 5 days |
Sumidoro (optional) 2 days |
Campeche 3 days |
| Baja California (optional) 7 days |
Xilitla (optional) 3 days |
– | Palenque (optional) 3 days |
| Arrival / departure 1 day |
Arrival / departure 1 day |
Arrival / departure 1 day |
Arrival / departure 1 day |
| Total length 14/21 days |
Total length 16/19 days |
Total length 13/15 days |
Total length 13/16 days |
If you need help putting the different ‘building blocks’ together, don’t hesitate to reach out!