Travel to Mexico

Mexico covers almost two million square kilometers, from the deserts of Baja California to the cenotes and Maya cities of the Yucatan. Most first trips start in Cancun or Mexico City, and a stamp of up to 180 days at the airport gives you time to see more than one region.

Our Mexico travel tips are sorted by region and by topic: Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico City and Central Mexico, Baja California, Pacific Coast, Things to Do and See, Food and Drinks, Outdoor and Nature and General Travel Tips.

Visa and Entry Requirements for Mexico

Citizens of the US, Canada, the UK, the EU, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries need no visa for a tourist trip to Mexico. Travelers of other nationalities who hold a valid visa or permanent residence for the US, Canada, the UK, Japan or the Schengen Area can usually enter without a Mexican visa too. Everyone else applies at a Mexican consulate before the trip.

There is no fixed number of days. The immigration officer decides how long you may stay and records it with your entry, and 180 days is the most a tourist can get. Be ready to show a return or onward ticket, proof that you can pay for the trip and where you are staying, as officers can ask for all three. Your passport has to be valid for the whole stay, and the Mexican Embassy advice quoted by the UK government is to have at least 180 days left.

The tourist card, the Forma Migratoria Multiple (FMM), is now digital at most international airports. You get a stamp in your passport, and you can download the digital proof of entry from the immigration institute’s portal within the first 60 days of your visit. Adults can use the e-gates at some of the main airports, and you have to show the printed e-gate ticket when you leave. If you cross by land, fill in the immigration form online and make sure your passport is stamped on entry. At the US border, if no officer stamps it, find the nearest immigration office before you continue.

Quintana Roo, the state of Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, charges every foreign visitor, children included, a state tourist fee called VISITAX. Pay it on the official site visitax.gob.mx, as you have to show proof of payment at the airport when you leave.

Entry rules change, so check them before you book on the site of Mexico’s National Migration Institute, inm.gob.mx, and in the advice of your own government, such as GOV.UK or travel.state.gov.

Important Cultural Information

Mexico’s culture grew from the Maya, the Aztecs, the Zapotecs and other Indigenous civilizations and from three centuries of Spanish rule that ended with independence in 1821. Spanish is the main language, and dozens of Indigenous languages are still spoken, especially in Oaxaca, Chiapas and the Yucatan. Most Mexicans are Catholic, and the feast days of saints and of the Virgin of Guadalupe on 12 December fill the calendar with processions and fiestas.

Politeness counts. Use the formal “usted” with older people and anyone you don’t know, and address people as senor, senora or senorita, or by a professional title such as licenciado or doctor. A handshake is the usual greeting, and when you join a group you greet each person one by one. People dress more formally in Mexico City and the colonial towns than at the beach, so pack long trousers or a skirt for the cities, and take off your hat when you enter a church.

Money in Mexico

The currency is the Mexican peso (MXN). Some shops and tour companies in Cancun, Los Cabos and other resort areas accept US dollars, but at their own exchange rate, so you almost always pay less in pesos. Shops and taxi drivers often refuse torn or damaged notes, so check the ones you get as change.

Cards are accepted in hotels, malls, chain restaurants and most businesses in the cities and resorts. Markets, street food stalls, colectivos and small family businesses in the countryside want cash. Use ATMs inside banks, shops or malls during the day, avoid large withdrawals, and expect a fee from the ATM operator on top of your own bank’s charges. When an ATM or card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, choose pesos instead. Exchange counters at airports and hotels give worse rates than bank ATMs.

Tipping is part of the price in Mexico. In restaurants, 10 to 15 percent is usual if service is not already on the bill, and small tips are normal for hotel porters, housekeeping, tour guides and gas station attendants.

Banks, ATMs and Cards

The large banks are BBVA México, Banorte, Santander, Banamex, HSBC and Scotiabank, with branches and ATMs in every city. Each ATM operator sets its own fee for foreign cards and shows it on the screen before you confirm, so compare when you have the choice. Standalone ATMs in tourist zones and at airports often charge more than the machines inside bank branches, and many machines limit how much you can take out at once.

Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted cards, American Express less so. In restaurants the card machine is brought to your table, so your card never leaves your sight. Staff may ask if you want to pay in installments, which works only with Mexican cards, so choose a single payment. Keep small notes and coins for tips, markets and small shops, because change for a 500 peso note can be hard to find.

Health, Insurance and Emergencies

Dial 911 for the police, an ambulance or the fire service anywhere in Mexico.

Don’t drink the tap water. The UK government advises drinking only boiled or bottled water and avoiding ice. Our tips on how to avoid food poisoning in Mexico help with street food too. Dengue, Zika and chikungunya are spread by mosquitoes, so use repellent, and see a travel clinic at least eight weeks before you go to ask which vaccines you need. Mexico City lies at about 2,240 meters, so take the first day slowly, and the air quality in the capital can be poor on some days.

Private hospitals in the cities are good but expensive, and many ask you to pay up front and claim the money back from your insurer later. Take travel insurance that covers medical costs and evacuation, and check that it includes the activities you plan, such as diving or driving.

If you’re looking for travel insurance, we are an affiliate of SafetyWing, a travel medical insurance provider.

Wi-Fi and Internet in Mexico

Free Wi-Fi is standard in hotels, cafes, malls and airports, though it gets slow in small towns and on remote beaches. Telcel has the widest mobile coverage, and AT&T is the other large network. You can buy a prepaid SIM card at the airport, in phone shops and at convenience stores such as OXXO and 7-Eleven, or order one online to pick up at the airport. Since 2026, Mexican mobile lines have to be registered to their user with an official ID, which for visitors means a passport, so take yours along when you buy a SIM. An eSIM set up before the trip saves you the errand.

Use a VPN on public Wi-Fi, like ExpressVPN.

Arrival in Mexico

Mexico City International Airport (MEX), named after Benito Juarez, is the country’s main hub for flights from Europe and Latin America. Felipe Angeles International Airport (NLU, often called AIFA) opened in March 2022 about 35 km north of the capital and is used mostly by domestic and low-cost airlines. Since April 2026 a suburban train links it with Buenavista station in central Mexico City, so check which of the two airports your ticket shows.

For the Caribbean coast, most flights land in Cancun (CUN). Tulum International Airport (TQO), officially Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport, opened on 1 December 2023 about 20 km southwest of Tulum and has direct flights from the US and, in season, from Canada. On the Pacific side, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos receive many flights from the US and Canada. At every airport, use only the authorized prepaid taxi counters and ignore anyone who offers to help you through immigration.

By land, the busiest crossings are on the border with the USA. To drive your own car beyond the border zone you need a temporary vehicle import permit and Mexican car insurance, as most US policies don’t cover Mexico. Many cruise ships call at Cozumel, Costa Maya, Cabo San Lucas and other ports. Here is how to make the most of a short port stop.

Areas of Mexico

Mexico has 32 federal entities, and each region feels like a different trip. Most travelers combine two of them at most, so pick the region first and the route second.

Yucatan Peninsula

The peninsula covers the states of Quintana Roo, Yucatan and Campeche. On the Caribbean side, Cancun has the hotel zone and the airport, and ferries cross to Isla Mujeres and further north to Holbox. Here are the routes from Cancun to Holbox and Isla Mujeres and the historical sights of Cancun. South along the coast, Playa del Carmen and Tulum combine beaches, cenotes and Maya ruins by the sea. See where to stay in Tulum.

Inland, Merida, the capital of Yucatan state, has colonial streets, the cathedral on its main square and the best of Yucatecan cooking, from restaurants in Yucatan to market stalls. Chichen Itza has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. You can no longer climb El Castillo, but the site and its Sacred Cenote take a full morning. Read how to experience Chichen Itza beyond the famous pyramid. Near the border with Belize, Kohunlich sees far fewer visitors.

Mexico City and Central Mexico

Mexico City is the country’s capital and one of the largest cities in the world. Start at the Zocalo, the central square, with the cathedral and the ruins of the Aztec Templo Mayor beside it. Spend a day in Chapultepec Park and the National Museum of Anthropology, and go south to Coyoacan for the Frida Kahlo Museum, the Blue House where she lived. Plan your days with our guide to Mexico City in 48 hours, and eat your way through the Miguel Hidalgo district.

The pyramids of Teotihuacan are an easy day trip northeast of the city. Read our tips for visiting Teotihuacan. Further out, Puebla is where mole poblano comes from, so try this culinary adventure at Mesones Sacristia, and the colonial city of Guanajuato fills two days in Guanajuato.

Baja California

The peninsula is two states. Baja California in the north borders the US, with Tijuana, Ensenada and the wineries of the Valle de Guadalupe. Baja California Sur in the south has Los Cabos, La Paz and Loreto, desert mountains and the Sea of Cortez on one side and the Pacific on the other. Start with our tips to plan a Baja California vacation, the things to do in Cabo San Lucas and the region of Loreto. For a quiet bay near Cabo, read about Honeymoon Beach in Baja California Sur.

Pacific Coast of Mexico

The Pacific coast runs from Sonora down to Oaxaca. Mazatlan has an old town and a long seafront promenade, and here is why to visit Mazatlan. Around Puerto Vallarta, the coast of Nayarit has the surf town of Sayulita. Read about surfing in Sayulita and a stay at Imanta Resort on the Pacific coast. Inland, Guadalajara is the city of mariachi music, and the blue agave fields around the town of Tequila are a day trip away.

Copper Canyon and the North

In the Sierra Madre Occidental of Chihuahua, the Copper Canyon is a network of deep canyons cut by several rivers, and the homeland of the Raramuri people. The Chepe train crosses it between Los Mochis and Chihuahua. Read about Mexico’s Copper Canyon and taking the Copper Canyon train. Near Ensenada, Guadalupe Canyon has hot springs in the desert, and on the Gulf of California in Sonora, Rocky Point has its own street food scene.

Oaxaca and Chiapas

In the south, Oaxaca city is known for its markets, mezcal, moles and the Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban, and the Guelaguetza dance festival in July. In Chiapas, San Cristobal de las Casas sits in the highlands, and the Maya city of Palenque lies in the jungle and now has a Tren Maya station.

Veracruz and the Gulf Coast

The state of Veracruz runs along the Gulf of Mexico. The port city of Veracruz has a waterfront, old coffee houses and danzón dancing on its main square in the evening. Near Papantla, the UNESCO-listed ruins of El Tajin have the Pyramid of the Niches, and the Voladores of Papantla perform their flying pole ceremony there. Xalapa, the state capital in the hills, has an anthropology museum with colossal Olmec heads, and the river town of Tlacotalpan is on the UNESCO list for its colorful colonial houses. Check the current advisory level for the state before you plan a road trip.

Transportation in Mexico

Long-distance buses are the backbone of travel in Mexico. First-class and executive lines such as ADO in the south and the Yucatan and ETN in central and western Mexico have reclining seats, toilets and fixed departures, and you can book them online. Domestic flights with Aeromexico, Volaris and Viva save a lot of time between regions, for example from Mexico City to Cancun, Oaxaca or Los Cabos.

The Tren Maya started running in December 2023, and since December 2024 it covers its full 1,554 km loop through Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Campeche, Tabasco and Chiapas. Its 34 stations include Cancun Airport, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Bacalar, Chetumal, Merida, Chichen Itza, Campeche and Palenque. In the north, the Chepe runs two services through the Copper Canyon. The Chepe Express is the tourist train between Los Mochis and Creel, more than 350 km with five stops including El Fuerte and Divisadero. The slower Chepe Regional covers the whole line between Los Mochis and Chihuahua, with 37 bridges and 86 tunnels.

In towns and cities, take taxis from an official stand, called a sitio, ask your hotel to call one, or use a ride-hailing app. Colectivos, shared vans that stop anywhere along a fixed route, are the cheap way between towns on the Caribbean coast. If you drive, use the toll roads (cuota) where you can, avoid driving at night and keep to the speed limits. Mexico City restricts driving by number plate on some days. Read our best road trip routes in Mexico and this four to six week Mexico itinerary.

Where to Stay in Mexico

The Caribbean coast between Cancun and Tulum is all-inclusive resort country, but Tulum and Playa del Carmen also have small beach hotels and cabanas. In the Yucatan, restored haciendas and colonial houses in Merida turn into hotels, and Mexico City’s Roma, Condesa and Centro neighborhoods have boutique hotels and hostels. On the Pacific coast you’ll find surf hostels in Sayulita and resorts like Imanta. For the Caribbean side, see budget beachfront stays in Tulum.

Book early for Easter week (Semana Santa), Christmas and New Year and the Day of the Dead, when Mexicans travel too and prices rise. We recommend looking for accommodation on Booking or Agoda.

What to Eat and Drink in Mexico

Mexican food is built on corn, beans and chiles, and every region adds its own dishes. Here is how corn shapes Mexican cuisine. Dishes to try:

• Tacos al pastor – marinated pork cut from a vertical spit, with pineapple, a Mexico City classic.
• Chilaquiles – fried tortilla pieces in green or red salsa, the usual breakfast.
• Mole – complex sauces of chiles, spices and often chocolate, from Puebla and Oaxaca.
• Cochinita pibil – slow-cooked pork with achiote and bitter orange, from the Yucatan.
• Pozole – hominy soup with pork or chicken, topped with radish, lettuce and oregano.
• Chiles en nogada – stuffed poblano peppers under a walnut sauce with pomegranate seeds, a late summer dish from Puebla.
• Tamales – corn dough steamed in a husk or banana leaf with a filling.
• Elote – grilled corn on the cob with mayonnaise, cheese, chile and lime, sold on the street.
• Enchiladas and tostadas – rolled or flat tortillas with fillings and salsa.

Tequila comes from blue agave grown around the town of Tequila in Jalisco, and mezcal mostly from Oaxaca. Try both neat and slowly. Vegans and vegetarians have more options than you might expect, see our guide to vegan travel in Mexico. If you have a kitchen, these ideas for cooking in Mexico while traveling use local markets.

Things to Do and See in Mexico

• Maya ruins – Chichen Itza, Tulum by the sea, Palenque in the jungle and Kohunlich near Belize.
• Cenotes – swim in the freshwater sinkholes of the Yucatan, many of them near Tulum, Valladolid and Merida.
• Mexico City’s museums – the National Museum of Anthropology, the Templo Mayor and the Frida Kahlo Museum.
• Teotihuacan – walk the Avenue of the Dead between the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon.
• Islands of the Caribbean – Isla Mujeres and Holbox by ferry from the Cancun area.
• The Copper Canyon – ride the Chepe and stay a night at the canyon rim in Divisadero or Creel.
• Baja California – desert, beaches and the Sea of Cortez around Los Cabos, La Paz and Loreto.
• Colonial towns – Merida, Puebla, Guanajuato and Oaxaca.

For your first trip, these are our reasons to plan a vacation to Mexico and our tips for planning a trip to Mexico. If you want to keep fit on the road, read about a fitness retreat among the Maya ruins.

Plan around the seasons. The hurricane season runs from June to November on both the Pacific and the Caribbean coasts, and the UK government notes that tremors are frequent, especially in Oaxaca and Guerrero. Our guide to the best time to visit Mexico goes region by region.

Shopping in Mexico

Markets are the best place to shop and to watch daily life. In Mexico City, La Ciudadela sells crafts from all over the country, and the Mercado de San Juan has specialty food. Oaxaca’s markets are known for textiles, black pottery from San Bartolo Coyotepec, mezcal and the painted wooden figures called alebrijes. Puebla is the city of Talavera, hand-painted ceramics with a protected designation of origin, so look for the certificate on genuine pieces. Silver from Taxco is sold across the country, and pieces stamped .925 are sterling silver. In the Yucatan you’ll find hammocks, guayabera shirts and embroidered huipil blouses, and San Cristobal de las Casas sells weaving from the Maya communities of the Chiapas highlands.

Bargaining is normal at markets and street stalls, but keep it friendly, as many sellers made the piece themselves. Shops, malls and supermarkets have fixed prices. Mexico refunds VAT (IVA) to foreign tourists who leave by air or sea, for goods bought in participating stores above a minimum amount. Ask the store for the invoice and the refund form, and take the goods to the refund counter at the airport before you check in. Ask in the store for the current conditions.

Don’t buy archaeological pieces. Pre-Hispanic artifacts belong to the Mexican state, and taking them out of the country is a crime, so treat any “ancient” figure sold near a ruin as a replica and ask for a receipt that says so. Before you pack tequila, mezcal, food or seeds, check what your home country lets you bring in.

Nightlife in Mexico

Mexico City has the widest choice. Roma and Condesa have mezcal bars, cocktail bars and clubs, Polanco is the upscale option, and the old cantinas of the historic center still bring small snacks with your drinks. At Plaza Garibaldi, mariachi bands play for hire late into the night. For a different night out, watch lucha libre wrestling at Arena Mexico. In Guadalajara, the bars and clubs cluster around Avenida Chapultepec.

On the coasts, nightlife follows the season. Cancun’s Hotel Zone has the big clubs, Playa del Carmen has its bars on Quinta Avenida and Calle 12, and Puerto Vallarta has the Malecon and the Zona Romantica. Cabo San Lucas has party bars around the marina, while Tulum and Sayulita go for beach bars and music nights.

The legal drinking age is 18, and bars may ask for ID. Some states and cities stop alcohol sales on certain days, such as election days, so check locally. Never leave your drink unattended, and take an authorized taxi or a ride-hailing car back at night. Read more in our guide Is it safe to travel to Mexico?

Festivals in Mexico

Day of the Dead. Dia de Muertos is celebrated at the end of October and on 1 and 2 November. Families build altars, called ofrendas, at home with photos, the favorite food and drink of the dead, candles and orange marigolds, and many spend a night at the cemetery decorating the graves. The way people celebrate varies from region to region, and towns such as Patzcuaro in Michoacan and Oaxaca are known for their traditions. In Mexico City, parades and public altars fill the center. Rooms in these places book out months ahead.

Other dates. On the night of 15 September, Independence Day starts with the Grito in the main squares. Easter week (Semana Santa) brings processions and full beaches, and on 12 December pilgrims walk to the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City. In Oaxaca, the Guelaguetza brings dancers from the region’s communities to the city every July.

Safety Tips for Mexico

Safety in Mexico depends a lot on where you go. The US State Department rates each state separately. In its advisory of 29 May 2026, Yucatan and Campeche are at Level 1, the lowest. Quintana Roo, Baja California Sur, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Puebla and Nayarit are at Level 2, “exercise increased caution”. Baja California, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos and Sonora are at Level 3, “reconsider travel”, and Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas are at Level 4, “do not travel”. The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to parts of several states, with exceptions such as the Copper Canyon rail route, Mazatlan and Los Mochis, Morelia and Patzcuaro, and Zihuatanejo and Manzanillo when you arrive by air. Read the current US advisory and the FCDO advice before you book, because both change.

In the places most visitors go, the main risk is petty crime. Pickpocketing is common on public transport and in crowds, so keep valuables out of sight. Use ATMs inside shops or malls during the day. Take taxis from authorized stands or booked by your hotel, and never leave your drink unattended, as drink spiking has led to robberies and methanol-laced alcohol has caused deaths. Drug offenses carry sentences of up to 25 years, and bringing vapes or e-cigarettes into Mexico is illegal.

At the beach, sea conditions can change fast and many beaches have no lifeguards, so follow the local flags and warnings. Crocodiles live in lagoons and coastal waters, including in Cancun. Read our full guide: Is it safe to travel to Mexico?

Conclusion

On a first trip of one to two weeks, pick one region as your base. Fly into Cancun or Tulum for the Yucatan, and link the beaches, cenotes, Merida and Chichen Itza by Tren Maya, bus or rental car. Or start in Mexico City and add Teotihuacan, Puebla and Oaxaca by bus or a short flight. With three weeks or more, combine the two with a domestic flight, or add Baja California Sur or the Copper Canyon.

Before you go, check your passport validity and the entry rules for your nationality, pay the VISITAX online if you visit Quintana Roo, read the current US and UK advisories for every state on your route, and take travel insurance that covers medical costs and evacuation. Book early for Easter week, the Day of the Dead and Christmas. Our General Travel Tips for Mexico cover the details.