More Than Just Cheap Flights.

Mexico Information

Overview

’¡Viva Mexico!’ was how Miguel Hidalgo rallied his fellow Mexicanos to the struggle against colonialism, and it is a cry that is repeated by the president and echoed throughout the land every 15 September - Independence Day. As slogans go, it could not be more apt; Mexico is bursting with life. 

While many nations live to work, Mexico does the opposite. The people are vivacious lovers of free time and socialising, and work will never have the importance that friends and family do. The mother, giver of life, is honoured and respected, and all children, whether belonging to locals or visitors, are doted upon.

The country’s past seems to live at one with its present. In Mexico City, the Plaza de las Tres Culturas celebrates the three major cultures that have shaped Mexico: there are Aztec ruins, the 17th-century colonial church of San Diego and several late 20th-century buildings. Even the dead are alive here, at least once a year; on the Day of the Dead, the living bring gifts to their dearly departed and spend the night in their company, remembering and celebrating how things used to be.

Where the Caribbean Sea meets the Yucatan Peninsula, coral reefs come alive, with sea creatures, great and small. The Pacific coast attracts elephant seals and spectacular grey whales, who choose Mexico to breed and give birth, year after year. 

Nor is the desert a barrier to life - it is home to agave, the mother of all tequilas. The blue plant has a lot to answer for in Acapulco and Cancún, where humans come ashore after a day in the surf to flirt in bars and nightclubs.

The biggest mass of teeming life in the whole of Mexico, is of course, its capital, where 20 million people (a fifth of the whole population) squeeze in together to work and play, live and love, die... and come back to life.

Author

Jan Lee

Top Things To See

 Wonder at the scale of colonial splendour in Mexico City’s Zócalo. This gigantic main square is overlooked by the Catedral Metropolitana - one of the biggest churches on the planet and the first to be built in the ‘new world’.

 Take plenty of time to explore the Museo Nacional de Antropología - the exhibits cover 20,000 years of human life (website: www.mna.inah.gob.mx). Visits to Mexico’s pre-Colombian sites are more meaningful after seeing and understanding the priceless art on show here, including the 3,000-year-old Tlatilco Acrobat.

 Visit Teotihuacán, the ‘City where the Gods are born’, 48km (30 miles) northeast of Mexico City. Here are the ruins of an imperial centre that matched ancient Rome and peaked around the same time. The Pyramid of the Sun is the fourth largest in the world.

 See ‘boiling water’ and a frozen waterfall at the Hierve el Agua mineral springs, near San Lorenzo Albarradas. Here, water percolates calcium carbonate and magnesium, creating bubbles. Where the spring pours down a cliff face, mineral deposits have formed a petrified cascade over thousands of years.

 Amble around Tepoztlán (’place of copper’), a relaxed town overlooked by steep, jagged cliffs and a pyramid dedicated to Tepoztécatl, God of the Harvest. In the centre, the imposing Convent of the Nativity (1580) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 Cast an appreciative eye over the ornate silver jewellery produced in Taxco. Fortunes were made from the silver mines here, and one was poured back into the Church of Santa Prisca and San Sebastián, a jewel of Churrigueresque architecture.

 For chic colonial style, look no further than Puebla, nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Madre. Church domes and house walls are covered in talavera, colourful glazed tiles that are still produced by the town’s artisans.

 Arrive late to watch the sun set over Monte Albán, a sacred prehistoric city and centre of the Zapotec culture, which flourished 2,000 years ago. The remarkable Central Plaza, the Ball Court, and many of the tombs are open to the public. 
 
 Get up early to watch the sun rise over the Mayan ruins of Tulum, near Playa del Carmen. Explore in peace then take a pre-breakfast dip in the turquoise sea - the ruins are practically on the beach.

 Meet up with manatees (and watch out for alligators) in Chetumal Bay, Gulf of Mexico. Distant cousins of the elephant, manatees like to live in warm shallows - a habit that has seen many of them killed by boat propellers.

 Off Mexico’s other coast, spot grey whales at the Parque Natural de la Ballena Gris. This Pacific reserve is where they come to breed between November and March.

 Watch the serpent god climb his pyramid in Chichén-Itzá. The ceremonial city was built over 1,000 years ago, but the Mayan magic still draws crowds. Each spring and autumn equinox, shadows show Kukulcan (the snake) working his way up the steps.

 Catch the professionals in action at the charreada (rodeo) in Guadalajara, held every October. The famous ‘Mexican Hat Dance’ originated in this area - locally, it is called Jarabe Tapatio.

 See more from the air, with an exciting Ultralight flight over the Caribbean island of Cozumel, or an air excursion from Puerto Vallarta round the peaks of the Sierra Madre.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Top Things To Do

 Climb the high volcanic peaks of Popocatépetl and Nevado de Toluca, and then go scuba-diving in their craters.

 Hire a brightly painted trajinera (gondola), usually accompanied by mariachi singers, to cruise the tree-lined canals and Aztec-engineered floating gardens of Xochimilco. 

 Get into the spirit of Mexico’s Day of the Dead or rather Los Días de Muertos, since this is a two-day festival. On 1 November, the angelitos (dead children) are remembered, and the next day, dead adults. Celebrations range from sombre and quiet affairs with candlelit visits to cemeteries, to raucous remembrances, drinking and carousing. 

 Grasp the Column of Life - legend has it that the column tells visitors when they will die. If the hands overlap, the visitor is living on borrowed time. This curious relic is situated in the prehistoric site of Mitla, a pre-Colombian complex of tombs decorated with striking murals.

 Bask in the sun at Mexico’s best beaches. On the Baja Peninsula head for the Cabos San Lucas and San José del Cabo. On the Caribbean side, make for Cozumel, an island with nothing but beaches in every direction - Playa Bonita is one of the best.

 Retreat to a luxury guest ranch, for days in the saddle and evenings of fine cuisine and tequila tastings.

 Dive in for a closer look at the reefs of Los Manchones, Cuevones, Chital or La Bandera - prized diving spots, known for their extraordinary marine life and unusual cave structures.

 Take a ride on the remarkable Copper Canyon Railway (see Getting Around). For the best views of the ravines and mountains, do the 13-hour trip from Los Mochis on the Pacific coast to Chihuahua City, rather than the other way around.

 Sleep all day. Those with a ticket to one of Cancún’s 15,000-capacity beach parties will need all the energy they can get. Take a break for sunrise.

 Nourish the senses with a trip to the Ballet Folklórico, performing Wednesdays and Sundays at Mexico City’s Palace of Fine Arts. Performers dance their way through Mexico’s rich traditions and ancient rituals, and the headdresses are stars in their own right (website: www.balletmalia.com).

 Pick up a new skill. Mexican resorts offer a full range of watersports, including jet-skiing, windsurfing and sea kayaking. Surfing can be enjoyed on the Pacific breakers and parasailing is another exciting sport.

 Follow in the footsteps of the Aztecs with a relaxing spa break. The ancients knew what was good for them and made full use of the country’s countless hot springs.

 Give something back. Mexico is a poor country, enjoyed by predominantly rich tourists. Buy souvenirs direct from local artisans, keeping their craft alive. Politely ask permission before taking photos of locals, and offer to send a copy.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Going Out

Food and Drink

Corn, beans and potatoes are the main staples of Mexican cuisine, with fish and chicken on most menus. International cuisine is available at large hotels and many restaurants. US and Mexican fast food chains are easy to find. Imported spirits are expensive, and cheap local spirits can be an acquired taste, but rum and tequila are relatively safe bets. Corona and Sol are the most popular beers - light and refreshing, and often drunk with a wedge of lime.

National specialities:
• Mole refers to several very different sauces, based around garlic and chilli. Mole poblano is a chocolate sauce poured over turkey. Green mole verde is made from fresh herbs. Guacamole is an avocado mole with red peppers, onions and tomatoes.
• Tortillas are corn pancakes often eaten like bread.
• Enchiladas (soft tortillas) and tacos (crispy tortillas) are filled with pork, chicken, vegetables or cheese and chilli.
• Look out for exotic fruits like zapote (brown fruit resembling an avocado), and tuna (juicy prickly pear, fruit of the cactus).

National drinks:
• Tequila is a double or triple-distilled spirit made from the blue variety of agave, which is not a cactus, but a plant related to the lily. Young blanco tequilas can have a rough ‘cowboy edge’ to them. Older añejo varieties are woody and sometimes as smooth as a fine brandy.
• Mezcal is similar to tequila, but is distilled only once and can be made from different varieties of agave. It is not generally used in cocktails like tequila, but consumed in shots. Sip slowly to savour the taste.
• Mexico’s coffee liqueur, kahlúa, is world famous.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: Service charges are rarely added to hotel, restaurant or bar bills and many of the staff depend on tips for their livelihood. 15% is expected and 20% if the service has been very good.

Nightlife

Like any Latin American destination, things in Mexico do not really get going until late, with nightclubs often opening around midnight and closing at daylight. In family resorts, planned entertainment begins earlier; expect to be entertained at dinner with live mariachi music, Spanish flamenco dancers, gypsy violinists and Aztec re-enactments. 

Mexico City attracts international rock and pop acts, Latin music stars, and the world’s best ballet and orchestra companies. Zona Rosa, in the centre, is the traditional home of chic, but has expensive bars and restaurants. West of there, hip new bars have been popping up in the wealthy residential district of Polanco. Further south is the arty district of Coyoacan (where Trotsky used to live). The bars here are relaxed and cheaper than the Zona Rosa. West of Coyoacan is San Angel, a traditional neighbourhood with decent reasonably priced bars and restaurants. Connecting this area back to the Zona Rosa is the longest avenue in the capital, Avenida Insurgentes. Along its length are a wide selection of international restaurants, lively bars and nightclubs to suit the diverse tastes of the 20 million people who live here. 

Acapulco is known as ’the city that never sleeps’ with bars and discos lining the streets. Worth seeing is the impressive light show, with accompanying sound show, at the archaeological site of Teotihuacán. The history and mythology of this ancient civilisation are recreated through a gorgeous display of coloured lights, poetic dialogue and music. The season runs from October to May. 

Cancún conjures up images of US spring-break college students going wild in carefree all-night beach parties. However, with hurricanes causing damage here almost every season (September to October), it is a perennial struggle to piece things back together in time to welcome America’s youth. Every year however, top-name international DJs come to the city’s megaclubs - one of which has a capacity of 15,000.

Shopping

There is no shortage of shopping opportunities in Mexico, from fashionable clothing boutiques to bustling market places selling traditional indigenous crafts. Taxco is renowned for its fine jewellery, and silverware - Oaxaca for its gold. The best woodworkers are in Guadalajara, but furniture from the region is on sale in Mexico City, as are crafts from all other parts of the country. For large items, overseas shipping can be arranged at reasonable rates. 

In the markets, good buys include ceramics and pottery - particularly black clay dishes from the Oaxaca region. Woven wool blankets (sarapes), brightly coloured scarves in wool or silk (rebozos) and richly embroidered charro hats make great presents. 

In Mexico City, head to the artisan’s markets in La Ciudedala and Plaza del Buen Tono for the best bargains. Hammocks, rugs, baskets, carved wood and embossed leather can be found almost everywhere, but are overpriced close to beach resorts. Skip the stalls in Cancún’s Hotel Zone and head downtown instead, to the Ki Huic Open Air Market. 

For women’s clothing, try on some huipiles (white Mayan dresses embroidered with colourful flowers); for men, look for a guayabera (a fine pleated shirt in cotton voile) or huaraches (traditional sandals). 

In Acapulco, the Mercado de Artesanías is a good bet, but haggle. Guadalajara’s sprawling Mercado Libertad is one of the biggest in the country, a bustling metropolis of commerce, selling everything from bananas to monkeys. 

Malls are very popular in all the beach resorts, and range from pricey palaces full of designer boutiques, such as Plaza Caracol in Cancún to more modest affairs such as Acapulco’s Marbella Mall. Most have a mixture of local shops and international chain stores.

Shopping hours: Mon-Sun 1000/1100-2000/2200 (big towns and cities); Mon-Fri 0900-1400/1600 (rest of the country). Check locally for details.

Climate

On the high central plateau, in cities like Mexico City and Guadalajara, the weather is mild throughout the year, though a little cooler from December through to March. The wettest months on the plateau are the summer months, where there will typically be an hour of two of rain per day. Inland, northern Mexico is mostly desert, hot in the day, and cold in the night. In southern Mexico, the mountainous regions blow hot and cold with pleasant climates lower down. Baja California, Mexico’s pacific peninsula gets very little rain throughout the year. Winters are comfortable, and summers are very hot, though resorts like Cabo San Lucas benefit from a sea breeze. The country’s central pacific coast, home to resorts such as Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco is hot, sunny and humid almost throughout the year, but the coast and comfortable climate, but in the late summer months, heavy rains come with the hurricanes. The beach resorts of the Yucatán Peninsula, including Cancún, enjoy similar summers to Acapulco, but suffer even more from hurricanes.

Required Clothing

This varies from area to area. Natural fibres are best in the heat, but have a sweater on hand as the nights are generally cooler. A sun hat will help to avoid dehydration. In the mountains, heavier clothing will be required. In general Mexicans are casual about dress, but for visits to churches, long sleeves and long skirts or trousers are required, while theatres and upmarket restaurants may have specific dress codes.

Public Holidays

Below are listed the Public Holidays for the January 2008-December 2009 period.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day. 
4 Feb Constitution Day. 
17 Mar Birthday of Benito Juárez. 
20 Mar* Maundy Thursday.
21 Mar* Good Friday.
1 May Labour Day.
5 May* Anniversary of Battle of Puebla.
1 Sep* President’s Report.
16 Sep Independence Day.
12 Oct* Día de la Raza (Columbus Day).
2 Nov* Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). 
17 Nov Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution of 1910.
12 Dec* Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2009
1 Jan New Year’s Day. 
4 Feb Constitution Day. 
17 Mar Birthday of Benito Juárez. 
9 Apr* Maundy Thursday.
10 Mar* Good Friday.
1 May Labour Day.
5 May* Anniversary of Battle of Puebla.
1 Sep* President’s Report.
16 Sep Independence Day.
12 Oct* Día de la Raza (Columbus Day).
2 Nov* Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). 
17 Nov Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution of 1910.
12 Dec* Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

Note

(a) Holidays marked * are optional public holidays. This means they are not compulsory but are often granted. (b) In addition there are many local holidays. For details, contact the Mexican Tourism Board. (c) Holidays falling at the weekend are not celebrated on the previous or following weekday.

Health

Diphtheria

Special Precaution: Sometimes*

Hepatitis A

Special Precaution: Yes

Malaria

Special Precaution: No

Rabies

Special Precaution: Sometimes*

Tetanus

Special Precaution: Yes

Typhoid

Special Precaution: Yes

Yellow Fever

Special Precaution: No

Health Care

Comprehensive health insurance is recommended. Medical facilities are both private and state-organised and generally good. Medicines are often available without prescriptions, and pharmacists can diagnose and treat minor ailments.

Note

* Potentially required if travelling for extended periods or in certain rural areas.

Further Health Information

We advise you to check health requirements for the country you are traveling to with your GP, practice nurse or travel health clinic as health requirements and vaccinations can change at short notice.

Money

Currency

Mexican Peso (MXN; symbol M$) = 100 centavos. Notes are in denominations of M$1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20. Coins are in denominations of M$100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 centavos. 

Note: The M$1,000 note is difficult to change and often not accepted. The M$100 and M$50 coins are rarely seen.

Currency Exchange

Currency exchange houses give a preferable rate of exchange to hotels and a much quicker service than banks. The exchange rate of the Mexican peso has been relatively stable recently.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

Credit cards are not as widely accepted as in Europe or the USA. MasterCard and Visa are the two most widely accepted cards. American Express and Diners Club are accepted on a smaller scale. Some companies make an extra charge of around 5% on such transactions. There are ATMs in cities and most major tourist destinations nationwide, although not all debit cards are accepted, so check before leaving.

Traveller's Cheques

ATMs and credit cards mean traveller’s cheques are less necessary as a means of carrying money. However, traveller’s cheques issued by well-known brands can be cashed in exchange houses, which again give a better rate than hotels and a quicker service than banks. Traveller’s cheques in Pounds Sterling and Euros are now as readily accepted as those in US Dollars.

Currency Restrictions

Restrictions apply.

Banking Hours

Mon-Fri 0900-1600; some banks are open longer hours and others are open on Saturday afternoon.

Passport/Visa

British

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Australian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Canadian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: Yes

USA

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Other EU

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Passport Note

(a) Applicants for Blue Tourist Cards should have a valid passport, return/onward ticket and proof of financial means. (b) Tourist Cards must be kept by the visitor during the entire length of stay as they will have to be presented and stamped on leaving.

Passports

Passport valid for at least six months after date of entry required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Visas

Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above, who can obtain a Blue Tourist Card for touristic purposes from their airline on direct flights, at port of entry, or from the Mexican Consulate before travelling, for 180 days, except nationals of Australia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic and Slovenia who can stay for up to 90 days.

Visa Note

(a) Nationals seeking to visit Mexico on business are advised to check with the consulate regarding visa requirements as they may need to apply for a Non Immigrant Business Visitor carnet (FM3). (b) Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

Contact Addresses

Mexican Embassy in the UK

16 St George Street, Hanover Square, London W1S 1LX, UK
Tel: (020) 7499 8586 or 7201 0961-3 (visa section).
Website: www.sre.gob.mx/reinounido

Mexican Consulate in the UK

8 Halkin Street, London SW1X 7DW, UK
Tel: (020) 7235 6393 or 09065 508 969.
Website: www.sre.gob.mx/reinounido
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1300.

Mexico Tourism Board in the UK

Wakefield House, 41 Trinity Square, London EC3N 4DJ, UK
Tel: (020) 7488 9392 or 00800 1111 2266 (brochure request line).
Website: www.visitmexico.com

Mexican Embassy in the USA

1911 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20006, USA
Tel: (202) 728 1600.
Website: www.embassyofmexico.org

Mexican Tourism Board in the USA

400 Madison Avenue, Suite 11C, New York, NY 10017, USA
Tel: (212) 308 2110 or 1 800 446 3942.
Website: www.visitmexico.com

Travel Advice

Warning

A sustained period of torrential rain has caused the worst flooding ever experienced in Tabasco State. Mexican authorities report that approximately 500,000 people have been affected. The State Governor has declared a state of emergency. Travellers in the affected area should keep in close touch with their travel operators and follow the advice of the Mexican authorities, who are responding to the situation.

Hurricane Dean hit Mexico on 21 August. There has been significant damage to infrastructure in the areas south of Tulum (including Tulum City) in the state of Quintana Roo; the State of Campeche; and the possibility of damage in the State of Veracruz.  British nationals travelling to these areas should exercise caution.

The hurricane season in Mexico normally runs from June to November and can affect both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts.

Travellers are advised to exercise caution when travelling to Oaxaca City. Since May 2006, there have been protests in the city of Oaxaca, some of which have turned violent. The situation is currently calm, but there is the potential for further demonstrations and disturbances, which could become violent. 

The rest of the state of Oaxaca (including the resorts of Puerto Escondido and Huatulco) is largely unaffected. Travellers are advised to monitor local media reports if travelling to, or through, Oaxaca State.

Most visits are trouble-free, but crime and kidnappings are on the increase. Travellers should be particularly alert in tourist areas (especially on public transport and when dealing with real or purported policemen) and exercise caution when withdrawing money from cash points or exchanging money at bureaux de change.

The threat from terrorism is low. But travellers should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners. On 6 November 2006 three small bombs exploded in Mexico City at dawn, one outside the Mexican Electoral Tribunal, one at the headquarters of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and a third in a Scotia Bank branch in the south of the city. There were no casualties. Groups who claim they are connected with the protests in Oaxaca have claimed responsibility. 

Dengue Fever is endemic to Latin America and the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year. There has been a marked increase in the number of reported cases of dengue in 2007.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organisaions for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel

• Mexico Overview
• Mexico Things to See
• Mexico Things to Do
• Mexico Events
• Mexico Climate
• Mexico Public Holidays
• Mexico Health
• Mexico Currency
• Mexico Passport & Visas
• Mexico Contact Addresses
• Mexico Travel Advice