Here you will find some Mexico travel tips. These tips have been accumulated over my many trips to this beautiful country. I think you’ll find them useful!
Our style of travel is centered around exploring both the must-see spots as well as the roads less traveled. Add to this that most trips will happen in foreign countries in which English may not be widely spoken.
Don’t fret – these are all trips that anybody from around the world should be able to accomplish. We run into people from the US, Europe and Asia through all of our trips!
Table of Contents
Planes, trains, and automobiles
Transportation is a key consideration when making travel plans. I’ve learned something this the hard way over my many trips to Mexico. Here are some travel tips for getting to Mexico and moving around once you are there:
- We fly primarily into three airports: MEX, GDL, and CUN. Flights are usually very cheap (<$400 round trip), and, as you can see from our road trips, you can reach the best stuff from there.
- Unless you’re in a large metro area, such as Mexico City, New York City, Athens, etc., we lean towards road trips and getting to explore in our own car. Highways in Mexico, especially toll roads, are in exceptional condition. There’s plenty of gas stations along the way. In many instances, amazing food and natural snacks (such as strawberries, real pineapple juice, real pecan ice-cream, etc.) are available as well.
- When renting cars in Mexico, we always try to blend in. We rent the smallest cars that accommodate us.
- Beware of too-good-to-be-true rental prices on travel sites like Expedia. These prices do not include the price of insurance. In Mexico liability insurance (daños a terceros) is mandatory and you will have to add it in when you pick up the car. Many rental agencies try to pull a fast one and require additional insurance. They will quote you numbers in pesos leaving it to you to do the conversion to dollars.
- HINT: I’ve learned through the years that you can also rent a car through individuals or family owned businesses. Alberto is my go-to person when renting vehicles at the Cancun airport. Very responsive, and very reasonably priced!
- Avoid last minute surprises and call the rental agencies ahead of time and ask them what the true, final cost is. You can also book a car with insurance directly on the Mexican version of the rental car company you are using (e.g. www.budget.com.mx or www.avis.mx).
- Make sure to have unlimited data on your cell phone. It’s good for driving navigation, quick translations, using Google Maps for walking directions, getting an Uber, and booking any hotels on the go. Save money by buying a local SIM card when you arrive. These SIM card plans are usually way cheaper than international plans offered by your US carrier. An old (working) cell phone can be easily fitted with one of these SIM cards.
Medical Help
During our travel in Mexico, there has been times in which we’ve had to seek medical help. For instance, catching a cold or getting a very bad back pain. Some things to consider:
- There are several ‘private’ doctor offices throughout major cities. The consultation cost has been very low (<$30 USD). Medicine is quite cheap as well. I have been able to speak with a doctor without having to wait a long time, and have felt comfortable with the quality of care
- Inevitably, we’ve caught a cold, or we’ve gotten the runs 😬. There’s generally an abundance of pharmacies even in smaller towns. You can get recommendations on treatment at the pharmacy itself
- Smaller towns may not have hospitals. Locals have always been extremely helpful when seeking additional help
Other logistics
- We take some dollars, and foreign currency, if possible. However, we obtain most of our cash from international ATM’s. Make sure to have at least two debit cards, and a back-up credit card.
- Use Uber is big cities! Most major cities, such as Mexico City and Guadalajara, have Uber. It’s cheap, too! Drivers are super friendly. How friendly? We’ve hired our own Uber driver in some cities for the entire day for ~$40, and he gave us excellent tips during the day.
- Travel light! We use the airtight bags commonly sold that don’t require an electric vacuum. This saves a lot of space.
- We tend to travel with our baby daughter a lot. At first, we had to check with the hotels if they had a crib and many did. Mexico is a kid friendly environment. Most people in hotels speak English too, by the way.
- Talk to the locals and ask them what they recommend us trying.
- Some of the best food, we’ve found by talking to the people who live there. Mercados in Mexico are always a solid option in terms of true, local tasty food!
- Hidden spots that most websites or books don’t typically cite.
What if I go to Mexico, but don’t speak Spanish?
I think about this during every single road trip I take. Is it an advantage to know the language? Definitely. Is it entirely necessary? I’d say no.
In small towns, most people are very nice and accommodating. They are more than willing to communicate any way possible. This is specially so in Pueblos Mágicos. There are several pockets of people who speak the language, too.
Larger cities you will find many English speakers. Places like the Riviera Maya, Mexico City, and Guadalajara you will not have much trouble communicating in English. Hotel front desk workers speak English in most places.
I do recommend having some very basic knowledge such as the following:
- Gracias / Thank you
- Si & no / Yes & no
- Cuanto cuesta / How much does it cost
- Por favor / Please
- Como llegar a… / How to get to…
- Etc.
In terms of negotiating prices, you can use your cell phone to write the numbers!
I also recommend using the Google Translate app. It can take in audio, and you can use the camera to do real time translations without having to type.
Isn’t Mexico too dangerous to visit?
Mexico, like many countries in Latin America, unfortunately make the headlines with all the bad stuff that is going on. Like any other foreign place, you need to exercise common sense.
We have been traveling with our daughter in all our road trips there since she was born. We rent a car, either rent or take our car seat, and we hit the road.
We’ve also traveled with American and Indian friends, and they too have enjoyed the same peace of mind as we have during our travels.
We have not encountered any danger in any of our trips, and we feel we have been safe during all of our visits.
Quite honestly, we can’t wait to get back out there!
If you have any questions or comments about my Mexico travel tips, don’t hesitate to ask!
Is it OK to travel alone?
Similar to the previous section, I feel comfortable with recommending traveling alone. I venture out on my own to take pictures very early in the morning, and late at night. As with any city or new place, always make sure to exercise common sense. How would you take care of yourself if you’re traveling to, say, New York City? Always be mindful of your surroundings.
One more tip to follow to err on the side of caution: travel during the day time only and try to use toll roads as much as possible. Make sure you know when the sun is setting, and plan your day accordingly.