Mon's Voyage

The Mexican bucket list

Man, Mexico really has it all. There are loads of things on my personal Mexico bucket list I still have to see, but a few gems below.

Explore the Pyramids of the Sun

Just an hour outside of Mexico City lies one of the Mayan’s civilisations. Honestly, these were incredible. I was fascinated by how big these were and how in tact they still remain. Beware that there are no trees, so a hat and sunscreen are essential

Go cenote hopping in the Yucatan Peninsula

SO many cenotes, which are incredible and unique to this region of the world. They are actually sink holes which have filled with natural water over years and also have lil fish that will bite off your dead skin cells, which actually I didn’t love

Visit the bluest water in the world in Bacalar

I was truly wowed by this beautiful region of Southern Mexico and its actually where a lot of locals go on vacation. Beware of the deep, black cenotes in this area that apparently have people disappear in them every year… sp00ky

Visit all of the food & crafts markets in Oaxaca

Ahhh Oaxaca, my favourite food destination in Mexico. You’ll find loads of food markets next to loads of craft stores with beautiful paintings, handmade jewellery and other cute goods all over the city

Visit Frida Khalo’s house in Mexico City

A truly amazing woman with a fascinating story and a very talented artist. I loved going to her house in CDMX, it was filled with cacti and lots of quirky ornaments. Make sure you get tickets in advance because a lot of people don’t and don’t end up getting to go!

Tips to travel Mexico

Pre trip planning

Learn some basic Spanish phrases

Seriously, learn greetings, how to order, how to buy bus tickets, and how to ask for help. A lot of people speak English (particularly in touristy areas), but its just so much more fun

Download local maps

Service is pretty good around Mexico, but its just better to have

Get a local sim or e-sim

If going the e-sim version, you can prepare this prior to departing. I used Airalo, but Holafly is better if you want unlimited data

Tag on Google the places you want to visit

And understand the distances between them (i.e. Mexico City for example is HUGE, and if you want to make it for any sort of pre-booked events, understand the times to get to each place)

Download Uber

There are loads of other apps, I tried one in Mexico where you have to bid for a trip, but the car ended up having broken doors and no seatbelts lel, Uber is best in most places

Prepare your first aid and medical kit

Yes, you can buy most things (but extras that usually are illegal lel) in Mexico, but its between to be prepared your your Imodium, Paracetamol, bandaids etc because you never know when that chilli might hit you or you might get bitten by a dog (true story)…

Get some Mexican Pesos

You may need to pay cash upon arrival, and also you want to be ready with some local currency to grab some street tacos

Money & costs

Currency: Mexican Pesos

ATM sitch? There are ATMs everywhere. Don’t use ATMs at night

Card vs. cash? Cash heavy in a lot of Mexico. Get cash out at ATMs or exchange some of your local currency at places within the cities (avoid the airport for high costs and avoid exchanging money with people on the streets who are usually scammers). Get your Wise card ready too

Visa fees? $70 USD for visa on arrival (entry fee) into Mexico (watch out as sometimes they try and charge more), no exit fees

Accomodation costs: $10-$20 USD for a dorm per night or $20-$50 USD for an Airbnb per night or $100+ per night for bougie resorts

Meal costs: $2-$30 USD per meal or $3-$5 AUD for a cerveza

Transport costs: $30-$100 USD for medium to long distance buses, depending on distance, $5-$10 for intercity Ubers

Transport

Within cities

Busing/metroing: public transport is a great place to get pickpocketed so watch your belongings! Some places have poor public transport, except Mexico City has an excellent metro

Ubering vs. taxiing: I always preferred Ubers in Latin America because you don’t have to negotiate, get cash out to pay, and each ride is tracked. Although some places don’t use Uber, so taxis are usually okay

Walking: I loved exploring Mexican cities and town by foot but it’s recommended not to walk alone at night and avoid some areas. Also it can get bloody hot, so make sure you have some water and sunscreen!

Between cities

Busing: the best and cheapest way to get around Mexico is to catch buses, ADO buses are the most reliable and very comfortable seats which are okay to sleep on. I did not take any night buses because occasionally there are issues (i.e. random nightly shootings and some roads are a little dodgy/unsafe – but honestly 9/10 times would be fine). I never felt unsafe on a day bus, and most drivers are very professional and timely

Flying: flights aren’t that cheap in Mexico, particularly around holiday seasons, however there are a lot of flight companies to choose from (Volaris, AeroMexico, Avianca), which can be cheap if booked in advance and really flying can be a good option if you are limited on time as there are some LONG distances in Mexico

Safety

…don’t fear what you see on Sky News

Okay a week after I returned from Mexico, 2 Australian guys were found dead in Baja California. There are things that do happen in Mexico, and some parts are definitely sketchier than others, but please stop believing everything you see in the news! There are a lot of safe destinations to travel in Mexico, and honestly, bad things can happen anywhere. Have your wits about you, and follow local media and your country’s travel advice. Some tips below from me.

Tip 1: Don’t bring anything flashy with you

Leave the gold watches, LV bags and branded goods at home. Don’t look like a target

Tip 2: Avoid walking around at night

Ya kind of obvious, and if you’re a female, you probably already do this in your home country. But try and take an Uber home if out late drinking etc..

Tip 3: Avoid taxis

This one is a bit of a personal one, but Ubers are just a lot safer and easier. You can pay on your phone, share the ride with a friend, and follow the map of where your driver is going. Taxis are annoying.

Tip 4: Follow the beaten path

For those really that worried, stick to the touristy paths and stay along the beaten track, sometimes that’s better