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Difference between revisions of "Mexico"

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North America : Mexico
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(By bus)
(By bus)
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There are other bus companies offering transborder service from Guatemala to Tapachula or Comitan in Chiapas state and from Belize to [[Chetumal]]
* [  '''Linea Dorada'''] goes across from Guatemala City to the Guatemala side of La Mesilla/Ciudad Cauaetemoc crossing via Quetzaltenango and Huehuetenango
* [  '''ADO/OCC'''] operates once daily buses from Merida and Cancun, via Chetumal to Belize City.
* [  '''Linea Dorada'''] goes across from Guatemala City to the Guatemala side of La Mesilla/Ciudad Cuauhtemoc in La Mesilla.  From the Mexican side there are taxis or combis (shared ride vans) down to the Mexican immigration station in Ciudad Cuauhtemoc. 
* [  '''Tica Bus'''] runs the length of the Central American isthmus from Panama City to [[Tapachula]] stopping at every Central American capital city and select towns or cities along the way except Belize.   
* [  '''Trans Galgos Inter'''] goes from Guatemala City to [[Tapachula#By_bus|Tapchula]] via Rethaluleau and El Carmen/Talisman crossing.

Revision as of 02:23, 3 July 2014

Mexico in its region.svg
Flag of Mexico.svg
Quick Facts
Capital Mexico City (Distrito Federal)
Government Federal Republic
Currency Mexican peso (MXN)
Area total: 1 964 375km²
water: 20 430km²
land: 1,943,945km²
Population 106,202,903 (July 2006 est.)
Language Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages (no official language)
Electricity 127V/60Hz
Country code +52
Internet TLD .mx
Time Zone UTC −6 to UTC −8

Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States (Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos), is a fascinating country in North America, lying between the United States of America to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast.




Mexico is one of the most popular tourist countries on the planet. Much of the tourist industry revolves around the beach resorts as well as the altiplano in the central part of the country. Visiting the northern interior allows visitors to get off the beaten path a bit. American tourists tend to predominate on the Baja peninsula and the more modern beach resorts (Cancún and Puerto Vallarta), while European tourists congregate around the smaller resort areas in the south like Playa del Carmen and colonial towns like San Cristobal de las Casas and Guanajuato.







  • 1 Jan
  • 5 Feb: Constitution Day(1917)
  • 24 Feb: Flag Day (not official)
  • First Sunday in March: Family´s day
  • 1 May: Workers' Day commemorates the Mexican workers' union movements.
  • 5 May: The Battle of Puebla against the French army, 19th century.
  • 10 May: Mothers' day
  • 15 September: Grito de Dolores
  • 16 September: Independence day (celebrates the start of the fight for the independence from Spain in 1810, achieved 27 Sep 1821).
  • 12 October: Discovery of America (Descubrimiento de America)(not an official holiday)
  • 2 November: Day of the dead
  • 20 November: Revolution day (1910)
  • 12 December: Virgin Mary of Guadalupe Day. Technically not official, but is one of the most important Mexican Holidays
  • 24 December: Christmas Eve (Not an official holiday, but normally a full non-working day or only half day)
  • 25 December: Christmas
  • 31 December: New Year’s Eve (Not an official holiday, but normally a full non-working day or only half day)




Mexico observes daylight savings time (DST) the same way as the US prior to 2007, from the first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October. This now includes the tropical regions of southern Mexico as well. There will be several weeks each year when the US is on DST, but Mexico is not. The state of Sonora south of Arizona does not observe DST since Arizona doesn't have it either.


Mexico regions
Baja California (Baja California, Baja California Sur)
The western peninsula, which borders the U.S. state of California
Historic states in a traditional silver-mining region
Center, surrounding the capital city
Tropical beaches on Mexico's southern coast
Yucatan Peninsula (Campeche, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Yucatán)
Jungle and impressive Mayan archaeological sites, along with the Caribbean coast


  • Acapulco - a sophisticated urban beach setting known for its top-notch nightlife, elegant dining, and nightmarish traffic
  • Cancun - one of the worlds most popular and famous beaches, known for its clear Caribbean waters, its lively party atmosphere, and its wealth of recreational facilities
  • Guadalajara - traditional city, capital of Jalisco state, and the home of mariachi music and tequila and blessed with perpetual spring weather and a graceful and sophisticated colonial downtown
  • Mazatlan - lively Pacific beach resort, transport hub and popular Spring Break destination with the oldest Carnival in Mexico and one of the largest in the world
  • Monterrey - large modern city that's the commercial and industrial hub of Northern Mexico and enjoying a dry, mountainous setting
  • San Luis Potosi - central Mexico, colonial city that was once an important silver produce
  • Taxco - nice steep mountain town now has a strong place in the trade of decorative silver, from cheap fittings to the most elegant jewellery and elaborate castings

Other destinations




Archaeological Sites

  • Coba - Majestic Mayan city, located around two lagoons.

Get in

By plane

From the United States



From Australia or New Zealand


Many airlines fly from Los Angeles to Mexico including AeroMexico, Alaska, Volaris, Horizon, Aerolitoral, and United. More options are available if connecting through another U.S. city. Also, make sure to have a good look at visas beforehand. Even just for transit, you will need an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) or transit visa for for the USA, and if you get a visa waiver, they treat Mexico as part of the USA, meaning if you stay longer than 90 days in Mexico, you will need to travel further south before returning to the USA.

From Europe

Many commercial airlines link Mexico directly to Europe. It is always worthwhile to compare flight offers from air carriers who can bring you to Mexico City or Cancun via many European hubs, like Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid; the flight duration from those cities is always approximately 11 hours (plus your connecting flight from home if you are not originating at one of those hubs.)

By train


Like almost all countries in the Americas, Mexico phased out intercity passenger rail in the mid-20th century and has not brought it back since. Thus, unlike the US-Canada border where you can ride a train from Seattle to Vancouver or New York to Montreal, there are no options for taking an Amtrak train across the border into any Mexican cities.

By car

American automobile insurance is not accepted in Mexico; however it is easy to obtain short-term or long-term tourist policies that include the mandatory liability coverage, together with theft and accident cover for your vehicle and, often, legal assistance cover. Should you decide to drive to Mexico, the Transport and Communications Secretariat website has free downloadable road maps.

Foreign-plated vehicles must obtain the necessary permits before being allowed into the interior of Mexico. This can be done at the border checkpoints by showing your vehicle title or registration, as well as immigration documents and a valid credit card. It is now possible to apply for your vehicle import permit on-line. Vehicle permits will only be issued to the registered owner of the vehicle, so the papers will have to be in the name of the applicant. The Baja California peninsular and the northern part of the State of Sonora do not require a permit.

Due to the incredibly high volume of drugs and illegal immigration (into the US) and drug money and weapons (into Mexico) crossing the US-Mexico border, expect long delays and thorough searches of vehicles when crossing the border. At some of the busiest crossings, expect a delay of one to four hours.

By bus

The Mexican intercity bus system is reportedly the most efficient in the world. There are many different independent companies but all use a central computerized ticketing system. Rates per mile are generally comparable to those of Greyhound in the US, but there are more departures and the system serves much smaller villages than its American counterpart. There are many bus companies based in Mexico with branch offices in major US cities and/or provide cross border transport with a few such examples noted below:

Greyhound offers tickets from the US to major Mexican cities, including Monterrey, Queretaro, Durango, Mazatlan, Torreon, Mexico City with onwards travel with Grupo Estrella Blanca south of the border and vice verse from Mexico north. It is best (and cheapest) to buy a round-trip Greyhound ticket since it may be more difficult and expensive to buy a ticket from Mexico to a US destination which is not a major city. When departing from Mexico, the local bus line (usually Futura) will change the Greyhound-issued ticket into its own, free of charge.


  • ADO/OCC operates once daily buses from Merida and Cancun, via Chetumal to Belize City.
  • Tica Bus runs the length of the Central American isthmus from Panama City to Tapachula stopping at every Central American capital city and select towns or cities along the way except Belize.
  • Trans Galgos Inter goes from Guatemala City to Tapchula via Rethaluleau and El Carmen/Talisman crossing.

By boat

  • Border crossing from Guatemala.
  • Cruise ships from United States.

Visa and other entrance requirements


Visitors to Mexico are processed at all land and air entry points by officials of the Instituto Nacional de Migración (National Institute of Migration), a unit of the Secretaría de Gobernación (Secretariat of the Interior). These are the names you will see prominently displayed at those entry points.

The current Mexican tourist card is formally known as a Forma Migratoria Múltiple (Multiple Immigration Form), or FMM. The current FMM design as of 2014 is a tall rectangular card. If you are flying into the country, the FMM fee is normally included as part of the ticket price and the FMM forms will be distributed while in-flight. The FMM form has a perforation that divides the card into two parts; the lower part asks for some of the same information requested on the top part. At entry, after reviewing your passport and filled-out FMM, the INM officer will run the machine-readable part of your passport's information page followed by the bar code on the FMM form through a scanner on his computer, stamp your passport and the FMM, separate the FMM along the perforation and give the bottom portion of the FMM back to you with your passport.

Keep the FMM together with your passport at all times. Under Mexican law, it is your responsibility to ensure the bottom portion of the FMM is returned to the Mexican government at time of departure so that the bar code can be scanned, thus showing that you left the country on time. For example, if you are flying with Aeromexico, they may ask for your passport and FMM at check-in for your flight home, then staple your FMM to your boarding pass. You are expected to then hand the boarding pass together with your FMM to the gate agent as you board your flight. If you lose your FMM during your visit to Mexico, you may be subject to substantial delays and a MXN500 fine before you can leave the country.

An Electronic authorization visa (Autorización Electrónica) for travelling to Mexico is available on the Internet for nationals from Ukraine, and Russia. Other nationalities must contact a Mexican consulate in order to find out the requirements for citizens of their country, and may have to apply for and obtain a visa in advance of travel. If you are in need of other information, Mexico has diplomatic offices in many cities around the world. The consulates in the USA are typically open for business to non-citizens (by telephone or in-person) only 08:30-12:30.

Holders of Indian passports can obtain a visitor visa on arrival in Mexico when in possession of a valid tourist visa for the USA.

If you cross the border via road, do not expect the authorities to automatically signal you to fill out your paperwork. You will have to find the closest INM office and go through the appropriate procedures on your own to pay the appropriate fee and obtain a valid FMM before proceeding beyond the border zone (roughly 20 miles past the land border with certain exceptions). Unfortunately, because the Mexican government does not trust its own officials to handle money, INM offices at land ports of entry cannot directly accept payment of the FMM fee. Rather, you have to first obtain a form from the INM office, go to a nearby bank to pay the FMM fee (some Mexican banks have constructed branches within walking distance of INM offices for this purpose), obtain proof of payment, and then return to the INM office to obtain your FMM.

In addition, as noted above, if you are driving your own vehicle, you will have to obtain an temporary importation permit before you can drive it beyond the border zone.

The INM officer at your point of entry into Mexico can also request that you demonstrate that you have sufficient economic solvency and (if you are entering by air) a round-trip ticket.

If you do not intend to travel past the border zone and your stay will not exceed three days, US and Canadian nationals need only present proof of citizenship and need not obtain a FMM at the border. Reentry into the United States generally requires a passport, but a US or Canadian Enhanced Drivers License (or Enhanced Photo ID) or US passport card is acceptable for re-entry by land or sea.


In addition to immigration, you will also have to pass through Mexican customs, especially if entering by air. In Mexico, Aduana (Customs) is part of the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (Tax Administration Service), which in turn is part of the Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público (Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit).

At Mexican airports, passing through customs means having to fill out a customs declaration form (which is not necessarily provided in-flight), presenting it to the customs officer, and then pushing a red button which will cause a red or green light to glow at random (historically, the lights were actually mounted as part of a real traffic light).

Visitors selected at random by this mechanism (that is, when the red light is activated) are then required to present all their bags for search by both X-ray scanner and hand.

Get around

Travelling in Mexico is most practical by bus, car, or air. Passenger transport by train is almost non existent.

By car

Due to a government scheme in the early 1990s to create infrastructure, the best roads are toll roads. Toll roads can be relatively costly (MXN400-800 is common on longer trips) but are much faster and better maintained. First-class buses generally travel by toll roads (and the toll is obviously included in the ticket price).


When travelling on Mexican roads, especially near the borders with the United States and Guatemala, you'll probably encounter several checkpoints operated by the Mexican Army searching for illegal weapons and drugs. If you're coming from the United States, you may not be used to this, and it can be intimidating. However, these are rarely a problem for honest people. Simply do what the soldiers tell you to do, and treat them with respect. The best way to show respect when entering a checkpoint is to turn your music down, lift sunglasses from your face, and be prepared to roll your window down. They should treat you with respect as well, and they usually do. If you are asked to unpack any part of your vehicle, do so without complaint. It's their right to make you completely unload in order for them to inspect your cargo.


Car Rental Companies in Mexico are everywhere in the big cities and airports making it easy to get a rental car while travelling through Mexico. Some of the biggest car rental companies in Mexico are Sixt rent a car, Avis, Hertz, and several other big brand car rental companies.

The Secretariat of Communication and Transport recently set up a new mapping tool similar to those in the US like Mapquest, its name is Traza Tu Ruta and is very helpful to find how to get to your destination using Mexico's roads. It is in Spanish but can be used with basic knowledge of the language.




See also: Driving in Mexico

By plane

Mexico is a large country and the low-cost revolution that started in 2005 (following the break up of the CINTRA monopoly, which owned Mexicana and Aeromexico, in 2000) meant that fares were often ridiculously cheap during the first decade of the 2000s if one booked in advance.

Thanks to the Great Recession and soaring fuel prices, the bargain days are mostly gone. Still, one can still find an occasional bargain by using a reliable notification service such as or monitoring the airlines' respective websites. Only Aeromexico's and Volaris's fares are currently syndicated on Kayak, Skyscanner and other similar sites.

The main full-service airlines are:

Then there are the low-cost carriers such as:

Other smaller regional/commuter carriers operating mainly non-jet aircraft include:

  • Aereo Calafia serves the northwestern states of Baja Calfornia Sur y Norte, Sonora, Sinaloa, & Jalisco (Pto Vallarta).
  • Aerotucan travels between Oaxaca, Pto Escondido, Huatulco, & Tuxtla Gutierrez
  • Aero Pacifico serves the cities of Culiacan, La Paz, Los Mochis, & Chihuahua.
  • Mayair flies between Cancun, Cozumel, Merida, Villahermosa, & Veracruz.

Always check the individual carrier's Web site to verify where they currently fly. Carriers such as Mexicana, Taesa, Aerocalifornia, Alma de Mexico, Líneas Aéreas Azteca, Aviacsa, and Avolar are no longer in business.

By bus


  • ABC (Autobuses de la Baja California), [1]. goes up and down the Baja California Peninsula between Tijuana, Mexicali, La Paz, Los Cabos and anywhere in between.
  • ADO (Autobuses De Oriente), [2]. operates as ADO, ADO GL, AU, OCC (Omnibus Cristobal Colon), Platino, and some of the local second class lines in the eastern and southeastern part of the the country. They operate mainly in Guerrero, Puebla, Veracruz, Chiapas, Tamaulipas, Tabasco, and the Yucatan Peninsula (Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Campeche).
  • Autovias, Herredura Plus, 01 800 622 22 22, [3].
  • Grupo Estrella Blanca, [4]. operates mainly in Aguascaliente, Baja California Norte, Chihuahua, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Jalisco, Michocoan, Nayrit, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora & Zacatecas states and up to the U.S. border. They operate brands such as Elite, TNS (Norte de Sonora), Chihuahuanese, Futura, Pacifico, Oriente, Tranporte Frontera and Americanos as well as a booking agent for onward travel to the U.S. on Greyhound lines.
  • Estrella de Oro, [5]. Guerrero, Veracruz, DF; and Hidalgo states.
  • Estrella Roja, [6]. travels mainly between Mexico City and Puebla
  • Grupo Flecha Roja, Aguila, [7]. operates mainly between Mexico City and various places in Mexico, Hidalgo and Queretaro states
  • FYPSA (Autobuses Fletes y Pasajes S.A. de C.V.), [8]. Chiapas, DF, Oaxaca.
  • Omnibus de México, [9].
  • ETN (Enlances Terrestre Nacionales), Turistar Lujo, 01 800 8000 386, [10].
  • Grupo Senda, 01 800 890 90 90, [11]. Aguascaliente, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Jalisco, Mexico (state), Nuevo Leon, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas & Zacatecas states and the U.S. states of Alabama, Illinois, Louisiana, N Carolina, S Carolina, & Texas
  • TUFESA, 01 800 737 88 83, [12]. Baja California Norte, Jalisco, Nayrit, Sinaloa & Sonora in Mexico and Arizona, California & Nevada in the USA
  • Primera Plus, Flecha Amarilla, [13]. Aguascaliente, Durango, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nayrit, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa & Zacatecas states

Travellers heading east (more or less) from Mexico City (TAPO bus terminal) can find ticket information on TicketBus. Other destinations can be found on individual companies' websites (see above). Schedules for all Mexico are available at horariodebuses

On the other hand if travelling within a city, you won't find a pleasant surprise. You will find one of the most chaotic public transport systems full of the popular "peseros". "Peseros" are small buses with varying color codes depending on the city you are in. Usually the route is written on cardboard attached to the windshield/windscreen or written in soap or chalk on the windshield listing out the places (hospital, university, shopping centers, major landmark, name of neighborhoods, etc) the bus goes through or by. Unlike in many countries, bus stops are uncommon and you are expect to signal the bus to pick you up and drop you off wherever you want. You will rarely find a stop button in a pesero; just shout the word "baja" for it to stop. Fares are cheap and vary from MXN2-7 approximately.

By train

Passenger trains are very limited in Mexico with only a few lines in operation in places like the Copper Canyon in the northern state of Chihuahua. That line is known as the Chihuahua Pacific Railway (Chihuahua del Pacifico) which pull out every morning from both ends of the line, one from Los Mochis on the Pacific coast, across from Baja California, and the other from Chihuahua in the east (due south of El Paso, Texas). They pass each other roughly midways at Divisadero and Barrancas Copper Canyon stations at an altitude of 2100m (7000 ft). This route travels between Chihuahua city, Los Mochis and Topolobampo (near the coast) in Sinaloa state trough the Copper Canyon.

In the state of Jalisco there is also a line which travels from the state capital city of Guadalajara to the tequila distilleries north of Amititlan, as a tour of the distilleries (then as a form of transportation), this is why this line is called the Tequila Express.

Mexico City and Monterrey have subway service, and it might be possible to hop aboard freight cars in some parts of the country (if you happen to be an adventurer. Immigrants from poorer regions of Mexico and from Central America heading up to the US ride the freight trains too).

By thumb





Mexico does not have an official language at federal (national) level. Mexico has 68 recognized languages, but Spanish is the main one. The other 67 are indigenous languages that, although officially recognized, people almost never speak. Spanish is used by virtually the whole population and all public communications (signs, documents, media, etc.) are conducted in the language. Bilingual signs in Spanish and English might be available in popular tourist destinations.

English is understood by many in Mexico City as well as by some tourist workers in popular tourist places, but nevertheless, most Mexicans don't speak English. Educated Mexicans, especially younger ones, and professional businessmen are the people most likely to speak some English. The most popular foreign languages to learn within Mexico after English are French, Italian, German and Japanese. Among clerks, policemen, and drivers (especially the last group) there is essentially no such thing as knowledge of foreign languages.


See also: Spanish phrasebook





The currency of Mexico is the peso (MXN), often confusingly symbolized as "$" locally, divided into 100 centavos. Coins are issued in 5, 10 (steel), 20, 50 centavo (brass; new 50-centavo coins issued from 2011 on are steel and smaller in size) and 1, 2, 5 (steel ring, brass center), 10, 20, 50, and 100 peso (brass ring, steel or silver center) denominations, but it's extremely rare to find coins valued at more than 10 pesos.

Banknotes are produced in MXN20 (blue), MXN50 (pink-red), MXN100 (red), MXN200 (green), MXN500 (brown), and MXN1000 (purple and pink for the latest issue, purple for older issues) denominations. The most recent MXN20 and MXN50 bills are made from polymer plastic, and there are several different series of all banknotes. Ten-peso notes exist, but are very rare.


The symbol for pesos is the same as for US dollars, which can be slightly confusing. Prices in dollars (in tourist areas) are labeled "US$" or "USD" or sport an S with a double stroke. As of September 2013, the exchange rate was continuing to hover around MXN13 for USD1. US dollars are widely accepted in cities in the northern border zone and in tourist locales elsewhere.


If you have brought cash in US dollars or euro, the best places to change your money are at your arrival airport (such as MEX and CUN), where many money exchanges are located already in the arrival hall (where you can also compare some exchange rates and choose the most convenient). Be sure to pass through customs and exit to the main arrival hall before looking for foreign exchange booths. Many Mexican airports (including Cancun and Los Cabos) have foreign exchange booths located at the baggage claim before customs, but those booths tend to offer poor exchange rates two or three pesos less than the going market rate.

If you would like to wait until later to obtain Mexican currency, try not to change at your hotel, as the rates there tend to be extremely disadvantageous for tourists. Often, you can find money exchanges at strategic places in most touristic destinations and near the hotel (zones). The exchanges rates should not differ drastically from the ones at airport. If you are unfamiliar with Mexican money (bills, coins), try to stick to official foreign exchange booths. In several internationally popular beach destinations like Cancun and Los Cabos, local merchants are accustomed to US dollars and will often accept them as payment (they even have dual-currency point-of-sale systems, complete with special cash drawers). However, do bear in mind that the convenience of such “private” money exchange usually comes with a slightly unfavorable exchange rate.

Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in Mexico. As in the rest of North America, Visa and MasterCard are universally accepted and American Express is less widely accepted. You can use them at ATMs as well as in most department stores, bigger restaurants, gas stations, but be sure that outside cities you always carry sufficient cash in pesos in your pocket, and generally verify the possibility to pay with card before consumption. Smaller (often family run) businesses often accept only cash. Many retailers will demand an additional fee or surcharge (eg, an extra 5%) for credit cards or will impose a high minimum charge like USD50. Also, you cannot get a lower price if you haggle, unless you pay cash.

While many Pemex stations accept credit cards, especially in locations that have heavy tourist traffic, some do not. Travelers who intend to pay by credit card should always ask the attendant if their card is accepted before the attendant starts the gas pump.

ATMs are ubiquitous and are often bilingual with English menus available. Bank of America customers can avoid ATM fees by using Santander Serfin ATMs. Other banks may have similar policies, check with your respective institution. For example, Banamex bank is owned by Citigroup, the parent of Citibank, and Bancomer is owned by BBVA, which is related to Chase in USA. Ask your bank if they have an alliance with any Mexican banks and any benefits as a result. Otherwise, do not be surprised if exorbitant fees are imposed for each withdrawal; convenience and currency conversion fees by the ATM operator, followed by an out-of-network fee from your own bank.

ATMs in smaller towns often run out of currency. Check with the bank (or locals) about the best time to use the ATM and never wait until the last minute to get cash.

Merchants can be picky about the state of your paper money and may scrutinize it and reject anything with rips, tears, or other obvious signs of damage. Try to keep it in as pristine condition as possible. Reputedly, this is more the case the farther south you go. In any case, you can present a bank with a damaged bill to get it exchanged for a higher-quality one.



  • Weights are measured in kilograms. Length is measured in centimetres and metres.

Basic supplies

Most large hotels/resorts have an on-site gift shop that sells sundries at insanely high prices. For basic supplies, your best options are supermarkets like Comercial Mexicana, Soriana, Casa Ley, or Gigante. Walmart and Costco also have many stores throughout the country.

The most ubiquitous convenience store chain is Oxxo, which can be found on nearly every other block in major cities. Kiosks and 7-Eleven are also growing rapidly.


  • Souvenirs All major Mexican resort cities are dotted with numerous souvenir shops where one can find the usual souvenir junk embossed with the city´s name: T-shirts, ceramic mugs, tote bags, keychains, shot glasses, etc. Note that while many of these items are produced in Mexico, they are often actually mass-produced in factories for the entire country (this is especially true of items with a generic, vaguely Mexican theme or logo). So if you visit multiple Mexican cities within the same year, you will likely recognize many of the exact same souvenirs available in those cities, except that each has been customized with that particular city's name. (Although to be fair, the quality of those souvenirs is sometimes quite good.) Most souvenir stores are local operations, although there is one major chain, Fiesta Mexicana, that operates stores throughout the country.

Things to not buy

  • Department store goods The major department stores in Mexico are Liverpool, El Palacio de Hierro and Sears. However, because

of the rather low average wealth and high taxes, most tourists are unlikely to be impressed by the selection of goods available. (There is a reason why so many Mexicans who can qualify for US tourist visas prefer to do most of their department store shopping in the United States...)


Mayan Ruins of Tulum
  • Surfing - Baja California, Vallarta, Oaxaca
  • Sea Kayaking - Baja California
  • Whale Watching - Baja California, Guerrero Negro
  • White Water Rafting - Veracruz
  • Visit a Volcano - Mexico, Toluca etc.
  • Take a ride on the Copper Canyon Railway
  • Go for a horseback ride in the Barrancas de Chihuahua
  • Fly on a hot air balloon - Over the Teotihuacan pyramids [15]
  • Visit ecological parks - Mayan Riviera
  • trekking also cave paintings in Baja California - Guerrero Negro
  • Learn Spanish by taking language classes - [[16]]


Enchilada Rice Beans
Tacos, rice, and beans
Chilaquiles Rojos
Cinnamon cookies in the shape of pigs being sold by a street vendor during the Holy Week fair in Cuajimalpa, Mexico City






  • Tortas - Fancy Mexican sandwich. Bread roll that is grilled lightly, meat fillings are same as tacos and/or American styled charcuterie, lettuce, tomatoes, jalapeños, beans, onion, mayonnaise and avocado.
  • Pozole - Chicken or pork broth with hominy corn, spiced when served with oregano, lettuce, lemon juice, radish, chopped onion, dried ground chile and other ingredients such as chicken, pork, or even seafood, usually served with a side dish of tostadas, fried potato and fresh cheese tacos. When it is made with beef stomach and beef feet it is called Menudo. Menudo is often eaten at breakfast on weekends and is considered a hangover cure. Very fortifying.



Tequila Store
Horchata de arroz


  • Absinthe is legal in Mexico.
  • Tequila, distilled from agave (a specific type of cactus)
  • Pulque, ferment made from maguey
  • Mezcal, similar to tequila but distilled from maguey
  • Tepache, made from pineapple
  • Tuba, made from coconut palm tree


  • Modelo Especial (medium lager)
  • Negra Modelo (darker, flavorful ale)
  • Indio (good amber, not commonly exported)
  • Bohemia (nice malty taste)
  • Carta Blanca (mass market beer)
  • Sol (very light, similar to Corona)
  • Superior (pretty common beer)
  • Montejo
  • León (red Vienna-style beer)
  • Estrella
  • Chamochelas


Northwestern Mexico, especially Baja California and Sonora, is well-known for wine production. Mexican wine is often quite good, but most Mexicans tend to prefer European or Chilean imports.

  • Chocolate
  • Atole
  • Horchata (rice based drink)
  • Pozol (maiz based drink) - traditional drink from Chiapas
  • Tejate (maiz and chocolate based drink)- traditional drink from Oaxaca
  • Licuados de fruta (fruit smoothies and milkshakes)
  • Champurrado (Thick chocolate drink)


Sobriety checkpoints and breathalyzers are widespread in major cities and tourist hotspots. If drinking, always have a designated driver or take a taxi. Driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage will result in several days in jail.



The most important Universities in Mexico are as follows: UNAM, ranked 198th worldwide, and generally considered to be the best or second best in Latin America. It leads Mexico with 50% of Mexican scientific research, Many of Mexico's most illustrious people attended UNAM, including:

  • 5 Mexican presidents;
  • The world's wealthiest person: Carlos Slim.




  • Partnership with John Hopkins Medicine Program.
  • Double degree with UNC-Chapel Hill in M.B.A.
  • Exchange programs with over 200 universities abroad around 30 countries.




For graduate degrees and executive preparation:



If one had to Compare them with American Universities:















Stay safe

Stop hand.png  Government Travel Advisory
The Mexican government makes a considerable effort to protect visitors to major tourist destinations, and there is no evidence that Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) have targeted visitors and residents based on their nationality. Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico generally do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the border region and in areas along major trafficking routes. The TCOs themselves are engaged in a violent struggle to control drug trafficking routes and other criminal activity. As a result, crime and violence are serious problems throughout the country and can occur anywhere. Visitors and citizens have fallen victim to TCO activity, including homicide, gun battles, kidnapping, carjacking and highway robbery. According to the statistics last published by the Mexican government in late 2011, 47,515 people were killed in narcotics-related violence in Mexico between December 1, 2006 and September 30, 2011, with 12,903 narcotics-related homicides in the first nine months of 2011 alone. While most of those killed in narcotics-related violence have been members of TCOs, innocent persons have also been killed. Source: [17]
Advisory Issued: 20-November-2012









Drug Traffic Issues

Understand that the country is going through a transitionary period. After president Felipe Calderon came to power in 2006, he declared war on the drug cartels, and they have waged war in turn against the government (and more often, among each other). If you are going into Mexico, be considerate bringing up this issue with your hosts or Mexican friends. Many people do not wish to discuss their country's numerous problems.




Although rarely surprising, the drug violence's new victim is Monterrey. The city at one point was crowned the safest city in Latin America, and the hard-working environment and entrepreneurial spirit was what defined the city for most Mexicans. Today, it has been the latest city to fall into the hands of the drug gangs, and deadly shootouts existed even in broad daylight. People have been kidnapped even in broad daylight in high-profile upscale hotels. The situation has dramatically changed since 2011, but the city has still not fully recovered.



Since the current drug war began in 2006, there has been occasional wild speculation in the North American English-language media about the risk that Mexico could become a "failed state" controlled directly by one or more drug cartels, with the obvious corollary that U.S. citizens would have to be evacuated with U.S. military assistance (as actually occurred in Liberia in 1990, Sierra Leone in 1992, Albania in 1997, Lebanon in 2006, and Haiti in 2010). As a result, most U.S. border states have publicly acknowledged preparing detailed contingency plans for that possibility, which would require the deployment of a massive number of National Guard troops to secure the U.S.-Mexico border and deal with thousands of Mexican refugees seeking asylum in the U.S.

However, apart from the notorious exception of a single elite military unit that changed sides and became the Los Zetas cartel, the vast majority of Mexican military and police units continue to demonstrate their loyalty to the democratically elected federal government in Mexico City. As of 2012, only three state governments (out of 31 states) are thought to have been compromised by the cartels (according to the Los Angeles Times). Furthermore, as of 2013, the country's security situation has improved significantly under President Enrique Pena Nieto, to the extent where heavily armed soldiers are not frequently seen as they used to be in major tourist areas like Los Cabos and Cancun. Thus, the actual probability of an unexpected regime change occurring during your visit is extremely low and should not discourage you from visiting Mexico.

Advice for the Beach





Public transport






  • All distances on the signboards and speed limits are in kilometres.


Never drive above the speed limit or run stop signs/red lights as Mexican police will use any excuse to pull over tourists and give you a ticket. If pulled over by a police officer soliciting a bribe, do not pay the amount requested, but pull out USD50 or MXN500, and explain that it is all you have. This technique has worked in the past (but it does not work in Mexico City), but it is corruption. Corruption also is a crime in Mexico, so make a conscious choice. The fine for speeding could be as much as USD100, depending on the city.



Stay healthy



Before travelling to rural areas of Mexico, it might be a good idea to obtain anti-malarial medications from your health care provider. The US "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" also have recommendations for vaccines and staying healthy when travelling to Mexico.

It is strongly advised that the traveller be sure that any meats they are consuming have been thoroughly cooked due to an increasing rate of roundworm infections, particularly in the Acapulco area.



As with any western location, cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome have been reported throughout Mexico. This is an acute, rare (but often fatal) illness for which there is no known cure. The virus is believed to be present in animal faeces, particularly faeces from members of the rodent family. Therefore, do not wander into animal dens and be especially careful when entering enclosed spaces that are not well ventilated and lack sunlight.

Vaccination against Hepatitis A & B and Typhoid fever is recommended.




Mexicans have a somewhat relaxed sense of time, so be patient. Arriving 15 minutes late is common.

In Mexico the custom is to greet a person by kissing their right cheek just once (Many Mexicans will kiss someone at the time they are introduced rather than shake hands. No everyone will do so, but keep it in mind.) It is only between men-woman, woman-woman.




When entering churches, always take off any sunglasses, caps or hats. Wearing shorts is rarely a problem, but still wear a sweatshirt or sweater around your waist to avoid showing too much skin, which could be disrespectful in such places. However, away from the beaches, or northern areas, shorts are very rarely worn by Mexicans on the street and thus will attract more attention to you and may make you stand out as a foreigner.

Respect Mexico's laws. Some foreigners hold on to the popular misconception that Mexico is a place where laws can be broken and the police bribed at all times. Corruption may be more common among Mexican police and public figures, but Mexican society as a whole has been coming to terms and undertaking various measures to eradicate systemic corruption from the ground up. So when foreign nationals behave in a manner which shows expectancy of this easy bribery, it will be considered extremely distasteful and disrespectful, as well as sufficient incentive for local police to give you "a respect lesson". Remember, offering a bribe to an official could get you into trouble.

Like in other countries; politics, economics and history are very delicate issues, yet in México they are also considered good conversation pieces when conversing with foreigners. Just like in Europe, Canada and the US, Mexico's democracy is vibrant and diverse, and people have a variety of opinions. As Mexico only recently became a true viable democracy, however, there is an eagerness on behalf of Mexicans to share their opinions and political ideas with you. Common sense applies, just like it does in your country: If you don't know enough about Mexico's political landscape, ask as many questions as you like, but avoid making broad generalizations or strong statements.

Many US citizens (and to a lesser extent other foreigners) make careless mistakes while conversing with Mexicans. Mexicans, while strong and thick-skinned, can also be very sensitive. So avoid talking frankly or imprudently about Mexico's flaws, unless prompted by someone you really trust. Avoid making comparisons that might be interpreted as if you consider Mexico is in some way inferior to your home country. Mexicans are very well aware of their country's problems: if you let Mexicans talk long enough, they will eventually point out their country's shortcommings to you for themselves at length. Unless it's habitual or expected, avoid the more contentious topics of illegal immigration to the US, the drug trade, the monopolies: these are complex, gloomy issues that generally everybody tries to avoid. Mexicans can be very analytical, but their reasoning manifests itself in ways which appear informal or unorthodox to foreigners: unless absolutely critical, it's safe to assume Mexicans understand your explanations, even if they reach your conclusions by some other method, process or reasoning. Sometimes people may want to avoid continually overanalyzing heavy issues and may instead want light banter or lighter topics. In this case, you may want to mix it up, by talking about Mexico's better qualities: the food, the friendly people, the scenery, the culture. This will make you a very good friend in a country that can seem menacing to take on by yourself.

Do not assume that because you are a US citizen, you are an immediate target for kidnapping: the vast majority of kidnapping victims are Mexicans, not foreigners. "Don't panic". Do not be overly cautious, especially if you have hosts that are taking care of you and know where —and where not— to go: you run the risk of annoying your hosts, or making the situation unnecesarily awkward by giving them reasons to suspect you do not trust them.

As a general rule —for better or worse— wealth and social status are historically tied to European ancestry and skin color. On the one hand, systemic racism is illegal, and overt expressions of personal racism (i.e., racist slurs) are frowned upon. On the other hand, the country is still about 40 years behind the United States in terms of diversity sensitivity. For example, although the majority of Mexico's population are not of solely European ancestry (they are mostly mestizo or Amerindian), you will immediately notice that the characters in the country's cinema, television, advertising and other popular media are overwhelmingly portrayed by persons of European descent. That is, Mexico has not participated in the dialogue that has been going since the 1960s in the United States about developing media products that make at least a token attempt to reflect the true racial and ethnic diversity of the country for which they are produced.

To a large degree, Mexican society is sharply divided by social class; with the rich, middle class, and poor often living very separate lives, with very distinct, sometimes mutually exclusive cultural tastes and practices. Regardless of substantial inter-class solidarity; clubs, bars, and restaurants largely cater either to one crowd or another, and a wealthier person or tourist might be made to feel out of place in a working class cantina; a poor looking person may get unfriendly treatment or be blatantly refused service at an exclusive establishment.

There are many words in the country for refering to people according to their ethnic background:


If you are East Asian, you will be referred to as "Chino(a)" (Chinese) and its diminuitive form "chinito(a)" regardless of whether you are Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Korean, etc. You will find exceptions to this umbrella term in Mexico City, Mexicali, Monterrey and other urban centers with decent-sized asian diaspora communities do exist. If you point out to a Mexican that you are not "Chino" but actually from another country, they will then call you by that demonym.

If you are black, the term "negro(a)" or "negrito(a)" may seem harsh, especially if you are from the US, but by no means is "negro(a)" a term of contempt. There aren't that many black people in Mexico (except on the east and west coasts in the south); even then, Vicente Guerrero, a mulatto (of mixed European and African descent) became a key leader of the resistance during Mexico's independence and later became the second president. Mexicans, especially the younger generations, are not prejudiced or discriminatory. They might even get a "kick" out of fraternizing with someone who is black, as black people are sometimes regarded as contributory to a small or distant town's "cosmopolitanism".

Historically, all Middle Easterners were refered to as "turcos" (even if they were from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, etc). Younger generations with better notions of geography will probably not use this term.

(All of these are informal terms of endearment. You will hardly ever see them used in serious discussion, or in writings of an academic or journalistic nature.)


If you try to use your Spanish to address people, be careful to distinguish between the use of the personal pronoun "tu" (informal, friendly) and its counterpart "usted" (formal, respectful). Using "tu" can be demeaning to people, specially when used on strangers, since this is the form traditionally used for addressing close friends or children. For foreigners, the best way to deal with the "tu" and "usted" confusion is to always address people using "usted" until invited to use "tu" (or until given clear hints that the relationship has evolved into a frienship, such as being addressed by your first name). Using "usted" all the time will perhaps make you sound a shade old-fashioned but definetely always respectful. Trying to learn the difference between "tu" and "usted" in the real world will expose you to the risk of sounding embarrassingly uneducated and/or awkwardly overfamiliar. Always use the "usted" personal pronoun when adressing law enforcement officers (or other authority figures), even if they use "tu" to address you.

To recap: unless the person is genuinely your friend, the person is under 16, or the person tells you explicitly to use "tu"; use "usted".

The rules for "usted" also apply to the personal pronoun "contigo" (informal, friendly) which is substituted in favor of "con usted" (formal, respectful).

To refer to a woman, always call her "señorita" (Miss) unless you are sure that she is married, then you call may her "señora" (Mrs). When talking to an older man, use "señor" irrespective of his marital status. If you want to call a waiter, address him as "joven" ("young man") if he is younger, and "caballero" (gentleman) if he is the same age or older than yourself. In formal settings it is common for people to address each other by their professional title ("ingeniera", "arquitecto" "doctora" "oficial", etc). Actually Mexican people will use the "tu" and the "usted", "first name" or "surname" depending on their relationship, the setting, the company present, and all sorts of contextual cues, all of which makes for a code is not easy to learn. Even Mexicans themselves and other native spanish-speakers make mistakes.

While the noun "güey" is reasonably equivalent to "dude" or "mate" among young people, it's categorized as a swear word by older generations. Which is why it's considered very rude to use it to address people older than yourself. This abrasive term of endearment is used only between (and in the company of) people who have achieved a certain high level of trust, so avoid using it otherwise.

In spanish, the adjective "estúpido" means far, far worse than "stupid" does in English.

Due to the highly matriarchal nature of Mexican culture, the combination of words "tu madre" (your mother) is cacophonous and taken offensively by spanish-speakers, regardless of age or gender. If you must use it, remember to replace it with "su señora madre" at formal situations or the sweeter "tu mamá" at informal ones. Never ever use strong language when talking to a female. If the female asks you to, do so with caution.

There is a strong degree of male courteousness towards women. This is manifested in standing up when a lady enters a room, opening or holding a door, conceding preference or rights of way, giving up a seat, offering a hand when stepping down from a steep step, etc. While normally considered flirtatious or patriarchal by foreigners, these behaviours constitute a sign of respect for women. And are generally reserved for older women, or females of great power, merit and social stature. Rejecting these types of friendly gestures is considered arrogant or rude.


You can call from public phones using prepaid tel. cards tarjetas ladatel, bought at magazine stalls. Cards can be purchased in MXN30, 50 or 100 denominations. The rate to call the US is roughly equivalent to USD0.50 per minute. Beware these are different than tarjetas amigo, viva, or unefon: they are for cellphones.

Some areas have only a few internet cafes; in others, they are plentiful. Common fees vary from MXN7/h to MXN20/h. Currently, most of the internet cafes offer calls to the US for a better rate than a payphone, usually via VoIP.

If you have an unlocked GSM phone, you can buy a prepaid SIM card in Mexico and have a local mobile phone number for use in cases of emergency. ROAMFREE Mobile provides free travel phones with good coverage throughout the country and you can get a SIM card for MXN150 with MXN100 talk time, look them up on the Internet before you leave. If you have an iPhone, you should purchase a package of data with ROAMFREE Mobile, as pay-as-you-go internet is extremely expensive. [19]

It is often far cheaper than what hotels will charge you and incoming calls may also be free under certain schemes. Mexico operates on the same GSM frequency as the United States, 1900Mhz. Wireless Internet connections are available in almost every major restaurant, hotel, and shopping mall in the big cities.

If you're staying for over a week and don't have a unlocked phone, it might be a good idea to buy a cheap (<MXN200) handset and buy a prepaid card. Here it would be advisable to not purchase a Telcel card (biggest company and usually cheaper cards) but from some other company who does not charge you roaming costs if you are not in the city you bought it.

Get out

To Belize

There are bus services available from Chetumal to Belmopan and Belize City, as well as a bus to Belize City from Cancun. There is also a once daily boat service going from Chetumal to Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. Although more expensive than going via bus to Belize City and getting a boat from there to the cayes, this direct boat is much quicker.

To Guatemala


To the United States of America








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