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Mexico
Immerse yourself in a colorful country that is shaped by latin music and delicious food – because this is what you will find in Mexico! What I love about Mexico is that the culture creates this happy & carefree mood. It’s hard not to enjoy yourself when traveling in Mexico. You will hear music everywhere you go and notice pretty quickly how colorful this country is. People are outgoing, friendly and open minded to travelers. Apart from that it’s a really big country with countless beautiful places to visit. If you have wondered about safety, it is absolutely safe enough to travel to Mexico, also as a female solo traveler. Of course this depends on where you go, it’s not safe everywhere. In general you can expect tourist destinations to be safe. I have traveled solo to many places in Mexico and never felt unsafe.
Teotihuacán, Mexico City
The east coast of Mexico is the most popular place to go for tourists and travelers. Most people travel to destinations like Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, but there is a lot more to see on the east coast. Apart from the crystal clear water of the Caribbean ocean you will find a lot of history here. Old ruins like the Chichén Itzá tell stories that are more than 1500 years old, from a country first inhabited more than 13,000 years ago. Many people feel drawn to Tulum, the most artistic town of Mexico. Here you can explore art centers and buy clothes in small boutiques from local designers. Some of Mexico’s most popular cenotes are also located close to Tulum, which makes it a great place to stay. Cenotes are natural sinkholes, where the ceiling of limestone bedrock has collapsed. Cenotes come in different shapes and sizes, some can only be reached by diving from an open cenote to a cave.
The west coast of Mexico is less visited and therefore more authentic than the east coast. You will still find a lot of tourists, but it’s very different compared to the east coast. I lived in Puerto Vallarta for a total of 4 months and really enjoyed it, because there is a lot to do around the city, there are lots of digital nomads and expats and it’s super safe. From there you can do day trips to places like Sayulita, San Pancho, Guadalajara, Tequila, Yelapa and many more.
Tulum
The most popular spot in the south of Mexico is Puerto Escondido, the Mexican surfers paradise. It’s a small town with countless beautiful beaches that are great for surfers. No matter if you’re a beginner or professional, this is a great place to catch some good waves. Apart from that you can do dolphin tours there (we ended up seeing orcas instead!) and safe baby turtles on the beach.
Mexico City is pretty much in the middle of the country and the place where many international tourists arrive. I would recommend spending a few days exploring here before heading to the coast. Before I traveled to Mexico I was thinking that it’s way too dangerous to go to Mexico City, but that’s not true. Most people that haven’t been there would probably advise you not to go, but all people who have been there say it’s a must see! I ended up going to Mexico City by myself and meeting some friends there, planned to go for a few days and ended up staying for two weeks.
As you can probably tell by now there are lots of places to visit and countless things to do in Mexico. Here are the most important ones…
Puerto Escondido
Things to see and do in Mexico
Stay in the hotel zone in Cancun
Explore Isla Mujeres with a golf cart
See the art center in Tulum
Visit Bacalar, the Maldives of Mexico
Go salsa dancing in Puerto Vallarta
Take a surf lesson in Sayulita
Go on a hike in Yelapa
Safe baby turtles in Puerto Escondido
Explore Mexico City
Go swimming in a cenote
See the Chichén Itzá pyramids
Explore the pyramids of Teotihuacan
Mexico Travel Guides
Below you will find different blog posts about Mexico. The best time to visit Mexico is from November to April when it’s not as hot and it barely rains. Like I mentioned before there is really a lot to see in Mexico. If you have any questions about traveling to Mexico, don’t hesitate to send me an email! I answer every email I get.
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The Perfect 2-Day Tulum Itinerary
Tulum is an incredible destination to visit, different from any other place you will find in Mexico. Tulum is artistic,
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Bacalar, the Lagoon of 7 Colors
In this guide you will read about the best things to do in Bacalar, the Maldives of Mexico. Bacalar used
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Travel Guide to Campeche: The 6 Best Things to Do
The sleepy little city of Campeche is only a two hour bus ride away from Merida and one of the
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The Ultimate Travel Guide to Mérida
Merida, often referred to as the "White City," is the vibrant capital of the Mexican state of Yucatan. Located in
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7 Best Things to Do in Valladolid
Welcome to Valladolid, a colonial city nestled in the heart of Mexico. With its rich history, vibrant culture, and picturesque
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How to Spend a Weekend on Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres is a small island in front of Cancun in Mexico. On this island you will find dreamy beaches
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Isla Mujeres – Best Digital Nomad Destination in Mexico
Isla Mujeres is a small island in front of Cancun and one of the best digital nomad destinations in Mexico.
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Where to stay in Sayulita
Sayulita has a lot of beautiful hotels, AirBnBs and hostels. From simple hotel rooms to luxury resorts, this town has
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7 Things to do in Sayulita
Sayulita is one of my favorite places on the west coast of Mexico. Most people who travel to Puerto Vallarta
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Complete Guide to Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta is a beautiful town on the west coast of Mexico. It was one of the first places I
Useful travel tips
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Use Indriver in Puerto Vallarta
If you go to Puerto Vallarta download the app Indriver. It’s similar to Uber with the only difference that you have to pay in cash. It’s super safe and works a lot better in this city. Waiting for an Uber in Puerto Vallarta will take about 15min, while waiting for an Indriver usually takes 3min.
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Don't carry too much cash in Tulum
If you stay in Tulum or Mexico City, watch out for the police. I've heard from many people that they got stopped by the police for a random reason and either had to give them all the cash they had or they would take them to an ATM to get money out. My tip: carry a little bit of cash like 5 USD in your wallet, so you have something to give if they stop you. Try to hide more money & your credit card somewhere else (shoe, bra, phone case, you get the idea). This is the worst case scenario - most likely you won’t be stopped by anyone.
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Safe money by paying cash
If you are staying in Mexico long term you can pay for your accommodation in cash. What I did when I was living in Puerto Vallarta was to contact hosts on airbnb and visit the apartment to see it in person. This way you can offer to pay in cash and negotiate the price.
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How to get a 6 months tourist visa
Different cities will give you a different amount of time on your tourist visa. You can get up to 6 months when you arrive in Mexico, but how much you get will depend on the immigration officials. When you arrive in Puerto Vallarta you will most likely get 6 months. In Mexico City they won’t give that to everyone. In general you will get 3 months no matter where you arrive. My tip: be friendly, tell them how much you enjoy traveling in Mexico and try to speak some Spanish to increase your chance of getting more time on your visa. If your visa is expiring the simplest way to extend it is to leave the country and come back.
Saving baby turtles in Puerto Escondido
Streets of Sayulita
Basic Spanish
Nobody expects you to speak perfect Spanish when you arrive, but it’s always good to know the basic vocabulary because not everyone speaks or understands English. Knowing how to say simple things like “Hello”, “Thank you” and “Delicious” can open doors and hearts.
Essentials:
Buenos días — Good morning
Buenas tardes — Good afternoon
Buenas noches — Good evening
Hola — Hello
Adiós — Goodbye
Por favor — Please
Gracias — Thank you
Lo siento — Sorry
Sí — Yes
No — No
Me llamo … — My name is …
¿Cómo te llamas? — What’s your name?
Mucho gusto — Nice to meet you
¿Cómo estás? — How are you?
Bien, gracias — I’m well thank you
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October 14, 2022
