Travel Guides: All Countries / Central America / Mexico
 |  | Destination Guide : Mexico |
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| | | Ancient ruins and modern cities |  | Why go on holiday to Mexico?
Mexico has a vibrant culture in a country that blends the ancient with the modern.
Americanised resorts rub shoulders with traditional villages. Ancient ruined cities and modern metropolis jut out of the jungle; sprawling farmland nestles between white beaches and snow-capped volcanoes.
How much does it cost?
There are deals for pretty much all budgets but expect flights to Mexico City to start at around £350, although you can generally find them a bit cheaper to Cancun. Good mid-range hotel rooms in Mexican hotels are available from under £30 per night.
The international resort chains are more expensive; the best deals for these are all-inclusive packages from the UK. Fourteen nights all-inclusive in a three-star resort hotel costs roughly £800-£1,100.
When should I go?
Climate varies according to location. Coastal and lowland regions are hot and humid while the higher elevations are more temperate.
Avoid July to September on the coast as it's the wet season, with temperatures in the high 80Fs to 90Fs (30-35C), and packed with both Mexicans and foreigners.
December to April is the most popular time, with comfortable, sunny days in the mid-70s on the coast and cool, brisk days inland - 42-76F (6-26C) in Mexico City.
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| | | Endless fiesta |  | What should I do when I'm there?
A hive of music and noise, cultural treasures and sprawling slums, green parks and brown air, Mexico City has much to explore. This megalopolis is home to nearly a quarter of the Mexican population.
Take a stroll through the historic Zocalo, dominated by the Palacio Nacional and the Catedral Metropolitana, and visit the nearby remnants of the Aztec Templo Mayor.
Admire marvellous murals in the Palacio de Bellas Artes and the Museo Mural Diego Rivera before taking a break in the Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico City's largest park.
What are other popular destinations?
Baja California boasts a beautiful coastline up to the remote San Borja mission, the Sierra de San Francisco volcanic plateau and the Sierra de la Laguna, a botanical wonderland.
Puerto Vallarta is famous for beaches and a host of fine restaurants and galleries. Cancun is a well-developed coastal resort, so popular with Americans that it can seem more like Florida than Mexico.
Guadalajara has impressive museums and a long musical heritage. Narrow cobbled streets and plazas add a touch of colonial splendour to Taxco, south-west of Mexico City. Cuernavaca, to the south, is exclusive, elegant and expensive.
And who could forget Acapulco, popular for decades, with its white beaches and high-rise hotels nestling in a beautiful bay.
Where can I get away from it all?
The rail journey between Los Mochis and Chihuahua travels through astonishing scenery, passing the extraordinary Copper Canyon. It makes the Grand Canyon look like a tooth cavity.
The Basaseachic Falls are the second highest in the world; the ancient Mayan ruins at Palenque and Chichen Itza and the ruins of Teotihuacan, Mexico's largest ancient city, offer a tantalising glimpse into the past.
Where can I join in with a fiesta?
There seems to be a fiesta or national celebration in Mexico every month. These colourful, full-blooded celebrations of life often go for days and mark any occasion: patron saint days, festivals of art, the start of the local harvest.
Carnaval is the huge party prior to Lent (carnival); the Day Of The Dead on November 2 is Mexico's most characteristic fiesta, when families build altars and visit graves to commune with their dead ancestors.
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| | | The spice of life | | Where's good for nightlife?
In the larger cities and resorts you'll find plenty of live music including jazz, salsa and mariachi, and a wide selection of bars and clubs, theatres and classical concerts.
Small towns may have a cinema; there will certainly be a local bar in which to sip a cool Mexican beer or slam back a tequila or two.
Beware the cantinas - drinking in these Wild West-styled saloons is more competitive machismo than relaxation, and women are usually unwelcome.
What's the food like?
Mexican cuisine is based around three staples: tortillas, fried beans and chilli peppers. Beans (frijoles) are eaten boiled, fried or refried in soups or served with tortillas. Chillies can be sweet, hot or extremely hot - if in doubt, ask.
Breakfast may be simply coffee and sweet rolls, but egg dishes are popular. La comida, lunch, is the biggest meal of the day. Fruit and vegetables are plentiful and a fantastic array of fresh juices are available.
What should I buy?
Mexico is richly endowed with wonderful artesanias, or handicrafts. These are not relics from the past specifically made for tourists, but handmade objects for everyday use.
Beautifully embroidered clothing, brightly woven blankets, sophisticated or simple ceramics, silver jewellery, leather bags and sandals, toys, baskets, hats and hammocks: the list goes on and on.
Central markets in large towns offer a wide selection, but buy directly from the villages if you get the chance; it's a more rewarding experience and the profits will go directly to the craftspeople.
What is there for children to do?
The family is a key aspect of Mexican life; consequently children are welcome virtually everywhere. Watersports are available on the coast and many hotels have programmes designed for kids.
Archaelogical sites are fun for climbing pyramids and exploring tunnels, Indiana Jones-style. In Mexico City don't miss the great hands-on children's museum, Papalote Museo del Nino.
Tourist office
Mexico Tourist Board, Wakefield House, 41 Trinity Square, London, EC3N 4DJ. Brochure line: 00800 11112266 (freephone) or for information, call: 020 7488 9392.
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| | Available rental properties in Mexico |
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|  | | 5 BR Ocean Villa Cabo Pedregal
ituated in the Pedregal and overlooking the crystal blue Pacific, this 5 bedroom plus den where life is lived outside, even when you're inside; the pa
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