Mexico

Understand

Mexico, the United Mexican States (Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos), is one of the most visited countries in the world. Much of the tourist industry is centered 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. U.S. American tourists tend to predominate on the Baja California peninsula and the more modernized beach resorts (Cancún, Puerto Vallarta), while European tourists congregate around the smaller resort areas in the south like Playa del Carmen and colonial towns San Cristobal de las Casas. Canadians often favor smaller beach resorts like Huatulco or Ixtapa.

Climate Mexico uses the metric system for all measurements. All weather forecasts are in Celsius (°C).

Central and southern Mexico April is already the hottest month, especially at the coast and on the Yucatán peninsula. Towns which aren't that hot in April and during the summer are Mexico City, Toluca/Metepec, San Cristobal de las Casas, Pachuca and Zacatecas. Hurricanes can be common in the coastal cities specially those near the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

Northern Mexico It gets rather cold during the winter except on the coast. There is sometimes snow in certain places like the Sierra Madre mountains of Chihuahua, Durango, Coahuila, Nuevo León and northern Tamaulipas. Northern Mexico gets very hot during the summer with sudden violent storms in the afternoon, with heavy rain and hail. The temperatures during the day can exceed 39°C (100°F). Less hot during the summer is Tijuana.

Landscape

High, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; temperate plains with grasslands and Mezquite trees in the northeast, desert and even more rugged mountains in the northwest, tropical rainforests in the south and southeast Chiapas, Yucatán Peninsula semiarid in places like Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosí and temperate coniferous and deciduous forests in the central pa

Getting there

Visa and other entrance requirements

Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM)

Foreign nationals of many countries who intend to stay in Mexico fewer than 180 days for the purpose of tourism or 30 days for business can fill out a Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM, tourist card) at the border or upon landing at an airport after presenting a valid passport, for US$22. If arriving via air, it is included in the price of the fare. This service is available to citizens of Andorra, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, United States and Uruguay (see official list here). Permanent residents of the United States, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, and Schengen area countries are also eligible for visas on arrival regardless of citizenship. Brazilian citizens are eligible to apply for an electronic visa (e-Visa) to travel to Mexico by air for tourism, business, or transit purposes. The electronic visa costs 10 USD and is valid for 180 days, allowing for a single entry. Since October 22, 2023, a Mexican visa has been required for transit. All foreign nationals who require a visa to enter Mexico also need one even if they are merely transiting through a Mexican airport. The paper FMM card has a perforation that divides the card into two parts, of which the right side asks for some of the same information requested on the left side. At entry, after reviewing your passport and filled-out FMM, the immigration officer will stamp your passpo

Getting around

Travelling in Mexico is most practical by bus, car, or air. Passenger transport by train is possible in some areas. most extensively in the Yucatán Peninsula, with its modern Tren Maya service. The Chihuahua del Pacifico railroad is one of the most scenic railroads in the world, passing through the Copper Canyon, and departing from Los Mochis on the Pacific coast, or Creel in the east. They cross each other roughly midways at Divisadero and Barrancas Copper Canyon stations at an altitude of 2100 m (7000 ft).

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 but are much faster and better maintained. First-class buses generally travel by toll roads (and the toll is included in the ticket price). US vehicle insurance is not valid in Mexico. Mexican auto insurance has been required since 2018; if you have even a minor accident without insurance, you could land in jail. MexiPass and AAA offer Mexican auto insurance. When traveling on Mexican roads, especially near the borders with the United States and Guatemala, one will probably encounter several checkpoints operated by the Mexican Army searching for illegal weapons and drugs. If you are 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 is their right to make you completely unload in order for them to inspect your cargo. Tourists are often warned about travelling on roads at night. Although bandidos are rare in more metropolitan areas, err on the side of ca

See

Many travelers come to see Mexico's natural wonders, including:

Copper Canyon - ride the train through an enormous canyon system in the northwestern mountains Mesoamerican Barrier Reef - scuba dive the coral reefs in the warm waters of the Mexican Caribbean Sea of Cortez - see migrating whales, sea lions, dolphins and more Volcano Belt - climb Mexico's highest mountain peaks and see active, dormant, and inactive volcanoes There are 35 UNESCO world heritage sites in Mexico as of 2018, more than anywhere else in the Americas. Most of them are in the cultural category and relate to either the pre-Columbian civilizations in the area or to early colonial cities established by the Spanish conquistadores and missionaries. Much of Mexico is mountainous with some mountains rising higher than 5,000 m over the sea level. Mexico is on the border of two bioregions; both North American wildlife and Central and South American wildlife can be seen in the country. A number of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves