By Jed Hauck and Jacqueline Zea
Bordered by azure Pacific and Caribbean waters, covered by a stunning range of landscapes, and home to some of the planet’s most inviting people, Mexico represents the vacation destination of your dreams!
Whether exploring impressive Mayan ruins, strolling 6,000 miles of white-sand beaches, dancing ’til all hours at a seaside resort, floating through misty cloud forests, or immersing yourself in the whirl of modern big-city culture, Mexico invites you to lose yourself in any number of ways…
It’s a fascinating country, rich in history, tradition, culture, and natural beauty. But the best part of Mexico is the people: warm, friendly, gracious, and eager to share their way of life with you.
A Range of Activities
Historically rich and electrifying exciting, Mexico City welcomes visitors with great museums, eateries, and sights!
You’ll find a wide latitude of experiences in Mexico:
– Dine in some of the planet’s hottest restaurants in electrifying Mexico City.
– Free-dive in an underground river in the Riviera Maya.
– Shop for silver jewelry in Guadalajara and colorful ceramic pottery in Oaxaca.
– Stake your claim on the golden sands of Los Cabos and Ixtapa on the Pacific Coast, or Cancun and Cozumel on the Gulf.
“Wander through the Central Market in Old Mazatlán, where you’ll find everything from food to textiles to jewelry and more.” – Jacqueline Zea
The options for your vacation choices are almost endless, and your Travel Consultant can help you plan your perfect Mexican vacation.
Living History
Mexico’s history is colorful and alive:
– Immerse yourself in ancient Mayan history at fascinating archaeological sites and breathtaking architectural ruins in Tulum, Chichén Itzá, and Mérida.
– Wander the historic streets of Guadalajara, Mazatlán, and Oaxaca, lined with Spanish Colonial and Mexican Baroque gems.
“Head to Guadalajara’s Estadio Omnilife to cheer on Las Chivas, the most successful team in Mexico First Division soccer.” –Jacqueline Zea
Shop & Bop
Visit the shopaholic’s delight–Fifth Avenue in Playa del Carmen!
Take to the streets on a Guadalajara weekend to hear up to 35 bands playing mariachi music in the city of its birth. Shop in Mexico City’s Zona Rosa, packed with boutiques, jewelry stores, leather goods shops, and antiques markets. Bop into one of Acapulco’s legendary nightclubs and discos.
Enjoy such divertissements as:
– Strolling the malecónes of Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, Manzanillo, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta.
– Visiting the Museum of Contemporary Art in Oaxaca.
– Touring artist Frida Kahlo’s La Casa Azul in Mexico City.
– Catching a performance by the acclaimed Ballet Folclórico in Guadalajara.
Intangibly Tasty!
Prepared lovingly and presented simply, Mexican food as a whole is fresh, natural, flavorful, colorful, and based on seasonal produce. A blending of indigenous and European (mostly Spanish) elements, Mexican cuisine was recently added by UNESCO to its list of the world’s “Intangible Cultural Heritages” – alongside French cuisine!
“View some of the best-known works of legendary Mexican artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo at the Museo Dolores Olmedo in Acapulco.” –Jacqueline Zea
Find your foodie nirvana at acclaimed gourmet eateries — most of them based in Mexico City – created by celebrity chefs such as:
– Mónica Patiño, Patricia Quintana, Enrique Olvera
– Lula Martin del Campo, Michelle Bernstein, Martha Ortiz
– Richard Sandoval, and Ricardo Muñoz Zurita.
Fare-Thee-Well
Savor the authentic Mexican cuisine with specialties such as ceviche!
Pull up a chair for more traditional and regional Mexican dishes like:
– Ceviche – raw fish marinated in lime juice, often in a chopped salad.
– Chiles Rellenos – large poblano chilies stuffed with cheese or spicy meat, served in a sauce (either mild or otherwise).
– Huachinango – fresh red snapper sautéed in olive oil sauce and topped with garlic and herbs.
– Pollo Pibil – a Yucatecan specialty, traditionally chicken marinated in orange and spices, barbecued in banana leaves.
– Tacos, tamales, tortas, tostadas – tortillas and other wraps filled with meats, chilies, or other ingredients.
Ocean Motion
Water sports enthusiasts get their kicks on 450 beaches bordering the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean, and Sea of Cortes. Surf the big waves off Mazatlán, sail on calm waters at Zihuatanejo, and leave the breezy shade of your palapa just to wade knee-deep in Cancun’s warm cerulean waters.
Great Mexico beaches (Gulf):
Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya – hip, but low-key
Playa Delfines, Cancun – dolphins offshore, great views, surfing
Playa Tortugas, Cancun – sand sports, snorkeling
Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres – shallow waters, lovely sands
Dive into a wide range of activities, from kayaking, windsurfing, boating, and sport fishing, to jet-skiing, parasailing, water-skiing, snorkeling and scuba diving, and swimming with dolphins and sting rays. Your Travel Consultant can help you connect to an unrivaled range of recreational experiences.
Great Mexico beaches (Pacific):
Bahía de Puerto Marqués, Acapulco – remote and relaxed
Playa del Amor, Cabo San Lucas – calm waters, rock formations
Playa Los Caballos, Puerto Vallarta – gorgeous palm trees, usually deserted
Playa La Ropa, Zihuatanejo – great swimming, restaurants nearby
Back to the Land
Away from the coasts, you can:
– Thrill to bungee-jumping, birding, off-roading, hiking, horseback riding, caving, rappelling, and zip-lining.
– Bring your clubs and tee off on more than 150 courses across the country, designed by top architects like Jack Nicklaus, Robert von Hagge, Pete Dye, Tom Weiskopf, and Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
Whether you’re in search of romance, adventure, culture, relaxation, or a little bit of everything, the ultimate vacation experience awaits in sun-kissed Mexico. Your Travel Consultant can help ensure that you get the most possible value and satisfaction from every experience along the way.
Fast Facts
Entry requirements
Mexican peso is the official money of the country, but U.S. dollars are widely accepted.
All U.S. citizens (including children) entering by air, land, or sea are required to present a valid passport. Travelers staying in Mexico for more than 72 hours need a Mexico tourist card, which is for single entry up to 180 days and must be kept with you at all times when in Mexico. The cost (about $20) is included in your plane fare, and is also available from Mexico tourism offices in the US; the card must be surrendered upon departure.
Language
Spanish (English is also widely spoken.)
Currency
Mexican Peso ($)
Electrical
120v/60hz, same as the US.
Average Temperatures (Fº)
The climate in Mexico varies from region to region: the weather on the Yucatan Peninsula and along the Mexican Riviera is typically warm and humid, while inland, the weather becomes drier and more temperate. Generally, the average temperature in Mexico temperature can be characterized as warm all year long.
Tipping
A 15% gratuity is customary for most services (restaurants, hotel employees, valets, guides, taxi drivers, and others).
Celebrate your dream wedding on the beach in Mexico.
Marriage requirements
(For marriage between two non-Mexican residents)
– Each party’s Mexico tourist card.
– Original and copy of birth certificate for each party.
– Original prenuptial medical certificate with test results of syphilis, HIV, and Rh factor (blood type), issued locally within the last 15 days.
– Passports of both parties.
– Divorce or death certificate, if either party is divorced or widowed.
– Originals and copies of the official ID of two witnesses.
About Our Writers
Jed Hauck is a writer for Flight Centre USA. A New Yorker to the core, he has written extensively inside the travel and entertainment fields (winning Emmy Award honors for the latter), and has traveled widely throughout Europe and North America. He would love to live in London but can’t quite master the accent. He does, however, speak French like Marcel Marceau.
Jacqueline Zea is a Copywriter for Flight Centre, USA. She’s a self-published poet (Inner Happenings) and is fluent in Spanish. She’s been to Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Canouan Island in the Grenadines, Barbados, Turks & Caicos, St. Thomas, Kauai, Maui, Oahu, and several others!
When she’s not traveling and writing, she’s immersing in mindfulness, enjoying Zumba, and thinking about her next Halloween costume!
