Mexico

Mexico Travel Guide
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Flights to South America 
Bordered in the north by the United States and in the south by Guatemala and Belize, Mexico hosts a wide variety of landscapes from deserts and swamps, to volcanoes and rainforests. There are 58 national parks and biosphere reserves where the abundant flora and fauna receive special protection. The country has more species of birds than exist in North America.

Mexico has nearly 16,000km of coastline. While the Caribbean coast features white-sand beaches and gentle seas, the Pacific coast is characterised by rolling surf and darker sand. Certain areas of Mexico focus hugely on tourism, while other small towns are out of the spotlight, and are great for exploring peacefully.

The west coast of Mexico is very popular for beach resort areas, but you won’t find much in the way of history or culture around here. If you want to explore Mayan and Aztec ruins you’ll need to head further inland or closer to the east coast. Mexico is a land of culture, history and beauty not to be missed. 

Mexico Fast Facts
Country name: United States of Mexico
Population: 100 million
Capital: Mexico City
Languages: Spanish and 59 indigenous languages
People: 60% Mestizo, 30% Amerindian, 9% White, 1% other
Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant
Currency: Mexican New Peso
Time Zone: 6 hours behind New Zealand (7 hours with daylight saving)
Electricity: Current is 110V, 60HZ, Plug is a 2 point rectangle-pin adaptor

Mexico Hot Spots
Mexico City
Mexico City is the world’s third largest metropolis and home to a bustling city of music, colonial palaces, skyscrapers, museums and slums. The city’s historic centre is the Zócalo, which was paved in the 1520’s using stones from an Aztec city. On the eastern side is the National Palace, now home to the offices of the president and a museum, but most people come here to see famous murals that chronicle Mexico’s history.

Nearby is the Alameda where surrounding streets are lined with the city’s most interesting buildings and colonial mansions, cafes, restaurants, shops and markets. A must see is Teotihuacán, the remains of Mexico’s biggest ancient city in the 6th century. The 2km main road of Avenue of the Dead is lined with former palaces, the world’s third largest pyramid, the stepped Pyramid of the Sun, finally ending at the Pyramid of the Moon.
Yucatan Peninsula
Yucatán is home of the Maya. Heirs to a glorious and often violent history, the Maya live today where their ancestors lived a millennium ago. Yucatán has surprising diversity, archaeological sites galore, colonial cities, tropical forests, peerless snorkelling, seaside resorts and quiet coastlines.

The region’s famous Mayan sites are particularly impressive at Uxmal and Chichén Itzá near the Yucatán state capital, in the attractive colonial city of Mérida. The coastal state of Quintana Roo attracts plane-loads of sun-loving tourists to its islands and white-sand Caribbean beaches, particularly Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and, party central, Cancún. The stunning cliff-top ruins at Tulum, overlooking a palm-fringed beach and turquoise sea, attracts its fair share of visitors too.
West Coast Beaches
The west coast of Mexico is home to some fabulous beach destinations. The city of Cabo San Lucas, on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, is a luxury holiday retreat with fantastic beaches. It’s very popular with Americans offering many time shares as well as resorts.

Puerto Vallarta is another busy tourist destination, but not quite as touristy as Acapulco or Cancun. Again with great beaches it is a favourite on the coast. It is also a favourite holiday spot for the locals. Further down the west coast is Acapulco, one of the oldest and most well known beach resort areas in Mexico. Along the bay there are plenty of
hotels, restaurants and bars to choose from, all aimed at tourists. These coastal resort areas are also regular ports for the cruise ships.
Copper Canyon
The Copper Canyon consists of 6 main canyons in the Sierra Tarahumara, which was originally formed by 6 main rivers that ran from one side to the other. There are many adventurous ways you can explore the Copper Canyon including biking, hiking or horseback riding. Otherwise you can explore certain areas by vehicle.

A great way to see the Copper Canyon is by train on the Chihuahua Pacific Railroad. It travels along the main canyon of Canyon Urique, between Chihuahua and Los Mochis, on the Gulf of California.
Oaxaca
This Spanish-built city with narrow streets has both a relaxed and energetic atmosphere. Oaxaca has a large indigenous population, flourishing markets and superb colonial architecture. Check out the local handicrafts and afterwards, relax in a friendly local cafe.

The major landmark is the Iglesia de Santo Domingo, the most splendid of Oaxaca’s many churches. The city has some great museums exploring Oaxacan culture. There are also some fascinating places within a day of the city, notably the Zapotec ruins at Monte Albán, and Mitla, Yagul and Cuilapan.
Palenque
Surrounded by jungle in southern Mexico, Palenque was a Mayan city state from the 7th century. Even though it is not as large as some of the Mayan sites that have been discovered, Palenque holds some of the best carvings, architecture, sculptures and roof combs that the Maya produced.

Historians have learnt a lot aboutPalenque from deciphering the hieroglyphic inscriptions which cover more than 180
years of the city’s history. Archaeologists have estimated that only 5% of the city of
Palenque has been uncovered.
Taxco
Taxco is a picturesque little town with only 50,000 residents. It was built on a rugged landscape, with narrow cobble stone streets winding through quaint homes and historical buildings, with Spanish-style red roofs standing out in the distance.

Taxco has become a popular tourist spot due to the towns mining of silver and other metals. Many shops sell jewellery, silverware and other precious items for very reasonable prices.

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