Mexico is nearly four times the size of Germany, and its regions share little beyond a language. Choosing one is the actual planning decision.
The regions
| Region | For | Base |
|---|---|---|
| Yucatán | Beaches, cenotes, Maya sites | Mérida or Tulum |
| Oaxaca | Food, crafts, indigenous culture | Oaxaca City |
| Central highlands | Colonial cities | Mexico City, San Miguel |
| Baja California | Desert, whales, wine | La Paz, Ensenada |
| Pacific coast | Surfing, quieter beaches | Puerto Escondido, Sayulita |
| Chiapas | Jungle, ruins, highland villages | San Cristóbal |
Pick one, or two adjacent ones. Oaxaca and Chiapas pair. Mexico City and the highlands pair. The Yucatán is its own trip.
Mexico City
Four days minimum, and it is one of the great cities.
The Anthropology Museum is the best in Latin America and needs half a day on its own. Coyoacán for Frida Kahlo's house — timed entry, book ahead. Teotihuacan, an hour away, at opening. Xochimilco's canals. And a restaurant scene that runs from street tacos to some of the best cooking anywhere.
It sits at 2,240 metres, which is felt on arrival — take the first day slowly.
Oaxaca
The food and craft capital, and the region most people return to.
Oaxaca City — markets, mezcal, mole, and one of the most walkable colonial centres in the country.
Monte Albán, the Zapotec city on a levelled hilltop above the valley.
Hierve el Agua, petrified mineral waterfalls, and the craft villages — weaving in Teotitlán, black pottery in San Bartolo.
Day of the Dead, late October into early November, is extraordinary here and fills accommodation months ahead.
The Yucatán
Mérida is the better base than Tulum or Playa del Carmen — a real city, cheaper, and central to the cenotes and ruins.
Chichén Itzá at opening, before the coach parties from Cancún arrive around 11am. Uxmal and Ek Balam are quieter and, to many, better.
Cenotes — flooded limestone sinkholes — are everywhere, and the ones away from the highway are worth the drive.
A rental car works well here; the roads are good and distances manageable.
Getting around
First-class buses — ADO and similar — are comfortable, safe and extensive, on good roads.
Domestic flights are cheap and sensible for long distances. Mexico City to Mérida is two hours by air against twenty by bus.
Rental cars suit the Yucatán and Baja. In Mexico City, use the metro and ride-hailing.
Timing and practicalities
November to April is dry across most of the country.
The Yucatán is hot and humid year round with hurricane risk June to November. The highlands are temperate because of altitude. The Pacific coast has a summer rainy season.
Safety varies enormously by state rather than nationally. Consult your government's current state-by-state advisory rather than treating the country as a single risk level — the difference between states is larger than the difference between many countries.
Water: drink bottled or filtered. Ice in established restaurants is made from purified water and is fine.