Dear friends and fellow adventurers,
I receive many a request to send advice for people traveling to Mexico. What to see & do, going off the beaten track, special experiences and such. To make this easier, I have compiled some of my suggestions below. Bear in mind, I am a road trip kinda gal and love to explore hidden corners and find sublime gems that may not be on usual touristical routes, so map out beforehand. (Pardon the shorthand nature of this post vs my other articles but I reckon this is useful as a barebones travel guide).
Other places I can speak to that aren’t listed below – Chihuahua and Barrancas del Cobre, Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita, Careyes, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Veracruz (check out Azucar hotel), Mar de Cortez, Wirikuta, Real de Catorce, and Puebla. Write to me with any Qs.
Mexico City
My super duper 2018 Travel Guide
Neighbourhood Walking Guide // Juarez-Monocle-Walking-Guide
Yucatan and Quintana Roo
Option 1
Fly to Chetumal from Mexico City (on the border with Belize) and then stay at the Bacalar Lagoon. It’s insanely beautiful. I recommend staying at Hotel Akalki or Casa Lamat, and definitely renting a car. The beauty here is that you can also cross into Belize for the day and go scuba diving
Drive to the Calakmul pyramids the next day, around 4h drive. This is possibly one of my top Mexican experiences and hands down my favorite pyramids in Mexico (if one can get away with such an absurd statement). The closest you’ll ever get to feeling like Indiana Jones. Untouched and almost no tourists compared to other sites. I stayed at a very basic campsite here called Valentin Natural – there are some other more luxurious options that I can’t vouch for personally; the closest town from the pyramids is Xpujil and it ain’t great, but you’re here for the Mayans not the towns.
Option 2
Fly to Cancun and drive to Holbox – A tiny island with crystal waters, white sand beaches, no cars. Heaven and bohemian. I stayed at Hotel Casa Takywara which was perfect and so much attention to detail. Great place to disconnect, rent a bike, eat, read, sleep, and take in the silence.
Option 3
Fly into Merida from Mexico City and stay for a night in Casa Lecanda, the Chable Resort (expensive), or any of the Haciendas like Temozon or Uayamon ( I prefer Uyamon).
Then drive to Valladolid via Ixmal, and spend a night at Coqui Coqui.
You could also stay in the Coqui Coqui in Coba.
Continue onto Tulum. In Tulum there are many hotels and they’re all quite similar. I always went more rustic and ‘eco’ there, but Be Tulum is a good modern option with a great location on the beach. Anything near this stretch of beach is my preferred area of Tulum.
Other hotels – El Chiringuito; Delek: Casa Violeta; Hotel Manglar; Nomade (more expensive but amazing design); Nativus for glamping (Note to self: check out Casa de las Olas)
Food: The Real Coconut for breakfast and healthy lunch, Be Tulum for any meal of the day (lovely for breakfast on the beach), Nomade for any meal (expensive but cool), Loyal Order (Turkish and Med), Chiringuito for peaceful and beauty day vibes, Ahau for healthy vegetarian and its Raw Love bar on the beach, Charlie’s Vegan Tacos by Nomade, Ka’an inside Sian Ka’an (a must), Tropica in town…
Dinner: Posada Margarita, Hartwood, Arca, Casa Jaguar
Drinks – Casa Jaguar, Gitano Bar, Papaya Playa (bigger party), the bars in town on the main strip.
Drive through the Siian Kaan nature reserve – and if adventurous camp/sleep near the Punta Allen fishing village (3 h drive one way). Heaven on Earth. Go swim in the cenote at Nautivus.
If you still have time from Tulum I highly recommend you spend a night in the Bacalar Lagoon and check out Option 1 above.
Chiapas
Option 1
Fly to Palenque. Stay either in Casa Fuga or Piedra de Agua (I have both these contacts), and visit the Palenque ruins (I can help you with a guide). Have dinner in Don Muchos, bohemian backpacker bar.
Then head south, stopping by the Roberto Barrios waterfalls for some frolicking.
Go spend the night and a day or two around the lake of Metzabok (again, I’ll hook you up with the community) where you can camp on pyramids and lose yourself in the jungle.
From there go to Yaxchilan ruins on the Guatemalan border and spend the night in Lacanja Top Che with the Lacandon Mayans. Further south, you enter the Montes Azules Nature Reserve where you can stay at Las Guacamayas or some cabañas above the Lacantun river.
Some inspiration from my travels here: Photo Diary
Option 2
Fly to Tuxtla Guttierez and stay in San Cristobal de las Casas.
Here you can visit:
-Na Bolom – institution and hotel
-Museo textil – Sna Jolobil
-Walk around el Andador de Guadalupe (many stores)
-El camino de los altos
-Raku store (same building)
-Ex Convento Santo domingo
– San Juan Chamula Church is a must
Eat
Tierra y cielo – http://www.tierraycielo.com.mx/
La Folie Douge
Hotel Bo – cena , comer desayunar
Hotel paraiso
Frontera- breakfast
Pierre
Casa Del pan- vegetarian, lunch
Oh la la pastry
Bar Revolución for live music
Baja California Road Trip
This can be done in around 9-10 days comfortably. Camping, exploring. The roads are extraordinary and in general the region is incredibly safe.
Here is my map. And a visual account of some of this journey for inspiration.
My itinerary was:
Land in Tijuana
Head to Valle de Guadalupe
Eat: Deckmans and Corazon de Tierra
Drink: Sol y barro winery / Tres mujeres
Stay: Hotel Cuatro Cuartos, Campera hotel
Drive to Ensenada (30 min)
San Pedro Mártir Park, camp! (2h)
Drive to Catavina and explore the lunar landscape
Bahia de los Angeles – stunning campsite
Reserva de la Biosfera El Vizcaíno – San Ignacio town oasis, the stop off point for the pinturas rupestres (4h
Bahia Concepcion beaches, Playa Requesson (camping)
Drive to Loreto – on way stopping off at Santa Rosalia French inspired town, Mulege, and Laguna San Ignacio
La Duna eco resort – (hippie style) on way to La Paz
Scuba in Loreto and stay in La Paz
Todos Santos surfing town
Stay: San Cristobal, Acre Baja, https://www.paraderohotels.com/, https://elperdido.mx/?jacales
Fly out Cabo
Oaxaca (Coast)
Ocean frolicks at Puerto Escondido, Mazunte and Zipolite
Stay:
Playa Viva Eco Resort
Hotel Escondido // Puerto Escondido
Oaxaca City & Surroundings – Guide
Info & Events
• Que Pasa Oaxaca – Events
• Traditions Mexico – Tours
• Oaxifornia
• Unitierra Oaxaca
⸻
CULTURE & MUSEUMS (City Center)
• Santo Domingo complex – Church (closed 1–4pm), Convent & Museum
• Jardín Etnobotánico – entrance Reforma & Constitución, guided visits at 10am, 12pm, 5pm
• Centro Fotográfico Manuel Álvarez Bravo (M. Bravo 116)
• Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Oaxaca (MACO) – Alcalá 202
• Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca (inside Santo Domingo)
• Museo de la Filatelia – Reforma 504
• Museo Textil de Oaxaca – Hidalgo 917
• Centro Cultural San Pablo – restored by Mauricio Rocha
• Ex Convento de San Pablo
• Museo de Arte Popular / MUPO
• Archivo Histórico Oaxaca – striking architecture
• Centro de las Artes San Agustín (Etla) – ex-paper factory, now art center
• Hoja Santa Taller – all-women printmaking studio
• La Maquina – art/cultural space
• Convivio – co-working space
• Pocoapoco – art residency & gallery (“La Señora”)
• Centro de las Artes en San Agustín Etla – artist residency
⸻
GALLERIES & STUDIOS
• Centro de Artes Gráficas (Macedonio Alcalá 507)
• Galería/taller La Telaraña (Alejandro Santiago, outside center)
• La Calera – artist studios, 10 min from center
• Tiendita de Barro – ceramics
• Aripo – curated artisanal goods
• Andares del Arte Popular – craftsmanship diversity
• Huizache – artisan coop
• Proyecto Mestiza – artisan coop
⸻
MARKETS
• Mercado 20 de Noviembre – must (try torta de chorizo con quesillo at Angelita, tamales de mole y pollo at Comedor Alejandra)
• Mercado Benito Juárez – central market
• Mercado de la Merced – for peanuts with garlic & chile, and Fonda La Florecita
• Mercado Sánchez Pascua – tamales, Angelita juice bar
• Mercado de Artesanías – crafts
• Mercado San Juan de Dios
⸻
EATING & DRINKING
Breakfast & Cafés
• Boulenc – legendary bread
• Itanoni – pre-Columbian corn project
• Cafe Los Cuiles
• Chepiche Café
• Muss Café
• Pan:am
• Ancestral Cocina Tradicional
• Cafe Brújula – good patio to work from
• Punto Zero Café
• El Volador – good at sunset
Lunch & Dinner
• Casa Oaxaca – terrace, reserve
• Pitiona – rooftop, also good for evening drink
• Origen (El Origen on Hidalgo)
• Criollo – Enrique Olvera, tasting menu, stylish
• Los Danzantes – ask for Omar as waiter
• La Catedral – classic “must”
• Zandunga
• La Biznaga – mixed reviews, good pato
• Hierba Dulce – vegan/healthy
• Teocintle
• Santa Hierba (Jalatlaco)
• Tierra del Sol – rooftop
• Levadura de Olla – traditional cooking
• Selva Oaxaca – cocktail & dining
• Archivo Maguey – mezcal-focused dining
• El Destilado – creative cuisine
• Crudo – omakase-style, local ingredients
• La Popular – casual, local spot
• La Teca – Isthmus specialties
• La Biznaga
• Las Tlayudas de los Libres – after 10pm
• La Palapa de Raúl (on road to Tlacolula) – casual mole & tlayudas
Ice Cream
• Manolo Nieves
Mezcal & Bars
• Sabina Sabe – hip, great tapas
• Mezcaloteca – book in advance, Reforma 506
• Los Amantes – rooftop, go early
• Mezcalogía
• Archivo Maguey – mezcal
• La Contra – mezcal
• Casa Estambul – mezcal
• El Olivo – cocktail bar
• Cafe Central – bohemian, live music, tacos outside
• Txalaparta – restaurant/bar that turns into a club
• Candela – Latin dancing spot
• Expendio Tradición – mezcal shop
• El Cortijo La Mezcalería
• Tobaziche
⸻
SHOPPING
• Teotitlán del Valle – tapetes/carpets
• Antiga by Vianney Méndez – fashion
• Punto 20 – fashion, kimonos, jewelry
• Aripo – artisanal curation
• Calle principal near Teotitlán church – local goods
⸻
OUTSIDE OAXACA CITY
Archaeological & Natural Sites
• Monte Albán – ruins, go early
• Mitla & Yagul – ruins & landscapes
• Hierve el Agua – petrified waterfalls
• Árbol del Tule – massive cypress tree
Artisan Towns
• Teotitlán del Valle – weaving, Tlamanalli restaurant (Abigail Mendoza)
• San Martín Tilcajete – alebrijes
• Arrazola – alebrijes
• San Bartolo Coyotepec – black clay pottery
• Atzompa – green clay pottery
• Santo Tomás Jalieza – textiles
• San Juan Chilateca – embroidery
Other Towns / Sites
• Tlacolula – Sunday market
• Ocotlán
• Zaachila
• Cuilápam
• Yanhuitlán, Teposcolula & Coixtlahuaca (on way from DF)
• Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán (Día de Muertos)
• Tlacochahuaya (organ concert in oldest organ in LatAm)
• Toledo art school and residency
⸻