Top 10 reasons to TRAVEL to MEXICO

I can’t believe that after a  little more than one month our stay in Mexico has come to an end!

We sure made the most out of our time in Mexican lands and enjoyed such a variety of places and activities. We truly love Mexico and could even consider living in this country one day, who knows! By the beach I would say!…

There are many reasons why I think you should consider traveling in Mexico. Obviously this would depend on the stuff you like doing and the places you feel attracted to. But here are some good reasons to keep in mind! 

 

 

1. Variety of things to see & do

There is only one country that I have visited and that I think could ever compete with Mexico in this matter: India. In both countries there is such a variety of places, people, culture, landscapes, and even climates!

In Mexico, we started by the beach (Riviera Maya), passed by some big cities (Merida, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Oaxaca and, obviously, Mexico City); spent days at the jungle around Palenque and the woods and lakes in the south of Chiapas. In one month’s time we went from laying under the golden sun in our swimming suits to having to seek refugee from the rain in Chiapas and even wore our thickest jackets around the DF. All in one month!

Long live this variety! Mexicans who can afford to travel around are very lucky… they can get SO MUCH within their own country!

Mexican cuisine is present all over the world, and that can’t be just a coincidence! Rich in flavors, textures, meaty, spicy and, most of the times, based on corn, offers not only main dishes but a big range of snacks, popularly called “antojitos”. You won’t seat at a restaurant table that hasn’t lime wedges and at least 3 hot sauces for you to season your food to taste! If your mouth isn’t burning enough after that, try gulping down some tequila… it leaves you on fire!

Mexican cuisine is tasty as hell, and you do not need to sit down at a restaurant to enjoy it. Street vending is super popular and this doesn’t mean you will only get a taco here and there. NO! You will get full dishes, snacks, coffee, fresh juices, smoothies… you name it!

The capital of Mexico is the city with the biggest concentration of museums in the entire world! If it’s true that quantity doesn’t necessarily mean quality, it is also true that, amongst so many exhibitions, it’s quite likely that there is something for all tastes out there!

And culture is not only about exhibits locked inside rooms. You can feel the culture in the streets, closer to the people… this is very noticeable in Oaxaca, for example. The city walls are painted with beautiful graffiti, sculptures of little people invade downtown and all over you see posters of art fairs, craft markets or movie screenings. It’s such a pleasure to see that so much is going on!

 

4. History

Mexico’s history is all over the country. Its well-preserved historical sites like world-famous Chichen Itza (one of the New Wonders of the World) or Teotihuacan, tell the tales of what this land was millenniums ago! You could spend a life-time in Mexico and still not visit all the ruins spread around the country.

For those interested in history and archeology, Mexico is a must! And for those who have a more general curiosity, you’ll see that while visiting these sites not only you will learn interesting facts but also have fun climbing temples and getting magnificent views of the surroundings that were once considered sacred.

6. Friendly people

In general, Mexicans are welcoming, smiley and make you feel safe and at home. They are always ready to give you directions, to make a joke about anything that might come up or ask you where you’re from. They like talking! This is also one “camera-friendly” country where people don’t seem to be bothered if you click some photos and they are on frame. I love “camera-friendly” people – says a lot about their level of friendliness.

 

7. Relaxed life-style

My Mexican friend Rodrigo told us that once, at a bar in the Netherlands, he saw a poster that depicted the “Dogs of the World”. Apparently, the German dog had a very sober pose, the British dog looked very snobbish, and there were other European dogs looking all mighty fine. Next to those, there was the Mexican Dog: looking lazy under a sombrero alongside a cactus and a shot of tequila! Rodrigo says that this lazy stereotype that the World seems to associate with Mexican people isn’t true. They actually work a lot – and we’ve seen that with our own eyes! While at Rodrigo’s house, he and his girlfriend would always come home at around 10pm after a hard day of work since early morning.

The lazy life-style might not be true, but I would say that the relaxed approach to life is there. Mexicans do not stress over every little thing like Europeans do, for example. If it can’t be done today, then it’ll get done tomorrow. And it’s not about being lazy, but more about prioritizing what really matters in life and “selecting” what’s worth stressing over.

 

8. Ever-present music

Example of the happy vibe that you generally feel around Mexico, is that there is always music playing everywhere, particularly in public transportation. Sometimes, in the bus, you might even get a movie playing with full blasting sound, while the radio is simultaneously on. It can get annoying if you are tired and trying to nap, but it’s fun most of the time!

Riding the bus in Mexico you are in for some Latin music experience!

 

9. Excellent Transportation

- Bus: Transportation options are modern, good quality and decently priced. The buses for medium to long distances have more leg room than any plane I have ever been on! Seats are comfy, bathrooms-on-wheels are fairly clean and they even have a check-in system for your luggage! You give your suitcase and get a token that you should return upon arrival, to make sure that the bag you want to take is rightfully yours. Others countries could also use a system like this!

- Colectivo: If you don’t want to use the main buses, you can always take a “colectivo” – small vans or taxis shared by several people with a common destination. You can virtually go anywhere like this and pay what the locals pay.