Mexico - a round up

Total days: 58 

Distance travelled: 7175 miles 

Number of places stayed: 16

Number of planes: 2 

Number of ferries: 2

Number of buses: 17 (2 night buses) 

Number of trains: 1

Number of Mayan sites visited: 5

Favourite place: 

Ash - Puerto Morelos, enjoyed laid back vibe, nice beaches, good appartment accommodation, everything in walking distance (including a great bakery)

Holly - Chiapas, I know it’s a state and not a place,  but I loved all the nature and wildlife here, and our trips to waterfalls, lakes and the Sumidero cañón we’re amazing 

 

Highlights:

- El Chepe train ride through the Copper Canyon, trekking and staying in the moutains around the canyon. 

- Experiencing and learning about the day of the dead tradition in Oaxaca.  

- Visiting local markets to barter for things, see the local culture and enjoy the hussle and bussle. 

- Swimming in cenotes in the Yucatan peninsular

- Releasing baby turtles into the ocean at Puerto Escondido (hope they are still alive!)  

- Swimming in the crystal clear waters and enjoying the beaches in La Paz and Isla Espirtu Santo. 

- Swimming with a mantaray, dolphins and sea lions in La Paz.

- Visiting Mayan ruins and learning about Mayan culture and history. 

- Beautiful Mexican sunsets, especially on the West coast beaches 

Overall reflections 

We really enjoyed visiting Mexico, we felt like we saw and did lots in our time here, and we enjoyed learning about Mexican culture and history. We particularly enjoyed our time in the North of Mexico, which is less visited by tourists and felt more authentically Mexican. The people in Mexico were always friendly and kind, and we got to practice lots of Spanish as not many people speak English. 

Though we had heard lots of horror stories and received lots of warnings about travelling in Mexico, we felt safe during our trip and had no issues or problems. Mexico was more expensive than we had anticipated, partly due to covid and also inflation, and particularly in the more touristy parts. We were so excited for the food in Mexico, but felt that it didn’t quite live up to our hopes! We ate a lot of burritos and tacos (and tortillas with every meal, even breakfast!).