5 Ways to Make Your Mexico Trip Truly Worthwhile

Any traveler would definitely want to make the most out of their trip. After all, they are not only spending money, but they are also allocating time and energy. However, some would leave the place feeling completely unsatisfied, simply because they have missed out those essential things that could have further enriched their experience. When you’re in Mexico, make sure that you don’t skip anything along the way, so you can get rid of the feeling of self-blame or guilt later. To help you out, here are five important things to do when you’re in Mexico:1. Gorge on all Mexican goodies. If you’re looking for the best tacos, nachos, and jalapenos, you’ve come to the right place. No one does it better than the Mexicans themselves. They are not only very cheap, but they are also produced by almost all restaurants and cafes all over the country. Don’t forget to ask for their best toppings and sauce to go with your all-time Mexican favorites. 2. Hit the beach. It doesn’t really matter if you’re talking about Acapulco or Cabo San Lucas. Mexico has countless beautiful beaches that you can choose from. If you want to be near the party scene, as well as meet dozens of people every day, the beaches in Acapulco will always be the most ideal choice. However, you can also go farther from the city such as in Mazatlan, as well as in nearby islands, if you want to have some privacy. You can look forward to a whole day of water fun through jet skiing, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, kayaking, and even parasailing. 3. Shop at their market. Boleros, folklorico costumes, shirts, pots, and guayaberas, to name a few, are aplenty in almost all Mexican markets. They are sold at very low prices, so you can definitely grab as many as you can, then give them to family and friends. Besides, you can never miss out dealing with Mexican tradesmen who are not only known for their unique accent, but also for their charm. If you know how to find your way through them, you can even get your well-liked goods at very huge discounts. 4. Explore museums and villages of early settlers. Despite the rapid changes infrastructure and economy boom of Mexico, it’s still able to maintain its heritage, culture, and tradition, which can be traced back to the early Aztec civilizations. Thus, there’s no other way to learn more of their history or go back to memory lane than to explore their museums or drop by their mining towns. You can travel by bus, boat, car, or even through a helicopter. 5. Stay in a Mexican hotel. Don’t end your Mexican experience outside your room. Even with your accommodation, you can still live the Mexican lifestyle. For instance, a Grupo Mayan hotel and resort villa can give you the most captivating view of the beach or the sea, just like a lot of homes that you can find all over Mexico. Hence, you can just wake up the way average Mexicans do—greeted by the warm weather and rays of sunshine.

6 Tips to Make Your Mexico Trip Worthwhile

The sand, sea, and sky—among other things—are the reasons why visitors flock to Mexico every year. Nevertheless, everyone, including you, is required to be a conscious traveler. You need to know the dos and don’t’s, as well as what to do, once you are already in the country.

Here are 6 important tips to remember when you are traveling to Mexico:

1. Get your state registration certificate ready. One of the easiest ways to travel to Mexico is by crossing the border. However, before you can even succeed on that, you have to ensure that you have your state registration certificate with you. It is a proof that the vehicle is yours or leased, not stolen. Otherwise, you will not only get in, but you will also be turned over to U.S. police.

2. Be specific when you are booking for a hotel. There are several gorgeous hotels all over Mexico, including the Grupo Mayan. But they offer different kinds of world-class accommodations to their guests, such as a beach front or an ocean view. When booking, therefore, you need to specify where you want to be. Keep in mind that a beach front does not necessarily mean that you can have the most captivating view of the ocean.

3. Buy bottled water. It is highly recommended that you only drink from bottled water, besides getting yourself vaccined before travel. A lot of Mexico’s places do not have water purification systems. That’s why, too, it’s encouraged that you stay in a hotel such as the Grupo Mayan, since it has the facility to give you drinkable and clean water.

4. Take a bus. There are various modes of transportation that are available in the city. One of these is the bus. It’s very cheap, punctual, and convenient. You can choose between two classes: first class and second class. Nevertheless, since there’s only a slight difference in price, you might as well go into first class, where you will be served with snack and drinks.

5. Coordinate with a travel agent when you’re physically challenged. The infrastructure that you can find in Mexico is not comparable to that of other countries. Thus, several of its establishments are not physically challenged—friendly. If you want to travel to Mexico despite your physical condition, it’s wise to coordinate with a travel agent so he or she can tell you the best places to stay and visit that could be comfortable to you.

6. Know the weather. Different parts of Mexico experience a different kind of weather. For instance, in Mexican Riviera, the weather remains warm and humid the entire year. It’s a completely different story when you’re in Central Plateau, where the elevation provides colder wind. When you know the weather, you can have a good idea of what to bring.

Most of all, like any traveller, keep your camera with you at all times. Mexico still remains one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and you don’t want to miss anything.

The Less-traveled Road to Mexico

Just when you thought that you’ve explored every nook and cranny of Mexico, or that you’ve studied the place and know it by heart, better think again. There could still be a number of less-traveled locations that you may not heard of or that you may have never visited even once. Take the Off-beaten PathYou can start your trip at Merida. Also called the White City, it reminds you so much of the values and history of the Yucatan. Nevertheless, for the past few years, it has never really caught up with other towns like Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, and Cabo San Lucas, to name a few, in terms of popularity. It’s instead a beautiful and secret hideaway for those who want to escape the beach and the growing population of other Mexican cities. Merida is filled with several old structures, dating as far back as the eighteenth century. You can still find the roads to be made of cobblestones, while the cathedrals still appear too old. Everywhere you look, you can feel the Old World charm of the town, except that there may be some shopping centers, entertainment areas, and other conveniences that combine perfectly with the old architecture. It’s also slowly transforming into a haven for retirees, for people who love peace and laid-back lifestyle during their sunset years. You can also venture to Veracruz, which is filled with mementos of civilizations that flourished in Mexico several centuries ago. Somewhere near the capital city is the ruins of Totonac, which may have been built between 400 and 900 AD. One of the most striking is El Tajin, or Temple of the Storm Gods. Legend has it that this was the home of the divine and superpowerful beings that had the ability to regulate the occurrence of storms atop the hills of Veracruz. The structure is also close to other interesting architecture, such as the Great Xicalcoliuhqui, Ball Courts, Tajin Chico, and Plaza Arroyo. There are also monuments that were erected in honor of their heroes like 13 Rabbit. Don’t forget to include the Chihuhuan Desert where you can literally travel to a whole new world every time you go in to the Cave of Crystals. As the name implies, you can see a wide variety of crystal formations on the floors and roof of the cave, rather than the usual rock formations. The cave was discovered in 2000 by two miners who were digging a tunnel. The large ones have a length of more than 20 feet. You can also proceed to Cave of the Swords, which is just close to the Cave of Crystals. They even have bigger crystals, some of which are now displayed in Smithsonian Institution. Nevertheless, you can better enjoy your exploration to these less-traveled places if you can have a comfortable accommodation afterward. You can choose to stay in Grupo Mayan, where you can be pampered after every trip in the sauna or spa. You can also go for room service.   There’s still a lot more that you don’t know about Mexico, but now is the time to do so.

The Best Things in Vacationing in Mexico

If you’re living in the Americas and you want to want to have a great weekend vacation, then look no farther than your down south neighbor. Mexico is one of the greatest places to spend a weekend with your family. Mexico offers a unique mixture of culture, history, and marvelous beaches that most tourists love and come back for.

Here are some of the best things to do and best places to go when taking a vacation at Mexico:

Rich heritage. Mexico’s rich Latin American history is imbued in its culture and its architecture. If you’re in to dancing and revelry, you could always decide to join the town fiestas. If you want to get it going, be sure to attend the Mariachi and Charro festival held every September at Guadalajara. Here you get to waste the night away listening to mariachi bands or perhaps watch their rodeo shows. You could also go to Mexico City where there are also a lot of mariachis performing at Plaza Garibaldi.

Shopping. If you’re into shopping, you can get the best woodworks in Mexico at Guadalajara, as well as ceramics and pottery from the Oazaca region. You could also go visit Bazar del Sábado in San Angel’s Plaza Jacinto for high-quality handicrafts and woodworks. But if you want to shop only at one place, then go to Mexico City, the melting pot of all regional woodworks and handicrafts. You can get bargain prices La Ciudedala and Plaza del Buen Tono.

Food. After a long day of shopping, a wide variety of Mexican food are available at restaurants scattered all over Mexico City. You could try their popular dishes like toritillas, enchiladas, and frijoles. You should try out their special sauces like guacamole and mole verde and be on the watch for rare fruits like zapote and tuna (cactus fruit). If all these sound too alien for your taste,though, don’t worry as Mexican traditional ingredients include chicken and corn, which would suit your taste.

Beaches. Mexico’s beaches are of top calibre. The preferred tourist destination is Acapulco, where the clear-blue beaches and elegant coastlines would really make a lasting impression on the tourist. However, to truly enjoy this tropical paradise you have to shell out a few hundred dollars. But no worries Mexico offers a lot beaches where you can have a great time without worrying too much about your expenses, as well as reasonably priced hotels like those from Grupo Mayan.

If you want to get a good tan, you can go to Bahia de Mujeres, which is the best sunbathing area in the peninsula. If you just want to take a relaxing swim, you can have a pick of either at the Sea of Cortés or the waters at the Yucatan Coast.

Indeed, traveling to Mexico is like a journey of a lifetime, so make sure that you’re ready and get yourself a place to stay, like in a Grupo Mayan Hotel, and yourself up on your feet. The great trip is just going to start.

Essential Things to Bring When Traveling to Mexico

Traveling to Mexico is one of the things that you don’t want to miss for the world, but it would not be as fun or can even be disastrous if you fail to bring the most essential items. So what do you exactly need to bring?

1. Bring clothes that are appropriate for the weather. Various regions in Mexico have different weather, so you might as well make sure the condition of the place where you are supposed to go. For example, those that are located in elevated areas such as the Central Plateau would be a lot colder than those places in the plains. Hence, you may want to stock on jackets and pants that will keep you warm during nighttime. The months of September until December can also be pretty cold too.

2. Don’t forget the sleeping bags or pads. There are several facilities for backpackers and transient travelers in Mexico, where accommodation can be really cheap. However, they may lack the necessary amenities, including sleeping pads or bags. If you choose to stay here, you better make sure that you can bring these essentials, or else, you’ll be sleeping uncomfortably on the floor. But if you want to feel pampered, relaxed, and unstressed when traveling to Mexico, you better save some money for a good stay in a hotel, such as Grupo Mayan. It features first-class facilities and huge room for a reasonable price.

3. Keep your cameras ready. You may leave all your jewelry behind your room, but don’t forget to keep the camera close to you when you’re out on a tour. Almost every town in Mexico has something to offer to a traveler like you. The best way to preserve those memories is to take those snapshots. Just so you don’t have to go scrambling for more films, use a digital camera, with a microSD that has huge capacity. This way, it’s going to be just endless clicking.

4. Get rid of too-revealing dresses. Unless you’re hitting the beach, keep those tank tops, small T-shirts, and shorts in your bag first. A lot of people in Mexico are staunch Catholics, which deem these dresses inappropriate to wear. What’s more, your trip may include visits to some of their oldest churches. You don’t want to offend them by donning on these types of clothes. Avoid bringing shirts with offensive language or drawing printed on them. Even if you’re the guest, you still want to remain respectful to the culture and personalities of the Mexicans.

5. Don on comfortable shoes and slippers. Surely, there will be a lot of walking that you’re going to do in Mexico, so high-heeled shoes and stilettos should be reserved for your night-out only. Pack at least one rubber shoes and a slipper, which you can use when you’re going to the beach.

6. Bring cash. ATMs have their own schedules for refills, and you don’t want to end up living a day without any money to spend. Thus, bring a good amount of cash with you. If you’re staying in a hotel, you can select to store it in their safety deposit box.