Mexico Travel Guide

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2026 2026 Fodor’s Go List Destination

The beaches of Cancun, the golf courses of Los Cabos, the nightlife of Puerto Vallarta: Mexico offers enough seaside fun, splashy resorts, and piña coladas to fulfill anyone's sunny dreams. But travelers who dig a bit deeper discover a multifaceted country of ethereal cloud forests, colorful coral reefs, and stark deserts. From ancient archaeological sites and colonial-era cities like Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende to the pulsing modern metropolis of Mexico City, the country presents thousands of years of history and abundant up-to-the minute style.

Guidebooks for Every Journey

Fodor's Los Cabos: with Todos Santos, la Paz and Valle de Guadalupe

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Fodor's Mexico City

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Fodor's Cancun & the Riviera Maya: With Tulum, Cozumel, and the Best of the Yucatán

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Fodor's Puerto Vallarta: with Guadalajara & Riviera Nayarit

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Guidebooks for Every Journey

Fodor's Los Cabos: with Todos Santos, la Paz and Valle de Guadalupe

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Fodor's Mexico City

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Fodor's Cancun & the Riviera Maya: With Tulum, Cozumel, and the Best of the Yucatán

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Fodor's Puerto Vallarta: with Guadalajara & Riviera Nayarit

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Mexico City

Mexico City is having a moment. All of a sudden, it seems, the largest city in the Americas has absolutely captivated international tastemakers, and gallons...

Puerto Vallarta

Sunbathing and sipping margaritas is just one of many ways to spend a vacation in Puerto Vallarta. Mexico's prettiest resort town is also one of...

Los Cabos and the Baja Peninsula

With coastline that stretches from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific Ocean, and 350 sunny days a year, Los Cabos is Mexico's ultimate seaside...

The Riviera Maya

Mexico's Caribbean coast is full of treasures, from spectacular white-sand beaches and offshore reefs to some of the Yucatán Peninsula's most beautiful Mayan ruins. Unsurprisingly...

Yucatán and Campeche States

In sharp contrast to the resort lifestyle of Cancún and the Riviera Maya, the Yucatán and Campeche states cater to a more tranquil traveler who...

Oaxaca

Mexico aficionados have long favored the state of Oaxaca (pronounced wah-hah-kah) for its climate, culinary and artistic traditions, and landscapes and biodiversity. Oaxaca, one of...

Cancún

Cancún is a great place to experience 21st-century Mexico, because it has everything you’d want in a vacation: shopping, sports, spas, and beaches. Here you’ll...

Chiapas and Tabasco

Chiapas is Mexico's southernmost state. And if the villages here resemble those of the Guatemalan Highlands, it's because Guatemala lies just beyond the eastern border...

Cozumel

It’s not another Cancún yet, but Cozumel’s days as a rustic divers’ hangout are history. Whether arriving at the airport or the gleaming ferry terminal...

Oaxaca City

With its magical concoction of sights, smells, and sounds both ancient and modern, this mountain-ringed city of about 400,000 people, officially called Oaxaca de Juárez...

Guadalajara

Guadalajara rests on a mile-high plain of the Sierra Madre Occidental, surrounded on three sides by rugged hills and on the fourth by the spectacular...

Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo

Rarely does one destination satisfy the needs of so many different kinds of travelers, from authenticity-seeking adventurers to languorous sun worshippers who never want to...

Isla Mujeres

Once a small fishing village, colorful Isla Mujeres (meaning "Island of Women") has become a favorite for travelers seeking natural beauty, island serenity, and a...

Mazatlan

Mazatlán, the first major resort town on the Pacific coastline, has a split personality. At the northern end of town is the Zona Dorada (Golden...

Playa del Carmen

Welcome to the party! "Playa," currently Latin America's fastest-growing community, has a population of more than 150,000 and an international flavor lent by the estadounidenses...

Todos Santos

From the hodgepodge of signs and local businesses you see on the drive into Todos Santos, south on Highway 19, it appears that you're heading...

Acapulco

Few places evoke the glamour of a bygone era quite the way Acapulco does. Fifty years ago, you could board a champagne-filled flight to this...

Zihuatanejo

Everything in Zihuatanejo radiates out from the main beach. Although this stretch of sand is not the place for swimming, it's the best place to...

Puerto Escondido

Puerto Escondido was the first beach resort on the carretera costera (coastal highway), and it remains the most popular. Playa Zicatela is famous for its...

Tulum

It used to be that Tulum was simply known as dusty little town with a stellar archaeological site and a few palapa huts. No longer...

Huatulco

Development in the breathtaking Bahías de Huatulco (Bays of Huatulco) continues to march forward. Four of the nine bays have been developed, but only Bahía...

Akumal

In Mayan, Akumal (pronounced ah-koo-maal) means "place of the turtle," and this portion of coast is a storied nesting ground, especially at Half Moon Bay...

Puerto Morelos

At the edge of a mangrove-tangled jungle pushing up to the shore, Puerto Morelos is one of the few coastal towns on this stretch of...

Ixtapa

Ixtapa's primary hotel zone, the Zona Hotelera, extends along a 3-km (2-mile) strip of sandy beach called Playa del Palmar. It's fun to walk along...

Manzunte, San Agustinillo, and Zipolite

Fans of this trio of beaches like to brag that they are what Puerto Escondido was 20 years ago, but that mantra doesn't even do...

Palenque

Palenque's days as a sleepy little village are far behind. Locals have obliged the needs of travelers in search of the ruins at the Palenque...

Puerto Aventuras

The most Americanized of all the Riviera Maya's resorts is a 900-acre gated community and golf course more reminiscent of coastal Florida than Mexico. This...

Mayakoba

Mayakoba (meaning "village of water") is home to three of the world's most exclusive resorts—the Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Fairmont Mayakoba, and Rosewood Mayakoba. They are...

Troncones

This once-primitive surf spot along the rugged coast is still pretty remote, but a series of really comfortable—in some cases, luxurious—hostelries have sprung up along...

Tankah

If you plan on staying in the Cobá area, nearby Tankah is a good option—especially if you want to avoid the Tulum crowds. In ancient...

Punta Bete

Beyond Punta Maroma, a river spills into the sea, dividing the coastline. South of the split, Playa Xcalacoco (scala-coco) is a 7-km-long (5½-mile-long) beach dotted...

Punta Maroma

The waters of this protected bay stay calm even on blustery days, and the enchanting beach ranks among Mexico's finest. A string of resorts has...

Xcaret

Once a sacred Mayan city and port, Xcaret (pronounced ish-car-et) is now home to two popular parks on a gorgeous stretch of coastline. The 250-acre...

Bahía Petempich

The Riviera Maya region technically begins at Bahía Petempich (also known as Punta Tanchacté), where long expanses of sand are lapped by turquoise waters. Historically...

Cobá

Near five lakes and between coastal watchtowers and inland cities, Cobá (pronounced ko-bah) once exercised economic control over the region through a network of at...

Playa del Secreto

The secret is out—the ½-km (1-mile) stretch of white sand at Playa del Secreto is one of the most beautiful in the Riviera Maya. Surrounded...

Puerto Angel

The state's leading seaport in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Puerto Angel today is a small town in a busy bay and is...

Punta Brava

Punta Brava is a long, winding sweep of sand strewn with seashells. The only direct access to this beach area is through the security gate...

Monte Albán

Southwest of Oaxaca City, a narrow, twisting road leads up to the mountaintop city of the "cloud people," Monte Albán. Seeing this massive ancient metropolis...

Labná

...

Paraiso

...

Agua Azul

The series of waterfalls and crystalline blue pools at Agua Azul is breathtaking, especially during the dry season...

Puerto Chiapas

Chiapas’s newest incarnation is that of a port of call, Mexico’s southernmost such facility. The large terminal with a pyramid-shape thatch roof at Puerto Chiapas...

Tapachula

The southernmost city in Mexico, Tapachula lies at the center of the Soconusco mountain region, which extends down into southwestern Guatemala. Significant numbers of European...

Nogales

Nogales serves as the entry point for most Americans driving from Arizona into Sonora—generally to a beach community like Puerto Peñasco. Although it's considerably smaller...

Tizimín

...

Comalcalco

Comalcalco, which was founded in about the 1st century BC, marks the westernmost reach of the Maya; descendants of its builders, the Chontal, still live...

San Cristobal de las Casas

Remote and historically difficult to reach, San Cristóbal de las Casas has nevertheless been a well-trodden outpost on the Gringo Trail for decades. A modern...

Craft Villages of the Valles Centrales

South of Oaxaca City is a string of craft villages, the most important of which are San Bartolo Coyotepec, where you'll find gorgeous black pottery...

Izapa

A lesser-known archaeological site, just 15 minutes from Tapachula, on the road to Talismán, the Izapa ruins are said to provide a link between Olmec...

Mixteca

The Mixteca, a rugged region northwest of Oaxaca City, has some of the state's most dramatic scenery. Driving up you'll see more pine-covered hills than...

Mitla and the Textile Villages

The second-most-important archaeological site in Oaxaca State (after Monte Albán), Mitla is in the upper end of the Tlacolula Valley. Where Monte Albán was the...

Pisté

...

Mascota

Mascota's cool but sunny climate is perfect for growing citrus, avocados, nuts, wheat, corn, and other crops. Fed by the Mascota and Ameca rivers and...

Santa Rosa Xtampak

...

San Blas

Many travelers come here looking for Old Mexico, or the "real Mexico," or the Mexico they remember from the 1960s. New Spain's first official Pacific...

Xpujil

The highway briefly widens to four lanes around the town of Xpujil, which acts as the service center for Carretera 186. This is the place...

San Sebastián del Oeste

Physically, there are only about 80 km (50 miles) between Puerto Vallarta and San Sebastián del Oeste (often called, simply, San Sebastián), but metaphorically they're...

San Carlos

Long considered an extension of Guaymas, this resort town—on the other side of the rocky peninsula that separates Bahía de Bacochibampo from Bahía de San...

Talpa de Allende

Another tranquil town surrounded by pine-oak forests, Talpa, as it's called, has just over 7,000 inhabitants but welcomes 4 million visitors a year. They come...

Ocosingo

Although Ocosingo is on the tourist trail, most people pass right by on their way to San Cristóbal or Palenque. That's a shame, because Ocosingo...

San Miguel de Allende and the Heartland

Also referred to as el Bajío, this area (parts of the states of Guanajuato, Querétaro, and Michoacán) really is the heartland of Mexico—geographically and historically...

Mahahual

Tiny Mahahual (also spelled Majahual) has something of a split personality. With a population of only 600, it's a quiet beachfront outpost with clear, calm...

Bernal

Just a short hop from Tequisquiapan and the vineyards of Freixenet, the village of Bernal has been named by the Mexican government as a ¨Pueblo...

Ensenada

In 1542 Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo first discovered the seaport that Sebastián Vizcaíno named Ensenada-Bahía de Todos Santos (All Saints' Bay) in 1602. Since then the...

Dolores Hidalgo

Dolores Hidalgo is famous for its lovely hand-glazed Talavera-style ceramics, most notably tiles and tableware. After shopping and visiting a few of Dolores Hidalgo’s pleasant...

Las Grutas de Rancho Nuevo

Spectacular limestone stalactites and stalagmites are illuminated along a 2,475-foot concrete walkway inside the labyrinthine caves known as Las Grutas de Rancho Nuevo (or Las...

Guanajuato

Guanajuato is simply gorgeous. It spills across cliffs and hillsides down to a series of tree-shaded plazas whose sidewalk cafés and street life are unmatched...

Oxcutzcab

This market town is a good alternative to Ticul for those who want to spend the night in the Puuc area. Strangers will greet you...

La Cañada de la Virgen

More than a thousand years old, the former ceremonial site of La Cañada de la Virgin has been open to the public less than two...

Reserva de la Biosfera Calakmul

Vast, lovely, green, and mysterious Calakmul may not stay a secret for much longer. You won't see any tour buses in the parking lot, and...

Mineral de Pozos

The captivating Sierra Gorda town of Pozos was a silver-mining center for centuries. Now it's a virtual ghost town of about 2,000 people, where you...

Telchac Puerto

...

Morelia

Morelia is Michoacán State's capital—its long, wide boulevards and earth-tone colonial mansions earned it its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in 1541...

Valladolid

The second-largest city in Yucatán State, picturesque Valladolid (pronounced vye-ah-do-leed) is seeing a big boom in popularity among travelers en route to or from Chichén...

Xcalak

The southernmost town in Quintana Roo, Xcalak (pronounced ish-ka-lack) is only 11 km (7 miles) from the Belize border by water, and a little of...

Chiapa de Corzo

Chiapa de Corzo has been designated one of Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos (“magical towns”), communities of significant heritage. It has a lot more personality than neighboring...

Xpu-Há

Located 20 minutes south of Playa del Carmen and 20 minutes north of Tulum, Xpu-Há is the perfect base to relax and get away from...

Puerto Peñasco

Puerto Peñasco was dubbed Rocky Point by British explorers in the 18th century, and that's the name most Americans know it by today. The town...

Catemaco

...

Bonampak

The settlement was built on the banks of the Río Lacanjá in the 7th and 8th centuries and was uncovered in 1946...

Costa Esmeralda (Emerald Coast)

Covering 35 km (23 mi) of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico between Nautla and Papantla, Costa Esmeralda's clean wide beaches and calm waters are...

Bacalar

Founded in AD 435, Bacalar (pronounced baa-ka-lar) is one of Quintana Roo's oldest settlements. The town’s most notable feature is a cenote-fed lake of the...

Tonina

Between San Cristóbal and Palenque, on a paved road running along the Río Jataté and through the Ocosingo Valley, is the ancient Mayan city of...

Chetumal

At times, Chetumal—the capital city of Quintana Roo—feels more Caribbean than Mexican; this isn't surprising, given its proximity to Belize. A population that includes Afro-Caribbean...

Villahermosa

The capital city of Villahermosa epitomizes the development of Tabasco, where the airplane arrived before the automobile. Thanks to oil and the money it brought...

Felipe Carrillo Puerto

Felipe Carrillo Puerto, the Costa Maya's first major town, is named for the governor of Yucatán in 1920, who was hailed as a hero after...

Zinacantan

The village of Zinacantán is even smaller than San Juan Chamula. The men wear bright pink tunics embroidered with flowers; the women cover themselves with...

Isla Contoy

The national wildlife park and bird sanctuary of Isla Contoy (Isle of Birds) is just 6 km (4 miles) long and less than 1 km...

San Juan Chamula

Celebrated for its religious and cultural traditions, San Juan Chamula is one of the most fascinating highland villages. More than 80,000 Maya-descended Chamula live in...

La Antigua

This sleepy village was the conquistadors' capital for 75 years. It was given its name ("The Old Town") when the Spaniards abandoned it in 1599...

La Paz

Tidy, prosperous La Paz may be the capital of the state of Baja California Sur and home to about 220,000 residents, but it still feels...

Tuxtla Gutierrez

Balmy, booming, bustling Tuxtla Gutiérrez, population 600,000 and the state’s only true metropolis, will be a place you pass through on your way to San...

San Andrés Tuxtla

...

Tlacotalpan

The name Tlacotalpan is of Nahuatl origin and means "in the middle of the earth," referring to the settlement's location on what was then an...

Veracruz City

The lively port city of Veracruz, 345 km (214 mi) east of Mexico City, might not be the city that never sleeps, but it is...

Reserva de la Biosfera Sian Ka'an

Wildlife has understandably been affected by the development of coastal resorts; however, thanks to the federal government's foresight, 1.3 million acres of coastline and jungle...

Xico

If you close your eyes and try to imagine the ideal Mexican small town, you'd probably come up with something surprisingly close to Xico. In...

Pátzcuaro

Founded in the 16th century on the shores of the tranquil Lake Pátzcuaro, this town remained largely undisturbed for several centuries until it was "discovered"...

Manzanillo

Remember the late-1970s movie 10, starring Dudley Moore and Bo Derek? You’ve seen Manzanillo if you do. The beach scenes were all filmed here in...

Becán

Becán (usually translated as "canyon of water," referring to the moat) is thought to have been an important city within the Río Bec group, which...

Celestún

When someone says "Celestún," think pink. The estuaries of this biosphere reserve are home to an amazing flock of flamingos. The gateway to it, a...

Veracruz

Veracruz State is a long, slim crescent bordering the Gulf of Mexico, about five hours east of Mexico City. The port city of Veracruz is...

Chicanná

Thought to have been a satellite community of the larger, more commercial city of Becán, a couple of miles farther west, Chicanná ("house of the...

Coatepec

The air is cool and refreshing in Coatepec. Residents call their town the capital mundial del café (coffee capital of the world), as the climate...

Chicxulub

...

El Tajín

...

Dzilám de Bravo

...

Papantla

Set on a steep hillside, Papantla is in the center of a vanilla-producing region. Products made from that particular bean, from candies to liqueurs, are...

Ek Balam

The large Ek Balam ("black jaguar") site was known to 19th-century archaeologists; however, excavation and mapping didn’t really get underway until the 1990s, making this...

Santiago Tuxtla

...

Grutas de Loltún

...

Tuxpan

A peaceful riverside town with a tangle of twisting streets, Tuxpan—almost as often referred to as Tuxpam—is a pleasant place to stop if you're driving...

Hormiguero

Bumping down the badly potholed, 8-km (5-mile) road leading to this site may give you an appreciation for the explorers who first found and excavated...

Xalapa

A ceremonial center for the Aztec when Cortés swept through the region, Xalapa is still a city of great importance. Take one look at the...

Izamal

You won’t find too many sights in beautiful Izamal, but you'll almost certainly be taken by its carefully cared-for architecture. The downtown area shines with...

Pozos

...

Yaxchilan

Excavations at Yaxchilán (ya-shee-lan), on the banks of the Río Usumacinta, have uncovered stunning temples and delicate carvings. Spider monkeys and toucans are, at this...

Campeche City

In picturesque Campeche, block upon block of restored buildings with lovely facades, all painted in bright colors, meet the sea. Tiny balconies overlook clean, geometrically...

Querétaro

Querétaro is a modern city of about 1.2 million inhabitants, but its historical center holds its own against the region's other colonial cities, with wide...

Champotón

...

San Miguel de Allende

You've heard that San Miguel de Allende is an artists' retreat, where the beauty of the surroundings, coupled with the inspired bent of those who...

Chichén Itzá

In 2007, this sublime Mayan city was named one of the "New 7 Wonders of the World"—a distinction that puts Chichén Itzá on par with...

Tequisquiapan

Drenched in sun, bougainvillea, and flowering trees, Tequis (as the locals call it) is a pleasant stop for a day or overnight trip. Join the...

Dzibilchaltún

...

Xilitla

...

Edzná

With its smorgasbord of Mayan architectural styles, Edzná is considered by archaeologists to be one of the peninsula's most important ruin complexes; and although it’s...

Zacatecas

Although Zacatecas (whose altitude "peaks," as it were, at 8,649 feet above sea level) was once the world's largest silver-producing city, it's relatively undiscovered by...

Grutas de Balancanchén

...

Side Trips from Mexico City

In every direction, via every major highway leading outside Mexico City, locals and increasing numbers of tourists fill cars and buses headed to the dozens...

Hochob

...

Cuernavaca

The road to Cuernavaca will likely heighten your anticipation—you'll catch your first glimpse of the city's lush surroundings from a mountain highway, through lacy pine...

Isla Holbox

Only 25 km (16 miles) long, tiny Isla Holbox sits at the eastern end of the Ría Lagartos estuary and is just across the Quintana...

Puebla

The city of Puebla fairly bursts with baroque flourishes and the colors of its famed Talavera tiles. The downtown area in particular overflows with religious...

Kabah

...

Teotihuacán

Just 31 miles from the center of Mexico City, Teotihuacán is one of the most significant and haunting archaeological sites in the world. Climbing on...

Mérida

Bustling streets, lively parks, a tropical version of the Champs-Elysées, endless cultural activities, and a varied nightlife: Mérida is the beating urban heart of the...

Tepoztlán

Surrounded by sandstone monoliths that throw off a russet glow at sunset, Tepoztlán is a magical place. It’s a popular place for practitioners of astrology...

Oxkintoc

...

Tula

...

Progreso

The waterfront town closest to Mérida, Progreso is not particularly historic. It's not terribly picturesque either; nevertheless, it provokes a certain sentimental fondness for those...

Valle de Bravo

A few hours here explains why "Valle" is often billed as Mexico's best-kept secret. The pines, clear air, and the Lago Valle de Bravo make...

Reserva de la Biósfera Ría Lagartos

The mangroves of the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve make up one of southern Mexico's most important wildlife sanctuaries. Birds are the big draw here, and...

Sonora

The Sonoran Desert—or as the Mexicans call it, El Desierto de Altar—dominates the northern part of this state, where long stretches of flat scrub are...

Sayil

...

Aduana

A couple of miles off the main road to Álamos, tiny Aduana was once the site of one of the richest mines in the district...

Ticul

One of the larger communities in the Yucatán, Ticul (with a population of around 21,000) is a good base for exploring the Puuc region—provided you...

Alamos

With its cobblestone streets, delightful central plaza, 250-year-old baroque church, and thoughtfully restored haciendas, Álamos is the most authentically revived colonial town in Sonora. Although...

Uxmal

If Chichén Itzá is the most expansive Mayan ruin in Yucatán, Uxmal is arguably the most elegant. The architecture here reflects the late classical renaissance...

Bahía Kino

On the eastern shore of the Mar de Cortés lies Bahía Kino, home to some of the prettiest beaches in northwest Mexico. For many years...

Xcambo

...

Guaymas

The buzz and bustle of Guaymas—one of Mexico's largest ports—has a pleasant backdrop of rusty red, saguaro-speckled bluffs that nudge the deep-blue waters of a...

Yaxcopoil

...

Hermosillo

Hermosillo, the state's on-and-off capital since 1831, is a hardworking city. Manufacturing and agriculture are its main concerns. But a few older plazas and 19th-century...

Mexico City

Mexico City is having a moment. All of a sudden, it seems, the largest city in the Americas has absolutely captivated international tastemakers, and gallons...

Puerto Vallarta

Sunbathing and sipping margaritas is just one of many ways to spend a vacation in Puerto Vallarta. Mexico's prettiest resort town is also one of...

Los Cabos and the Baja Peninsula

With coastline that stretches from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific Ocean, and 350 sunny days a year, Los Cabos is Mexico's ultimate seaside...

The Riviera Maya

Mexico's Caribbean coast is full of treasures, from spectacular white-sand beaches and offshore reefs to some of the Yucatán Peninsula's most beautiful Mayan ruins. Unsurprisingly...

Yucatán and Campeche States

In sharp contrast to the resort lifestyle of Cancún and the Riviera Maya, the Yucatán and Campeche states cater to a more tranquil traveler who...

Oaxaca

Mexico aficionados have long favored the state of Oaxaca (pronounced wah-hah-kah) for its climate, culinary and artistic traditions, and landscapes and biodiversity. Oaxaca, one of...

Cancún

Cancún is a great place to experience 21st-century Mexico, because it has everything you’d want in a vacation: shopping, sports, spas, and beaches. Here you’ll...

Chiapas and Tabasco

Chiapas is Mexico's southernmost state. And if the villages here resemble those of the Guatemalan Highlands, it's because Guatemala lies just beyond the eastern border...

Cozumel

It’s not another Cancún yet, but Cozumel’s days as a rustic divers’ hangout are history. Whether arriving at the airport or the gleaming ferry terminal...

Oaxaca City

With its magical concoction of sights, smells, and sounds both ancient and modern, this mountain-ringed city of about 400,000 people, officially called Oaxaca de Juárez...

Guadalajara

Guadalajara rests on a mile-high plain of the Sierra Madre Occidental, surrounded on three sides by rugged hills and on the fourth by the spectacular...

Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo

Rarely does one destination satisfy the needs of so many different kinds of travelers, from authenticity-seeking adventurers to languorous sun worshippers who never want to...

Isla Mujeres

Once a small fishing village, colorful Isla Mujeres (meaning "Island of Women") has become a favorite for travelers seeking natural beauty, island serenity, and a...

Mazatlan

Mazatlán, the first major resort town on the Pacific coastline, has a split personality. At the northern end of town is the Zona Dorada (Golden...

Playa del Carmen

Welcome to the party! "Playa," currently Latin America's fastest-growing community, has a population of more than 150,000 and an international flavor lent by the estadounidenses...

Todos Santos

From the hodgepodge of signs and local businesses you see on the drive into Todos Santos, south on Highway 19, it appears that you're heading...

Acapulco

Few places evoke the glamour of a bygone era quite the way Acapulco does. Fifty years ago, you could board a champagne-filled flight to this...

Zihuatanejo

Everything in Zihuatanejo radiates out from the main beach. Although this stretch of sand is not the place for swimming, it's the best place to...

Puerto Escondido

Puerto Escondido was the first beach resort on the carretera costera (coastal highway), and it remains the most popular. Playa Zicatela is famous for its...

Tulum

It used to be that Tulum was simply known as dusty little town with a stellar archaeological site and a few palapa huts. No longer...

Huatulco

Development in the breathtaking Bahías de Huatulco (Bays of Huatulco) continues to march forward. Four of the nine bays have been developed, but only Bahía...

Akumal

In Mayan, Akumal (pronounced ah-koo-maal) means "place of the turtle," and this portion of coast is a storied nesting ground, especially at Half Moon Bay...

Puerto Morelos

At the edge of a mangrove-tangled jungle pushing up to the shore, Puerto Morelos is one of the few coastal towns on this stretch of...

Ixtapa

Ixtapa's primary hotel zone, the Zona Hotelera, extends along a 3-km (2-mile) strip of sandy beach called Playa del Palmar. It's fun to walk along...

Manzunte, San Agustinillo, and Zipolite

Fans of this trio of beaches like to brag that they are what Puerto Escondido was 20 years ago, but that mantra doesn't even do...

Palenque

Palenque's days as a sleepy little village are far behind. Locals have obliged the needs of travelers in search of the ruins at the Palenque...

Puerto Aventuras

The most Americanized of all the Riviera Maya's resorts is a 900-acre gated community and golf course more reminiscent of coastal Florida than Mexico. This...

Mayakoba

Mayakoba (meaning "village of water") is home to three of the world's most exclusive resorts—the Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Fairmont Mayakoba, and Rosewood Mayakoba. They are...

Troncones

This once-primitive surf spot along the rugged coast is still pretty remote, but a series of really comfortable—in some cases, luxurious—hostelries have sprung up along...

Tankah

If you plan on staying in the Cobá area, nearby Tankah is a good option—especially if you want to avoid the Tulum crowds. In ancient...

Punta Bete

Beyond Punta Maroma, a river spills into the sea, dividing the coastline. South of the split, Playa Xcalacoco (scala-coco) is a 7-km-long (5½-mile-long) beach dotted...

Punta Maroma

The waters of this protected bay stay calm even on blustery days, and the enchanting beach ranks among Mexico's finest. A string of resorts has...

Xcaret

Once a sacred Mayan city and port, Xcaret (pronounced ish-car-et) is now home to two popular parks on a gorgeous stretch of coastline. The 250-acre...

Bahía Petempich

The Riviera Maya region technically begins at Bahía Petempich (also known as Punta Tanchacté), where long expanses of sand are lapped by turquoise waters. Historically...

Cobá

Near five lakes and between coastal watchtowers and inland cities, Cobá (pronounced ko-bah) once exercised economic control over the region through a network of at...

Playa del Secreto

The secret is out—the ½-km (1-mile) stretch of white sand at Playa del Secreto is one of the most beautiful in the Riviera Maya. Surrounded...

Puerto Angel

The state's leading seaport in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Puerto Angel today is a small town in a busy bay and is...

Punta Brava

Punta Brava is a long, winding sweep of sand strewn with seashells. The only direct access to this beach area is through the security gate...

Monte Albán

Southwest of Oaxaca City, a narrow, twisting road leads up to the mountaintop city of the "cloud people," Monte Albán. Seeing this massive ancient metropolis...

Labná

...

Paraiso

...

Agua Azul

The series of waterfalls and crystalline blue pools at Agua Azul is breathtaking, especially during the dry season...

Puerto Chiapas

Chiapas’s newest incarnation is that of a port of call, Mexico’s southernmost such facility. The large terminal with a pyramid-shape thatch roof at Puerto Chiapas...

Tapachula

The southernmost city in Mexico, Tapachula lies at the center of the Soconusco mountain region, which extends down into southwestern Guatemala. Significant numbers of European...

Nogales

Nogales serves as the entry point for most Americans driving from Arizona into Sonora—generally to a beach community like Puerto Peñasco. Although it's considerably smaller...

Tizimín

...

Comalcalco

Comalcalco, which was founded in about the 1st century BC, marks the westernmost reach of the Maya; descendants of its builders, the Chontal, still live...

San Cristobal de las Casas

Remote and historically difficult to reach, San Cristóbal de las Casas has nevertheless been a well-trodden outpost on the Gringo Trail for decades. A modern...

Craft Villages of the Valles Centrales

South of Oaxaca City is a string of craft villages, the most important of which are San Bartolo Coyotepec, where you'll find gorgeous black pottery...

Izapa

A lesser-known archaeological site, just 15 minutes from Tapachula, on the road to Talismán, the Izapa ruins are said to provide a link between Olmec...

Mixteca

The Mixteca, a rugged region northwest of Oaxaca City, has some of the state's most dramatic scenery. Driving up you'll see more pine-covered hills than...

Mitla and the Textile Villages

The second-most-important archaeological site in Oaxaca State (after Monte Albán), Mitla is in the upper end of the Tlacolula Valley. Where Monte Albán was the...

Pisté

...

Mascota

Mascota's cool but sunny climate is perfect for growing citrus, avocados, nuts, wheat, corn, and other crops. Fed by the Mascota and Ameca rivers and...

Santa Rosa Xtampak

...

San Blas

Many travelers come here looking for Old Mexico, or the "real Mexico," or the Mexico they remember from the 1960s. New Spain's first official Pacific...

Xpujil

The highway briefly widens to four lanes around the town of Xpujil, which acts as the service center for Carretera 186. This is the place...

San Sebastián del Oeste

Physically, there are only about 80 km (50 miles) between Puerto Vallarta and San Sebastián del Oeste (often called, simply, San Sebastián), but metaphorically they're...

San Carlos

Long considered an extension of Guaymas, this resort town—on the other side of the rocky peninsula that separates Bahía de Bacochibampo from Bahía de San...

Talpa de Allende

Another tranquil town surrounded by pine-oak forests, Talpa, as it's called, has just over 7,000 inhabitants but welcomes 4 million visitors a year. They come...

Ocosingo

Although Ocosingo is on the tourist trail, most people pass right by on their way to San Cristóbal or Palenque. That's a shame, because Ocosingo...

San Miguel de Allende and the Heartland

Also referred to as el Bajío, this area (parts of the states of Guanajuato, Querétaro, and Michoacán) really is the heartland of Mexico—geographically and historically...

Mahahual

Tiny Mahahual (also spelled Majahual) has something of a split personality. With a population of only 600, it's a quiet beachfront outpost with clear, calm...

Bernal

Just a short hop from Tequisquiapan and the vineyards of Freixenet, the village of Bernal has been named by the Mexican government as a ¨Pueblo...

Ensenada

In 1542 Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo first discovered the seaport that Sebastián Vizcaíno named Ensenada-Bahía de Todos Santos (All Saints' Bay) in 1602. Since then the...

Dolores Hidalgo

Dolores Hidalgo is famous for its lovely hand-glazed Talavera-style ceramics, most notably tiles and tableware. After shopping and visiting a few of Dolores Hidalgo’s pleasant...

Las Grutas de Rancho Nuevo

Spectacular limestone stalactites and stalagmites are illuminated along a 2,475-foot concrete walkway inside the labyrinthine caves known as Las Grutas de Rancho Nuevo (or Las...

Guanajuato

Guanajuato is simply gorgeous. It spills across cliffs and hillsides down to a series of tree-shaded plazas whose sidewalk cafés and street life are unmatched...

Oxcutzcab

This market town is a good alternative to Ticul for those who want to spend the night in the Puuc area. Strangers will greet you...

La Cañada de la Virgen

More than a thousand years old, the former ceremonial site of La Cañada de la Virgin has been open to the public less than two...

Reserva de la Biosfera Calakmul

Vast, lovely, green, and mysterious Calakmul may not stay a secret for much longer. You won't see any tour buses in the parking lot, and...

Mineral de Pozos

The captivating Sierra Gorda town of Pozos was a silver-mining center for centuries. Now it's a virtual ghost town of about 2,000 people, where you...

Telchac Puerto

...

Morelia

Morelia is Michoacán State's capital—its long, wide boulevards and earth-tone colonial mansions earned it its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in 1541...

Valladolid

The second-largest city in Yucatán State, picturesque Valladolid (pronounced vye-ah-do-leed) is seeing a big boom in popularity among travelers en route to or from Chichén...

Xcalak

The southernmost town in Quintana Roo, Xcalak (pronounced ish-ka-lack) is only 11 km (7 miles) from the Belize border by water, and a little of...

Chiapa de Corzo

Chiapa de Corzo has been designated one of Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos (“magical towns”), communities of significant heritage. It has a lot more personality than neighboring...

Xpu-Há

Located 20 minutes south of Playa del Carmen and 20 minutes north of Tulum, Xpu-Há is the perfect base to relax and get away from...

Puerto Peñasco

Puerto Peñasco was dubbed Rocky Point by British explorers in the 18th century, and that's the name most Americans know it by today. The town...

Catemaco

...

Bonampak

The settlement was built on the banks of the Río Lacanjá in the 7th and 8th centuries and was uncovered in 1946...

Costa Esmeralda (Emerald Coast)

Covering 35 km (23 mi) of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico between Nautla and Papantla, Costa Esmeralda's clean wide beaches and calm waters are...

Bacalar

Founded in AD 435, Bacalar (pronounced baa-ka-lar) is one of Quintana Roo's oldest settlements. The town’s most notable feature is a cenote-fed lake of the...

Tonina

Between San Cristóbal and Palenque, on a paved road running along the Río Jataté and through the Ocosingo Valley, is the ancient Mayan city of...

Chetumal

At times, Chetumal—the capital city of Quintana Roo—feels more Caribbean than Mexican; this isn't surprising, given its proximity to Belize. A population that includes Afro-Caribbean...

Villahermosa

The capital city of Villahermosa epitomizes the development of Tabasco, where the airplane arrived before the automobile. Thanks to oil and the money it brought...

Felipe Carrillo Puerto

Felipe Carrillo Puerto, the Costa Maya's first major town, is named for the governor of Yucatán in 1920, who was hailed as a hero after...

Zinacantan

The village of Zinacantán is even smaller than San Juan Chamula. The men wear bright pink tunics embroidered with flowers; the women cover themselves with...

Isla Contoy

The national wildlife park and bird sanctuary of Isla Contoy (Isle of Birds) is just 6 km (4 miles) long and less than 1 km...

San Juan Chamula

Celebrated for its religious and cultural traditions, San Juan Chamula is one of the most fascinating highland villages. More than 80,000 Maya-descended Chamula live in...

La Antigua

This sleepy village was the conquistadors' capital for 75 years. It was given its name ("The Old Town") when the Spaniards abandoned it in 1599...

La Paz

Tidy, prosperous La Paz may be the capital of the state of Baja California Sur and home to about 220,000 residents, but it still feels...

Tuxtla Gutierrez

Balmy, booming, bustling Tuxtla Gutiérrez, population 600,000 and the state’s only true metropolis, will be a place you pass through on your way to San...

San Andrés Tuxtla

...

Tlacotalpan

The name Tlacotalpan is of Nahuatl origin and means "in the middle of the earth," referring to the settlement's location on what was then an...

Veracruz City

The lively port city of Veracruz, 345 km (214 mi) east of Mexico City, might not be the city that never sleeps, but it is...

Reserva de la Biosfera Sian Ka'an

Wildlife has understandably been affected by the development of coastal resorts; however, thanks to the federal government's foresight, 1.3 million acres of coastline and jungle...

Xico

If you close your eyes and try to imagine the ideal Mexican small town, you'd probably come up with something surprisingly close to Xico. In...

Pátzcuaro

Founded in the 16th century on the shores of the tranquil Lake Pátzcuaro, this town remained largely undisturbed for several centuries until it was "discovered"...

Manzanillo

Remember the late-1970s movie 10, starring Dudley Moore and Bo Derek? You’ve seen Manzanillo if you do. The beach scenes were all filmed here in...

Becán

Becán (usually translated as "canyon of water," referring to the moat) is thought to have been an important city within the Río Bec group, which...

Celestún

When someone says "Celestún," think pink. The estuaries of this biosphere reserve are home to an amazing flock of flamingos. The gateway to it, a...

Veracruz

Veracruz State is a long, slim crescent bordering the Gulf of Mexico, about five hours east of Mexico City. The port city of Veracruz is...

Chicanná

Thought to have been a satellite community of the larger, more commercial city of Becán, a couple of miles farther west, Chicanná ("house of the...

Coatepec

The air is cool and refreshing in Coatepec. Residents call their town the capital mundial del café (coffee capital of the world), as the climate...

Chicxulub

...

El Tajín

...

Dzilám de Bravo

...

Papantla

Set on a steep hillside, Papantla is in the center of a vanilla-producing region. Products made from that particular bean, from candies to liqueurs, are...

Ek Balam

The large Ek Balam ("black jaguar") site was known to 19th-century archaeologists; however, excavation and mapping didn’t really get underway until the 1990s, making this...

Santiago Tuxtla

...

Grutas de Loltún

...

Tuxpan

A peaceful riverside town with a tangle of twisting streets, Tuxpan—almost as often referred to as Tuxpam—is a pleasant place to stop if you're driving...

Hormiguero

Bumping down the badly potholed, 8-km (5-mile) road leading to this site may give you an appreciation for the explorers who first found and excavated...

Xalapa

A ceremonial center for the Aztec when Cortés swept through the region, Xalapa is still a city of great importance. Take one look at the...

Izamal

You won’t find too many sights in beautiful Izamal, but you'll almost certainly be taken by its carefully cared-for architecture. The downtown area shines with...

Pozos

...

Yaxchilan

Excavations at Yaxchilán (ya-shee-lan), on the banks of the Río Usumacinta, have uncovered stunning temples and delicate carvings. Spider monkeys and toucans are, at this...

Campeche City

In picturesque Campeche, block upon block of restored buildings with lovely facades, all painted in bright colors, meet the sea. Tiny balconies overlook clean, geometrically...

Querétaro

Querétaro is a modern city of about 1.2 million inhabitants, but its historical center holds its own against the region's other colonial cities, with wide...

Champotón

...

San Miguel de Allende

You've heard that San Miguel de Allende is an artists' retreat, where the beauty of the surroundings, coupled with the inspired bent of those who...

Chichén Itzá

In 2007, this sublime Mayan city was named one of the "New 7 Wonders of the World"—a distinction that puts Chichén Itzá on par with...

Tequisquiapan

Drenched in sun, bougainvillea, and flowering trees, Tequis (as the locals call it) is a pleasant stop for a day or overnight trip. Join the...

Dzibilchaltún

...

Xilitla

...

Edzná

With its smorgasbord of Mayan architectural styles, Edzná is considered by archaeologists to be one of the peninsula's most important ruin complexes; and although it’s...

Zacatecas

Although Zacatecas (whose altitude "peaks," as it were, at 8,649 feet above sea level) was once the world's largest silver-producing city, it's relatively undiscovered by...

Grutas de Balancanchén

...

Side Trips from Mexico City

In every direction, via every major highway leading outside Mexico City, locals and increasing numbers of tourists fill cars and buses headed to the dozens...

Hochob

...

Cuernavaca

The road to Cuernavaca will likely heighten your anticipation—you'll catch your first glimpse of the city's lush surroundings from a mountain highway, through lacy pine...

Isla Holbox

Only 25 km (16 miles) long, tiny Isla Holbox sits at the eastern end of the Ría Lagartos estuary and is just across the Quintana...

Puebla

The city of Puebla fairly bursts with baroque flourishes and the colors of its famed Talavera tiles. The downtown area in particular overflows with religious...

Kabah

...

Teotihuacán

Just 31 miles from the center of Mexico City, Teotihuacán is one of the most significant and haunting archaeological sites in the world. Climbing on...

Mérida

Bustling streets, lively parks, a tropical version of the Champs-Elysées, endless cultural activities, and a varied nightlife: Mérida is the beating urban heart of the...

Tepoztlán

Surrounded by sandstone monoliths that throw off a russet glow at sunset, Tepoztlán is a magical place. It’s a popular place for practitioners of astrology...

Oxkintoc

...

Tula

...

Progreso

The waterfront town closest to Mérida, Progreso is not particularly historic. It's not terribly picturesque either; nevertheless, it provokes a certain sentimental fondness for those...

Valle de Bravo

A few hours here explains why "Valle" is often billed as Mexico's best-kept secret. The pines, clear air, and the Lago Valle de Bravo make...

Reserva de la Biósfera Ría Lagartos

The mangroves of the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve make up one of southern Mexico's most important wildlife sanctuaries. Birds are the big draw here, and...

Sonora

The Sonoran Desert—or as the Mexicans call it, El Desierto de Altar—dominates the northern part of this state, where long stretches of flat scrub are...

Sayil

...

Aduana

A couple of miles off the main road to Álamos, tiny Aduana was once the site of one of the richest mines in the district...

Ticul

One of the larger communities in the Yucatán, Ticul (with a population of around 21,000) is a good base for exploring the Puuc region—provided you...

Alamos

Uxmal

If Chichén Itzá is the most expansive Mayan ruin in Yucatán, Uxmal is arguably the most elegant. The architecture here reflects the late classical renaissance...

Bahía Kino

On the eastern shore of the Mar de Cortés lies Bahía Kino, home to some of the prettiest beaches in northwest Mexico. For many years...

Xcambo

...

Guaymas

The buzz and bustle of Guaymas—one of Mexico's largest ports—has a pleasant backdrop of rusty red, saguaro-speckled bluffs that nudge the deep-blue waters of a...

Yaxcopoil

...

Hermosillo

Hermosillo, the state's on-and-off capital since 1831, is a hardworking city. Manufacturing and agriculture are its main concerns. But a few older plazas and 19th-century...

Mexico City

Mexico City is having a moment. All of a sudden, it seems, the largest city in the Americas has absolutely captivated international tastemakers, and gallons...

Puerto Vallarta

Sunbathing and sipping margaritas is just one of many ways to spend a vacation in Puerto Vallarta. Mexico's prettiest resort town is also one of...

Los Cabos and the Baja Peninsula

With coastline that stretches from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific Ocean, and 350 sunny days a year, Los Cabos is Mexico's ultimate seaside...

Cancún

Cancún is a great place to experience 21st-century Mexico, because it has everything you’d want in a vacation: shopping, sports, spas, and beaches. Here you’ll...

Oaxaca City

With its magical concoction of sights, smells, and sounds both ancient and modern, this mountain-ringed city of about 400,000 people, officially called Oaxaca de Juárez...

Guadalajara

Guadalajara rests on a mile-high plain of the Sierra Madre Occidental, surrounded on three sides by rugged hills and on the fourth by the spectacular...

Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo

Rarely does one destination satisfy the needs of so many different kinds of travelers, from authenticity-seeking adventurers to languorous sun worshippers who never want to...

Mazatlan

Mazatlán, the first major resort town on the Pacific coastline, has a split personality. At the northern end of town is the Zona Dorada (Golden...

Playa del Carmen

Welcome to the party! "Playa," currently Latin America's fastest-growing community, has a population of more than 150,000 and an international flavor lent by the estadounidenses...

Todos Santos

From the hodgepodge of signs and local businesses you see on the drive into Todos Santos, south on Highway 19, it appears that you're heading...

Acapulco

Few places evoke the glamour of a bygone era quite the way Acapulco does. Fifty years ago, you could board a champagne-filled flight to this...

Zihuatanejo

Everything in Zihuatanejo radiates out from the main beach. Although this stretch of sand is not the place for swimming, it's the best place to...

Puerto Escondido

Puerto Escondido was the first beach resort on the carretera costera (coastal highway), and it remains the most popular. Playa Zicatela is famous for its...

Tulum

It used to be that Tulum was simply known as dusty little town with a stellar archaeological site and a few palapa huts. No longer...

Huatulco

Development in the breathtaking Bahías de Huatulco (Bays of Huatulco) continues to march forward. Four of the nine bays have been developed, but only Bahía...

Puerto Morelos

At the edge of a mangrove-tangled jungle pushing up to the shore, Puerto Morelos is one of the few coastal towns on this stretch of...

Akumal

In Mayan, Akumal (pronounced ah-koo-maal) means "place of the turtle," and this portion of coast is a storied nesting ground, especially at Half Moon Bay...

Ixtapa

Ixtapa's primary hotel zone, the Zona Hotelera, extends along a 3-km (2-mile) strip of sandy beach called Playa del Palmar. It's fun to walk along...

Palenque

Palenque's days as a sleepy little village are far behind. Locals have obliged the needs of travelers in search of the ruins at the Palenque...

Puerto Aventuras

The most Americanized of all the Riviera Maya's resorts is a 900-acre gated community and golf course more reminiscent of coastal Florida than Mexico. This...

Mayakoba

Mayakoba (meaning "village of water") is home to three of the world's most exclusive resorts—the Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Fairmont Mayakoba, and Rosewood Mayakoba. They are...

Tankah

If you plan on staying in the Cobá area, nearby Tankah is a good option—especially if you want to avoid the Tulum crowds. In ancient...

Troncones

This once-primitive surf spot along the rugged coast is still pretty remote, but a series of really comfortable—in some cases, luxurious—hostelries have sprung up along...

Punta Maroma

The waters of this protected bay stay calm even on blustery days, and the enchanting beach ranks among Mexico's finest. A string of resorts has...

Punta Bete

Beyond Punta Maroma, a river spills into the sea, dividing the coastline. South of the split, Playa Xcalacoco (scala-coco) is a 7-km-long (5½-mile-long) beach dotted...

Xcaret

Once a sacred Mayan city and port, Xcaret (pronounced ish-car-et) is now home to two popular parks on a gorgeous stretch of coastline. The 250-acre...

Bahía Petempich

The Riviera Maya region technically begins at Bahía Petempich (also known as Punta Tanchacté), where long expanses of sand are lapped by turquoise waters. Historically...

Cobá

Near five lakes and between coastal watchtowers and inland cities, Cobá (pronounced ko-bah) once exercised economic control over the region through a network of at...

Playa del Secreto

The secret is out—the ½-km (1-mile) stretch of white sand at Playa del Secreto is one of the most beautiful in the Riviera Maya. Surrounded...

Puerto Angel

The state's leading seaport in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Puerto Angel today is a small town in a busy bay and is...

Punta Brava

Punta Brava is a long, winding sweep of sand strewn with seashells. The only direct access to this beach area is through the security gate...

Monte Albán

Southwest of Oaxaca City, a narrow, twisting road leads up to the mountaintop city of the "cloud people," Monte Albán. Seeing this massive ancient metropolis...

Hochob

...

Xcalak

The southernmost town in Quintana Roo, Xcalak (pronounced ish-ka-lack) is only 11 km (7 miles) from the Belize border by water, and a little of...

Zinacantan

The village of Zinacantán is even smaller than San Juan Chamula. The men wear bright pink tunics embroidered with flowers; the women cover themselves with...

Tapachula

The southernmost city in Mexico, Tapachula lies at the center of the Soconusco mountain region, which extends down into southwestern Guatemala. Significant numbers of European...

Telchac Puerto

...

Mixteca

The Mixteca, a rugged region northwest of Oaxaca City, has some of the state's most dramatic scenery. Driving up you'll see more pine-covered hills than...

Yaxchilan

Excavations at Yaxchilán (ya-shee-lan), on the banks of the Río Usumacinta, have uncovered stunning temples and delicate carvings. Spider monkeys and toucans are, at this...

Las Grutas de Rancho Nuevo

Spectacular limestone stalactites and stalagmites are illuminated along a 2,475-foot concrete walkway inside the labyrinthine caves known as Las Grutas de Rancho Nuevo (or Las...

San Juan Chamula

Celebrated for its religious and cultural traditions, San Juan Chamula is one of the most fascinating highland villages. More than 80,000 Maya-descended Chamula live in...

Manzanillo

Remember the late-1970s movie 10, starring Dudley Moore and Bo Derek? You’ve seen Manzanillo if you do. The beach scenes were all filmed here in...

Labná

...

Pisté

...

Villahermosa

The capital city of Villahermosa epitomizes the development of Tabasco, where the airplane arrived before the automobile. Thanks to oil and the money it brought...

Valladolid

The second-largest city in Yucatán State, picturesque Valladolid (pronounced vye-ah-do-leed) is seeing a big boom in popularity among travelers en route to or from Chichén...

Tuxtla Gutierrez

Balmy, booming, bustling Tuxtla Gutiérrez, population 600,000 and the state’s only true metropolis, will be a place you pass through on your way to San...

Bacalar

Founded in AD 435, Bacalar (pronounced baa-ka-lar) is one of Quintana Roo's oldest settlements. The town’s most notable feature is a cenote-fed lake of the...

Tonina

Between San Cristóbal and Palenque, on a paved road running along the Río Jataté and through the Ocosingo Valley, is the ancient Mayan city of...

Puerto Chiapas

Chiapas’s newest incarnation is that of a port of call, Mexico’s southernmost such facility. The large terminal with a pyramid-shape thatch roof at Puerto Chiapas...

Mascota

Mascota's cool but sunny climate is perfect for growing citrus, avocados, nuts, wheat, corn, and other crops. Fed by the Mascota and Ameca rivers and...

Izapa

A lesser-known archaeological site, just 15 minutes from Tapachula, on the road to Talismán, the Izapa ruins are said to provide a link between Olmec...

San Blas

Many travelers come here looking for Old Mexico, or the "real Mexico," or the Mexico they remember from the 1960s. New Spain's first official Pacific...

Bonampak

The settlement was built on the banks of the Río Lacanjá in the 7th and 8th centuries and was uncovered in 1946...

San Sebastián del Oeste

Physically, there are only about 80 km (50 miles) between Puerto Vallarta and San Sebastián del Oeste (often called, simply, San Sebastián), but metaphorically they're...

Durango

...

Xpu-Há

Located 20 minutes south of Playa del Carmen and 20 minutes north of Tulum, Xpu-Há is the perfect base to relax and get away from...

Izamal

You won’t find too many sights in beautiful Izamal, but you'll almost certainly be taken by its carefully cared-for architecture. The downtown area shines with...

Coatepec

The air is cool and refreshing in Coatepec. Residents call their town the capital mundial del café (coffee capital of the world), as the climate...

Oxcutzcab

This market town is a good alternative to Ticul for those who want to spend the night in the Puuc area. Strangers will greet you...

El Tajín

...

Santa Rosa Xtampak

...

Papantla

Set on a steep hillside, Papantla is in the center of a vanilla-producing region. Products made from that particular bean, from candies to liqueurs, are...

Tizimín

...

Santiago Tuxtla

...

Xpujil

The highway briefly widens to four lanes around the town of Xpujil, which acts as the service center for Carretera 186. This is the place...

Chetumal

At times, Chetumal—the capital city of Quintana Roo—feels more Caribbean than Mexican; this isn't surprising, given its proximity to Belize. A population that includes Afro-Caribbean...

San Cristobal de las Casas

Remote and historically difficult to reach, San Cristóbal de las Casas has nevertheless been a well-trodden outpost on the Gringo Trail for decades. A modern...

Felipe Carrillo Puerto

Felipe Carrillo Puerto, the Costa Maya's first major town, is named for the governor of Yucatán in 1920, who was hailed as a hero after...

Tuxpan

A peaceful riverside town with a tangle of twisting streets, Tuxpan—almost as often referred to as Tuxpam—is a pleasant place to stop if you're driving...

Ensenada

In 1542 Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo first discovered the seaport that Sebastián Vizcaíno named Ensenada-Bahía de Todos Santos (All Saints' Bay) in 1602. Since then the...

Xalapa

A ceremonial center for the Aztec when Cortés swept through the region, Xalapa is still a city of great importance. Take one look at the...

Aké

...

Mahahual

Tiny Mahahual (also spelled Majahual) has something of a split personality. With a population of only 600, it's a quiet beachfront outpost with clear, calm...

Campeche City

In picturesque Campeche, block upon block of restored buildings with lovely facades, all painted in bright colors, meet the sea. Tiny balconies overlook clean, geometrically...

Paraiso

...

Champotón

...

Ocosingo

Although Ocosingo is on the tourist trail, most people pass right by on their way to San Cristóbal or Palenque. That's a shame, because Ocosingo...

Chichén Itzá

In 2007, this sublime Mayan city was named one of the "New 7 Wonders of the World"—a distinction that puts Chichén Itzá on par with...

Comalcalco

Comalcalco, which was founded in about the 1st century BC, marks the westernmost reach of the Maya; descendants of its builders, the Chontal, still live...

Dzibilchaltún

...

Chiapa de Corzo

Chiapa de Corzo has been designated one of Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos (“magical towns”), communities of significant heritage. It has a lot more personality than neighboring...

Edzná

With its smorgasbord of Mayan architectural styles, Edzná is considered by archaeologists to be one of the peninsula's most important ruin complexes; and although it’s...

Agua Azul

The series of waterfalls and crystalline blue pools at Agua Azul is breathtaking, especially during the dry season...

El Cuyo

...

Talpa de Allende

Another tranquil town surrounded by pine-oak forests, Talpa, as it's called, has just over 7,000 inhabitants but welcomes 4 million visitors a year. They come...

Playa Norte

...

Catemaco

...

Bernal

Just a short hop from Tequisquiapan and the vineyards of Freixenet, the village of Bernal has been named by the Mexican government as a ¨Pueblo...

Costa Esmeralda (Emerald Coast)

Covering 35 km (23 mi) of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico between Nautla and Papantla, Costa Esmeralda's clean wide beaches and calm waters are...

Dolores Hidalgo

Dolores Hidalgo is famous for its lovely hand-glazed Talavera-style ceramics, most notably tiles and tableware. After shopping and visiting a few of Dolores Hidalgo’s pleasant...

La Antigua

This sleepy village was the conquistadors' capital for 75 years. It was given its name ("The Old Town") when the Spaniards abandoned it in 1599...

Guanajuato

Guanajuato is simply gorgeous. It spills across cliffs and hillsides down to a series of tree-shaded plazas whose sidewalk cafés and street life are unmatched...

San Andrés Tuxtla

...

La Cañada de la Virgen

More than a thousand years old, the former ceremonial site of La Cañada de la Virgin has been open to the public less than two...

Tlacotalpan

The name Tlacotalpan is of Nahuatl origin and means "in the middle of the earth," referring to the settlement's location on what was then an...

Mineral de Pozos

The captivating Sierra Gorda town of Pozos was a silver-mining center for centuries. Now it's a virtual ghost town of about 2,000 people, where you...

Veracruz City

The lively port city of Veracruz, 345 km (214 mi) east of Mexico City, might not be the city that never sleeps, but it is...

Pozos

...

Xico

If you close your eyes and try to imagine the ideal Mexican small town, you'd probably come up with something surprisingly close to Xico. In...

Querétaro

Querétaro is a modern city of about 1.2 million inhabitants, but its historical center holds its own against the region's other colonial cities, with wide...

Becán

Becán (usually translated as "canyon of water," referring to the moat) is thought to have been an important city within the Río Bec group, which...

San Luis Potosi

...

Celestún

When someone says "Celestún," think pink. The estuaries of this biosphere reserve are home to an amazing flock of flamingos. The gateway to it, a...

San Miguel de Allende

You've heard that San Miguel de Allende is an artists' retreat, where the beauty of the surroundings, coupled with the inspired bent of those who...

Chicanná

Thought to have been a satellite community of the larger, more commercial city of Becán, a couple of miles farther west, Chicanná ("house of the...

Tequisquiapan

Drenched in sun, bougainvillea, and flowering trees, Tequis (as the locals call it) is a pleasant stop for a day or overnight trip. Join the...

Chicxulub

...

Xilitla

...

Dzilám de Bravo

...

Cuernavaca

The road to Cuernavaca will likely heighten your anticipation—you'll catch your first glimpse of the city's lush surroundings from a mountain highway, through lacy pine...

Ek Balam

The large Ek Balam ("black jaguar") site was known to 19th-century archaeologists; however, excavation and mapping didn’t really get underway until the 1990s, making this...

Puebla

The city of Puebla fairly bursts with baroque flourishes and the colors of its famed Talavera tiles. The downtown area in particular overflows with religious...

Grutas de Loltún

...

Teotihuacán

Just 31 miles from the center of Mexico City, Teotihuacán is one of the most significant and haunting archaeological sites in the world. Climbing on...

Hormiguero

Bumping down the badly potholed, 8-km (5-mile) road leading to this site may give you an appreciation for the explorers who first found and excavated...

Tepoztlán

Surrounded by sandstone monoliths that throw off a russet glow at sunset, Tepoztlán is a magical place. It’s a popular place for practitioners of astrology...

Kabah

...

Tula

...

Mérida

Bustling streets, lively parks, a tropical version of the Champs-Elysées, endless cultural activities, and a varied nightlife: Mérida is the beating urban heart of the...

Valle de Bravo

A few hours here explains why "Valle" is often billed as Mexico's best-kept secret. The pines, clear air, and the Lago Valle de Bravo make...

Oxkintoc

...

Aduana

A couple of miles off the main road to Álamos, tiny Aduana was once the site of one of the richest mines in the district...

Progreso

The waterfront town closest to Mérida, Progreso is not particularly historic. It's not terribly picturesque either; nevertheless, it provokes a certain sentimental fondness for those...

Alamos

Sayil

...

Bahía Kino

On the eastern shore of the Mar de Cortés lies Bahía Kino, home to some of the prettiest beaches in northwest Mexico. For many years...

Ticul

One of the larger communities in the Yucatán, Ticul (with a population of around 21,000) is a good base for exploring the Puuc region—provided you...

Guaymas

The buzz and bustle of Guaymas—one of Mexico's largest ports—has a pleasant backdrop of rusty red, saguaro-speckled bluffs that nudge the deep-blue waters of a...

Uxmal

If Chichén Itzá is the most expansive Mayan ruin in Yucatán, Uxmal is arguably the most elegant. The architecture here reflects the late classical renaissance...

Nogales

Nogales serves as the entry point for most Americans driving from Arizona into Sonora—generally to a beach community like Puerto Peñasco. Although it's considerably smaller...

Xcambo

...

Puerto Peñasco

Puerto Peñasco was dubbed Rocky Point by British explorers in the 18th century, and that's the name most Americans know it by today. The town...

Yaxcopoil

...

San Carlos

Long considered an extension of Guaymas, this resort town—on the other side of the rocky peninsula that separates Bahía de Bacochibampo from Bahía de San...

Mexico City

Mexico City is having a moment. All of a sudden, it seems, the largest city in the Americas has absolutely captivated international tastemakers, and gallons...

Puerto Vallarta

Sunbathing and sipping margaritas is just one of many ways to spend a vacation in Puerto Vallarta. Mexico's prettiest resort town is also one of...

Los Cabos and the Baja Peninsula

With coastline that stretches from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific Ocean, and 350 sunny days a year, Los Cabos is Mexico's ultimate seaside...

Cancún

Cancún is a great place to experience 21st-century Mexico, because it has everything you’d want in a vacation: shopping, sports, spas, and beaches. Here you’ll...

Oaxaca City

With its magical concoction of sights, smells, and sounds both ancient and modern, this mountain-ringed city of about 400,000 people, officially called Oaxaca de Juárez...

Guadalajara

Guadalajara rests on a mile-high plain of the Sierra Madre Occidental, surrounded on three sides by rugged hills and on the fourth by the spectacular...

Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo

Rarely does one destination satisfy the needs of so many different kinds of travelers, from authenticity-seeking adventurers to languorous sun worshippers who never want to...

Mazatlan

Mazatlán, the first major resort town on the Pacific coastline, has a split personality. At the northern end of town is the Zona Dorada (Golden...

Playa del Carmen

Welcome to the party! "Playa," currently Latin America's fastest-growing community, has a population of more than 150,000 and an international flavor lent by the estadounidenses...

Todos Santos

From the hodgepodge of signs and local businesses you see on the drive into Todos Santos, south on Highway 19, it appears that you're heading...

Acapulco

Few places evoke the glamour of a bygone era quite the way Acapulco does. Fifty years ago, you could board a champagne-filled flight to this...

Zihuatanejo

Everything in Zihuatanejo radiates out from the main beach. Although this stretch of sand is not the place for swimming, it's the best place to...

Puerto Escondido

Puerto Escondido was the first beach resort on the carretera costera (coastal highway), and it remains the most popular. Playa Zicatela is famous for its...

Tulum

It used to be that Tulum was simply known as dusty little town with a stellar archaeological site and a few palapa huts. No longer...

Huatulco

Development in the breathtaking Bahías de Huatulco (Bays of Huatulco) continues to march forward. Four of the nine bays have been developed, but only Bahía...

Puerto Morelos

At the edge of a mangrove-tangled jungle pushing up to the shore, Puerto Morelos is one of the few coastal towns on this stretch of...

Akumal

In Mayan, Akumal (pronounced ah-koo-maal) means "place of the turtle," and this portion of coast is a storied nesting ground, especially at Half Moon Bay...

Ixtapa

Ixtapa's primary hotel zone, the Zona Hotelera, extends along a 3-km (2-mile) strip of sandy beach called Playa del Palmar. It's fun to walk along...

Palenque

Palenque's days as a sleepy little village are far behind. Locals have obliged the needs of travelers in search of the ruins at the Palenque...

Puerto Aventuras

The most Americanized of all the Riviera Maya's resorts is a 900-acre gated community and golf course more reminiscent of coastal Florida than Mexico. This...

Mayakoba

Mayakoba (meaning "village of water") is home to three of the world's most exclusive resorts—the Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Fairmont Mayakoba, and Rosewood Mayakoba. They are...

Tankah

If you plan on staying in the Cobá area, nearby Tankah is a good option—especially if you want to avoid the Tulum crowds. In ancient...

Troncones

This once-primitive surf spot along the rugged coast is still pretty remote, but a series of really comfortable—in some cases, luxurious—hostelries have sprung up along...

Punta Maroma

The waters of this protected bay stay calm even on blustery days, and the enchanting beach ranks among Mexico's finest. A string of resorts has...

Punta Bete

Beyond Punta Maroma, a river spills into the sea, dividing the coastline. South of the split, Playa Xcalacoco (scala-coco) is a 7-km-long (5½-mile-long) beach dotted...

Xcaret

Once a sacred Mayan city and port, Xcaret (pronounced ish-car-et) is now home to two popular parks on a gorgeous stretch of coastline. The 250-acre...

Bahía Petempich

The Riviera Maya region technically begins at Bahía Petempich (also known as Punta Tanchacté), where long expanses of sand are lapped by turquoise waters. Historically...

Cobá

Near five lakes and between coastal watchtowers and inland cities, Cobá (pronounced ko-bah) once exercised economic control over the region through a network of at...

Playa del Secreto

The secret is out—the ½-km (1-mile) stretch of white sand at Playa del Secreto is one of the most beautiful in the Riviera Maya. Surrounded...

Puerto Angel

The state's leading seaport in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Puerto Angel today is a small town in a busy bay and is...

Punta Brava

Punta Brava is a long, winding sweep of sand strewn with seashells. The only direct access to this beach area is through the security gate...

Monte Albán

Southwest of Oaxaca City, a narrow, twisting road leads up to the mountaintop city of the "cloud people," Monte Albán. Seeing this massive ancient metropolis...

Hochob

...

Xcalak

The southernmost town in Quintana Roo, Xcalak (pronounced ish-ka-lack) is only 11 km (7 miles) from the Belize border by water, and a little of...

Zinacantan

The village of Zinacantán is even smaller than San Juan Chamula. The men wear bright pink tunics embroidered with flowers; the women cover themselves with...

Tapachula

The southernmost city in Mexico, Tapachula lies at the center of the Soconusco mountain region, which extends down into southwestern Guatemala. Significant numbers of European...

Telchac Puerto

...

Mixteca

The Mixteca, a rugged region northwest of Oaxaca City, has some of the state's most dramatic scenery. Driving up you'll see more pine-covered hills than...

Yaxchilan

Excavations at Yaxchilán (ya-shee-lan), on the banks of the Río Usumacinta, have uncovered stunning temples and delicate carvings. Spider monkeys and toucans are, at this...

Las Grutas de Rancho Nuevo

Spectacular limestone stalactites and stalagmites are illuminated along a 2,475-foot concrete walkway inside the labyrinthine caves known as Las Grutas de Rancho Nuevo (or Las...

San Juan Chamula

Celebrated for its religious and cultural traditions, San Juan Chamula is one of the most fascinating highland villages. More than 80,000 Maya-descended Chamula live in...

Manzanillo

Remember the late-1970s movie 10, starring Dudley Moore and Bo Derek? You’ve seen Manzanillo if you do. The beach scenes were all filmed here in...

Labná

...

Pisté

...

Villahermosa

The capital city of Villahermosa epitomizes the development of Tabasco, where the airplane arrived before the automobile. Thanks to oil and the money it brought...

Valladolid

The second-largest city in Yucatán State, picturesque Valladolid (pronounced vye-ah-do-leed) is seeing a big boom in popularity among travelers en route to or from Chichén...

Tuxtla Gutierrez

Balmy, booming, bustling Tuxtla Gutiérrez, population 600,000 and the state’s only true metropolis, will be a place you pass through on your way to San...

Bacalar

Founded in AD 435, Bacalar (pronounced baa-ka-lar) is one of Quintana Roo's oldest settlements. The town’s most notable feature is a cenote-fed lake of the...

Tonina

Between San Cristóbal and Palenque, on a paved road running along the Río Jataté and through the Ocosingo Valley, is the ancient Mayan city of...

Puerto Chiapas

Chiapas’s newest incarnation is that of a port of call, Mexico’s southernmost such facility. The large terminal with a pyramid-shape thatch roof at Puerto Chiapas...

Mascota

Mascota's cool but sunny climate is perfect for growing citrus, avocados, nuts, wheat, corn, and other crops. Fed by the Mascota and Ameca rivers and...

Izapa

A lesser-known archaeological site, just 15 minutes from Tapachula, on the road to Talismán, the Izapa ruins are said to provide a link between Olmec...

San Blas

Many travelers come here looking for Old Mexico, or the "real Mexico," or the Mexico they remember from the 1960s. New Spain's first official Pacific...

Bonampak

The settlement was built on the banks of the Río Lacanjá in the 7th and 8th centuries and was uncovered in 1946...

San Sebastián del Oeste

Physically, there are only about 80 km (50 miles) between Puerto Vallarta and San Sebastián del Oeste (often called, simply, San Sebastián), but metaphorically they're...

Durango

...

Xpu-Há

Located 20 minutes south of Playa del Carmen and 20 minutes north of Tulum, Xpu-Há is the perfect base to relax and get away from...

Izamal

You won’t find too many sights in beautiful Izamal, but you'll almost certainly be taken by its carefully cared-for architecture. The downtown area shines with...

Coatepec

The air is cool and refreshing in Coatepec. Residents call their town the capital mundial del café (coffee capital of the world), as the climate...

Oxcutzcab

This market town is a good alternative to Ticul for those who want to spend the night in the Puuc area. Strangers will greet you...

El Tajín

...

Santa Rosa Xtampak

...

Papantla

Set on a steep hillside, Papantla is in the center of a vanilla-producing region. Products made from that particular bean, from candies to liqueurs, are...

Tizimín

...

Santiago Tuxtla

...

Xpujil

The highway briefly widens to four lanes around the town of Xpujil, which acts as the service center for Carretera 186. This is the place...

Chetumal

At times, Chetumal—the capital city of Quintana Roo—feels more Caribbean than Mexican; this isn't surprising, given its proximity to Belize. A population that includes Afro-Caribbean...

San Cristobal de las Casas

Remote and historically difficult to reach, San Cristóbal de las Casas has nevertheless been a well-trodden outpost on the Gringo Trail for decades. A modern...

Felipe Carrillo Puerto

Felipe Carrillo Puerto, the Costa Maya's first major town, is named for the governor of Yucatán in 1920, who was hailed as a hero after...

Tuxpan

A peaceful riverside town with a tangle of twisting streets, Tuxpan—almost as often referred to as Tuxpam—is a pleasant place to stop if you're driving...

Ensenada

In 1542 Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo first discovered the seaport that Sebastián Vizcaíno named Ensenada-Bahía de Todos Santos (All Saints' Bay) in 1602. Since then the...

Xalapa

A ceremonial center for the Aztec when Cortés swept through the region, Xalapa is still a city of great importance. Take one look at the...

Aké

...

Mahahual

Tiny Mahahual (also spelled Majahual) has something of a split personality. With a population of only 600, it's a quiet beachfront outpost with clear, calm...

Campeche City

In picturesque Campeche, block upon block of restored buildings with lovely facades, all painted in bright colors, meet the sea. Tiny balconies overlook clean, geometrically...

Paraiso

...

Champotón

...

Ocosingo

Although Ocosingo is on the tourist trail, most people pass right by on their way to San Cristóbal or Palenque. That's a shame, because Ocosingo...

Chichén Itzá

In 2007, this sublime Mayan city was named one of the "New 7 Wonders of the World"—a distinction that puts Chichén Itzá on par with...

Comalcalco

Comalcalco, which was founded in about the 1st century BC, marks the westernmost reach of the Maya; descendants of its builders, the Chontal, still live...

Dzibilchaltún

...

Chiapa de Corzo

Chiapa de Corzo has been designated one of Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos (“magical towns”), communities of significant heritage. It has a lot more personality than neighboring...

Edzná

With its smorgasbord of Mayan architectural styles, Edzná is considered by archaeologists to be one of the peninsula's most important ruin complexes; and although it’s...

Agua Azul

The series of waterfalls and crystalline blue pools at Agua Azul is breathtaking, especially during the dry season...

El Cuyo

...

Talpa de Allende

Another tranquil town surrounded by pine-oak forests, Talpa, as it's called, has just over 7,000 inhabitants but welcomes 4 million visitors a year. They come...

Playa Norte

...

Catemaco

...

Bernal

Just a short hop from Tequisquiapan and the vineyards of Freixenet, the village of Bernal has been named by the Mexican government as a ¨Pueblo...

Costa Esmeralda (Emerald Coast)

Covering 35 km (23 mi) of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico between Nautla and Papantla, Costa Esmeralda's clean wide beaches and calm waters are...

Dolores Hidalgo

Dolores Hidalgo is famous for its lovely hand-glazed Talavera-style ceramics, most notably tiles and tableware. After shopping and visiting a few of Dolores Hidalgo’s pleasant...

La Antigua

This sleepy village was the conquistadors' capital for 75 years. It was given its name ("The Old Town") when the Spaniards abandoned it in 1599...

Guanajuato

Guanajuato is simply gorgeous. It spills across cliffs and hillsides down to a series of tree-shaded plazas whose sidewalk cafés and street life are unmatched...

San Andrés Tuxtla

...

La Cañada de la Virgen

More than a thousand years old, the former ceremonial site of La Cañada de la Virgin has been open to the public less than two...

Tlacotalpan

The name Tlacotalpan is of Nahuatl origin and means "in the middle of the earth," referring to the settlement's location on what was then an...

Mineral de Pozos

The captivating Sierra Gorda town of Pozos was a silver-mining center for centuries. Now it's a virtual ghost town of about 2,000 people, where you...

Veracruz City

The lively port city of Veracruz, 345 km (214 mi) east of Mexico City, might not be the city that never sleeps, but it is...

Pozos

...

Xico

If you close your eyes and try to imagine the ideal Mexican small town, you'd probably come up with something surprisingly close to Xico. In...

Querétaro

Querétaro is a modern city of about 1.2 million inhabitants, but its historical center holds its own against the region's other colonial cities, with wide...

Becán

Becán (usually translated as "canyon of water," referring to the moat) is thought to have been an important city within the Río Bec group, which...

San Luis Potosi

...

Celestún

When someone says "Celestún," think pink. The estuaries of this biosphere reserve are home to an amazing flock of flamingos. The gateway to it, a...

San Miguel de Allende

You've heard that San Miguel de Allende is an artists' retreat, where the beauty of the surroundings, coupled with the inspired bent of those who...

Chicanná

Thought to have been a satellite community of the larger, more commercial city of Becán, a couple of miles farther west, Chicanná ("house of the...

Tequisquiapan

Drenched in sun, bougainvillea, and flowering trees, Tequis (as the locals call it) is a pleasant stop for a day or overnight trip. Join the...

Chicxulub

...

Xilitla

...

Dzilám de Bravo

...

Cuernavaca

The road to Cuernavaca will likely heighten your anticipation—you'll catch your first glimpse of the city's lush surroundings from a mountain highway, through lacy pine...

Ek Balam

The large Ek Balam ("black jaguar") site was known to 19th-century archaeologists; however, excavation and mapping didn’t really get underway until the 1990s, making this...

Puebla

The city of Puebla fairly bursts with baroque flourishes and the colors of its famed Talavera tiles. The downtown area in particular overflows with religious...

Grutas de Loltún

...

Teotihuacán

Just 31 miles from the center of Mexico City, Teotihuacán is one of the most significant and haunting archaeological sites in the world. Climbing on...

Hormiguero

Bumping down the badly potholed, 8-km (5-mile) road leading to this site may give you an appreciation for the explorers who first found and excavated...

Tepoztlán

Surrounded by sandstone monoliths that throw off a russet glow at sunset, Tepoztlán is a magical place. It’s a popular place for practitioners of astrology...

Kabah

...

Tula

...

Mérida

Bustling streets, lively parks, a tropical version of the Champs-Elysées, endless cultural activities, and a varied nightlife: Mérida is the beating urban heart of the...

Valle de Bravo

A few hours here explains why "Valle" is often billed as Mexico's best-kept secret. The pines, clear air, and the Lago Valle de Bravo make...

Oxkintoc

...

Aduana

A couple of miles off the main road to Álamos, tiny Aduana was once the site of one of the richest mines in the district...

Progreso

The waterfront town closest to Mérida, Progreso is not particularly historic. It's not terribly picturesque either; nevertheless, it provokes a certain sentimental fondness for those...

Alamos

Sayil

...

Bahía Kino

On the eastern shore of the Mar de Cortés lies Bahía Kino, home to some of the prettiest beaches in northwest Mexico. For many years...

Ticul

One of the larger communities in the Yucatán, Ticul (with a population of around 21,000) is a good base for exploring the Puuc region—provided you...

Guaymas

The buzz and bustle of Guaymas—one of Mexico's largest ports—has a pleasant backdrop of rusty red, saguaro-speckled bluffs that nudge the deep-blue waters of a...

Uxmal

If Chichén Itzá is the most expansive Mayan ruin in Yucatán, Uxmal is arguably the most elegant. The architecture here reflects the late classical renaissance...

Nogales

Nogales serves as the entry point for most Americans driving from Arizona into Sonora—generally to a beach community like Puerto Peñasco. Although it's considerably smaller...

Xcambo

...

Puerto Peñasco

Puerto Peñasco was dubbed Rocky Point by British explorers in the 18th century, and that's the name most Americans know it by today. The town...

Yaxcopoil

...

San Carlos

Long considered an extension of Guaymas, this resort town—on the other side of the rocky peninsula that separates Bahía de Bacochibampo from Bahía de San...

The Riviera Maya

Mexico's Caribbean coast is full of treasures, from spectacular white-sand beaches and offshore reefs to some of the Yucatán Peninsula's most beautiful Mayan ruins. Unsurprisingly...

Yucatán and Campeche States

In sharp contrast to the resort lifestyle of Cancún and the Riviera Maya, the Yucatán and Campeche states cater to a more tranquil traveler who...

Oaxaca

Mexico aficionados have long favored the state of Oaxaca (pronounced wah-hah-kah) for its climate, culinary and artistic traditions, and landscapes and biodiversity. Oaxaca, one of...

Los Cabos Side Trips

At the risk of sounding glib, we might suggest that you skip Los Cabos altogether. The highlights of your visit to the far southern tip...

Chiapas and Tabasco

Chiapas is Mexico's southernmost state. And if the villages here resemble those of the Guatemalan Highlands, it's because Guatemala lies just beyond the eastern border...

Manzunte, San Agustinillo, and Zipolite

Fans of this trio of beaches like to brag that they are what Puerto Escondido was 20 years ago, but that mantra doesn't even do...

Morelia

Morelia is Michoacán State's capital—its long, wide boulevards and earth-tone colonial mansions earned it its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in 1541...

Veracruz

Veracruz State is a long, slim crescent bordering the Gulf of Mexico, about five hours east of Mexico City. The port city of Veracruz is...

La Paz

Tidy, prosperous La Paz may be the capital of the state of Baja California Sur and home to about 220,000 residents, but it still feels...

Hermosillo

Hermosillo, the state's on-and-off capital since 1831, is a hardworking city. Manufacturing and agriculture are its main concerns. But a few older plazas and 19th-century...

Sonora

The Sonoran Desert—or as the Mexicans call it, El Desierto de Altar—dominates the northern part of this state, where long stretches of flat scrub are...

Side Trips from Mexico City

In every direction, via every major highway leading outside Mexico City, locals and increasing numbers of tourists fill cars and buses headed to the dozens...

Zacatecas

Although Zacatecas (whose altitude "peaks," as it were, at 8,649 feet above sea level) was once the world's largest silver-producing city, it's relatively undiscovered by...

Pátzcuaro

Founded in the 16th century on the shores of the tranquil Lake Pátzcuaro, this town remained largely undisturbed for several centuries until it was "discovered"...

Craft Villages of the Valles Centrales

South of Oaxaca City is a string of craft villages, the most important of which are San Bartolo Coyotepec, where you'll find gorgeous black pottery...

San Miguel de Allende and the Heartland

Also referred to as el Bajío, this area (parts of the states of Guanajuato, Querétaro, and Michoacán) really is the heartland of Mexico—geographically and historically...

Mitla and the Textile Villages

The second-most-important archaeological site in Oaxaca State (after Monte Albán), Mitla is in the upper end of the Tlacolula Valley. Where Monte Albán was the...

The Riviera Maya

Mexico's Caribbean coast is full of treasures, from spectacular white-sand beaches and offshore reefs to some of the Yucatán Peninsula's most beautiful Mayan ruins. Unsurprisingly...

Yucatán and Campeche States

In sharp contrast to the resort lifestyle of Cancún and the Riviera Maya, the Yucatán and Campeche states cater to a more tranquil traveler who...

Oaxaca

Mexico aficionados have long favored the state of Oaxaca (pronounced wah-hah-kah) for its climate, culinary and artistic traditions, and landscapes and biodiversity. Oaxaca, one of...

Los Cabos Side Trips

At the risk of sounding glib, we might suggest that you skip Los Cabos altogether. The highlights of your visit to the far southern tip...

Chiapas and Tabasco

Chiapas is Mexico's southernmost state. And if the villages here resemble those of the Guatemalan Highlands, it's because Guatemala lies just beyond the eastern border...

Manzunte, San Agustinillo, and Zipolite

Fans of this trio of beaches like to brag that they are what Puerto Escondido was 20 years ago, but that mantra doesn't even do...

Morelia

Morelia is Michoacán State's capital—its long, wide boulevards and earth-tone colonial mansions earned it its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in 1541...

Veracruz

Veracruz State is a long, slim crescent bordering the Gulf of Mexico, about five hours east of Mexico City. The port city of Veracruz is...

La Paz

Tidy, prosperous La Paz may be the capital of the state of Baja California Sur and home to about 220,000 residents, but it still feels...

Hermosillo

Hermosillo, the state's on-and-off capital since 1831, is a hardworking city. Manufacturing and agriculture are its main concerns. But a few older plazas and 19th-century...

Sonora

The Sonoran Desert—or as the Mexicans call it, El Desierto de Altar—dominates the northern part of this state, where long stretches of flat scrub are...

Side Trips from Mexico City

In every direction, via every major highway leading outside Mexico City, locals and increasing numbers of tourists fill cars and buses headed to the dozens...

Zacatecas

Although Zacatecas (whose altitude "peaks," as it were, at 8,649 feet above sea level) was once the world's largest silver-producing city, it's relatively undiscovered by...

Pátzcuaro

Founded in the 16th century on the shores of the tranquil Lake Pátzcuaro, this town remained largely undisturbed for several centuries until it was "discovered"...

Craft Villages of the Valles Centrales

South of Oaxaca City is a string of craft villages, the most important of which are San Bartolo Coyotepec, where you'll find gorgeous black pottery...

San Miguel de Allende and the Heartland

Also referred to as el Bajío, this area (parts of the states of Guanajuato, Querétaro, and Michoacán) really is the heartland of Mexico—geographically and historically...

Mitla and the Textile Villages

The second-most-important archaeological site in Oaxaca State (after Monte Albán), Mitla is in the upper end of the Tlacolula Valley. Where Monte Albán was the...

Reserva de la Biósfera Ría Lagartos

The mangroves of the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve make up one of southern Mexico's most important wildlife sanctuaries. Birds are the big draw here, and...

Reserva de la Biósfera Ría Lagartos

The mangroves of the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve make up one of southern Mexico's most important wildlife sanctuaries. Birds are the big draw here, and...

Cozumel

It’s not another Cancún yet, but Cozumel’s days as a rustic divers’ hangout are history. Whether arriving at the airport or the gleaming ferry terminal...

Isla Mujeres

Once a small fishing village, colorful Isla Mujeres (meaning "Island of Women") has become a favorite for travelers seeking natural beauty, island serenity, and a...

Isla Holbox

Only 25 km (16 miles) long, tiny Isla Holbox sits at the eastern end of the Ría Lagartos estuary and is just across the Quintana...

Isla Contoy

The national wildlife park and bird sanctuary of Isla Contoy (Isle of Birds) is just 6 km (4 miles) long and less than 1 km...

Cozumel

It’s not another Cancún yet, but Cozumel’s days as a rustic divers’ hangout are history. Whether arriving at the airport or the gleaming ferry terminal...

Isla Mujeres

Once a small fishing village, colorful Isla Mujeres (meaning "Island of Women") has become a favorite for travelers seeking natural beauty, island serenity, and a...