Mexico a Country of Surprises

A country misunderstood by many, any preconception you may have about Mexico will fade as soon as you leave the plane.

One thing about Mexico is that you can have a nice relaxing beach holiday, trek ancient ruins or have an amazing city break – the options are endless.

Mexico’s biggest surprises come from its amazing street and restaurant food and some of the friendliest locals you will meet in the world.

Cancun

All year round Cancun is party central, the sunshine’s bright and the Caribbean Sea is a blue that you see in movies. The majority of the Hotels in Cancun are on the beach.

Cancun is frequently used as a base to travel the areas in the Yucatan Peninsula. Many will visit Chichen Itza, Tulum, Playa Del Carmen and Merida. Many tour agencies will offer diving and snorkelling, giving you the opportunity to visit the Underwater Museum.

Cancun’s nightlife and entertainment scene is one of the most famous in the world. Go to the renowned Coco Bongo, which is not your average nightclub. The Coco Bongo has a variety of acts from flying acrobats to live bands, it also contains a top notch dance floor where you can dance to great music.

Down the hotel strip you will find a variety of different bars and hotels to cater for you. If you’re looking for something more authentic, take a trip in to Downtown Cancun where you can eat and party with the locals.

Palenque

Palenque is situated in the middle of the Jungle and has one of the most amazing ruins of the Old City of Palenque.

Most of Palenque’s accommodation is situated in one area, where you will find all the tours and dining establishments that you need. When leaving this area you will find yourself surrounded by locals, where English is scarcely spoken, but if your like people watching and would like to see modern day Palenque then hang around.

If you’re gearing up to trek through some Mayan ruins take a trip to ancient Palenque and experience what remains of the old city. The sheer size of the ruins will astound you and are broken up into different areas, so make sure you’re wearing trainers.

Visit as many of the ruins as possible, because while going through them, your mind will begin to envisage what it was like to live in that era. Make sure you take the chance to do a waterfall tour and see some stunning natural visuals.

San Cristobel De La Casas

No other area in Mexico has the same feel as San Cristobel; way up in the mountains of Mexico you will be refreshingly surprised of its metropolitan feel. The city is a perfect visage of Mexican culture: great food, nightlife, amazing people and scenery to delight.

Two amazing churches on each end of the San Cristobel boast great views of the city, take a stroll into the towns square and eat out while browsing through the markets and shops.

While here take a trip to the Sumidero Canyon, and take a boat trip through the canyon and see some crocodiles while you delight at the amazing scenery that Mexico has to offer. The Cave of Colours is a great contrast of man-made art in nature.

The tours of the canyon are generally in English and Spanish and are very interesting so don’t forget to tip your guide. San Cristobel also provides a variety of village tours, which allows you to wander the mountain villages and experience some of their traditions and practices.

San Cristobel also has a great and varied nightlife. Take a stroll through the square in the evening and find clubs and bars, playing current and new music as well as a few salsa bars, which allow you to take in the feel of Central America.

Mexico City

Mexico City is so full of variation and wonder that its misconceptions will fall to the back of your mind to the point where you think that they all had it wrong. That being said, the statistics of crime in Mexico City are still very true so appropriate precautions should be taken.

Take a trip downtown through the hustle and bustle and the central square where you will pass many parliament buildings, churches, museums and even ruins. Templo Mayor is a must see, and the most interesting aspect is walking through Mayan ruins with a very modern Mexican backdrop which gives you a sense of how cultures have now moved on.

The Pyramids of the Sun and Moon are two of the largest pyramids in Mexico. If you have the strength for it you can climb both pyramids, as well as look around some of the smaller ruins.

Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the most religious sites in Catholicism, one with a very interesting history that is best told on a tour, the site will allow you to see the love that Mexicans have for the faith and how a lack of water within Mexico is affecting the city as a whole.

Mexico is a country of wonder, excitement and surprise. Once you have experienced it, and thrown away your misconceptions, you will be hooked. Mexico is a county where the past and present are constantly colliding.

The country can be a great place to relax at some of the best beaches in the world. But Mexico is bigger than the four cities above and is place where your hunger for travel will erupt and will leave you wanting to see more.