Mexico Travel Guide : Everything You Need to Know

Mexico is a completely different culture, a completely different treasure. Not much more than 1 year ago, we would never have thought that we would go to Mexico and explore there. That’s life, you can find yourself everywhere at once.

Mexico was a surprise for us. But we are glad we went here. We went to Mexico’s Cancun, Tulum, Chichen Itza, Valladolid, Holbox, Isla Mujeres. The places I mentioned are among the most important places in terms of tourism in Mexico. We stayed here for a total of 8 days and gained very solid experiences.

We really didn’t stay idle for these 8 days. We tried to visit everywhere without saying mountain stone cenote cave. As a result, we decided to create our article titled Mexico Travel Guide.

In this article, I will try to write everything you need to know before going to Mexico. If you have experiences about Mexico, be sure to share with us in the comments section. I hope it will be a useful article.😊

Mexico My Travel Posts

Yazı İçeriği

Mexico Travel Guide & Things to Know Before You Go

In my article titled Mexico travel guide, you will find answers to many questions such as General Information About Mexico, Mexico Visa, Mexico Where – How to Go, Currency Exchange Transactions, Car Rental, Highway Use, Sim Card Purchase, When to Go to Mexico, Is Mexico Expensive, Is Mexico Safe.

Everything I am going to write is our own experiences. We did not go to the capital and other cities in Mexico. What I wrote is for the cities we went to. But I don’t think the situation will be very different in other places. If you are going to go to a different place, I would say do a more specific research.

General Information About Mexico

Mexico travel guide — **Mexico Travel Guide : Tulum Ven A La Luz Statue**

In this heading you will find short information about Mexico. This information is the pill information you will need in Mexico. Mexico is a really special country. With more than 10 thousand kilometres of coastline, this country is described as “a country as spicy as salsa, as intoxicating as tequila, as surreal as Frida Kahlo”. This country, which is home to very important civilisations, fascinates people with its nature, history and culture.

Mexico is a country geographically located in North America. Its official name is United Mexican States. Mexico is governed by a state system. Its neighbours are the USA, Guatemala and Belize.

Pill Information About Mexico:

Capital: Mexico City (Capital City Population 22 million)
Country telephone code: +52
Currency: Mexican Peso
Population: 128.9 million (2020)
Religion: 89% Roman Catholic, 5% Protestant
Language: Spanish
Socket Type: A and B American Type Socket (Two female sockets)

Mexico is divided into 31 states, 1 federal republic and 32 administrative units. Mexico was home to the Olmecs, Aztecs and Mayan civilisations before the Spanish invasion. After the Spanish occupation, they have always tried to preserve their culture. However, as can be understood from the official language, they were very affected by this occupation. In the 1800s, they fought seriously with both the USA and France. In the history of the country, there has always been a state of war and exploitation.

For some reason, Mexico reminded us a little bit of Turkey. The way people live, the economic situation of the country, the wars it has experienced in its history, the perspective of its people towards tourism seemed to match our logic.

Where is Mexico?

Where is Mexico? Mexico is located in North America continent. It borders America to the north, Guatemala and Belize to the south. There is the Pacific Ocean on the south and west coasts of the country and the Caribbean Sea in the southwest. Mexico is literally an ocean country.

Mexico has a total surface area of 1,970,000 km². So it is quite a big country. I think it would take 2 months to visit the whole country properly. Mexico is the 14th largest country in the world. In total, it is divided into 32 upper administrative units, 31 states and 1 federal district. Tulum and Cancun, which we visited, are located in the state of Quintana Roo. The location of Mexico on the map here.

How to get to Mexico?

How to get to Mexico from Turkey The only way to get to Mexico from Turkey is by air. There is also a sea route, but I don’t know how to be honest. We will talk about the details of transport by air.

There are direct flights to Mexico from Turkey. THY has a direct flight to Mexico City. It has even recently put a direct flight line to Cancun. So if you wish, you can fly directly from Istanbul to Cancun. Of course, this may be a little more salty.

We took a connecting flight to Cancun, Mexico. It was quite a long journey for us. We travelled with Air France on the way there and with KLM Airlines on the way back. On the way to Cancun, we travelled as Istanbul-Paris-Cancun and on the way back as Cancun-Amsterdam-Istanbul.

The planes were very comfortable. On the ocean voyage, there were 2 times meal service and unlimited snacks both on departure and on return. There were many activities such as films, music and games on the seat back screens.

We bought our flight tickets in September 2021 for approximately 3500 TL for one person round trip in September 2021. It was an affordable ticket for us according to current prices and the dollar exchange rate. Finally, don’t forget to check out Skyscanner, the address of cheap flights to Mexico for cheap flights to Mexico.

Which Season to go to Mexico?

When to go to Mexico Mexico is a pretty big country. Just like us, there are extremely cold cities in the winter months and warmer places. There is a tropical climate in the south of the country. The average annual temperature is 25-28 degrees. In addition, there is a lot of humidity in tropical regions.

The country experiences six months wet and six months dry. The rainy season starts in May and continues until October. Between June and November, there is a lot of rain in the country. Speaking of rain, we were caught in such a rain in Cancun in March, the month we went, that we have never seen such a rain in our lives. The wipers of the car we rented could not keep up, and the road was unblinking. Finally, we had to pull our car to a suitable place and wait. It was a very different experience.

The best time to go to Mexico is between November and April. In this season, you can expect sunny weather and high prices 😃 During our 8-day trip to Cancun and Tulum, it rained only 2 days, the rest of the days were very sunny and hot.

What season to go to Mexico?

In summary, November to April is the best time to visit Mexico. Of course, all situations may change when it comes to nature. Since people generally prefer the south of Mexico as a holiday destination, you can choose between November and April.

Currency Exchange Transactions

Foreign currency transactions in Mexico: Here I will give you a very different tip. Normally, if we are going to go to a country like a lot of people, we will first convert the TL to dollars or euros in Turkey and after entering the borders of that country, we convert the dollars or euros to the currency of that country. I think many people do this.

We used to act like this, but this has changed for Mexico. For Mexico, we initially converted TL to dollars in Turkey, but then we realised that the exchange rates at Istanbul Airport were very advantageous. Afterwards, we immediately converted the remaining Turkish Lira we had into Mexican Pesos at the Global Exchange Offices at Istanbul Airport. So the dollars remained in our hands. Because it was very advantageous to convert TL to Pesos. Would you believe it, we were much more profitable than both the exchange rates on the internet and the exchange rates in Mexico. We also regretted that we did not have enough TL in our hands.

This way was very profitable for us. That is, even if we didn’t convert our TL to dollars before travelling. If you are going to Mexico, you can convert your TL to Pesos directly from the Global Exchange offices at Istanbul Airport (https://www.globalexchange.com.tr/).

The way I described above has a advantage. If you return to Turkey with pesos in your hand, the offices I mentioned convert pesos to TL at a very low exchange rate. So if possible, you should not have pesos on your return. It would be very logical to come by converting pesos into dollars.

Note: Exchange rates can change every day. If the exchange rates differ, you can change your TL to dollars from the banks at the airport and follow the classical way I mentioned above. It is also important to have enough pesos in these exchange offices. Let me also mention this.

Let’s talk about currency exchange in Mexico. When we entered Mexico with pesos in our hands, we could move very easily. When we needed pesos, we exchanged the dollars we had. There are currency exchange offices in many places in Mexico. Be informed that these places exchange dollars with your passport. They are quite institutional. Since Mexico is close to the USA, I think it likes the dollar more. But the bureaus I mentioned were also exchanging Euros. The offices are quite small and you enter one by one. So it is quite safe. 1 US Dollar was equal to 19,5 Mexican Pesos.

Car Hire in Mexico

I will explain the car rental title based on our experience in Cancun. We spent a total of 8 days in Cancun, Tulum and Chichen Itza. During these 8 days we travelled everywhere with the car we rented. We had arranged our car while we were in Turkey. When we arrived in Cancun, company officials picked us up and took us to their offices near the airport. After filling out a short form here, we received our Suzuki Vitara brand vehicle.

When renting a car, in addition to the daily payment, we gave a deposit of 150 Dollars. After we delivered our car, we received the 150 Dollars back again. It was a very simple, very easy process for us. We preferred Sky Blue Rent a Car for car hire. The company official Daniel was very, very helpful to us. He told us that our Turkish driving licence was valid here too. During 8 days we didn’t come across any police control, this is valid for Cancun and Tulum.

It is useful to pay attention to the following points when renting a car.

A new car, if possible. It’s no good if an old car gives you trouble.
Ask for the vehicle registration and make sure it is in the car.
Check every part of the vehicle. Both if there is a different item and if there are dents and scratches, detect them and definitely take a photo of them.
Check the fuel level of the vehicle. Deliver it at the level at which you bought it.
Keep a copy of the car hire form in the car.
Watch your speed. You don’t want to get caught on the radar.
Parking was quite a problem in Tulum and Cancun. We even paid a 570 Peso parking fine in Playa Del Carmen, so be careful where you park your car.
Your offline map always on your phone.
If you are going to do a lot of kilometres, prefer a low-combustion vehicle if possible.

Motorway use in Mexico

If you rent a car in Mexico and you are going to go to remote places, you may have to use toll roads, that is, motorways. We said we would use the normal road on the way to Chichen Itza, but I really got fed up with the dodges. Can there be so many dodges in one place? Üstün got sick of slowing down all the time 😃

Google map also offers you a toll road alternative. They used the motorway on the way to Holbox with a tour. The logic is as follows; you press the button at the first toll booth, you get a card, then you pay at the last point you will go.

Motorway tolls vary in the form of cars, buses and lorries. The average price for cars varies between 180 – 300 Pesos. The fee you pay is calculated according to the distance you will travel.

Sim Card Usage in Mexico

The sim card thing drove us a bit crazy in Mexico. Because the line we bought almost never worked outside the city. Therefore, I would say think about buying the sim card I will talk about.

There are 3 main companies as sim card operators in Mexico. These are: Movistar, AT&T and TELCEL. We preferred Telcell, but we were not very satisfied with the shooting area. 200 Peso 3 gb internet, 30 Peso line fee in total we paid 230 pesos. I think you should buy AT&T. I think it will be better.

In many places in Mexico, you will see a chain of stores called OXXO. You can buy sim cards from this store or Walmarts. Or if you need a sim card urgently, you can also get it from airports. I recommend you to prefer corporate places in this regard.

You do not need to submit any documents to buy a sim card. Pay the money and get the sim card. Just don’t forget to have a paper clip or a needle with you to open the sim card slot.

Is Mexico Safe?

Is Mexico safe? Almost everyone said to beware of the mafia and drug cartels before going to Mexico. So we said okay 😃

We stepped into Cancun, Mexico and drug barons came to welcome us. We said where have we fallen, oh my God. Drug dealers everywhere, marijuana smokers everywhere. While travelling on the road, your head is directly flying 😃

I’m joking, of course. I can say for Cancun and Tulum that Mexico is a really safe place. We didn’t encounter any problems. There was nothing like a different look or a threat perception. On the contrary, people were very friendly to us. We only saw that they love a little money 😃

Mexico has suffered a lot from drugs. Until this time, about 300,000 people were killed by drug cartels. But then the number of drug deaths has decreased year by year.

My advice to you in this regard is that you should not dive into the side streets too much. We saw a local market in the side streets in Tulum and we dived in and then we left immediately. Main streets, tourist attractions are always better. Also, if your clothes and appearance say I am a tourist, stay away from the side streets.

As far as we saw, Mexico seemed quite safe to us. We didn’t have any problems, I hope you won’t have any problems either 😊

Is Mexico Expensive?

We will answer the question of whether Mexico is expensive as a couple who went to Cancun and Tulum. Because our flight was directly to Cancun. So the conditions of Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, do not bind what I will write.

Mexico was expensive for us, especially Cancun and Tulum. Especially Cancun is a bit more expensive. But you can think of these two places as our Bodrum and Çeşme. As you know, holiday regions are usually expensive. And if you are a foreign tourist, many things are offered to you more expensive.

We also visited the market and had the opportunity to see many places. Many things in Mexico are expensive compared to us. Sunflower oil, the inflation champion of the last months in our country, is the same as us. Mexican sauces in super markets started from 25 pesos. Fruit and vegetable prices were one click more than us.

The most difficult thing for our budget in Mexico was the entrance fees of historical and natural places. Especially Chichen Itza and Gran Cenote’s entrance fee has gone through the roof. In this regard, the tariffs applied to Mexican citizens and tourists are different. So it is not the same as in our country. Especially in Tulum, if you try to go to every cenote, your budget will collapse.

Apart from that, the litre of petrol is around 22 Pesos. If you want to use the motorway, there is also a logic motorway fee in our country.

In summary, Mexico is an expensive place. But if Turkey continues with this inflation, Mexico can remain cheap. You need to be very vigilant about money in Mexico. Always bargain. Believe me, they even try to sell magnets to tourists with 500 per cent profit. You can buy a magnet for 150 Pesos for 20 Pesos.

How much did our trip to Mexico cost?

Of course, every trip has a cost. It is up to you to keep it up or down. Unless something unexpected happens.

The biggest cost of travelling to Mexico is the cost of the plane ticket and the entrance fee of some places. If you find a ticket below 3500 TL for a flight ticket, I would say buy it immediately. We cannot say anything about entrance fees. Either you will not go here or you will be selective. But some cannot be selective. Chichen Itza is one of them.

There was a parking fine that we paid unexpectedly and a few mini rip-off incidents. Since we bought our flight tickets well in advance, we were able to get a cheap price.

We paid a total of 18.000 TL for 2 people for an 8-day trip, including food and drink, flight tickets, accommodation, entrance fees, car rental and petrol. As I mentioned in my article titled Cheap ways to travel, you can reduce this cost much lower if you cut down on hotels and food and drink. We are not backpackers, so this is how we plan our holidays.

What is Mexico Famous for?

cancun gezilecek yerler — **Mexico Travel Guide**

What is Mexico Famous for? When it comes to Mexico, everyone has a few associations in mind. Those who love alcohol say tequila, those who love to eat say taco and sauce, those who love shopping say big hats. Mexico appeals to everyone.

Below you can find the answer to what Mexico is famous for. In my list, there are traditional dishes and local clothes of Mexico.

What is Mexico Famous for?

Tako
Nachos
Tortilla Bread
A Thousand and One Kinds of Hot Sauces
Fajita
Quesadilla
Enchilada
Burrito
Empanada
Tekila
Sombrero (Mexican Hat)

We have come to the end of my article titled Mexico travel guide. I hope it was a useful article. If you have anything you want to ask, you can write in the comments section. If I am not travelling, I will answer within 24 hours. Have a smooth, happy travelling.😊