MEXICO – Links to all the best places

My travels in Mexico over the past several years.

Mexico is one of my favourite places. Like the USA, it is divided into states and a capital district. There are 31 states.   I have travelled to most of them, including the famous tourist resorts such as Cancun and off-the-beaten-path places such as the city of Zacatecas and the Sierra Madre mountains in the central part of the country.

Most tourists to Mexico go to Cancun, Cabo San Lucas and other beach resorts. However, you need to get off the tourist path to see Mexico. Here is a list of links to my favourite places to visit in Mexico:

1. Mexico City

Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world. Like most huge cities, it can be crowded and dirty and unpleasant. But, like most capital cities, there are many wonderful things to see there.

The Zocalo

The main thing to see in Mexico City is the Zocalo, which means town square in Spanish. The Zocalo is no ordinary town square. It is the second-largest in the world after Red Square in Moscow. The square is surrounded by magnificent architectural buildings, including the National Palace (federal government building) and the 16th-century Metropolitan Cathedral (above). Most days, there are some forms of entertainment around the square, including Organ Grinders, Aztec Dancers and much more. You can quickly get to the Zocalo from anywhere in the city on the Metro (subway train). The Metro is fast, efficient and cheap but also crowded and often includes people trying to sell you things and pickpockets. Best to avoid the Metro on weekends and after dark. The streets around the Zocalo are good for shopping and great Mexican food.

The Museum of Anthropology

The Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City is one of the world’s great museums. Here you can see Aztec and Mayan artefacts from before the Spanish conquest. They also have the best display of prehistoric humans I have ever seen.

https://mythatchedhut.com/museum-of-anthropology-mexico-city/

Chapultepec

Another must-see in Mexico city is the Castle of Chapultepec (which includes another great museum and is surrounded by a lovely park.

Xochimilco

The Xochimilco (pronounced So-she-milko) is a borough of Mexico City that has 170 km of canals. A boat tour on one of the canals is an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon. Make it a complete day trip by touring the pretty town, which is full of markets selling food and many other interesting things.

The Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco are UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The Templo Major is also at the Zocalo. The ancient Mayan city of Teotihuacan (pronounced Tao-ti-waken) is near Mexico City. See the section on Mayan pyramids and ruins for information and links.

2. Baja California

Of all the places I have been to, one of my best trips was the drive down the Baja peninsula from San Diego, USA, to Cabo San Lucas.   Cabo is a popular tourist destination, but almost all tourists fly there. Some go by cruise ship. Very few have driven the 1,247 km (775 miles) from the American border to the cape. So if you want to see Mexico without crowds of tourists, this is the place to go.   This link will take you to another page on my website with links, photos, and details of the best places to visit on the drive to Cabo San Lucas.

Cabo San Lucas is at the end of the peninsula. Yet you can go even further. The lovely, uncrowded beaches at Land’s End, the very tip of the peninsula, is accessible only by boat.

Adventures at Cabo San Lucas include Para Sailing, Glass-bottom boat rides, Horseback riding, and much more.

So, if you have the time and are adventurous, I recommend this drive. Below is the link to my 14-part series of articles on Driving the Baja Peninsula.

Driving Baja California

If you want to tour Baja California with a tour group instead of driving yourself, here are some links to tour companies in California. Baja Expeditions and Lindblad Expeditions. I drove the peninsula on my own, so I have no experience with these companies.

3. The Pyramids of Ruta Maya

Ruta Maya is not a place. It is a tour of the all ancient archaeological sites in Central America.   When you mention pyramids, one immediately thinks of Egypt.   However, I have been to see the pyramids in Egypt, and while they are fascinating, the pyramids of Central America are much more enjoyable. The pyramids in Egypt are a little taller, but those in Mexico are also huge. Indeed, the largest pyramid in the world by volume (not the tallest) is the great pyramid of Cholula in Mexico.

While the Egyptian pyramids stand alone in the sand of the Sahara Desert, the pyramids of Central America are in the jungle. So, in addition to the archaeological ruins, you might see monkeys,  toucans,  army ants and other fascinating creatures.

Many of the pyramids in Central America are part of an ancient city; therefore, you will see many other structures, not only a pyramid.

The Ruta Maya includes Aztec and Mayan cities ranging from Mexico City to Belize and Guatemala, south of Mexico. I have been to most of them. (I still have a few more to visit). This link will take you to a page on my website that lists all the archaeological sites in Mexico, Belize and Guatemala I have seen. There you will find a link to each location with photos and information. So, on your visit to Mexico, tour at least one of these wonderful places.

Explore the Pyramids of Ruta Maya

Several of the sites on the Mexican portion of the Ruta Maya are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Teotihuacan, Palenque, Sian Kaan, Chichen Itza, Uxmal, and Calakmul.

4. Monarch Butterflies

In Search of the Monarch Butterfly

Monarch Butterflies can be found in eastern Canada and the northeastern USA. However, for decades no one knew where they went in the winter. Consequently, one couple spent their lives searching for the winter home of this beautiful butterfly. Read the story here:  https://mythatchedhut.com/search-monarch-butterfly/

On Migration with the Monarch Butterfly

I went to the Monarch Butterfly sanctuary in the mountains of central Mexico. This is a unique opportunity to see millions of butterflies covering every part of the trees. Indeed, it is a rare opportunity to see something fascinating and spectacular.    https://mythatchedhut.com/migration-monarch-butterfly/

The Endangered Monarch Butterfly

Please read about the problems facing the beautiful Monarch Butterfly as they migrate from eastern Canada and the northwest USA to the mountains of central Mexico:  https://mythatchedhut.com/monarch-butterfly-migration-endangered/

The Monarch Butterfly Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

5. Taxco – The Silver City

Taxco is one of my favourite places in Mexico. No beaches or massive tourist hotels. Just a lovely typical Mexican town. Taxco is very safe, and you can get there on a relatively short bus ride from Mexico City.

6. Puerto Vallarta

7. Cholula

Pyramids, Ancient Churches & Volcanoes

Where else can you see a medieval-period church built on top of an ancient pyramid with a view of an active volcano in the background?

The church of Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios was built in 1575. The church is located on top of a huge hill and is quite a climb, so this is not for people who are not physically fit.

When they built the church in the 1500s, they thought they were constructing it on top of a big hill. It was unknown at the time that it was not a hill but an overgrown pyramid. You can enter the pyramid and tour the tunnels.

You can see the Popocatepetl volcano from the top of the pyramid in the distance on a clear day.

For accommodations, you can stay in Cholula or the nearby city of Puebla, which is also worth visiting. In addition, there is a train from Puebla to Cholula.

Pyramids, Churches and Volcanoes in Cholula

8. Zacatecas

9. Tequila

Tequila is not just a drink. It is a town in Mexico where the liquor is made. Besides drinking tequila, you can visit the town and tour the farms and factories to see how tequila is made. In addition to the fascinating tour, there are free samples and wholesale tequila in the factory store. https://mythatchedhut.com/tequila-town/

10. The Cave of the Bat-eating Snakes

You won’t find this place on your average website for tour information about Mexico. My Thatched Hut is about off-the-beaten-path travel to see strange new things. This is not for your average tourist. If you are afraid of small dark caves, bats, snakes or crawling around in bat poop, you won’t want to go here. This is for intrepid and very adventurous travellers only. I found it to be amazing. Better than a National Geographic film.

11. Pirates of the Caribbean

12. Birds

The Magnificent Frigatebird

Also lots of information and photos of birds on my “Driving Baja California” pages. See #2 above.

Rio Lagartos

San Blas

For information on birding Rio Lagartos and San Blas, Mexico, click here

13. Nature

The Sea of Cortez

The Gulf of California, or the Sea of Cortez as it is known in Mexico, is the body of water between Baja California and the Mexican mainland. It is a fantastic water wildlife reserve. On the little desert islands, you can see birds such as the Blue-footed Booby and hundreds of others. The water contains one-third of the world’s cetacean species. You can go swimming with Whale Sharks. The Sea of Cortez is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See Part 13 of the Driving Baja California link for photos and information.

Grey Wales

For close-up, eye-level encounters with Grey Whales, see Part Four of the Driving Baja California link above.

Elephant Rock

Cacti

Ants

---

---

---

My Thatched Hut Travel Tip for Canadians

How to get your money in foreign countries without paying service charges

More

More links to other places in Mexico will be added in the future.