Traveling in Mexico requires little planning. You’ll rarely have trouble finding suit -
able accommodation on any budget, and travel by road or plane within
Mexico is easy. If you have limited time and specific goals, work out a
detailed itinerary and reserve accommodations in advance. If this is your
first trip to Mexico, be ready for more crowds, noise, bustle and poverty
than you might be accustomed to. But don’t worry – most Mexicans will be
only too happy to help you feel at home in their country. Invest a little time
before your trip in learning even just a few phrases of Spanish – every word
you know will make your trip that little bit easier and more enjoyable.
The tropic of Cancer cuts across Mexico just north of Mazatlán, so this
stretch of coast is officially tropical. The driest months, when it may not
rain at all, are from November to April. These months are also the coolest,
with temperatures averaging a comfortable 26° to 29°C.
The hottest months, May to October, are also the wettest, and the hottest
and wettest of all are June, July and August. Rainfall increases as you move
south from Mazatlán toward Acapulco, with Acapulco receiving twice as
much rain as Mazatlán. The Oaxaca coast is drier but closer in average
rainfall to Acapulco than Mazatlán. May to October are also extremely
humid, and it’s generally more humid the further south you move.
The peak holiday periods are July and August, mid-December to early
January, and a week either side of Easter. At these times, resorts attract big
tourist crowds, room prices go up, and rooms and public transport are
heavily booked, so reservations are recommended. November to April are
reliably dry, warm, blissful and popular months for travel among North Americans and Europeans.
The water on Mexico’s Pacific coast is perfect for swimming all
year long. Diving and snorkeling can be good year-round, but visibility
is usually highest (except during plankton blooms) in the dry
winter months. Fun surf can be reasonably expected year-round, but
waves are biggest from May through to November. Deep-sea fishing,
also practiced all year, has its own species-specific seasons.
Bird -watchers often prefer winter visits, when birds migrate down to
the coastal lagoons from North America. Whale-watching is best from
January to March.
Don't leave home without:
- Adequate insurance
- All the necessary paperwork if you’re driving
- Waterproof sandals if you’ll be boating
- Clothes to cope with Mexico’s climatic variations and air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned
rooms (and buses)
- Any specific toiletries you require, including contact-lens solutions and contraceptives, as
these can be difficult to obtain in Mexico; also consider carrying a copy of prescriptions for
any medications you will take with you – this might save you from scrutiny at customs
- A flashlight for some of those not-so-well-lit streets and stairways – and for power outages
- An inconspicuous container for money and valuables, such as a small, slim wallet or an
under-the-clothes pouch or money belt
- Sun protection: a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
- A small padlock
- A small Spanish dictionary and/or phrasebook
- A backpack for carrying it all – you can make it reasonably theft-proof with small padlocks; a
light daypack, too, is useful.
