Mexico Travel Guide: Trip Planner and Travel Advice
Plan your trip to Mexico with our comprehensive travel guide, including information on how to get a visa, travelling to Mexico, budgeting whilst you are there, staying healthy and some reccomended literature:
Visas and entry requirements
US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, British, and other EU citizens do not need a visa to enter Mexico as tourists for up to six months, but visas are required by nationals of South Africa and certain other countries (for details in English, visit the Mexican Immigration Department website, or consult local Mexican consulates). US citizens need a full passport to travel to and from Mexico by air, and a passport or other WHTI (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) compliant document, such as a US Passport Card, to cross the border by land or enter by sea (for details of the WHTI, visit the State Department site). Canadian citizens can officially still enter Mexico with only ID and a birth certificate, but if they transit through the US they must have a WHTI-compliant document, and in practice it’s much simpler just to have a full passport. All other travelers must have full passports valid for at least six months from the date of entry.
All air travelers must also fill in a Mexican Tourist Card (FM1), which is handed out on incoming flights, and then stamped at immigration with the length of your permitted stay. Keep it with your passport and then give it up when you leave. Do not lose it, as if you do not have a Tourist Card when you leave you can be fined and delayed.
If you enter Mexico by land from the US, you do not need a Tourist Card for visits to the Zona Fronteriza or “Border Zone” (roughly 20–30km/12–18 miles from the border) of up to 72 hours, but if you intend to go farther or stay longer you should get one at a border crossing. When traveling by air the charge for a tourist card is absorbed into the ticket, but if you enter Mexico by land from the US, Guatemala, or Belize you must pay a fee of around $20. This has to be paid at a government bank office at the border, which can be a little time consuming. There is a special arrangement for travelers visiting Mexico on cruise ships, so that they do not need a tourist card.
At most airports and US crossing points immigration officers give most visitors stays of 90 or 180 days, but travelers entering from Guatemala or Belize may be given only 30 days or less. If you wish to get an extension, the best thing to do is go to the Immigration Department office in Cancún (Instituto Nacional de Migración, Avenida Uxmal by Avenida Nader; tel: 998-884 1749), which is open Mon–Fri 9am–1pm, and generally grants tourist extensions very promptly. There are also INM offices in all main cities.
Need more information? Speak to our local expert, Monica, or check out our eBook Insight Guide: Mexico.
Embassies and consulates
Abroad
Australia
14 Perth Avenue
Yarralumla, act 2600
Canberra
tel: 02-6273 3963
http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/australia
Canada
45 O’Connor Street
Suite 1000
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1A4
tel: 613-233 8988
https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/canada
UK
16 St George Street
London W1S 1FD
tel: 020-7499 8586
US
1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20006
tel: 202-728 1600
In Mexico City
Canada, the UK, and especially the US also have consulates in various other parts of Mexico, details of which will be on the embassy websites.
Australia
Rubén Darío 55
Col. Polanco
tel: 55-1101 2200
Canada
Schiller 529
Col. Polanco
tel: 55-5724 7900
www.canadainternational.gc.ca/mexico-mexique
Ireland
Boulevard Ávila Camacho 76
3rd Floor
Col. Lomas de Chapulpetec
tel: 55-5520 5803
www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/mexico
New Zealand
Jaime Balmes 8
4th Floor
Los Morales
Col. Polanco
tel: 55-5283 9460
UK
Río Lerma 71
Col. Cuauhtémoc
tel: 55-5242 8500
USA
Paseo de la Reforma 305
Col. Cuauhtémoc
tel: 55-5080 2000
Exterior Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City. Photo: Shutterstock
Getting there
By air
Mexico’s main gateway airports are Mexico City and Cancún, which can be reached by direct flights from many US and Canadian cities, as well as several cities in Europe and Central and South America.
From the US and Canada: There are frequent scheduled flights from most large US and Canadian cities to Mexico City and Cancún; airlines include Aeroméxico, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American, Continental, Delta, Mexicana, North West, and United. Flights are most numerous from Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, Chicago, New York, and Toronto, but there are also many from other cities. Some airlines, especially Aeroméxico, Continental, and Mexicana, also fly to other Mexican cities, such as Los Cabos, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, Villahermosa, and Mérida.
From Europe: There are direct scheduled flights to Mexico City from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, and Paris, and to Cancún from Madrid. The main carriers are Aeroméxico, Air Europa, Air France, British Airways, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, and Mexicana.
From Asia: Japan Airlines flies to Mexico City from Tokyo.
If you cannot fly directly to your destination in Mexico, connections can be made on domestic flights via Mexico City with Aeromar, Aeroméxico, Aviacsa, Mexicana, or Interjet, which between them provide flights all around the country.
There is a proliferation of discount air fares at different times of the year. Check out travel and airline websites for the best prices for both international and domestic flights. In addition to scheduled services, there are often low-cost direct charter flights available, especially to Cancún, from the US, Canada, and many parts of Europe.
When you arrive at Mexico City, Cancún or any other airport, there are special taxis for getting to your final destination (see page for more information, click here To and from the airport). If you do not have any Mexican pesos when you arrive, change at a bureau de change desk or withdraw from an ATM only the amount you need for a taxi, and then get more cash near your hotel. Do not make it evident that you have any large amount of cash when passing through Mexico City airport.
Airline numbers
Air Canada
Tel: 1-888-247 2262 (US and Canada); 0871-220 1111 (UK)
American Airlines
Tel: 1-800-433 7300 (US and Canada); 020-7365 0777 (UK)
British Airways
Tel: 0844-493 0787 (UK)
Delta
Tel: 1-800-221 1212 (US and Canada); 0871-221 1222 (UK)
Northwest
Tel: 1-800-225 2525 (US and Canada); 0870-507 4074 (UK)
United
Tel: 1-800-864 8331 (US and Canada); 0845-607 6760 (UK)
US Airways
Tel: 1-800-428 4322 (US and Canada); 0845-600 3300 (UK)
Aeromar
Tel: 01800-237 6627 (Mexico)
Aeroméxico
Tel: 1-800-237 6639 (US and Canada); 01800-021 4000 (Mexico)
Interjet
Tel: 1-866-2858 307 (Mexico)
Volaris
Tel: 01800-122 8000 (Mexico)
By sea
Cruise ships frequently include a Mexican port in their voyages, and from the US, a selection of one- to three-week cruises is available. Caribbean cruises departing from New Orleans, Tampa, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and some other ports regularly stop at Cozumel, and less frequently at Progreso and Mahahual. Numerous cruises along the west coast of Mexico start from Los Angeles or San Francisco, and some can be also be boarded in San Diego, Portland, Seattle, or Vancouver: they may stop at Ensenada or Los Cabos in Baja, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, and Acapulco. Cruises are a leisurely, comfortable way of getting to Mexico, but usually give you only one day in each port of call.
To travel to Mexico in your own boat you must have full documentation for the boat, including registration and proof of ownership, full insurance, and full passports for everyone on board. Fishing and radio licenses should also be obtained in advance; Mexican consulates and marine insurance brokers can advise about current requirements.
If, as many people do, you plan to sail down Baja to Mexico’s west coast, and are doing so for the first time, it’s naturally essential to get as much information as possible on charts, weather conditions, etc., and if possible to take a crew member who has sailed these waters before.
By bus
Bus travel is an essential means of getting around in Mexico (see page for more information, click here), and there are some direct long-distance bus services into Mexico from the US (notably from Brownsville, Texas), and many more from Mexican cities just south of the border. However, unless you live near the border or have more time than money, flying to the area you want to visit and then using buses is a better bet.
By car
To drive a US or Canadian vehicle into most of Mexico you must get a Temporary Import Permit, which can be done at all main border crossings, at the Módulo de Control Vehicular desk in the Customs Post (Aduana). To obtain one you must present the originals and at least two photocopies of the following documents: your passport; current driver’s license; and the car registration papers, which must be in the name of the passport holder. You must also have a Mexican Tourist Card, which you should therefore get at Immigration before visiting the Aduana. It is also best to have a credit card, to pay for the permit (around $27) and as a guarantee against overstaying your permit. There are higher charges for RVs and anything towed behind the main vehicle. You can pay for the permit in cash, but if so you must leave a large cash bond as the guarantee. The permit is valid for 6 months, during which you can enter and leave Mexico as you wish, but when you finally leave be sure to visit a Mexican CustomsPost again at the border to have the permit cancelled; if you do not, you will be considered to have overstayed the permit and a fine will be charged against your credit card, or you will forfeit the cash bond.
Temporary Import Permits can also now be obtained from many Mexican Consulates in the US, for a slightly higher fee, and procedures can also now be initiated online, saving time, but the website (www.gob.mx) is mainly in Spanish, and the cost is again higher. AAA (American Automobile Association) offices near the border also help with paperwork and advice.
Note that special conditions apply in Baja California, where Temporary Import Permits are not required for US and Canadian vehicles. Sonora state has an “Only Sonora” program, under which drivers are provided with permits for free (which also takes very little time) so long as they do not go beyond the state. Elsewhere along the border, Import Permits are often not strictly required in the “Frontier Zone” (roughly 20km/12 miles into Mexico), but since security and other procedures have been tightened up, in practice it’s best to have one.
Details of these procedures can change, so check before you travel. You must also obtain Mexican car insurance, as US and Canadian coverage is not valid in Mexico. There are several auto insurance offices at nearly every border crossing, and the AAA also provides advice for members. Better deals, though, can often be had by getting your insurance in advance, through services such as Sanbornsinsurance or Mexbound. Details of cover can vary widely, so shop around online, and always check the small print.
It is also worth noting that, due to on-going violence between drug cartels along the whole of the northern Mexican border and in nearby cities such as Monterrey, driving from the US into Mexico does come with a level of risk. For more on driving in Mexico, see page for more information, click here.
Getting around
Almost 250,000km (150,000 miles) of free and toll roads make Mexico’s cities, towns, and most villages accessible by car. If you don’t drive yourself, buses provide a comfortable and economical way to see every part of the country, and for fast journeys there is an extensive domestic airline network. The only passenger trains left in Mexico are on tourist routes such as the spectacular Copper Canyon line from Chihuahua, but Mexico’s long coastline and some frequent ferry services make going by boat an easy way to travel in some areas.
To and from the airport
At most Mexican airports only special authorized airport taxis are allowed to take arriving passengers into town. Except at Cancún, there are not many airport buses. Airport taxis are more expensive than standard cabs but are well regulated and safe. At Mexico City airport, Taxi Autorizado stands are easy to find just beyond the arrivals area. It’s good to have an idea in mind of the whereabouts of your hotel or final destination in the vast city; Mexico City is divided into various zones for airport taxis, and the fares for each of them are posted at each stand. You buy a ticket at the stand, and then present it to a driver of the relevant company outside the building. There is usually a choice between standard cars, or vans for larger groups. A cab from the airport to the Zona Rosa, for example, location of many hotels, should cost around US$16–20. It is also usual to tip the driver. If you are not going to Mexico City itself, there are buses from the airport to some nearby cities such as Cuernavaca, Puebla, and Toluca, which leave from near Area D.
When leaving Mexico City, any cab can take you to the airport, but as usual in the city (see page for more information, click here), it is best to get a hotel to call a cab for you, and to be clear on the price first.
At Cancún, the main authorized transportation are the large colectivo vans, which wait outside Terminals 2 (used by Mexican airlines and many charters) and 3 (used by most US and European airlines). Fares are around US$15 per person; from the airport they drive all the way along the Hotel Zone to Ciudad Cancún, dropping passengers at their hotel, but if, for example, you are staying in Ciudad Cancún, this will take more than an hour; also, they are not obliged to leave without a minimum of eight passengers, so at slack times you may have to wait. Colectivos also leave more or less hourly for Playa del Carmen, via Puerto Morelos. There are also airport buses, which run from outside Terminal 2 (there’s a free shuttle bus to here from Terminal 3), usually several times an hour to the bus station in Ciudad Cancún (not the Hotel Zone), and once or twice an hour to Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen. Fares are much lower than colectivos (around $3). Individual standard cabs are not available, but to go direct to any specific location on the Riviera it can be both quick and economical, especially for a family or a group, to book a private van transfer through services such as www.cancunvalet.com or www.cancuntransfers.net.
When leaving, again, any cab from Cancún or any of the Riviera towns will take you to the airport, but agree the price first. Regular buses run from the bus stations in Ciudad Cancún and Playa del Carmen.
Smaller airports all have their own local airport taxis, fares for which are generally reasonable, and there’s rarely any need to wait. Again, any local cab can take you to the airport. Some airports have bus services from nearby cities, but they are often at very inconvenient times.
By air
Getting between different parts of Mexico by land often involves long drives, but as a fast alternative there are plenty of domestic airline services. Deregulation has led to the big traditional carriers Aeroméxico, Mexicana, and Aviacsa being joined by several low-cost operators. Every state capital has at least a few flights daily to Mexico City, and there are also airports near all the main tourist areas, such Los Cabos, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, and the main airport of southern Mexico: Cancún. One disadvantage of the network has been that since deregulation there have been relatively few direct inter-regional flights, so getting to many destinations has required changing flights in Mexico City’s huge Benito Juárez airport. However, more options are becoming available.
Toluca, only 60km (38 miles) west of the capital, is being developed as an “alternative” airport for overloaded Mexico City, used particularly by the low-cost airlines Interjet and Volaris; and other regional hub airports are Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Cancún. The two largest Mexican airlines each have lower-cost arms flying smaller aircraft that are intended to open up more regional routes – Aeroméxico Connect and MexicanaClick and MexicanaLink – so it’s always worth looking around to see what routes are available, to save travel time. Flying via Toluca in particular can be much cheaper than going through Mexico City.
There is a good deal of fare competition on popular routes (such as Mexico City–Cancún), and airlines frequently announce specia loffers, including flight and hotel combinations, but prices are more static on routes with fewer operators. All Mexican airlines now take online bookings, but for complicated flight combinations you may find good deals in local travel agents.
In some parts of Mexico small airlines operate local “bus flights” with small turboprop aircraft. Aerotucán (www.aerotucan.com) flies between Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido and Huatulco; Mayair (www.mayair.com.mx) runs a frequent shuttle between Cancún and Cozumel. En route, you naturally see much more than from a standard jet.
Health and medical care
No one should travel in Mexico without a comprehensive travel insurance policy, covering loss or theft of their belongings, cancellations, and all medical eventualities, including emergency repatriation by air if necessary. Mexico’s public health system is fairly limited, and for foreigners it is essential to have private health insurance. Many credit card companies provide some coverage for medical and/or legal emergencies for trips paid for with their card, but check whether this is sufficient for your needs. If you intend to try out any adventure sports activities – such as scuba diving – you may need additional cover or a specialized sports insurance policy, so check carefully how far your policy extends, and shop around to find the best options.
Medical treatment
If you need medical assistance, the best place to call on will be one of the modern private clinics that are found in Mexican cities and resort areas, and then claim on your insurance. Such clinics have high-quality facilities, and near-invariably have some English-speaking staff. Hotels should be able to recommend one, and/or provide a list of local English-speaking doctors (or dentists). If you call the embassy or consulate of your home country (see page for more information, click here)they will also have a list of multilingual doctors. In small towns and country areas the only facilities will usually be a local public health center (Centro de Salud), which can handle basic emergencies perfectly well, but anyone with a more serious problem will need to be moved to the nearest private hospital.
Health precautions
At most times – that is, except during exceptional crises such as the 2009 swine flu outbreak – there are no inoculations that are obligatory for travelers to Mexico. However, it is advisable to be inoculated against polio, tetanus, and hepatitis A, and, if necessary, to have a typhoid booster shot. Cholera is also present in some areas, so you may wish to be immunized against that too. There is a risk of malaria in forest areas of the Gulf Coast, Campeche, and Chiapas, so some travelers take a course of anti-malaria tablets, but discuss the risks with your doctor before taking any such pills, as they can have strong side effects. Dengue fever, another fly-born infection, affects local people in some areas, but the best way to avoid it is to steer clear of any pools of stagnant water.
If you fly into Mexico City, the combination of altitude and air pollution can leave some new arrivals weak and listless, with headaches and other symptoms. Take it easy during the first days you are there, to get acclimatized.
It’s a good idea to bring a basic medical kit, including medication for diarrhea and stomach cramps, insect repellent, aspirin or an equivalent, antiseptic wipes and cream, Band Aids, sunscreen, and any prescription drugs you may need.
Drinking water and hygiene
The risks of ingesting any tap water in Mexico are often exaggerated, but in general, the essential rule is still to drink only bottled, purified water (agua purificada). This is guaranteed clean water, not mineral water (agua mineral), which is a lot more expensive. Purified water is sold in all grocery stores, supermarkets, and pharmacies, and in all restaurants, and all hotels of mid-range level and up provide it free for their guests. Travelers in Mexico have commonly been advised to refuse to have ice in their drinks or to buy anything at street juice stands, but nowadays virtually every restaurant and stand also uses agua purificada to make ice and fruit-juice mixes, so there is very little risk in this either. At the same time, the standard of mains water in most parts of Mexico has also been improving, so you are unlikely to catch anything by swallowing a little water while in the shower.
Overall, the best ways to reduce the likelihood of getting any stomach complaints while in Mexico are simply to avoid the most basic lonchería restaurants and any street-food stands with obviously poor hygiene standards, and to be reasonably sensible about eating any high-risk foods such as seafood that is not clearly fresh. If you buy any fruits or vegetables yourself, rinse them with purified water, or peel them. If you are camping out or traveling in any remote areas, where you may run out of purified water, be prepared to purify water yourself: either boil it for 20 minutes or more (depending on altitude), or use purification tablets.
Hospitals
Private hospitals will be listed in the local phone book under Centros Médicos or Hospitales, and will normally have large ads making clear the services they offer and whether they have English-speaking staff. The following are some reliable options around the country:
Mexico City: Centro Médico ABC, Avenida Observatorio, Colonia Américas; tel: 55-5230 8000, emergencies 55-5230 8161; www.abchospital.com.
Guadalajara: Hospital México-Americano, Colomos 2110, Guadalajara, Jalisco; tel: 33-3642 3333; www.hma.com.mx.
Acapulco: Hospital Magallanes, Wilfrido Massieu 2, Acapulco, Guerrero; tel: 744-469 0270; http://hospitalprivadomagallanes.com.
Mérida: Clínica de Mérida, Avenida Itzáes 242, Mérida, Yucatán; tel: 999-942 1800; www.clinicademerida.mx.
Cancún: American Hospital, Plaza Las Américas, Avenida Bonampak, Cancún, Quintana Roo; tel: 998-881 3400; www.amerimed.com.mx. This same US-owned group also has hospitals in Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.
Pharmacies
Well-stocked pharmacies (farmacias) are plentiful in Mexican cities, and there is usually one in every small town. In cities, there is nearly always at least one that is open 24 hours daily, often on or near the main square. Pharmacies stock not only prescription drug, but also a wide range of products such as cosmetics, condoms, purified water, and telephone cards (see page for more information, click here).
View of a historic colonial street in Campeche, Mexico. Photo: Shutterstock
Money and Budgeting
Currency
Mexico’s currency, the peso, comes in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 peso bills, and there are coins for 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 pesos, as well as flimsy coins of 10, 20, and 50 centavos of a peso. Since the global financial crisis of 2007–8 the peso has generally stood at around 12–14 pesos to the US dollar.
Along the US border and in big resort areas many shops and businesses accept US dollars, and prices may be labeled in both currencies. However, if you pay in dollars you will usually end up paying slightly more than if you had changed your money into pesos.
When getting spending money in Mexico it is best to be able to use a variety of methods – US dollar travelers’ checks for extra security, some dollars in cash, and through ATMs. If you are traveling from Britain or most other countries, always take cash or travelers’ checks in US dollars, as Mexican banks generally give very bad rates for non-dollar currencies (Euros and Canadian dollars may be less of a problem). Credit cards are widely used in Mexico, especially in hotels, big stores, and dive shops, and are effectively essential for renting a car. It is much less common to use them in restaurants, and in markets and street stores you must have some cash (in pesos). ATMs are also plentiful in cities, and there is usually at least one in the main town of each district. Given the time it can take to change money in Mexican banks, and the fact that withdrawing money through an ATM can cost less than bank commissions, this is often the most convenient way to get money, but it is not advisable to rely on ATMs completely. There may be none in remote areas, so check on the local situation – hotels will be able to advise you. For this reason it is good to have some dollar cash or travelers’ checks (which many hotels will exchange).
Note that owing to security concerns you should always notify your credit card company before traveling to Mexico, as otherwise you can find that your card is blocked without warning.
Changing travelers’ checks or cash can involve standing in long lines, and some bank branches do not change money at certain times (such as during the afternoon). This is a big reason why it’s often much easier just to use an ATM. Before joining a line at a bank, always check if there is a special currency exchange (cambio) counter. It will always be quicker to change money in bigger branches than smaller ones. All banks are closed on Sundays and public holidays.
Outside of banking hours, in any tourist area there will be several small casas de cambio (money exchanges), where rates are sometimes quite reasonable. Avoid changing money in hotels, which habitually give very poor rates. There are also exchange desks at all airports, which nearly always give bad rates. If you have no pesos, change only as much as you need for a taxi to your hotel, and then get cash from an ATM.
Whenever you change money, avoid being left with only big-denomination notes (especially 500 or 1,000 pesos), which will be hard to break in most shops and restaurants.
Taxes
Airline passengers leaving Mexico must pay a departure tax, generally of around 550 pesos ($40). This is now nearly always included in the ticket price, but with a very few flights you may have to pay (in cash, not by card) at check-in. Mexico has a sales or value added tax (IVA) of 15 percent (10 percent in some border states) which is charged on most transactions, and most states charge a 2 percent accommodations tax, which is added to hotel bills.
Tipping
Many Mexicans depend on tips to make up for low wages, so it is a good principle to follow to tip generously and often. In restaurants and bars in most parts of the country, the usual rate is around 10 percent of the check; in resort areas this rises to around 15 percent. Some restaurants add around 10 percent to the check, but if the service has been good it will be appreciated if you also leave some cash.
Hotel porters and bellboys are usually tipped around 4–10 pesos, for chambermaids about 10 pesos per night. Tour guides are tipped according to the tour price and the quality of their performance. It is not, however, usual to tip taxi drivers, unless they have been especially helpful, for example with luggage.
There are also many people who are customarily given small tips for a range of small services. At gas stations there will often be a boy who will clean your windshield for a few pesos, and it’s usual to tip the main gas attendant if they provide any extra services such as checking your tires or oil. Boys or old men who guard areas on a street, guide you into one of “their” parking places and then watch over your car till you come back are given 2–5 pesos. More formal parking attendants are tipped 5 pesos or more.
What to read
Non-fiction
The Conquest of New Spain Bernal Díaz del Castillo. A simple soldier’s tale, delightful to read, that is one of the world’s greatest eyewitness accounts.
Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens Simon Martin and Nikolai Grube. Remarkable overview of the huge amount that has been learned about Classic Maya history in the last 30 years.
The Fall of the Ancient Maya David L. Webster. Explores the great question of what happened to the Maya via a fascinating analysis of the nature of ancient Maya culture.
First Stop in the New World: Mexico City, the Capital of the 21st Century, David Lida. Up to the minute, very sharp account of the contemporary megalopolis: one to challenge plenty of stereotypes.
Five Families Oscar Lewis. Lewis spent many years studying Mexico’s “culture of poverty” and interviewing its victims.
Five Letters 1519–1526 Hernán Cortés. Long letters in which Cortés recounts his exploits and justifies his actions to his king.
The Forgotten Peninsula: a Naturalist in Baja California Joseph Wood Krutch. One of the best books about Baja.
The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya Mary Ellen Miller and Karl Taube. Excellent, very helpful illustrated guide to the many spirits of pre-Hispanic Mexico.
Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatán and Incidents of Travel in Yucatán by John L. Stephens. First published in 1841 and 1843, these books remain among the greatest of all travel books, and have never been out of print. Stephens and illustrator Frederick Catherwood had many adventures, made remarkable discoveries, and were instrumental in revealing the lost Maya civilization to the world.
Insurgent Mexico John Reed. Exciting account of the 1910 Revolution by the reporter famous for his coverage of the Russian Revolution.
The Labyrinth of Solitude Octavio Paz. Nobel-Prize winner Paz was the best known (outside Mexico) of all Mexico’s intellectuals, and this book is a must for anyone who wants to go beyond a superficial understanding of the psychology and culture of contemporary Mexicans.
Life in Mexico: The Letters of Fanny Calderón de la Barca, with New Material from the Author’s Private Journals Fanny Calderón de la Barca. The author was a Scotswoman, whose Spanish husband became Spain’s first ambassador to independent Mexico. Madame Calderón de la Barca, intelligent and curious, loved to travel and was a very elegant, observant writer on the emerging country.
The Log from the Sea of Cortés John Steinbeck. Steinbeck tells of an expedition to gather biological specimens from the Sea of Cortés off Baja California, and beautifully evokes its natural riches.
The Lost Chronicles of the Maya Kings David Drew. A very readable overview of Maya history and culture.
Maya Cosmos Linda Schele, David Freidel, and Joy Parker. A richly suggestive examination of Maya beliefs, in the past and present. The late Linda Schele played a huge part in expanding knowledge of the Maya and her other books with co-authors (Blood of Kings, Forest of Kings, The Code of Kings) are equally fascinating.
Mayan Tales from Zinacantán Robert M. Laughlin. A fascinating collection of folktales and dream-stories.
Mexican Postcards Carlos Monsiváis. Acute mini-portraits of many aspects of Mexican life, from one of the country’s leading contemporary writers.
Mexico: A Biography of Power Enrique Krauze. Krauze is one of Mexico’s most respected contemporary historians and political analysts, and his book presents an iconoclastic view of the country’s modern history.
Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs Michael D. Coe and Rex Koontz. An excellent survey of all the ancient Mexican cultures, by one of the most eminent authorities in the field.
Oaxaca Journal Oliver Sacks. Charming book in which the eminent neurologist follows up another of this passions – the search for Oaxaca’s rare ferns.
Our Word is our Weapon Subcomandante Marcos. The Zapatista spokesman presents his radical view of the state of modern Mexico.
The Oxford History of Mexico M.C. Meyer and William Beezley. Scholarly yet engaging one-volume history.
Sliced Iguana: Travels in Unknown Mexico Isabella Tree. Entertaining reports on the chaos of the capital, the matriarchal communities of Oaxaca, and more of the many quirky surprises of modern Mexico.
The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge Carlos Castañeda. This and other books by Castañeda provide an imaginative insight into spiritual experience – but don’t believe every word. Also A Separate Reality; Journey to Ixtlán; Tales of Power; The Second Ring of Power; and The Eagle’s Gift.
Viva México; a traveller’s account of life in Mexico Charles Macomb Flandrau. The charming, unhurried account of a British traveler of 1908; some of Flandrau’s insights into Mexican character are absolute gems.
Zapata and the Mexican Revolution John Womack Jr. A vivid account of the life of Mexico’s most legendary revolutionary.
Fiction
2666 Roberto Bolaño. Chilean writer Bolaño’s last book has a significant chunk set in Ciudad Juárez and focussing on the series of female homicides that plagued the city.
The Burning Plain/El Llano en Llamas Juan Rulfo. Some of the most powerful Mexican literature: a collection of short stories in which Rulfo’s spare, suggestive prose gives the reader a deep understanding of the mestizoculture formed during the colonial era. Rulfo’s great masterpiece was the novel Pedro Páramo, an intense, allegorical evocation of the memory of violence and its place in rural Mexico in the years after the Revolution.
Like Water for Chocolate/Como Agua para Chocolate Laura Esquivel. The 1990 bestseller novel about family life, food, and the Revolution. Wit, humor, irony, and more blend into a very readable book. Also by the same author is Swift as Desire, a sad and funny tale about the importance of love.
Mexico James A. Michener. This book follows the story of a journalist sent to report on the meeting in a small town between two of the world’s greatest matadors. It endures as the most important literary work about bullfighting in Mexico.
Mexico City Noir Paco Ignacio Taibo. Taibo is Mexico’s most popular modern crime writer, and his thrillers featuring the down-at-heel detective Hector Belascoarán Shayne are vividly entertaining portrayals of the modern country and its often apparently chaotic nature.
The Border Trilogy Cormac McCarthy. McCarthy’s evocatively written trilogy – All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, and Cities of the Plain – takes place on the US−Mexican border in the 1940s and 1950s and is a stirring insight to the differences and similarities either side of what has long been one of the world’s most poignant frontiers.
The Night of the Iguana Tennessee Williams. Powerful drama made famous by the movie starring Richard Burton.
The Plumed Serpent D.H. Lawrence. Lawrence takes on profound problems – the meaning of life and death, the relations of man to man and woman to man – and argues for a profound change in Mexico. One of the best novels about Mexico, although not one of Lawrence’s best.
The Power and the Glory Graham Greene. Mexico was really only a conveniently dramatic backdrop to Greene’s meditations on religion, desperation, and commitment, since he knew and understood little about the country, but this novel about a lost priest during the 1930s anti-Catholic campaigns remains powerful.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre B. Traven. No other foreign author has written so much and so well about Mexico as the mysterious B. Traven (his identity is still a matter of controversy). Most of his books are set in southern Mexico, and his knowledge of that area is astounding. Others to look out for are: The General from the Jungle;The Rebellion of the Hanged; March to Caobaland; The Bridge in the Jungle; and The Carreta.
Under the Volcano Malcolm Lowry. Lowry’s astonishing masterpiece about an alcoholic British consul drinking himself to death in Cuernavaca centers around despair, but in the process it reveals an intense engagement with the Mexican environment.
Where the Air Is Clear Carlos Fuentes. The first, and often considered the best, work by Mexico’s most esteemed modern writer. As in all Fuentes’ major works, Mexico City, with all its infinite contradictions, is as much a character as any individual: the narrator is a rather mysterious man who spends his life listening to and watching fellow inhabitants of the capital, of every social stratum, as they attempt to cope with the conditions of their lives.
Arts, crafts, and traditions
Arts and Crafts of Mexico Chloe Sayer. Excellent photographs, and including step-by-step instructions for making traditional Mexican craft items.
Art and Time in Mexico, photographs by Judith Hancock Sandoval, text by Elizabeth Wilder Weismann. Well-illustrated overview of colonial art and architecture.
Days of Death, Days of Life: Ritual in the Popular Culture of Oaxaca, Kristin Norget. In-depth study of the popular culture of one of Mexico’s most distinctive cities.
Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art, Cándida Fernández de Calderón. Superb examples of traditional crafts, beautifully illustrated, with an illuminating text on the lives of the makers.
The Maya Textile Tradition, Linda Asturias de Barrios and others, with photographs by Jeffrey Foxx. Magnificently illustrated examination of the intricate complexity of textile-making in traditional Maya communities.
Mexican Churches Eliot Porter and Ellen Auerbach. A lavish collection of photographs from around the country.
Mexicolor: The Spirit of Mexican Design Melba Levick, Tony Cohan, and Masako Takahashi. Fittingly, one of the most colorful books ever published, which beautifully explores Mexico’s culture and love of color.
Birds and wildlife
A Field Guide to the Mammals of Central America and Southeast Mexico Fiona A. Reid. The essential aid for anyone wildlife-spotting in Oaxaca, Chiapas, or the Yucatán.
A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America Steve N.G. Howell and Sophie Webb. A well-illustrated handbook, and an excellent starter for anyone visiting Mexico who is interested in birds.
Marine Mammals: Baja California-Sea of Cortés-Pacific Coast Uko Gorter. A very thorough, illustrated guide in Rainforest Publications’ Mexico Field Guides series.
Southern Mexico Traveller’s Wildlife Guide Les Beletsky. Handy one-volume guide covering birds and land and undersea life.
Food and drink
The Cuisines of Mexico Diana Kennedy. Resident in Mexico for more than 50 years, British writer Diana Kennedy is the foremost authority on Mexican food and cooking, in English, and her books are both readable and practical.
The Food and Life of Oaxaca Zarela Martínez. Perceptive, intimate account of the role of food in the life of Oaxaca, also with usable recipes.
Tequila! A Natural and Cultural History Ana Valenzuela-Zapata and Gary Paul Nabhan. The lowdown on the culture surrounding Mexico’s most famous lubricant.
Other Insight Guides
Insight Guide Guatemala, Belize and Yucatán provides in-depth coverage of this beautiful area, with revealing features and stunning photography.
Smart Guide:Cancún will satisfy independent travelers looking for comprehensive listings presented in a snappy, easy-to-find way.
Read more from the travel guide to Mexico
