If you’re planning a big trip to central America, Mexico is more than likely on your hit list and for good reason.
It’s an incredibly vibrant country with a rich history, amazing towns and cities, great beaches and great people.
I spent 16 days traveling across Mexico on a new G Adventures and Hostelworld trip called ‘Roamies: The Most Mexico - Central Mexico, Yucatan and Cancun’ .
It covers some of the most amazing places the country has to offer, including Mexico City, Puebla, Oaxaca, Puerto Escondido, Merida, Valladolid, Tulum and Cancun.
The accommodation features the best hostels in each region - and because they’re hostels, you won’t need to empty your bank account to tick off some major boxes on your bucket-list.
Whether you’re into exploring some historical sites like the famous Mayan pyramid in Chichen Itza or if taking it easy while sipping a margarita by the beach is more your thing - this trip has got so much of Mexico covered.
Here are some of the highlights you should check out…
Take a ‘trajineres’ to see the floating markets in Xochimilco, Mexico City
This really is a Mexico City ‘must-do’ in my book. The Xochimilco canals are known as the ‘Venice of Mexico’. Here you’ll find colourful ‘trajineres’ - brightly, painted boats that can fit around 20 people - offering cruises on the water. The canal is full of vendors on boats selling everything from corn on the cob to carpets and there are smartly dressed mariachi bands happy to come aboard to serenade you with a couple of traditional Mexican songs. It’s an unmissable experience.
Xochimilco is about an hour drive from the historical center which is where you want to be staying in the capital - it’s the heart of Mexico City. While staying in Mexico City, our ‘Roamies’ group stayed in a perfectly located hostel in the historical center, Hostel Mundo Joven Catedral - it has a very cool rooftop cocktail bar that has great views of the city at night.
Go and see a petrified waterfall near Oaxaca City
Just wandering the streets of Oaxaca is enough of an experience itself. This city in Mexico’s southwest region is an extraordinary place with beautiful buildings, coffee shops, restaurants and bars. But if you would like a very unique experience, take a trip out to the ‘petrified waterfall’ about a two hour drive from the city.
It’s called Hierve El Agua and it's one of only two of these kinds of curious rock formations in the world. You can find the other petrified waterfall in Pamukkale, Turkey.
And it’s exactly what it says on the tin, a huge rock formation that looks like someone froze a waterfall in time. It’s formed by the build up of calcium carbonate in freshwater depositing over time - similar to how stalactites form.
After you check out the ‘waterfall’ there are some springs on a cliff overlooking the famous site where you can take a swim.
Check out a new wonder of the world near the small city of Valladolid
If any of your friends have visited Mexico, you’ve likely seen the famous pyramid of Chichen Itza in your Instagram feed. But there’s a very good reason this is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.
The El Castillo pyramid is the major draw to the site and with a guide you can learn all about the extraordinary detail the Maya civilization included in their construction techniques. I recommend visiting early in the morning as it can get pretty packed with people and it also gets very hot in the afternoon. We arrived early so there were plenty of opportunities to get great photos.
Swim in three cenotes in Santa Barbara near Merida
Merida is another beautiful, vibrant city and it's the capital of Mexico’s Yucatan region which is famous for having some of the best cenotes in the country. A cenote is basically a beautiful, swimmable sinkhole - formed after a ceiling has collapsed in a cave. They are filled with exceptionally clear, freshwater. Cenotes were a major feature in Mayan worship, they were considered the portals to the underworld.
A short drive from Merida you’ll find three cenotes in Cenotes de Santa Barbara. Here, you take a bicycle and cycle visiting Cenote Cascabel, Cenote Chacksikín and Cenote Xooc'. They each have incredible aquamarine, blue water - perfect for swimming in while surrounded by ancient stalactite and stalagmite formations. If swimming in a cenote isn’t on your bucket list, it should be!
Stay in this party hostel in Tulum
Tulum and Cancun are where you go for your beach days in Mexico. Located along the Caribbean coastline in the Yucatan peninsula, you’ll find perfect white sand beaches and turquoise water. However, these regions are more expensive than other Mexican destinations. So, for a great time at an even better price, stay at Hostel Che Tulum - if you like adventurous activities and a party atmosphere.
They have snorkeling tours on offer and fun themed nights with karaoke, Argentinian BBQ, beer pong or pizza night.
Have a beach day (or two) in Cancun
Our last few days on the ‘Most Mexico Tour’ were spent in Cancun - the top tourist destination in Mexico. We stayed in the Selina Laguna in the hotel zone which is right next to a perfect beach - white sand and pristine, turquoise water - pure paradise. The hostel has an amazing outdoor pool and cocktail bar overlooking a lagoon where you’ll get the best views of perfect pink, Cancun sunsets.
Another great beach destination is just a short ferry ride from Cancun on the island of Isla de Mujeres. Here, you can go snorkeling and even swim with whale sharks. It has an underwater museum or if just experiencing island life is on the agenda, you can rent a golf cart to explore for the day. It has plenty of cool beach clubs to check out like the very glam but chilled Zama beach club.
G Adventures’ The Most Mexico: Central Mexico, Yucatan & Cancún starts from €1799 per person.
For more information on ‘Roamies: The Most Mexico’ trip from G Adventures and Hostelworld, click here
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