Puerto Vallarta became one of the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico for one very good reason, the gorgeous beaches that ring the giant cove of Bahia de Banderas. There is a beach here for every personality, travel style, and mood. Even if you prefer less-touristy destinations, you can escape the city crowds in many of the tucked away beaches that are still within about 30 minutes of the city. Use this Puerto Vallarta beach guide to plan out your next trip to this vacation destination.

The Best Beaches in Puerto Vallarta

Playa el Salado

In the north of the city in the resort district or Marina Vallarta, you’ll find Playa el Salado, a Puerto Vallarta beach with plenty of activities. You can rent watersports equipment like kayaks, jet skis and more. You’ll also find the Marina Vallarta golf course nearby, and a turtle release program a few minutes down the beach. Playa el Salado is a great beach to keep yourself busy and find lots of restaurants and shopping.

Playa los Camarones

A little further south, in the hotel zone, Playa los Camarones is a beautiful long beach. Even though this beach is in a busy tourist district, it’s location is a bit tucked away and you’ll find a quiet place to relax. The calm water also makes it an ideal place for swimming.

Playa Olas Altas

Playa Olas Altas is the place to go for people watching, dining and nightlife. This beach straddles the Downtown and Romantic Zone regions, and has the famous malecon – a long and wide boardwalk to stroll. This is a great place to walk around sunset to take in the sights, enjoy the setting sun, and stop for a cocktail or cold beer. 

Playa Los Muertos

Playa Los Muertos is the stretch of beach just south of Playa Olas Altas. Though this beach can get crowded, there are many restaurants and beach clubs to pull up a chair. The water here is also great for a swim with a view of the picturesque Playa Los Muertos Pier. This high energy beach is also great for dining and nightlife.

Playa Conchas Chinas

Playa Conchas Chinas is a gorgeous beach that you won’t believe is only a 5 minute drive from downtown Puerto Vallarta. It’s filled with large rock formations that create lots of nooks to explore and have time to yourself. The blue/turquoise water and the gleaming sand make this a very picturesque beach.

Playa Mismaloya

This beach is famous for being a filming spot for the movie “Night of the Iguana”, the 1960s film that made Puerto Vallarta world famous. Playa Mismaloya is actually a small village that is a calm port. This is an ideal place to make a snorkel or diving excursion by boat to the nearby Los Arcos, large rock formations with arch features that are teaming with wildlife.

Playa Colomitos

Playa Colomitos is a tiny cove beach that looks like it’s straight out of a postcard. You can reach this beach by boat from Boca de Tomatlan, or by a short hike from the same village. The small cove is surrounded on all sides by tall cliffs, and the bright turquoise water laps on the small strip of sand. There are no services here, so you’ll want to be sure to bring your own water or snacks.

Las Animas

Playa las Animas is another remote beach that can be reached by boat, or by a longer hike from Boca de Tomatlan. This is a popular beach to visit to spend the day swimming, sunning and eating. There are a few restaurants here to have a meal or a drink so you can spend a whole day or afternoon. The fine sand and the clear water make this an ideal place to swim and relax.

Yelapa

Yelapa is a small town and beach that is so remote, it can only be reached by boat. You can take a boat here from the Playa los Muertos pier or from the town of Boca de Tomatlan. After a 30 minute boat ride from Los Muertos, you’ll find yourself in a hidden paradise. This deep cove beach is surrounded by dense jungle and rolling hills that climb up into mountains behind. A river divides the beach in half, and the small town with pedestrian streets climbs up the hill. This is truly a place to disconnect and enjoy nature. There is a beautiful waterfall within the town to visit, as well as one nearby that you can hike to. You can take a day trip here from Puerto Vallarta, or stay for a few days to get away from it all.

Punta Mita

Punta Mita is a town about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta that is at the tip of a point, so you’ll be surrounded by water on three sides. This town is home to many luxurious resorts and golf courses. The beaches and water are immaculate and the views are sweeping. 

Sayulita

Sayulita is also north of Puerto Vallarta, but is a town with a barefoot, laidback vibe. This beach destination became popular as a great surf spot, but since has attracted artists, creatives, and others looking for a relaxed experience. There is also a growing nightlife scene here, so you can relax by day and party by night.

These Puerto Vallarta beaches show that you can have completely different beach experiences depending on your mood or travel style. From lively city beaches to remote boat-access only beaches, surf destinations, luxury getaways and more!

We hope this Puerto Vallarta beach guide will help you find your favorite beach in the Bahia de Banderas. Let us know if you have any questions below!

For More Mexico Travel:

• 44 Things to Know About Living in Mexico as an Expat
• 40 Things to do in Mexico: My Mexico Bucket List
• Where to Stay in Mexico City: Trendy Areas Near Top Attractions
• 50 Unmissable Things to do in Merida, Mexico

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San Miguel de Allende is one of the most picturesque cities in Mexico. Its colorful buildings, cobblestone streets, immaculate facades, and impressive churches make every block of the historic center a photo op. But there are also interesting gardens, markets, and hot springs nearby to visit. This San Miguel de Allende guide will give you ideas for the best things to do, what to eat and where to stay in this beautiful town.

What to Do in San Miguel Allende

Walk the Beautiful Historic Center

The first thing to do in San Miguel de Allende is walk all around the beautiful historic center. You can start at the impressive Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel (tip: arrive early to beat the crowds), and wind your way through the cobblestone streets. Be sure to pass through the Parque Benito Juarez, the Lavaderos del Chorro (public laundry basins), the Temple de San Juan de Dios, and as many of the small charming streets as you can.

Botanical Garden: Charco del Ingenio

The large and gorgeous Charco del Ingenio Botanical Garden should not be missed. This garden is outside the centro, so you’ll want to take a taxi. Plan to spend a couple hours making a large circle around the well maintained trails that wind down next to the presas (dams or lakes), and back up the hill, offering a sweeping view of the valley and San Miguel de Allende below. Admire the huge variety of agaves, succulents, and amazing plants in the greenhouses and around the whole property.

Hot Springs and Spas

Spend some time soaking in thermal springs in one of the nearby hot spring parks and spas like La Gruta or Escondido Place. These spas have various pools with warm thermal waters to enjoy in a peaceful natural setting. You can spend a full afternoon, adding on massages, meals at the restaurants, and more. These spas are only about 15-20 minutes drive outside the city, so can easily be reached by taxi.

Visit the Artisan Market

The Artisan Market is another must-visit to get a feel for the local traditional artisan work. You’ll find lots of metal work, like jewelry, decorative metal wall hangings, lamps, and more. You’ll also see ceramic bowls, decorative ceramic signs, some textiles, woven goods, as well as produce and fresh flowers.

Walk up to the Mirador at Sunset

San Miguel sits in a valley with a steep hill rising up on one side. This is an excellent place to watch the sunset over the city. My favorite mirador is simply called “El Mirador” and it is a long overlook with a sweeping view of the city below. Have a bite at El Manantial (see below) before or after heading up to the Mirador.

What to Eat in San Miguel Allende

El Manantial 

El Manantial was my favorite place to eat in San Miguel de Allende and it will be my first stop on any return trip. This cantina has a cozy and cute atmosphere, and delicious food. Order the artichoke, chile relleno, tostadas topped with seafood, and the margaritas.

Vía Orgánica

Via Organica is a farm, a specialty health food store and also a farm-to-table restaurant. Visit their store and restaurant to stock up on fresh, organic goods, and eat a tasty healthy meal. The store and restaurant have moved to the farm outside the city, but the 20 minute drive brings you to a beautiful location to enjoy the natural surroundings.

Lavanda Café

Lavanda Cafe is always busy, so arrive early and be sure to order the unique and tasty lavender latte. This is a great spot for breakfast, to sip some specialty coffee or to have a sandwich or salad.

Don Taco Tequila

Don Taco Tequila is a stylish spot in the centro that serves tasty vegan tacos and delicious cocktails.This restaurant has a great atmosphere at night and doubles as a bar.

Luna Rooftop Tapas Bar Rosewood

For the best views around, head to the rooftop of the Rosewood hotel for a sunset cocktail. Luna Rooftop Tapas Bar is a luxurious and beautiful setting to enjoy the colors of the city skyline.

Ki’bok Coffee

Ki’bok is a coffee shop with some of the most delicious premium, organic coffee in the city, and plenty of space to hang out for awhile or work from your laptop.

Aperi

Dos Casas hotel has an excellent restaurant for lunch or dinner called Aperi. Everything is fresh and well prepared. Make a reservation here for a special meal in a beautiful setting.

Where to Stay in San Miguel Allende

Luxury: Dos Casas

For an unbeatable, luxurious experience, stay at Dos Casas hotel. The suites are huge with king beds, large bathrooms with bathtubs, and private rooftop terraces including a jacuzzi and sweeping views of the city. It’s quiet, comfortable, and stylish in every corner.

Mid-Range: Selina San Miguel de Allende

For a mid-range rate in a beautiful setting, check out Selina in San Miguel. The spacious rooms feature colorful hacienda style decor, and Selina locations always promise strong, reliable wifi, and an onsite bar and restaurant.

Budget and Unique Stays: Airbnb

Check Airbnb for budget rooms and apartments, as well as special and unique places to stay in San Miguel de Allende.

San Miguel de Allende will charm you with its beauty and history. Be sure to give yourself enough time to wander, find hidden nooks, and eat and drink the tastiest things the city has to offer!

For more travel to Mexico

• 44 Things to Know About Living in Mexico as an Expat
• Where to Stay in Mexico City: Trendy Areas Near Top Attractions
• 20 Essential Mexico City Travel Tips For First-Time Visitors
• 50 Unmissable Things to do in Merida, Mexico
• 10 Delicious Things to Eat & Drink in Oaxaca

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If you’re looking for a gorgeous beach destination without the throngs of tourists, head to the town of Puerto Escondido on the Oaxacan coast of Mexico. This beach destination is full of dramatic stretches of sand surrounded by cliffs, world-class surfing, delicious seafood, and a relaxed vibe. I’ll break down the best places to swim, surf, and hang out in this Puerto Escondido beach guide.

All the Best Puerto Escondido Beaches

Zicatela

Avid surfers (and those who want to witness some of the most skilled surfers in the world) should head to Zicatela beach, a long stretch of sand with giant waves that pummel down on it.

These waves are only for the experts, the swells are huge, and the rip current here is strong. This isn’t a place to swim, but to enjoy the buzzing energy and ambiance. Everyday around sunset, expert surfers head out and others gather on the beach to witness the action.

Playa Zicatela is also a great place for restaurants and nightlife, as well as to stay, to be close to lots of amenities. The whole stretch of beach is filled with cafes, restaurants, bars, and shops.

Check here for places to stay in Zicatela

La Punta

For a boho, barefoot vibe, trendy La Punta is the best beach for you. This little neighborhood at the very end of the Zicatela strip feels like its own village. It has only recently become more of a tourist destination, so the sandy streets feel off the beaten path. However, this has become an up-and-coming destination, so you can now find organic food shops, a few boutiques, and tasty restaurants popping up.

La Punta is also a great place to surf. The name, “The Point,” refers to the shape of the beach that curves into a rocky point. This means that there is almost always a good break here. Surfing is recommended for intermediate levels and above. If you’re a beginner, or unsure, head to one of the many surf shops to inquire about surf lessons, or what beach is best for your skill level.

Check here for places to stay in La Punta

Playa Principal

This is the main town beach in Puerto Escondido. The development here is a bit older, and the cove is filled with fishing boats. It’s a nice place to take a walk and get a view of the town rising up on one side, and the long stretch of Zicatela in the distance.

Playa Carrizalillo

Playa Carrizalillo is the epic postcard-worthy beach of Puerto Escondido. You arrive to this small cove beach from above at the street level. There you will find 160 steps that wind down to the stretch of sand and the gleaming turquoise water below.

Since this Puerto Escondido beach is surrounded by huge cliffs on all sides, there is a constant small wave that rolls in, making it perfect for leisurely swimming. It’s also a great place for beginners learning to surf.

This is a beach you will want to spend at least a full afternoon or more, soaking in the sun and splashing in the gorgeous water. You can pull up a beach lounger at one of the local restaurants (with a minimum spend requirement), snack on ceviche, and sip on a cold beer while gazing at one of the most beautiful beaches on the coast.

Check here for places to stay in Playa Carrizalillo

Playa Puerto Angelito/Playa Manzanillo

These two beaches are actually in one cove, split by a rock jetty down the middle. They are both lovely beaches with cliffs rising up on each side of the cove and calm turquoise water to splash in. Boat tours for viewing wildlife like turtles, dolphins and whales usually leave from Playa Puerto Angelito.

Playa Bacocho

Playa Bacocho is often overlooked, but is a beautiful and unique beach in Puerto Escondido. This large stretch of sand is dotted with large rock structures and cliffs. The beach is almost always quiet, with few tourists.

While it’s not safe to swim here, there is a great beach club called Club de Playa Villasol with a large pool, swim up bar, and restaurant, that you can purchase a day pass to.

Playa Bacocho is most well known for the baby turtle release that takes place everyday just before sunset. This event is run by a turtle rescue program, and asks for a donation to participate. It’s quite a magical experience releasing the adorable turtles at golden hour, and watching them make their way into the sea.

Punta Pajaros

This remote beach is actually about a 30 minute drive from the town, but is still considered part of Puerto Escondido. The big attraction here is Casa Wabi, a non-profit art project that aims to promote the exchange of art and ideas between artists in residency and the local community. The space was designed by famous architect Tadao Ando, and is a fascinating place to visit. Make sure to reserve your spot during one of their guided tours.

This is a great beach to visit for an afternoon, or to get away from it all for a few days. Because of its remote location off the main road, It’s best to arrive by rental car, and to bring food and supplies if you plan to stay overnight.

This remote stretch of beach is very calm, usually with very few people, but has started to gain a reputation as a destination for design lovers. Many gorgeous vacation rentals are popping up, designed by well known architects, and the beautiful hotel, Hotel Escondido is located here. 

Check here for places to stay in Punta Pajaros

Puerto Escondido has a beach for every type of traveler and mood. Or visit them all for a taste of it all. And be sure to sample as much of the delicious Oaxacan dishes and seafood as possible.

For more Mexico travel:

• 20 Essential Mexico City Travel Tips
• What to Do in Oaxaca For First Time Visitors
• 50 Unmissable Things to do in Merida, Mexico

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Wondering what to do in Oaxaca on your first visit? Expert, Susan Ripley of Brooklyn Tropicali, is here to spill all she knows!

It’s not very often that you find a travel destination that is jam packed with traditional culture, a variety of high quality artisan work, thousands-of-years-old archaeological sites, beautiful nature, colorful architecture, and some of the best food and drinks in the world. But that sums up Oaxaca, and explains why it’s becoming such a buzz-worthy destination.

So I’m putting together a guide for first-time visitors to Oaxaca, the quintessential list of what to see, eat, drink, and shop for in this cultural hub of Mexico. After spending more than 2+ years in this special place, I want to be sure that travelers have a chance to experience Oaxaca in an authentic and immersive way.

What To See and Do in Oaxaca

A comprehensive list of what to see and do in Oaxaca can be overwhelming. There is just so much history and culture, that you could spend months or even years trying to see it all. So I’m going to focus on some of the most historically important, as well as the most impressive places to visit in Oaxaca on your first trip.

Centro Sites

Every trip to Oaxaca should start with a stroll around the colorful and historic Centro. Start at the Zocalo (the main central plaza), visit the Cathedral, people watch, and catch a free concert or dancing.

Then make your way up the Andador, or the pedestrian street, until you reach Santo Domingo. This is an ex-monastery built between 1570 and 1608.

Take time to wander through the other picturesque streets. If you have time, visit the next-door neighborhoods of Jalatlaco and Xochimilco, where you’ll find vibrant and intricate street art.

Check here for some Oaxaca day tours:

• Guided City Walking Tour
• City Center Day Tour
• Half Day Oaxaca City Tour

Museums

As you wander the streets of the historic center, plan to stop in some of the best museums in the city.

Check out the current exhibits at MACO, the modern art museum. IAGO, an art institute that was founded by well-loved Oaxacan artist Francisco Toledo, has a library, beautiful patios, and rotating exhibits.

MUFI is a museum of Mexican stamp history, and also has beautiful common spaces and patios. The Centro Fotografico Alvarez Bravo has impressive rotating photography exhibits while the Rufino Tamayo Museum has an interesting collection of pre-hispanic art.

The Textile Museum is free and always includes fascinating information about traditional regional textiles.

And finally, the Museum of Cultures in Santo Domingo has a large number of artifacts and historical exhibits, plus you have a chance to view the beautiful architecture inside this ex-monastery.

Monte Alban

Monte Alban is one of the most impressive day trips from Oaxaca as it’s an incredible archeological site. As one of the earliest cities in Mesoamerica, it was built around 500 BC and was the capital of the Zapotec people. You’ll find it contains many impressive ruins, and sits atop a mountain with a stunning view over the city and valley.

Book a tour here

Hierve el Agua

Hierve el Agua is an amazing rock formation located in the remote rolling mountains about an hour and a half outside the city. The site features natural mineral springs on top of a mountain. As these springs have slowly spilled over the edge, they’ve formed calcium deposits that resemble a waterfall. I’ve never seen anything quite like it! And the valley views are striking as well.

Book a tour here

Ethnobotanical Garden

The Ethnobotanical Garden is part of the Santo Domingo ex-monastery complex. It features a very impressive collection of flora from all over Oaxaca state, the most biodiverse state in the country. The garden aims to include all important plant life and teach visitors about how the plants have factored into the history and culture of Oaxaca. For this reason, all visitors are required to take one of the scheduled tours.

What to Eat in Oaxaca

As the culinary capital of Mexico, and one of the most exciting food destinations in the world, eating should be at the top of your to-do list when you visit Oaxaca for the first time. Below are a few of the most important traditional, local dishes, and where you should eat them.

Tlayudas

One of the most quintessential Oaxacan dishes is the tlayuda. It consists of a very large crispy tortilla, covered with asiento (lard), a layer of bean paste, shredded quesillo (Oaxacan string cheese) and often shredded lettuce, tomato, and avocado. Order it with a side of tasajo (crispy, thin beef), chorizo (spicy pork sausage), or cecina (spicy thin pork steak). 

Try this local dinner at Tlayudas Los Libres or Las Animas.

Mole

A trip to Oaxaca wouldn’t be complete without sampling some rich, traditional mole. In Oaxaca, there are 7 types of typical moles, with the most popular being mole negro. Mole sauces often consist of 20-30+ ingredients and take lots of time and love to create.

Try the classic mole negro at Biche Pobre.

Memelas

Memelas are another important Oaxacan food staple. These crispy tortillas are usually eaten for breakfast, and sometimes for a snack at night.

The tortillas are a bit thicker and cooked until crispy on the comal. They’re then layered with asiento (lard), a bean paste, and topped with queso fresco (fresh crumbled cheese), or quesillo (a string cheese popular in Oaxaca).

You can order memelas sencillo (as above), or with added toppings like chicharron (pork rind), tinga de pollo (spicy stewed chicken), or champiñones (mushrooms).

Try authentic memelas at popular street food stand, Memelas San Agustin.

Tacos

While Oaxaca isn’t the capital of tacos in Mexico (that title is reserved for Mexico City), there are delicious tacos to be found here too. Head to Itanoni, a restaurant that focuses on a diverse offering of items all made from heirloom corn. Try their tacos guisados, with fillings like huevo en salsa (egg in salsa) or chile relleno (stuffed chile poblano), and enjoy the star of the show – the hot, crispy freshly made tortilla.

Chilaquiles

Chilaquiles are a filling and delicious breakfast choice in many parts of Mexico. This breakfast dish is made up of crispy tortilla wedges, drowned in a red or green salsa, and sprinkled with queso fresco (fresh cheese), sliced onion, crema, and usually a fried egg, tasajo (thin salty beef) or chicken.

Try this tasty breakfast plate at Maguey y Maiz.

Food Tours in Oaxaca

For some fun food tours in Oaxaca, check out some options below. Also keep an eye on Brooklyn Tropicali food experiences for any new retreats!

• Classic Downtown Food Tour
• Mexcal and Local Food Sunset Tour
• Street Food Tour
• Cooking Class and Market Tour

Where to Grab a Drink in Oaxaca

It’s not just the food that makes Oaxaca’s culinary scene so exciting, it’s the amazing drinks, including traditional mezcal.

Visit a Mezcal Palenque

One of the best things to do in Oaxaca is head to a traditional mezcal palenque. Here you can learn about the typical process of creating this popular liquor, from agave plant to served beverage. You’ll see the different agave varieties, learn how long they take to mature (from 7 to up to 30 years!), how they are cultivated, roasted in a pit in the ground, smashed, fermented, and then distilled.

Often the most authentic mezcal palenques don’t offer tours in English, so I highly recommend booking a tour with a guide. A few of my favorite palenques/distilleries to visit are Lalocura, Gracias a Dios, and Mezcal Macurichos.

Mezcaloteca

After visiting a mezcal palenque, make reservations at Mezcaloteca, a bar/tasting room that does an excellent job of educating guests on everything mezcal.

My first visit was after I had spent quite a bit of time in Oaxaca and thought I already had a good base knowledge about mezcal. However, I still learned lots of new things and had a great experience tasting their impressive varieties.

In Situ

Now you’re ready to taste mezcal on your own, so head to In Situ, one of the best tasting rooms in town, where they can still guide you on your tasting journey with an excellent variety of mezcals.

La Mezcalerita

La Mezcalerita is a combination of a brewery and mezcal bar, with several rooms downstairs, and a lovely roof terrace to enjoy the Oaxacan night air.

It brews its own beer, but also has dozens and dozens of artisanal varieties from all over Mexico. They also have an extensive list of mezcals, including several house varieties.

Oaxaca Brewing Co.

Another brewery to taste some delicious locally-made beer is Oaxaca Brewing Co.. This intimate and cozy tasting room usually has a list of about 5 rotating artisanal beers and a super friendly staff.

Sabina Sabe

Finally, you might want to try a mezcal cocktail. Head to Sabina Sabe where the bartenders are experts in all mixed drinks, and can recommend something special for your palette.

Tejate

Non-alcoholic beverages are special and delicious here too. One of the most traditional drinks in Oaxaca is called tejate. This pre-hispanic beverage is made from toasted maiz, fermented cacao (chocolate seeds) beans, toasted mamey pits, flor de cacao, all ground into a paste and then mixed with water. The result is a frothy, rich drink with notes of chocolate. Try this afternoon drink in the Benito Juarez market.

Where to Shop & What to Buy in Oaxaca

Oaxaca is an art-lovers dream. The tradition of artisan work here is strong and reaches back for many centuries. Many pueblos are known for different types of artisan work. Check out the list below to find what interests you the most. You can usually find many workshops open to the public. These let you see how the artisan work is made and purchase it directly from the artists.

Local Traditional Markets

Markets are always one of the best ways to learn about a place and shouldn’t be missed. Also, if you don’t have time to make it to all the most famous pueblos to view the artisan work at the source, these markets will usually have a little bit of every type of work famous in this region.

In the centro, be sure to wander through the two main markets, Benito Juarez and 20 de Noviembre. If you are in Oaxaca on a Sunday, head to the bustling traditional market in nearby pueblo, Tlacolula. There is an impressive amount and variety of artisan work there. Plus you can also find food, clothing, plants, live animals, farm equipment, and anything else you might think of.

Woven Rugs in Teotitlan del Valle

Teotitlan del Valle is the most famous place to buy woven rugs. There are many workshops you can visit here to see how the artisans use the large looms, dye the yarn with natural dyes, and create beautiful works of art.

Ceramics in San Marcos Tlapazola, Atzompa, San Bartolo Coyotepec

There are several villages famous for ceramics all over the Oaxaca valley. Head to San Marcos Tlapazola for the typical red pottery. Atzompa is a village famous for green pottery, and San Bartolo Coyotepec is famous for black pottery.

Alebrijes in San Martin Tilcajete

A very unique artisan work famous in this region are alebrijes, or tiny, brightly painted wooden sculptures of fantastical creatures.

Textiles from Santo Tomas Jalietza

Beautiful textiles in different styles are famous in small villages all over Oaxaca state, from colorful embroidery, intricate huipiles (traditional blouses), or backstrap loom pieces. One of the best places to learn about these textiles is in the village of Santo Tomas Jalietza. They stillpractice traditional backstrap loom weaving here.

Mezcal

Your souvenirs wouldn’t be complete without a couple of bottles of special mezcal to bring home. My favorite place to buy mezcal is directly from the palenque or mezcal farms/distilleries. If you don’t have a chance to get to a palenque, or want to include a bit more variety, there are a couple of great stores to buy mezcal in the centro.

The tasting rooms of In Situ and Mezcaloteca sell special varieties. Besides that, Mis Mezcales has a good selection of high end varieties, and you can find special unlabeled very small batch varieties at my favorite vendor in Benito Juarez Market, Candiza.

Oaxaca is the kind of travel destination you can return to again and again – seeing, learning, and tasting new things every time. But on your first visit to this colorful, vibrant city, this list of must-dos will give you a well rounded (and delicious) understanding of the region, and make you want to come back for more.

Have you been to Oaxaca? What did you think?

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Chances are if you are heading to Cancun on vacation, you are staying at a resort. There are so many cool places to stay and when you save up for your big vacation, you want to take cute pictures in perfect outfits, feel like you are dressed appropriately, and feel comfortable. This Cancun packing list will tell you exactly what to take for a resorts stay as well as exact outfits you can choose to wear in Cancun.

Cancun Packing List + What to Wear in Cancun

Most resort stays are around 5-6 nights but make sure not to overpack. Why stress about what to wear once you reach there? See how many day and night outfits you need and take JUST that many. PS not all these photos are from Cancun! I didn’t have a lot, so added in photos from other places in Mexico and Central American resorts that are the same style I am mentioning in the post.

Clothing: What to Wear in Cancun at a Resort

In General

You’ll want to stick with dresses. Most resorts will have a little bit of a fancy vibe and in jean shorts you might feel under-dressed. Of course, if you are staying at a resort that has a “young” party vibe, then you could do shorts as well. Overall, dresses are the way to go.

I recommend taking one for each day, so around 5 day-dresses that will be loose, light, and short (not short-short but not maxi dresses that look formal). Think light cotton, linen, things that flow. I would take a few that are colorful along with a white and black dress. Wear something that makes you comfortable during that day that could even be used as a swimsuit coverup as you’ll be going from lunch, to the beach, to the pool.

These looks are from my Panama trip and around Goa, but you get the same idea:

I also love to take two-piece sets because they feel more styled and put-together than a dress sometimes. I like silk crops with textured skirts or two-piece sets that match and are a little more for style rather than comfort. A jumpsuit is also a great idea!

Swimsuits & Cover-Ups

While you can use those dresses as cover-ups, you should also take sarongs and swimsuit cover-ups with you. A simple white coverup can go a long way! I love having one that looks like a swimsuit coverup but I also take sarongs. L*Space makes some of the best bikinis and cover-ups. I also love the little bit pricier Melissa Odabash. You could just find something great at Target, too!

Little towels, scarves, and sarongs can be used to tie around your waist as a skirt – not just wrapped around like a traditional sarong and it’s a style that I love.

Extra Sun Protection

Adding on accessories like scarves in your hair, a baseball hat, or a floppy beach hat can make all the difference in an outfit and also just save you from getting brassy hair or a sunburn. I make sure to pack a pair of good polarized sunglasses, too. (Check out my favorite brands here) The sun is so hot in Cancun!

If you pop onto the ferry over to somewhere like Isla Mujeres, you’ll likely be laying out on a beach without an umbrella so you’ll want protection. I like to take a light pair of linen pants to throw on and a very light linen button-up top that will look cute but protect my skin a bit once I’ve had enough sun for the day but am not ready to go inside.

For Evening

For dinners, you’ll want a dress, jumpsuit, or nice outfit each night that will feel a little fancier. Most resorts have different types of restaurants so you can go to a causal one or nice one and you often need reservations ahead of time. While I tend to stay in a beachy boho look, you might prefer white capris and a nice shirt. It’s all up to you.

In a resort, you’ll have people coming to your room to clean and such, so make sure to bring PJs.

For Excursions

You’ll want to bring two pairs of “plane clothes” (I like to take loose culotte type pants and a favorite tee shirt, which I mention in my post on essential travel items).

You will want “excursion” clothing, too. You can go to the Mayan Ruins, cenotes, and more. For that, you will want to bring comfortable walking shoes, maybe water shoes if you’re worried about slipping at the cenote, and I like to take a Patagonia fanny pack or a small backpack like my favorite LeSportsac basic backpack. For the Mayan Ruins you can either do a cute dress or shorts and a tank, but it’s very hot there and you’ll want a hat and sunglasses. I recommend closed-toe shoes because it’s very dusty. You should take wet wipes with you to clean off a bit before the car/bus ride back to the resort. This is key!

If you’re going into town on a tour, you might want to take a casual outfit that is a little bit fun and colorful. I like to wear cropped pants like the white H&M ones below with a bright shirt or wear colorful loose culottes with a little tank top.

Extra

Don’t forget a towel (Tesalate is a favorite. You can use the code “hippieinheels15″ to get 15% off your order.), flip-flops (I love Reef leather ones), a good book or [easyazon_link identifier=”B07CXG6C9W” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Kindle[/easyazon_link], and your [easyazon_link identifier=”B00X409O6O” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]camera[/easyazon_link]!

As a bonus, I recommend taking a few spa items with you. You’re on vacation! Some nights you might want to chill in room so take a face mask, eye patches, and some other goodies you can do to help you relax. Since you’re staying in one place only, you can relax unwind and really get settled in.

For more Mexico travel

• What to Wear in Mexico: The Ultimate Guide + Sample Packing List
• 50 Unmissable Things to do in Merida, Mexico (2019)
• 40 Things to do in Mexico: My Mexico Bucket List

Pin this Cancun packing list and ideas on what to wear in Cancun at a resort for later

The post Cancun Packing List For Resorts + Ideas on What to Wear appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

There are so many articles out there about living in Mexico as an expat and some kind of scare people into not wanting to go or focus just on the cost of living being low – there so much more to know about living in Mexico. In this post, I’m going to share some things you definitely need to know about Mexico, some things that are kind of unique to living in Mexico or that I think might surprise you, and also debunk a few common things people say about living in Mexico that after a year, I haven’t found to be true.

Sometimes I find Mexico almost too easy to live in as an expat – and a lot of that might be because I spent five years in a very rural village in India before living here. But I think people who consider living in Mexico need to know what it’s really like and might see that it’s easier than they think to move to Mexico.

If I had a best friend who was asking me should I move to Mexico, these are the kinds of things I would tell her!

For reference, I have been living Merida, Mexico for one year. I have visited Mexico City and while I love it, it was too big of a city for me (think New York, seriously). Merida is a nice in between – a city of 777,000 people with small town vibes. Smaller rural places in Mexico will be different in terms of some of the tips below, as you can imagine, but these will relate to most places that expats choose to live in Mexico.

Living in Mexico: What you should know

1. You can stay as a tourist for 6 months and re-enter, but eventually, you need to get residency

Mexico offers six-month tourist stays to many (most) countries without a visa. After six months you can exit and re-enter. This is similar to what a visa-run in – there just isn’t a visa involved. But, if you are clearly spending all your time in Mexico, officials might eventually deny you entry because it will be clear to them you are living in Mexico, not a tourist, and in that case should be on a residency visa.

Rumor is that they are cracking down on this, but really what weight does a rumor hold? The bottom line is that if you plan on staying a long time – years, then you should get your residency but if you plan on trying it out for a year, then you are okay on a tourist visa. You can read how to get residency for Mexico here.

2. You’re going to need to learn some Spanish

Spanish is the national language in Mexico. While 92% of Mexicans speak Spanish, there are also indigenous languages that are spoken in some areas. Many kids are taught English as a second language and English is spoken in international business settings. But overall, your cashier at the grocery store, the electrician or plumber, your Uber driver, they are mostly going to be Spanish-only speakers. You are going to have to learn the basics, and life will be easier if you learn Spanish.

In Cancun and other touristy places, you’ll find many people speak English. But in Merida and Mexico City, people who aren’t all about working in the tourist industry, you’ll find less English speakers. According to a study taken in Mexico, only 5% of Mexicans speak English and it’s been introduced in only 18% of schools as a second language class. To me, it seems like younger teenagers know a lot of English, maybe from school or movies/tv but when I need help translating I’m luckier if I ask them than an older person.

I have been using Rosetta Stone to work on my Spanish and bring back what I learned in High School.

3. Mexico is beautiful and diverse

When you think of moving here ignore anything you’ve heard about Mexico being dirty! Even the big cities like Mexico City have clean streets and seem highly hygienic compared to big US cities. Yes, there is pollution but nothing to write home about.

When you consider living in Mexico, you can choose from cobblestone UNESCO sites like San Miguel de Allende or colorful Campeche, or you can go hippie beach at Puerto Escondido, or get really into the Mexican spirit in Mexico City. I cover this more in-depth in a post, “Everything You Need to Know About Moving to Mexico,” which really covers the “how to” move to Mexico and “how to” get settled and choose where to live.

There is also so much travel to do once you’re in Mexico, here are 40 of my bucket list items.

4. You CAN live in Mexico cheaper than the USA if you want, but…

…it can also be expensive – that’s down to your lifestyle choices. Forbes said that it’s 60% lower cost of living Mexico than the USA. I guess that must be true then – but when I compare my cost of living here in Merida to what it would be in Columbus, Ohio, it’s quite similar. The cost that is, not the lifestyle. Here I can afford to go out for dinner all the time, have a big house with a pool, have cleaners to help at the house, which allows me to focus more on work and personal time.

Could I live cheaper here than Ohio? Absolutely. Could I spend as much as people in San Fransisco? Probably. It’s all about what you choose to do. The question is do you want to spend less than you did before and have a similar quality of life or spend the same as you did before and have a better quality or life? I talk all about rent and such in my post on moving to Merida.

5. Yes, you can get an electricity bill in your name (and should)

Everyone told us that to do anything here (like buy a car or get a driver’s license or bank account) that you need a bill in your name. They also said that as a tourist, you cannot get a bill in your name. This is not true. Ben is not a resident and as soon as we signed our lease, we took it (and a copy of it, his passport and a copy of it) to the CFE (electricity office). They immediately change the name on the bill to Ben’s name.

Looking back, we should have done it in my name because I have residency and when applying for bank statements and such, I was the one who needed the bill in my name. The lease was in his name though, so it’s not possible to put the electricity bill in my name – it has to be the name on the lease. So think ahead of time WHO you will choose to have the bills in their name.

6. Mexicans are not anti-American

Some people back home ask me if the whole Trump/wall situation has made Mexicans bitter toward Americans. I don’t think so – bitter toward Trump, yeah! But I’ve never met one Mexican who has said a bad word about Americans in general and have found Mexico to be completely welcoming to me as an American.

7. You CAN rent a car and waive the insurance if your home credit card covers you

This is a conversation that comes up all the time in Facebook groups for expats in Mexico. I go into detail about this in a blog post about how to buy a car and rent a car in Mexico. But basically, when you rent you’ll see prices of 50 cents a day. Then when you show up, they will upsell you tons of insurance saying it’s illegal to not take the Mexican liability insurance. BUT if you buy the car rental on places like Expedia, Kayak, Mex-rent-a-car, etc you can see in the fine print on many (not all), that the 750,000 MXN liability is there. Legally, they have to give it to you. But some will deny it. Then you decline all other coverage as your credit card will say you have to in order for them to cover you. You need a copy of a letter from your bank saying you are covered. It takes patience, but it does work and I have done this many times in Mexico.

8. If you take the driving test, the written can be taken in English and the driving test is ONLY parallel parking

Eventually, if you are living here you’ll want to drive here! You can buy a used car and register it in your name. After registering you have one year to get a Mexican driver’s license. You will have to go take the driving test again – it’s 10 questions in English if you prefer and then parallel parking. I have a whole post on how to do this.

The funny thing is, that you never have to actually drive and show that you can go around roundabouts or understand one-way streets. It’s a bit telling! We have Mexican friends who tell us they just guess because who actually reads the driver’s manual? Another friend said they asked for the book but there isn’t one – he had to order one on Amazon.

With your license, you will also be able to use it at places like Chichen Itza or even ferries to pay local prices instead of foreigner prices.

9. Expect more festivals and family-friendly events

Mexico has so much going on at all times from cultural events like holidays and festivals to just general music and dancing in city squares. Of course, it has partying, too, and clubs – but it has so much going on for kids and families.

10. Mexico isn’t just shopping in markets – Costco, Walmart, Sam’s Club, it’s all here

You might be picturing going into a little market and getting your food from a lady selling veggies and hand-made tortillas. You can do this – and there are markets all over the place. But, there are also Costcos and Walmarts in cities all over Mexico. It’s up to you how you want to shop (no judgment here, ever!)

11. Missing American food? Impossible

The Mexican food is delicious but you also have international food from all over the world. You’ll have Thai restaurants, Indian, and even a Texas Roadhouse. There are tons of American chains here and also a lot of expats who run international restaurants offering all kinds of food from around the world. Not that you’ll get tired of tacos, but just in case.

12. You can do the same things here with kids as back home

In case you think that moving here would mean your kids lives will change too much, consider that kids here do just about the same things as kids back home. After school clubs, music lesson, sports, go-karting, laser tag, and bowling. It’s all the same.

If you want things to do on the weekend, there are professional soccer games, baseball games, professional racing like Formula 1,  going to concerts, seeing Hollywood movies (yes in English) at the theater.

13. If you buy a house or a new car as a foreigner, you’ll need all the money upfront – not mortgages and car payments

If you come here legally as a resident and open a bank account, you might think you will get a mortgage or buy a new car to make payments on. But not quite. While it is possible to get mortgages from the USA that will cover you in Mexico (rare but possible), most Mexican banks aren’t doing these, especially for foreigners. If you buy a car and want to make payments, the interest is crazy.

99% of foreigners who come down here buy their cars and houses outright. When you buy something as expensive as a house, you will put it in escrow and then the money will be wire transferred. With a new card you can pay on your Mexican card. But expect to pay for it all upfront.

14. Credit cards have VERY high interest fees here

You can get a credit card here and build up Mexican credit. Any credit you had outside Mexico doesn’t work here – you’ll be starting from scratch. You need to get one with you bank. You likely won’t be approved for one from a store at first. The interest fees are as high as 50% though and pretty much no one uses credit cards unless you 100% know you will pay it all off and are just trying to build credit.

15. Your TV’s, refrigerator, kitchen table… it’s all going to cost about the same as USA prices

If you get the quality stuff with brand names you recognize (LG, GE, Whirlpool, Samsung) you’ll pay pretty much the same price it would cost in the USA. The cost of living in Mexico is lower in terms of rent, food, and activities like going out – but “items” are going to cost the same if not more.

Things like a Kitchenaid mixer are 4x more expensive here. Anything that seems luxury or novelty is very expensive here. Forget Le Creuset!

I paid $100 for two Tommy Bahama chairs and an umbrella at Costco – the only place I could find them, which is a lot higher than I’d pay for a standard one in the states. If you need to furnish a house, don’t expect it to be done cheaply. Even the antique furniture here is SO expensive.

16. I can get nearly every beauty product I want in Mexico

No more smuggling stuff in like I had to in India for so many years. If I pop into Walmart, I can get any of the standard beauty stuff I could get in a Walmart in the USA. Not everything – but most of it. There are Sephoras in Mexico and you can shop online.

17. Renting in Mexico typically requires a contract signing in front of a lawyer and sometimes you need an aval

While Mexico seems to have a bank on every corner, in many ways it’s still a cash society. When it comes to paying rent, most landlords want it in cash only. No wire transfers. You’ll usually meet with a lawyer and sign a contract even for a 6-month lease. It’s all quite legitimate here.

Sometimes the landlord will want an aval – meaning they want someone to sign to be your back-up in case you bail and don’t pay. I have friends who found the perfect place but not knowing a Mexican to sign for them, they couldn’t get it. Such a bummer!

18. Don’t forget to pay your CFE bill (which can be quite high if you run the A/C)

This one time we didn’t pay our electricity bill… whoops. When your bill is due (every two months), they slip it into your door handle. Most homes are walled on the streets, so the door is literally on the busy streets and stuffed with coupons every day. We never got ours and didn’t realize it had been two months. Time flies.

We woke up to no electricity and realized it was only our house. We looked online and saw the bill was due two days before. No wiggle room on paying and no follow-up to remind us to do so. They will just shut it off! So stay up to date on your bills and keep notes of when they will be due; don’t depend on it showing up in the mail in case it doesn’t.

It requires a visit to the CFE to pay the bill and then ask them to turn on the meter. Someone has to come out to do that and they did for us later that day, however only because it was 98 degrees out. Sometimes they take their time and it can be days but they said since it’s very hot they were working fast that day to help.

19. Let’s talk other utilities:

Trash: Apparently, this isn’t the norm outside Mexico – but the garbage trucks come by three times a week

Gas: Your drier, stove, and hot water are run by gas. There are no meters on the gas tanks so keep an idea in your head of when you might need to top up or else you run out mid-cooking or right when you want a hot shower. You have to light the gas pilot light if it goes out and you have to light your stove.

Water: Your water CAN run out. Many people have well water and city water. Water is the cheapest bill but if you fill up a pool and have a lot of people shower it can run out. Don’t ask me how – but it does. I *think* it’s because the street water (city water) only comes in twice a day so it depends when you are showering and such. It’s never gone for long.

Electricity: I talked about the bill above. Power here is expensive, just FYI. There is no central air in 99% of homes here and in colder places that goes for heat too – people buy space heaters.

Internet: My internet here is faster than my parents in Ohio!

20. Most cars are manual

Just an FYI, when you are renting or buying a used car, keep in mind the majority are manual cars, not automatic. We car-searched for a month and ended up with a manual. It’s fine as that’s what we drove in India and it’s all Ben knows being from England, but I do like the ease of an automatic. It was difficult to find one.

21. It’s normal in Mexico to hire a housekeeper, groundskeepers, nanny, or pool cleaner

This is a personal choice and some people don’t like to have anyone help at their homes, but it is very normal here to hire someone to help you clean if you can afford it. I go into rates and such in my post about moving to Mexico.

22. Get a Mexican SIM card and you can use it in the USA and Canada

You can maybe even use it other places but that’s all I’ve tried so far. I recommend Telcel; it’s served me well! I pay around $10 a month for mine and get 4G and calls. When I’m in the USA, I just use my Mexican SIM and am roaming so usually have to top up, so might have a $20 month that month if I spend half in the USA. I’ve been going back to plan a wedding, so it’s been useful.

I haven’t had a USA phone number in six years so couldn’t tell you the price for it, but I think the Mexican one will be way cheaper. I think I used to pay $50 a month in the USA.

23. No, you can’t drink the water but it’s fine to cook with and shower with

What you have heard is true – it’s not safe to drink the tap water. Although some people do. It was the same in India, you shouldn’t but many locals did. Our bellies aren’t used to the bacteria and so we should not as foreigners.

I do cook with it – although I have friends who won’t and even Ben won’t.

Showering is fine! I get asked this all the time! Just don’t drink the water in the shower, sillies! lol!

24. Yes, you can eat the fruit and veggies

This leads me to the fruit and veggies. You should wash your fruit and veggies with filtered or bottled water. They are totally fine to eat – lettuce and all. Compared to India, the fruit and veggies here are DREAMY! So many options, and such quality BUT compared to my Ohio’s farmer’s market, it leaves something to be desired especially with lettuce, tomatoes (you won’t find those huge juicy ones here), and random things like leaks or celery.

25. You can flush your T.P. in some places but not in all

You’ll see signs in cantinas and smaller local places saying that you shouldn’t flush your toilet paper and can just put it in the trash can. This isn’t that big of a deal and all over Asia, there are places where it’s the norm. Don’t stress about it! Many homes it’s fine to flush – it depends on the sewage system in place so ask your landlord. In small towns like Tulum, you are not going to be able to flush. In airports, you can! It’s something you’ll start to figure out and there are often signs if you can’t.

26. Get an Amazon Fire Stick and buy a VPN app

Yes, you can watch American, English, Canadian and more TV shows here. There are so many ways to do this. You can get a mini-PC and turn your TV into a computer, turn on a VPN, and access any website you would at home like Hulu, Amazon Prime, SkyTV, DISH, Netflix, and more.

You can use a Roku, or get a smart TV here but those will only allow Mexican streaming. So Mexican Netflix and no Hulu (it’s the USA only).

I recommend the [easyazon_link identifier=”B079QHML21″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Amazon Fire Stick[/easyazon_link] as the easiest option (you can order this in Mexico) because it’s easy to install and voice-controlled. You need to then download apps like Comedy Central or whatever channels you watch. Just log in to someone’s USA tv plan (I use my parents). Then add apps for Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. But some apps will know you’re using a VPN like Amazon Prime so you’ll have to turn off the VPN and use the Mexican one.

27. The “old traditional Mexico” mixes with the new

One amazing thing about Mexico is that the traditional and the contemporary mix together with ease. You’ll see the ladies making tortillas with their hands and big flower markets with pickup trucks dropping off loads of flowers priced 1/10 of American prices. You’ll have street food served from little bicycle stands. But you also have luxury movie theaters, art galleries, new modern architecture, and more that will make you feel like you are in Europe. It’s amazing.

28. You don’t have to be concerned about having surgery here or what would happen in the case of a serious accident

Get good insurance and you won’t have to worry, I should say.

You NEED health insurance here. It’s ranked by the star system, similar to how hotels are ranked. If you get 5-star hospitals then you don’t need to worry about surgery and such. If you get the government health care, then yes I would consider not having surgery at their hospitals. I’m sure that’s not a popular opinion but when ALL of my Mexican friends tell me horror stories and say never go to those hospitals for something as serious as surgery, I believe them.

Here is a blog post all about our health care plan, costs, how to read their plans, and more.

29. People complain about the bureaucracy, but it’s not that bad

In terms of moving here, what paperwork they say you need is the case – it’s not as messy as people make it sound. I didn’t find myself running ragged trying to get things done. If you follow their instructions, you’ll be fine. I got residency, opened a bank account, registered a car, got a driver’s license, moved bills to my/Ben’s name, got health care, and car insurance and more and found it all organized and easy to do.

I think the whole “bureaucracy is a bitch” thing in Mexico is highly exaggerated. Yes, buying a house requires a lot of checking but if you have a great notario and PAY what you need to make sure it’s done right, you’ll be fine. If you think you can do it all alone and barely speak Spanish then yeah, it will be a bitch.

Then again, I was in India for five years and let me tell you – it really is a bitch there, so I guess Mexico might just seem like a breeze!

30. Yes, police in some areas will try to get bribes but in other places, they are your “friend”.

We’ve had it both ways, to be honest. In the Yucatan, I have had only positive experiences. The police presence is huge here. I don’t feel at all like they are out to get me.

In Quintana Roo, have had bad experiences and the police have demanded bribes. It’s going to depend on the area majorly, then also even in good areas, there will be bad apples.

31. You must follow road-rules

Even though not everyone does, you really should. You should signal when you turn, wear a seat belt (I have been pulled over for this), not be on your phone, and do not drink and drive. They do breathalize and will set up check-points.

32. Uber is your best friend here but local transportation is great, too

Uber is in *most* places in Mexico. It’s not in Cancun and some other touristy places that the local taxi drivers are fighting it being there (and it’s dangerous). We had this issue in Goa, too, and I’m glad that where I am now in Merida it’s safe and legal to take an Uber.

In big cities like Mexico City, you can take Uber easy and cheap or you can do the metro. I prefer the metro to buses anywhere – and it’s very safe (with a women’s compartment).

Inter-city and state buses are good, too, and I take the ADO often. I just took one actually to Cancun Airport!

Within your town, there will be local buses that you can take all over the place and most expats do this rather than buying a car. I’m a car person and have to admit, I’ve never taken a local bus in Merida.

33. Your safety 100% depends on the area you live/travel

While I take the ADO from Merida to Cancun often, it doesn’t mean that all road travel is safe. You do hear of bus crashes, and just recently a bus going from Merida to Quintana Roo (I cannot find the article now) was shot at 18 times by robbers trying to get the bus to stop – but the driver didn’t and got away!

They say you’re okay if you drive during the day and take toll roads. We have driven at night to and from Cancun and all around in the Yucatan, but other than that I haven’t done a lot of driving in Mexico.

Many expats drive from the USA to Mexico when they come here for six months a year or if they want to move all their things here. There are Facebook groups with tips on how to do this. There are states in Mexico that you shouldn’t go at all – and others that are okay. Here’s an article that has some of the most dangerous places you should avoid. All the places you hear of expats living are safe areas (for the most part – Cancun, Riviera Maya, they have their issues but it’s a personal choice, I can’t tell you if it’s safe to YOUR standards.) I recommend googling crime rates.

34. The same goes for men

I suppose if you are in a seedy area, you could have issues with men. Most cities have a kind of no-go zone (all over the world, not just Mexico). So use common sense. But in general, men here are totally respectful.

In Mexico City, they have women’s only compartments and our friend there told us harassment is bad toward women. It surprised me because in a year here, I have not encountered this. In India, I did encounter harassment (what they call eve-teasing), groping, and staring. So Mexico City seemed fine to me!

Some people say there is an issue of staring or attention here if you are blonde and I find that inaccurate. I never notice anyone staring at me. In all the places I have traveled to so far, the Uber drivers have waited until I get inside to pull away. They all seem nice – that’s my opinion.

35. It’s all about the cantinas

Those swinging Western-movie doors are where you want to go. Most cantinas don’t look like much from the street, and in some areas of Mexico City, they are lined up door to door, so you won’t know which to choose! Just walk in to one – don’t be nervous!

Most cantinas are popping from 5-10 and they usually shut at 10. The good ones have live music, dancing, botanas (free snacks), and good cheap booze!

36. Long term taxis aren’t an affordable option of travel

Mexicos cost of living might be low, but unlike many areas of Asia where that means you can take a train, taxi, or bus and not pay much difference, that is not the case in Mexico. If you have a long distance to go and the bus schedules aren’t working for you, your best bet is to rent a car. Tour companies that will take you from city to city tend to charge an arm and a leg. It’s best to find a local driver who will be there for you when you have long trips and hire them over and over.

37. For shipping, use FedEx, UPS or DHL.

Local post isn’t reliable, which is a bummer! Some birthday cards have shown up which is more than I can say for India, but I had a huge package from Australia just not show up at all. The tracking ends once it reaches Mexico.

If you have something serious to send, then you should stick to the big players – they cost the same as in the USA, aka a fortune.

38. Customs takes things seriously when you fly into *some* airports

When you fly into Mexico City and have to clear customs, it’s a breeze you just walk past and push a button. No one talks to you unless you are chosen to be searched – which I have been once (when I had my dog with me).

In Merida, it’s a headache. There is ONE person that questions every single person and the line is so long. They search nearly everyone. Drug dogs sniff out your food and they confiscate it. You can’t bring meats and cheeses and such. Processed food is okay. You cannot bring TV’s or expensive things and expect to not pay customs on it – even if it’s old. They will make you pay. So, make sure if you are bringing old stuff you don’t put it in the box to keep it safe – which makes it look new. Think about the things you are packing and how you are packing them.

39. Yes, the food is spicy but only if you add a bunch of spicy salsa to it

The food baseline isn’t that spicy, it’s the salsas that are. Dishes won’t come with salsa on them, you add it – so just avoid adding the spicy ones. If you don’t like spice, you can avoid it here.

40. Tipping is huge here

Like the US, tipping is big here. When you get your bill at a restaurant, you add the tip to the card machine choosing 10, 15, or 20 percent. At petrol stations and grocery stores, you should tip. Your hair salon, nails, the guy who watches the cars in parking lots, you should tip.

41. If you’re expecting Tex-Mex, you’ll be disappointed

You aren’t going to get Chipotle-style burritos here (damn, they are so good!). You will get amazing Mexican food but not “tex-mex” unless you go into a tourist establishment, which you can. But local Mexican food is very different. If you want flour tortillas, you’ll have to ask and only in tourist restaurants will they have them – most will just have corn.

42. Mexicans love a party – and firecrackers

During festivals and birthday parties, expect noise all night long. It’s pretty crazy how hard they party and how late they stay up. How many fire-crackers and fireworks until you get bored? It was the same in India. It’s not every night though, but something to know.

43. Sometimes ordering from Amazon USA is better than Amazon Mexico

You can use your Amazon USA account in Mexico. You just pay a set fee to Amazon when you check out and they deal with customs for you. Sometimes it’s as low as $5. You should compare the price of the item on Amazon Mexico. If it’s a novelty item or imported, it will be very expensive on Amazon Mexico.

As an example, I wanted a pool raft that was decent (not the $2 ones from Walmart). They were $100 on Amazon Mexico! On Amazon USA the same raft was $20 and they charged me $5 for shipping and customs. After I got the raft, I was reimbursed $2 because customs was less than they thought. If customs is MORE than they thought, they take the hit on that.

I’ve done this with several things I’ve ordered to Mexico.

44. Lastly, you’re going to love it here!

If you are thinking about moving to Mexico, get ready for the biggest adventure of your life. It’s an amazing place to live. It’s very expat-friendly, easy to live here, affordable, and fun with all it’s quirks. Enjoy the culture, the food and music, and the kind, welcoming people!

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There are thousands of cenotes in the Yucatan. Cenotes were actually made when the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs hit earth! You can read about the giant crater the cenote created, the Chicxulub crater, at that link. Living in Merida, there are so many cenotes near Merida to choose from. While it’s fun to tour around and check out small off the grid ones, like this one, sometimes you want something *perfect* that will be good for when family and friends come to visit you.

For me, the best cenotes in Merida to take my family to are the Santa Barbara cenotes at Homun. If you ask most locals which is your favorite cenote, they will often say “Homun!” without even thinking. At Homun, are the “Santa Barbara cenotes” which is a set of three cenotes.

Upon arrival, you can choose to tour just one or have access to all three. For three cenotes, the cost is 150 MXN ($7). For an additional 70 MXN, you can add on lunch, which I highly recommend. The cost includes access to three cenotes, transport between them either by horse-drawn carriage or bicycle and lifejackets.

I grew up near Amish country and am very used to horse-drawn carriages but still felt a little bad riding in one. My mom did as well. I think if we went back we would ride bicycles which would be a lot of fun, but most families there used the carriages. The ride is just 3-5 minutes out to the cenotes, then you walk between the three, then you take a ride back.

As you can see, no one is around! We arrived at 9:30. They open at 9 and we were the only ones there for the two hours we spend in the cenotes. As we headed back toward the restaurant, we saw a few families showing up and during lunch, tour buses started to come in.

This is from the first cenote. It was dark down there in the morning! As we started walking down, even I was nervous but then the guy who worked there came and turned on the lights. It’s truly in a tiny hole. My mom was asking “are there snakes!?” but no, there aren’t. Once you get through the small hole, it opens up to a huge staircase and a beautifully lit up cenote. This was probably the coolest one.

The second cenote is just a smidge further down the path and between these two cenotes are bathrooms and a shower. There’s also bathrooms and a shower at the entrance but in case you wanted to rinse off here, it’s an option. There are picnic areas outside of the cenotes where you can sit your things and relax once you come up.

The second cenote has enough light coming down that there are no artificial lights inside. It’s beautiful. Because we got there early, we avoided crowds but that means the sun isn’t lighting up the whole place, so we could only really swim on the side that had light.

The third cenote is the most open of the three. Although it’s large, it’s maybe the least impressive because it’s so open and not really down in a hole.

I brought the two Usnorks that I have so we could look under. These are snorkels that cover your whole face to make you look like a weirdo but also so that you can breathe through your nose or nose, whatever you like. You can also dive down and the snorkel can’t get water inside of it which makes them unique. I got it on Amazon, you can see [easyazon_link identifier=”B07G11XCF5″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]reviews for Usnork here[/easyazon_link].

After the third cenote, we walked through the (not very impressive) gift shop into the restaurant. I wasn’t expecting much since it was just 70 pesos (drinks not included, but beer was I think 30 MXN) and a tourist site, but it was actually very good food.

The panuchos were very tasty, the Sopa de Lima is some of the best I’ve had, and we had a starter of the beef empanadas that were very tasty. I definitely recommend eating lunch here! My parents loved the food as well.

Logistically, we drove here because I have a car but you could also rent a car which would be the easiest way. A car rental for a day can run you between $1-20 (yes, for real, tips on booking here). You can also hire a local tour company or driver for the day from many of the agencies in Centro.

What to take? The wind does make it a little chilly so bring something to cover up with after you’re done swimming. Take a hat, sunscreen, water shoes if you don’t want to go barefoot (you can go barefoot from the steps can be slippery), snorkel, and a towel.

I’ve been to many cenotes around, but you know what you are getting with this set and there are three in one place to check out, so I’d say this is the best cenotes in Merida for a day trip with a traditional lunch if I *had* to choose just one.

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My parents recently came to visit and I really wanted to show them a Hacienda. I had been to some for lunch outside of Merida and had stayed in a couple of smaller ones in town, but I was looking for a really epic one since they were on vacation. Hacienda Sac Chic has won tons of awards and is well-known as a luxury wedding destination and Casa Sisal, another home of theirs on the same property is a house that really inspires Ben and I when it comes to how we want to build our dream house in Cholul. I decided it was perfect to check these out, and they invited me to stay complimentary to share about it with you!

When you first enter, you don’t see the pool straight away but as we toured the house and got settled in, we were drawn to it like moths to a flame! It was a hot day, and the pool was perfect. It’s such a beautiful setting and right next to a bamboo forest!

I actually had to take a photo of these leggings for Instagram, and they are made from bamboo. I didn’t know there would be so much bamboo at the Hacienda, but WOW how well did that work out!?

The entrance had so much colorful walls and different types of plants. I love the cactuses! there were archways throughout the area you could walk around the whole garden exploring and even go up on the roof.

The Hacienda called Casa Antigua is from the 1850’s and is made from limestone. In the main house are two bedrooms, one with a loft up top, a living room, kitchen, and a huge bathroom plus a pool outside. Across the courtyard is Casa Nueva, has three bedrooms as well with a sunken in living room (so cool and something I want to do in my future dream home!), and is a little more modern. We stayed in Casa Antigua. The house was renovated by the architect Salvador Reyes Rios and his partner and wife Josefina Larrain and they made most of the furniture using local craftsmen.

My room, coffee in bed, and the loft which is above

I’m actually obsessed with the blue concrete in the bathroom. I think it’s chukkum which is a local way of doing concrete here and I want to do this in grey one day! It’s so beautiful.

Casa Sisal, Near Merida, Yucatan

Old meets new when you dip under an old archway and cross the grounds into Casa Sisal. I love the Hacienda and my parents really loved it – but Casa Sisal is a modern stunning home that if I could, I would live in! No one was staying there so they let us come over to take photos and use the pool.

This bedroom is everything! I love the chukkum, it was so smooth and polished, I love the cream color and simple elegant design. Sometimes simple is best, and in this house that’s what makes it!

The glass doors were great and while you usually see black aluminum in homes, I loved the white they had which really kept things looking fresh and bright. This house had a sunken in living room, too that you step down into and a big open modern kitchen.

In case you’re wondering why I had so many outfit changes, it’s because I had some clothing to promote on Instagram so went ahead and shot them here! I’m not normally packing so much for an overnight trip.

In terms of how much it costs, it does change based on the season. Casa Sisal is $375/night which for a luxury mansion in seclusion like this I think is a good price – most likely you’d have another couple to split it with since it’s two bedrooms.

The Hacienda is split into two houses, Casa Antigua where we stayed ($700/night) and Casa Nueva ($975/night) or you can take both of them for $1550/night. Obviously, it’s not super cheap but this is one of the top Haciendas in the Yucatan and often people rent this out for weddings. Check out booking and more rate information here.  Just an FYI, the BARN I am getting married in back in Ohio is charging $1500/night to take the farmhouse the night before the wedding. Lol! 

Logistically, I drove here and visited the nearby Santa Barbara Cenotes on the way in, before we checked in. You can hire a chef, but we brought a cooler with our own food to cook dinner and our own drinks. Once you’re here, you are pretty much staying here; it’s quite secluded and it’s really like finding a mansion in the jungle! It’s a magical experience. We packed Rummikub and played a few games before bed, toured the grounds, and spent time reading by the pool. There IS WiFi at the property and there is staff on site to make sure everything goes smoothly.

So, where would you want to stay, the Hacienda or Casa Sisal!? And who thinks I should have booked my wedding for here!? Haha kidding kidding, it’s still in Ohio but maybe we should throw a big party here one day for our anniversary! ;)

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There are so many apartments for rent in Mexico City that are boho-chic or modern or have an old fashioned feel. The options are limitless for where to stay in Mexico City. It can feel overwhelming at first when you start to look. You have to really think about the area you want to stay in before you start to look to help you narrow it down. It would be like going to NYC and not knowing if you want to be in Queens or Manhattan – you should figure that out first then look for a hotel. In this post, I’m going to share where to stay in Mexico City based on a few places I’ve stayed and others that are on my list after extensive research – as I know I’ll be back for years to come!

Read More:

• 20 essential tips for Mexico City
• 3 day Mexico City itinerary

Airbnb’s are a great option! You can get them from $30 a night, or a very cute one for around $50, and a super stylish one for $80, while a luxury one would be closer to $200. Boutique hotels start at $100 and go up to around $400 and there are some really amazing world-famous ones I’ll share about. There are also budget hostels that are perfect for backpackers. I’m going to break the post down into categories and share with you the best of the best in each one!

Where to stay in Mexico City: Which Neighborhoods and Hotels are Best for You

In general Roma and La Condesa are the best. They are trendy, cute, safe, and have awesome cafes and popular restaurants. They also host most of the best nightlife. They are for sure the most fashionable right now. Juarez is just near here and also a good option – some say it’s the next Roma.

For a fancier area, you can look at Polanco which has all the luxury shopping and very rich people hanging out. If you wanted, you could stay at the historic center, but it’s not what I would choose personally as we only went there for a day of shopping and sightseeing. It’s also called El Centro and mostly around the Zócalo area is where you’ll get such a bustlin’ real life Mexican scene like cantinas and crowded markets.

If you want a more local borough that is cute and safe, then look into Cuauhtémoc and San Rafael. Coyoacán is another area we explored a little that has some museums and markets and is pretty much residential but I think it’s best to do just a day trip here.

Overall, Rome and Condesa are the winners and Juarez is a great option, too, if you find a perfect place to stay there. If you want to be in the thick of it, then El Centro but I don’t recommend that.

Where to stay in Mexico City: Airbnb’s in Mexico City

When you search for an Airbnb, just look for Condesa, Roma, and Juarez. Realistically this is where you’re going to find the cutest and most popular Airbnb options. Downtown you’re going to get more average homes that won’t be as “cute” or “trendy” but are real-life homes or modern business-like apartments, while in the areas I listed you’re going to get more upscale apartments that were designed by millennials who probably did so with Airbnb in mind and are set up well for guests. For Airbnb’s, you’re looking at around $40-$100 for a cute, fun one or up to $200 for a luxury one. I’ll share where I stayed plus a few I had found and starred for later trips. I spent so many hours finding the perfect places!

If you book an Airbnb, you can sign up with a new account using my link and get $40-$52 off your booking. That is a night free for a lot of these options! You can also just sign up now and use the credit on a later trip to anywhere.

Cute Roma Apartment, 3 BR, $80

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I loved this little 3 bedroom apartment. It was in Roma, on the main street, located near Lalo and all the coolest cafes. The living room was cute as you can see and the bedrooms were cozy and comfortable with big closets. The bathroom was fairly small and standard, but clean. The kitchen had a nice coffee machine and coffee for us to use. It was $80 at the time of booking.

Luxe Casa Dovela Apartment 1 BR in Condesa $180

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Our last night, we splurged out in this apartment in La Condesa. It was $180 at the time of booking. It was such a dream, I wish I could have stayed longer. It was a one bedroom huge apartment with a big living room complete with Netflix. The kitchen had snacks, water, coffee, and soft drinks. But let’s be honest the bathtub was the best. It had heaters which were very luxurious in the winter here and not the usual – and having a nice hot bath then staying warm in the heat was amazing. I’ll be staying here again!

Minimalist and clean Roma apartment 1 BR for $72

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Industrial loft in Roma $100

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Brick hipster 3 BR in Juarez $105

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Boho secret garden 1 BR $79

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Luxury Modern Roma studio $98

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Colorful chic 2 BR in Roma $120

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Vintage architectural 1 BR gem in Roma $120

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Colorful bright 2 BR Roma apartment $129

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Wooden loft in Roma $119

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AMAZING 3 BR Art Deco Beautiful House in Roma $300

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Best Deal: cute boho 2 BR Roma apartment for $37

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Where to stay in Mexico City: Boutique Hotels and B&B’s in Mexico City

Mexico City has some of the most incredible boutique hotels. It was hard to decide between Airbnb and the hotels but I just love the charm of staying in someone’s home and they were so well-located. Plus, a bit cheaper. But if you want the true hotel experience you will be in heaven at these world-renoned boutique hotels that are featured over and over on everything from CN Traveler to Goop. It was hard to narrow down this list, but this is my personal list of favorites. These range from $100 for a lowest room at a couple of these hotels to up to $500 and rates vary a lot by room and time of year so I will not add rates, but a link where you can see images and get rates!

Condesa DF

 

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Mornings at #HotelCONDESAdf! @nealbeckstedt #habitaLOVESyou

A post shared by Grupo Habita (@grupohabita) on Dec 1, 2018 at 9:00am PST

The most popular boutique hotel (and maybe hotel of all time) in a neoclassical building in Mexico City is Condesa DF, in Condesa. It’s a mix of Mexican and French design. There are 40 rooms. See more photos and get rates.

Busue

 

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A post shared by BUSUE MX (@hotelbusue) on Apr 6, 2018 at 3:29pm PDT

This is your chance to stay in a Hacienda styled luxury hotel room with the tiles, wooden beams and all. This is in Polanco, the very fancy neighborhood with all the shopping nearby. See more photos and get rates.

Chaya B&B

 

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A post shared by Chaya B&B Boutique (@chayabnb) on Feb 10, 2019 at 7:35am PST

This is a dreamy place to stay downtown. The suite has a bathtub in it, and while the other rooms are small they are designed in a beautiful way. This is a younger scene and more vibrant than the other traditional boutique hotels. There are 11 rooms and it’s a place to splurge on the suite. See more photos and get rates.

Hippodrome Hotel

 

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On the edge of La Condesa, you can have breakfast on your balcony overlooking the park. This hotel is very modern with geometric designs and bold colors. See more photos and get rates.

Las Alcobas

 

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This is a Luxury Collection Hotel and there are huge standing bathtubs in each room – complete with fancy massage jets. It’s all about the personalized customer service and tiny details like Bose speakers, complimentary coffee wake up service, and a turndown service that includes a shoe-shine! See more photos and get rates.

El Patio 77

 

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A post shared by El patio 77 (@elpatio77) on Nov 15, 2018 at 1:21pm PST

A little lesser known, this is a very cute hotel that has each room decorated for an area of Mexico like the butterfly Michoacan room! It’s the most affordable on this list (each room is a different price) and that is because some are suits but a couple of rooms have shared bathrooms. See more photos and get rates.

Nima Local House Hotel

 

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In Roma, this hotel has just four stunning rooms. They have huge windows with wrought iron frames that open to standing balconies. The rooms are light, bright, and have cozy things like fur throws. See more photos and get rates.

Hotel Habita

 

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#thismustbetheplace #Habita @vinecents #habitaLOVESyou #CDMX #DesignHotels

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Romantic and very classy and modern, this Polanco hotel is for those who want a luxurious fancy escape. It’s a gorgeous hotel even from the street. See more photos and get rates.

Downtown Mexico

 

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Right in the heart of Mexico City, on Isabel la Católica 30 you will find #DowntownMexico by #GrupoHabita part of the @smallluxuryhotels collection. @mirosleidys #habitaLOVESyou

A post shared by Grupo Habita (@grupohabita) on Dec 7, 2018 at 6:48pm PST

If you want to be in El Centro, near Zócalo, then this is the trendiest best place to stay. It also has a bar and rooftop pool. This is owned by the Habita group, who also own the hotel listed above (Hotel Habita) and Condesa DF. See more photos and get rates.

La Valise Hotel

 

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Hidden away in Roma, each room is a unique and pure luxury in this 1920’s building. The “Terraza room” has a bed that slides out through the open balcony doors so you can sleep outside! This hotel is very exclusive. See more photos and get rates. PS: there sister hotel in Tulum looks epic!

Where to stay in Mexico City: Hostels in Mexico City

There are tons of hostels in Mexico City, but these are the top five most popular with some being old classics and others being adorable boutique hostels.

Casa Pepe, El Centro, $25 

 

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Rooms are so cute and comfortable. This is the best hostel on the list for cleanliness and comfort but has style too and bathrooms are per 6 people dorms. There are private rooms for $100 that are very cute and have bathtubs! They have a cool bar scene and even rooftop yoga.

Mexique Zocalo, Cuauhtemoc, $15

Amazing rooftop views of the city. Simple dorms with lots of color and art, a kind of hipster vibe in a restored 1950’s building – so holding that cool Mexico City charm.

Hostel Home, Roma, $10-15

 

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A post shared by Eduardo (@eduardo_leon) on Nov 30, 2018 at 2:28pm PST

Cute and colorful entrance but very basic beds and rooms. You’re in Roma, though, which is awesome! The building is a restored old colonial.

Gael Condesa, La Condesa, $15

This is a quiet, simple no-frills place in La Condesa, a trendy neighborhood like Roma. It isn’t a party place but has a nice common room.

Metro Hostel Boutique, Roma, $15

 

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Don’t you love a good interior!? Check out the hostel I stayed in during my visit to Mexico City ( felt much more like a bed and breakfast).

A post shared by Stamps In Stilettos (@stampsinstilettos) on May 28, 2017 at 3:36pm PDT

Super cute place, cute rooms, beds, and decor. Quiet area in Condesa, not a party They also have private rooms for 2 or 4 people for $40-$70.

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There is so much to do in Mexico City and while you are researching and getting excited about all the good food, museums, markets, and day trips, you might also be starting to wonder what to wear in Mexico City. Don’t worry I’ll help you with packing for Mexico City; writing packing tips are my favorite posts ever to write! I will touch on when you might want conservative clothes, walking shoes for visiting pyramids, and the temperature changes – it does have a high elevation! I’ll go over what to wear in Mexico City in December (when I was there last) but also just the winter in general. I’m also going to start this conversation with a few tips on safety.

Packing For Mexico City: | Outfit Ideas & What to Wear in Mexico City

Is Mexico City Conservative?

The first thing to note for women is whether or not Mexico City is at all conservative or you can show as much skin as you want. From what I noticed, it is not conservative and you could wear what you like. I was told that there are some harassment issues when downtown on transportation (which is why there is a women’s compartment on the metro). Because of this, you might want to cover up to avoid any extra attention as a woman (not specifically as a tourist).

I had no issues in this regard and was not cat-called or anything. I found all the men to be totally respectable and friendly! I also can say this isn’t like going to Asia where being a blonde girl, I stand out as a tourist – I felt no one looked twice at me and local girls had every color of hair imaginable so you couldn’t tell a tourist from a local for sure.

My point is, do not worry about how you dress in terms of looking too sexy or too touristy. You’ll be fine in whatever you wear! It’s not unlike any other cosmopolitan city.

Is Mexico City Safe?

Let’s also do a quick chat on safety. I am told there is a lot of pick-pocketing. On a tour I did, the email for booking confirmation said “do not wear flashy jewelry or clothing. Do not bring an expensive camera”. It made me worry a little before I went – so I left my engagement ring at home. Once I was there, I realized it was no different than somewhere like Barcelona or even London.

Pick-pocketing can happen anywhere (and has happened to me before if you remember!) If you plan on going into local markets and the metro, then you need to be aware of your surroundings and keep your purse closed and in eye site. For those who want an anti-theft bag, you can’t find a better one that the Ebags PacSafe purse which I used most recently in Panama. You can read a full review here.

I also recommend that you avoid the areas which are noted as unsafe in Mexico City. You can read a full list of them here. I did not go to the areas on this list. It’s a HUGE city. Maybe bigger than you are picturing – so try picturing New York City. They both have around 8.7 million people living in them. Could you cover Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, etc in NYC on a quick trip? Not really, and you can’t cover all of Mexico City. There is so much cool stuff to see and do in the safe areas, that it’s not worth venturing out to these others especially on a first or second trip. All the main touristy things, best cafes, and shops are in the safe areas which are all listed in my Mexico City itinerary. For more tips on Mexico City, check out my essential guide to Mexico City which goes into detail on transportation, lodging, budgeting, and more!

What to wear in Mexico City in December (Winter) | Is it really that cold for a jacket?

Yes! The thing you need to know is that in general Mexico City isn’t that warm of a place. It’s at a very high elevation and that keeps it cooler. The hottest month is May, and it peaks at around 27 Celsius (80 Fahrenheit) but still gets as low as 13 (or 55 F) at night. You’re going to need a little jacket no matter what time you visit Mexico City just for that evening breeze.

But, if you come in the winter, you need more than a jacket! I froze my butt off in my Airbnb in Mexico City in December – the old buildings get cold (too cold to even wash my hair!). It was 25 (77 F) during the day and down to 8 (46 F) at night.

That means LAYERS. Layers are so key! In the day time, we were in tank tops and pants and at times feeling very hot wear long pants with the sun shining down. While the heat doesn’t get too high there, the sun is strong, so you still need sunscreen and a hat at times – like when visited the pyramids or standing in long lines for museums outside.

What I Wore at Night

At night, I needed tennis shoes/boots, a tank, a tee, a sweater, and a jacket all layered up. The weather is really wonderful if you’re packed correctly for it. I only had one sweater so had to wear the same one every night with the same pair of jeans!

This was my look every day past 6 PM. During the day: cute outfits. At night, we would go back and shower up and change for dinner into warmer clothes. Now, this was my mistake not really realizing what 50 degrees was going to feel like. You can definitely bring cuter clothes!

You could do skinny jeans, various sweaters, or sweater dresses with leggings and boots. I wore my absolute favorite Blank NYC tan suede jacket most nights and also a black leather jacket. I took my Tye sneakers from UGG which are all time favorites and my Steve Madden ankle boots, which I take everywhere.

What to Wear Clubbing

At night time, you will want to look cute for bars and clubs. I had bronchitis so wasn’t bothered about all that! I recommend taking some “warmer” dress clothes. I didn’t see any girls walking around in club dresses. I think you’d look a little crazy with a short dress on, to be honest. I’d do dressy pants or a maxi dress, or a leggings/dress combo with a cute jacket over it. If you aren’t worried about clubs, jeans are totally fine here and you can do jeans, boots, and a jacket and look very chic and cool.

DO make sure to take comfortable clothes for the chilly Airbnbs. I brought fuzzy socks and warm leggings and was very glad that I did.

So now that we’ve covered that, let’s just talk about packing for Mexico City for the day time and go over what to wear in Mexico City.

What to Wear in Mexico City

Outfit # 1 and Outfit #2: Cute day dresses

By all means, pack a couple of dresses to wear during the day! I packed longer ones that had a little more coverage and always carried my favorite linen button up in my purse in case I got cold in an A/C shop or restaurant.

The dresses I took were my ASTR the Label one and the Love to Love Me Midi from Free People. I also took a favorite C/MEO dress but didn’t get a photo in it. I think in general, cute midi-dresses or jumpsuits are your best bet in Mexico City to look stylish! Here are some more options:

I paired these with my UGG Kari Slides which I take on just about every trip now and have in three colors: black, tan, and orange. They are my favorite sandals for traveling (review here). I took just two purses, both from Madewell. The mini tote in brown and the medium tote in Black. The medium tote was great for when I might do some shopping. The mini tote is good for just daily use because it fits my camera, phone, sunglasses, wallet, and lip stuff just fine. I tied a little cotton scarf onto the purse, which I wore on another day. Such a good accessory!

Outfit #3: Visiting the Teotihuacan pyramids

You’re going to be going up and down steep steps so I do not recommend a dress. Instead, a loose cropped jeans, a jumpsuit or shorts would work great. I did jeans and a simple tee shirt and tried to cute it up a little with a scarf around my ponytail. I wore my Tye tennis shoes. My friend Laura wore really cute cotton overalls and a long-sleeve shirt. We were both very comfortable! It was cold in the morning but got toasty as the day wore on. Not too hot, though in the summer the 80-degree heat will feel way stronger! You’ll want sunglasses and a hat for sure.

Outfit #4: Culottes and a tank

I love this outfit! It was so colorful. I wore the “Pintucked Chino Pant” from Anthropologie. They are a cropped flare and at $110 an investment. But, they are high-quality and always make a go-to outfit for me when I travel. I love the yellow color. The white would also be very cute and Mexico City is very clean and totally okay to wear white pants. I wore an old colorful woven tank from Free People with them. My Madewell tote was perfect for the markets!

PS: I wore a linen button-up over this and all other outfits during the day when needed, and although I have one from GAP, you can get them so many places. I love having a natural color one when I travel.

Another fun accessory is a hat! Mexico City is cosmopolitan and trendy and a great place to wear a wool hat. I love the ones from Wyldaire and Lack of Color. I’ll link a few cute ones! It took a while to feel comfortable in a hat, but after Panama, I was hooked:

Outfit #5: Colorful jumpsuit

I always pack the same types of outfits: a few dresses, a culotte/tank combo… and a jumpsuit! I freaking love them! This is a lovely linen one from Indian Summer. I like the blush color and have others I often pack like this Amuse Society one and some favorite from Studio Tia. I like cotton and linen ones the most as they are relaxed for everyday wear. Nearly every brand makes them! I like to wear a cute tank underneath or even a tee shirt. My UGG Kari slides were what I wore with this but I also took my James Smith Stevie Stacks. Mexico City is a lot of Uber’ing around so while comfortable shoes aren’t that important if you are more of a walker than you might want to wear something more like the UGG sandals.

More Mexico City Packing Tips:

Above are 5 cute options but if you’re going more days just add more dresses, jumpsuits, or another cute cropped jean. For accessories, the Madewell purses and Anthropologie hair scarves were perfect. Adding in a wool hat is great, too! I didn’t wear much jewelry as to not look too flashy (but like I mentioned, I don’t think it would have been a big deal). Overall the UGG Kari slides and Tye tennies were enough, but having a boot for the evening is a good shout. If you’re going in winter add in a leather or suede jacket and some sweaters.

Shop my shoes below

What I didn’t need?

A swimsuit, towel, or swim coverup! Most top Airbnb’s and boutique hotels do not have pools nor are there popular day trips nearby where you might need one. I can’t imagine that you’d want shorts either in the winter but they would be a good choice if you go for the summer, although I prefer dresses. Dresses for wandering around the city were perfect and in the heat are usually more comfortable than shorts. They also just look more put-together than jean shorts.

I took a checked bag for this trip and thank goodness because I did some shopping! I’d make sure to bring a checked bag and not overpack so you can take things back with you. For a personal item, I used my Lo & Sons Hanover backpack for the plane journey (it’s one of my absolute favorites).

It’s a very laid-back city and you don’t need a lot to visit, which is great. I took the bare minimum for beauty supplies: Smashbox concealer, Benefit bronzer, Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer, and chapstick.

For More Packing Posts:

• Packing for New Orleans: Cute and Practical Things to Wear
• What to Wear in Mexico: The Ultimate Guide + Sample Packing List
• London Packing List for the Fall / Autumn

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The post What to Wear in Mexico City | Answers to All Your Questions + Cute Outfits appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I love Mexico City! It’s a place that I will keep going back to – it’s a huge city and you’ll never see everything you want on just one trip. Visiting Mexico City takes some planning. While with smaller cities, I tend to wing it, with Mexico City I did do research ahead of time to make sure I didn’t miss out on some of the top things to do. I wrote about all of them in my Mexico City itinerary. In this article, I’m sharing Mexico City travel tips for first-time visitors, so make sure you read the other post (itinerary) as well so you know where to go and what to see.

In this introductory Mexico City guide, I’m going to go over when to visit Mexico City, how to get there and away, transportation there, getting a SIM card, health and safety, packing tips, currency, budget, lodging advice, local food, top areas to visit, tour companies to consider, top experiences to try, yoga retreats available, and lastly what to buy and where to shop. Whew! It’s going to be long and I hope these Mexico City travel tips will help you on your upcoming trip.

Remember to read my Mexico City itinerary post so you know what to do and where to eat during your time there. It covers from the time you wake up each day until you go to bed and has the day trip to the pyramids in there, too. PS: my what to wear and where to stay posts are coming soon!

20 Mexico City Travel Tips

1. Consider the weather when you book

You might think that Mexico City is very hot but actually it only peaks at around 80 degrees in it’s hottest summer months. In the winter, it is warm in the day but goes down to around 50 at night. If you want a sunny and very hot vacation, then you might like the summer. If you want some refreshing cool air at night then come in the winter. There are tourists all year-round but at top attractions like Frida Kahlo or the pyramids, you’ll find fewer crowds in the winter.

2. Think about if you want to go during Día de Muertos 

Many people want to make sure they visit Mexico City during the “day of the dead” festival. This is a beautiful site to see (I’ve seen it in Merida, not Mexico City). It’s on November 1st and 2nd. But, keep in mind that lodging will get booked up, places might be more expensive, and there will be more crowds at this time. For a little more information on the pros and cons, check out this helpful blog post.

3. Get a SIM card

Just walk into an OXXO (similar to a 7-11) and buy a SIM card there. It’s easy and I think just a few dollars (it’s been a while since I bought mine). You can add credit from your phone. It’s a very simple process and doesn’t require any ID’s and paperwork. Having the internet on your phone is key to use the maps while you wander around. Mexico City is huge!

4. Use Uber and the metro

With your SIM, you can book Ubers and use Metro maps to get around. Uber is very reliable and affordable. It is usually around $3 for a 10-15 minute ride somewhere in the city. If there is traffic at rush hour or you are downtown, you might want to take the metro. It’s a very well-designed metro. When they hosted the Olympics, they built this metro and since people visiting wouldn’t be able to speak Spanish, they used very easy to figure out colors and symbols.

Uber will take you just about anywhere including the airport (no issues with safety there) and to and from the Teotihuacan pyramids about an hour outside of town. When we needed an Uber back to town, there were no issues getting one from the pyramids.

The metros are very safe but there are reports of harassment on them. To help stop this, they made a women’s only compartment. This is a good option for solo female travelers.

5. Get pesos from the ATM rather than exchanging money

Paying with USD in Mexico will always mean paying more. Some places even have two menus – one in English with USD and one in Spanish with pesos and the USD one is always more. Get pesos from the ATM when you arrive. You’ll be charged a $3 or so fee, but it’s almost always going to be a better deal than exchanging pesos at the airport currency exchange booth. I recommend taking out about 3,000 MXN to start which is $156.

6. Make sure you have travel insurance

Mexico City has very good health care and if you are injured, you can feel in safe hands being treated here. There medical care isn’t as cheap as you might be thinking, though. You absolutely do not want to pay out of pocket here for medical expenses in a hospital. On the other hand, if you need medicine like antibiotics or run out of birth control, you can get this very cheap at a pharmacy without a prescription.

7. Keep pick-pocketing in mind when you choose your purse

I would avoid little backpacks or purses that don’t probably close when traveling in Mexico City. Like any city, there are pickpocketers around (in some areas more than others). While you’re not likely to encounter this in places like Condesa or Roma, you could downtown and in the metro. Just keep an eye on your purse and avoid any of the “no-go” areas. If you want a cute but impenetrable purse, check out this anti-theft purse review.

8. Dress for the weather – Layers are key!

I mentioned that it gets cold in the evenings from around October to March. We’re talking around 50 degrees but in old drafty Airbnbs and with the breeze it feels even colder. Bring a sweater and jacket. Bring boots! If you come in the summer, you still want to bring a light jacket for the evenings. Check out my full Mexico City packing list (coming next week, sorry).

9. Think about your daily budget ahead of time – it’s not that cheap of a city!

I know what you’re thinking – Mexico is cheap! But, this is Mexico City and it’s going to eat away at the money in your pocket. If you want to go to the top recommended restaurants, you’re talking $20 for a main dish. Museums aren’t free and can be around $10 to enter. Drinks are similar to the USA, around $5 for a glass of wine in a restaurant. You’ll be paying for your hotel, too, and if you stay somewhere nice like a top-rated boutique hotel this could be up to $400 bucks. At the same time, you can stay in $20 hostels or a $50 cute Airbnb.

If you had to budget for a day (on a budget), I would put aside $20 for a hostel, $10 for food if you are eating just street food, $10 for Ubers for the day (around 3 Uber rides), $10 for beer, and $20 for activities/entrance fees. So that is around $70 for the day.

If you’re mid-range, you might be getting a $50 Airbnb, getting around 5 Ubers for the day ($15), eating better food ($40) and drinking a bottle of wine ($20), plus doing sightseeing ($20). That puts you at maybe around $145 per day. If you are splitting costs with a friend it can save a lot of money!

If you want to go luxury, you can and there are so many amazing hotels in Mexico City that cost a bundle thanks to the amazing architecture and luxuries! You can eat the best world-ranked restaurants and pay $100 for dinner. You can hire private cars instead of Uber. It’s totally up to you!

10. Book an Airbnb in Roma or Condesa

I’m all about Airbnb. I love staying in people’s apartments. I did a huge search before going and have saved the best top-rated cutest Airbnb’s and have a list of them in this post on where to stay in Mexico City (coming next week). That post also has the top boutique hotels, the best hostels, and the most amazing 5-star hotels. When I travel, lodging is a bit part of the experience for me. It wasn’t when I was young, but these days I like to be more comfortable. The first Airbnb I stayed at was $80 per night (in the photo above). The second I stayed at was $180 per night (and was actually a boutique hotel that was also listed on Airbnb at a lower rate).

• Click here to view the first Airbnb listing (the cute one above)
• Click here to view the second Airbnb listing (luxury one below)

When you search on Airbnb thousands of houses will come up, so search by area. Check Roma specifically then check Condesa. These are cool trendy areas with a lot of the best food and bars. Because they are trendy, it often means the Airbnb’s are also trendy and well-designed. It’s a great area to be in.

If you book an Airbnb, you can sign up with a new account using my link and get $40-$52 off your booking. That is a night free for some of the cheaper listings! You can also just sign up now and use the credit on a later trip to anywhere.

11. Eat all the street food you see

Don’t be afraid of street food! Mexico City is a very clean city. If you have preconceived notions of what it will be like in Mexico, I think you’ll be surprised to know it’s cleaner here than in NYC! There are people all over the city picking up any litter and making sure it looks pristine. The food stalls on the street seemed very hygienic to me (but do keep in mind I lived in India for five years). A street taco goes from around 20 cents to 50 cents. I just grabbed them as snacks throughout the day – and not just tacos, literally anything someone was selling that had a line of locals, I was buying. Try it all because when else will you get such an authentic affordable time to do so?

12. Make sure to hit up the top museums & the main park

When you have a day to hang out, go to the Bosque de Chapultepec. This is where most of the big museums are located like the Modern Art Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the National Museum of History (which is in the castle on top). The park is bigger than Central Park and the top where the castle is offers amazing views. You can museum hop all day and grab street food in the park.

There are other museums outside of here which are mostly houses: Luis Barragan, Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and Leon Trotsky to name a few. Some do need appointments to enter and all are best to buy tickets online to avoid a long wait.

13. Don’t miss the views of the Bella Artes

One of my favorite views of the city was from the cafe inside the Sears downtown (on the 8th floor). You’ll see the Bella Artes across from you while you drink coffee and look down into the central square. It’s a really nice break. This is where you’ll do a lot of shopping (most markets are near here) so a good place to take a break.

14. Get a Lime scooter

Maybe you’re already using Lime scooters everywhere, but if you’re not then it’s time to start! I loved scootering around Mexico City. The sidewalks are great and most roads have an in-between section with huge walkways. These are going to be around $4 for a ride that would be just $3 in an Uber but it’s so much more fun and you can “pause” them when you see somewhere you want to stop. Just download the app and scan the scooter to start going. Make sure you get one that is charged! If it shows up on the map, it’s charged.

15. Spend time in the parks to see the epic dog-walkers

So, I mentioned that between the roads are walkways and in those, you’ll see dog-walkers that are the coolest people ever. They will be walking 20 dogs at a time. Not just any dogs but little poof poof ones mixed with pit bulls and Labradors, it’s just the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. Some even ride their bikes and have 10 dogs running on each side with them!

16. Take a food tour

Mexico City is THE place to take a food tour. I cannot recommend the Curious Mexican enough. Her tour was fantastic and combined street food I’ve never heard of in tiny corners of markets around the city with trendy cafes like Lalo for the best chilaquiles of your life.

17. Consider this yoga retreat

Many people want to go to Tulum or Puerto Escondido for a yoga retreat, but the benefit of doing one in Mexico City is that it’s about 1/4 of the price and then you are in a cool city to explore during downtime. The top ranked reteat is this 4 Day Detox to Retox Yoga Retreat for 3,247 MXN ($168). It has nearly 60 5-star reviews.  With just the accommodation and meals being included, you already have saved a ton of money but you’re also getting your yoga classes and a daily wellness class. This isn’t a place that says you can’t drink or party, it’s a place that teaches balance. You can use your cell phone but don’t be obsessed, party but do yoga the next day and have a green juice! If you need help with balance, this is for you.

18. Hit up the right markets

First up is La Ciudadela Mercado which is the most popular tourist market (pictured above). You’ll find most things you want to buy here but it is quite touristy and for some reason everything is 200 pesos from a huge blanket to a tiny trinket.

You can visit La Flor de Jamaica to see a local flower, fruit, and veg market. Artesenias San Juan is an artisan market that is very small and hit or miss but prices are lower than the main tourist market. Casa Fusion Mercado was my favorite. It has local artisans kind of like an Etsy shop: very trendy cool things that aren’t as touristy.

19. Research restaurants

Because Mexico City is so big, it has hundreds of recommended restaurants. I think it’s important in such a foodie city to actually read reviews and think about where you’re going to eat rather than just popping into a random place. There are so many good ones that you’ll want to try – don’t risk trying a random mediocre restaurant. The food here is amazing!

20. Don’t forget the nightlife

Mexico City has a huge nightlife scene. It has cool hipster bars and cute hideaways like Jules Basement or speakeasies like Hanky Panky, where you need have someone let you in (and they have the best mixologists in the city!) You should definitely go out at least a couple of nights! Mexico City is so cosmopolitan and chill, you’re going to love it.

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The post 20 Essential Mexico City Travel Tips For First-Time Visitors appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

There are some places that you leave knowing that you’ll be back, and Mexico City is one of them. It’s well-connected, cosmopolitan, and has so much to offer. While I recommend spending a week here, I know many people come for a long weekend, so I’m putting together a shortened Mexico City itinerary – what to do in 3 days in Mexico City!

Mexico City Itinerary (3 Days)

3 days in Mexico City is more time than you might think and it’s possible to do A LOT in this amount of time. Try to make sure to book your flights to arrive early in the morning and leave in the evening to give yourself as much time as possible – or if you can’t arrive early in the morning then come the night before so you can wake up already there!

The first thing you need to know is that Mexico City is HUGE. You cannot possibly do all the things you want to do. Even shortening my week there into three days to kind of show you a variety was very difficult. At the bottom of this 3 day Mexico City itinerary, I have put more information in case you stay for 5 days. It’s basically all the things I couldn’t fit on here but are SO cool. You might want to replace some of the things on this itinerary for those: for example, if you could care less about the markets maybe change it to a museum I list later on!

Read More: 20 Essential Tips for Mexico City

To try to help, I have made a map and starred the places mentioned in this blog post. You can zoom in and out to see where things are and help you decide other places to go. If you are in an area and have extra time, use this map to see if there is something nearby you could do.

Day 1 in Mexico City

Check into your affordable stylish Airbnb or boutique hotel. There are so many awesome places to stay in Mexico City that it’s really fun to look around for the perfect place for you. You’ll find Airbnb’s from $40-$80 that will blow you away. I’m writing a post dedicated to the options that I stayed at and loved the most. When it comes to areas, Roma and Condesa are great neighborhoods to start searching.

The photo below is from this Airbnb listing for $80 a night. If you want the luxe one for $180, this is the Condesa Airbnb (the one with the bathtub below – it was so amazing). I have a post coming in a couple of weeks with all the best options, so just two in this post to start!

If you book an Airbnb, you can sign up with a new account using my link and get $40-$52 off your booking. That is a night free for some of the cheaper listings (and there are plenty under $40)! You can also just sign up now and use the credit on a later trip to anywhere.

Head out for lunch! Honestly, the options for lunch are plentiful and you can hardly go wrong. I rarely just pop into places and instead look up places that are highly reviewed or go where my friends and Instagram followers recommend. I’ll share the places that we decided to go since I already put a lot of time researching into it!

We had such a great meal at Delirio in Roma. After, we wanted something sweet and had to pop into one of the many El Moro churreria’s. You might as well just stop into one every time you go by because they are delicious! This place was just a typical churro stop but recently did a huge rebranding to look the way it does and people are obsessed. It’s been around since 1935.

Because a lot of the major things to do require getting there early, today you can’t really do the main attractions so why not go shopping? Alternatively, you could head out to El Castillo de Chapultepec if you were not interested in shopping. I’ll give information on both so you can choose!

For shopping, we enjoyed Casa Fusion Mercado which was a home that was turned into several boutique shops, each room being a shop. It also has some cafes. You can buy great souvenirs here that are homemade by local people. This isn’t your typical Mexican market like downtown and is more like boutique shopping, yet affordable. It’s kind of like walking into an Etsy shop. I bought my nephew the cutest dinosaur onesie and Laura got some unique mezcal. They also have vintage items and a flea market here.

Next, grab an Uber to the Polanco neighborhood. This is much more upscale and has shops like Zara and H&M but also all the coolest boutique stores like Ikal and Lago DF. They aren’t cheap but I did get the most amazing earrings ever!

You could alternatively go to El Castillo de Chapultepec, which is the only royal castle in the Americas. It was built by the Spanish in 1785. After many years of royals living there, it was abandoned during the Mexican War of Independence and eventually, Mexican presidents started living there up until 1939 when it was turned into a museum, which is now the National Museum of History. Keep in mind that this museum closes at 5 PM. It offers some amazing views of the city!

If you chose to go to Chapultepec Hill instead of shopping, then please do yourself a favor and rent a Lime scooter to get there! Just note: you’ll have to leave it just before the bridge you need to cross because you have to go up stairs, over a highway overpass, then re-rent one on the other side if you want to keep riding. Lime scooters are a smidge more expensive than an Uber but you skip traffic and they are so much fun. The park at the castle is perfect to ride around in!

The park at the base of the castle, Bosque de Chapultepec, is huge and I read it’s bigger than Central Park in NYC. There are several other museums here like the Modern Art Musem and the Natural History Museum.

If you want a bite to eat while you’re over here, there is a very unassuming place under the highway – literally- that has the best torta of my life!! It’s called El Heuquito and it’s a chain. I highly recommend grabbing a sandwich!

You’ll probably want to head home after shopping or sightseeing. Dinner at Amaya is a great call for the evening. They do Baja-style seafood and are always changing up their menu. It’s one of the most recommended places in town. While I didn’t love my seafood risotto, the corn appetizer was a favorite meal of the trip.

If you want to party, head to the very-trendy Jule’s Basement.

Day 2 in Mexico City

Breakfast at Lalo! is a must. We actually ate here twice and I could have come back again. The acai bowl was so refreshing, the pastries were amazing (especially the guava one!) and it’s some of the best chilaquiles I’ve ever had. You can have avocado toast here or traditional Mexican food which makes it perfect for travelers.

Now, you’ll want to head to the Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacan. This is the same thing as “The Blue House” and is where she and Diego Rivera lived – it’s also where Leon Trotsky lived with them until his assassination. If you can, get online and book a ticket. Do NOT do this through anything other than their website or they may not allow it (ie: TripAdvisor or Viator skip the line passes). The site would not take my USA card or my Mexican bank card so it seems a bit fickle. If you had an online ticket you go in a shorter line so it’s worth trying. The longer line can be hours. We waited for about 40 minutes. It’s hot in the sun, waiting on the sidewalk.

You really get to see a lot here and they’ve left it how it was from her bedroom to her paints!

You’re going to need a beer after this. Head to lunch at El Parnita. This taco joint was one of my favorite vibes of the trip! You can mix and match all kinds of tacos so try something new. I got a sausage taco that blew me away. So delicious!

For the afternoon, if you didn’t already go to the Castle, now is the time. If you did do that, you could shop with the above places OR you could head out to Tetetlan. This is a restaurant in Jardines de Pedregal – and I know you just ate but it’s not really about the food to me. The area it’s in was just volcanic rock and Diego Rivera was chatting with his friend Luis Barragan (the famous architect you’ll surely hear about in Mexico City) about how much potential it had. Luis decided to go out there and turn it into a neighborhood by building and designing 200+ homes. The most famous is Casa Pedregal. You can visit several of his homes in Mexico City like Casa Pedregal or Casa Luis Barragan BUT you need to get an appointment and they are sometimes booked months out. But don’t fret – you can still see his work at Tetetlan! Right next to Casa Pedregal is the restaurant which he designed from what was once horse stables. The flooring is glass so you can see the volcanic rocks below. It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen architecturally and they have a great shop (seriously very well curated) with very fair prices. I bought some pottery from Oaxaca. The food here was good but not great, I’ll be honest, but it’s still worth going. I’d just get a coffee and check it out!

PS: If you want to go to the museum “archives” next to Casa Luis Barragan, you don’t need an appointment and can just sign in, which we did. We didn’t really know what we were looking at though!

Head into town and get ready for dinner. We ate at Parcela. We loved the tacos here and the design of the place, but it wasn’t “popping” to say the least. If you want more of a vibe, Contramar is highly rated seafood. The thing is, most of what was recommended to us were seafood and Yucatecan style food – and being that I live in Merida, I wasn’t into a lot of them. Other recommendations were European or Fusion and we just wanted traditional Mexican food so tried places that had different options. Pujol, Maximo Bistrot, and Fonda Fina came highly recommended to us as well.

End your night at Hanky Panky, Mexico City’s most popular speakeasy. You do need to get directions from them and an appointment to enter. I just sent a message via Facebook to their page and they got back within an hour, so make sure to do it earlier in the day you’ll be visiting. In your initial message tell them the time you’re coming, as they will ask. They meet you outside and do so by appointment. Sometimes they can make you wait – be ready for that.

Day 3 in Mexico City

Wake up for an early food tour with “The Curious Mexican“. She’s a local chef and blogger who knows this city like the back of her hand and knows where to find the best local food – plus can explain it to you. I got more insight from this tour than I have living in Mexico for the last 9 months! It was perfection. I did the morning “CDMX tour”. I’m not going to share all the locations as it wouldn’t seem fair to give away her tour – but I highly recommend this.

We got to try the best tamales in town, truly local food I’d never heard of, learn so much, and have the most amazing green chorizo of my life. The best part was learning about the chiles of Mexico vs outside Mexico and how to make our own salsa. Now I know which chiles are my favorites and which I don’t like and can make salsa myself at home. It’s so easy but so important to know how the dried chilies and fresh go together. She also took us to trendy places like El Moro and Lalo! So you get to see such a mix on this tour.

Part of the tour takes place in La Flor de Jamaica (named this as there were once a lot of Jamaicans living here) which is a very nifty market to check out!

While you’re downtown, after the tour, there are a few things to do and see. First I recommend the main tourist market, La Ciudadela Mercado, which you’ve likely seen photos of. It’s the largest and most popular. It’s also touristy and over-priced. If you are going elsewhere in Mexico maybe wait to shop directly from the source but if this is your only stop then by all means, go crazy!

After here, we walked to Artesenias San Juan which is a very small (but soon to be remodeled) artisan market. It’s quiet and half-empty but I did find a gorgeous silver ring here. FYI, there are people selling gems and they are fake.

Relax and go for a pre-sunset view of the best view in town at Sears! No, seriously! Go to the main Sears downtown and go up to the 8th floor to Cafe de la Gran Cuidad. Try to get a seat at a barstool that overlooks the square below and is straight across from the Palacio de Bellas Artes. You can also go inside this building to see murals painted by Diego Rivera.

To end the trip, have a chilled out dinner and drinks at Mercado Roma. They have everything from Indian curries to El Moro churros inside. They will have live music. Check the timings as they are only open until 8 PM early in the week then late-night Thursday onward.

Time to take an Uber back to the airport.

If you decided to visit for 5 days in Mexico City, here are a few more things to add on to your Mexico City itinerary.

Mexico City Itinerary (5 days)

The obvious thing to add if you have more time is a day trip to Teotihuacan. This won’t even take a day! It opens at 9 officially, but sometimes earlier – it’s kind of random. Leave Mexico City at 8 am via Uber or local bus (I did Uber so we wouldn’t have to wait around at all and it was $30 each way). We were back by noon! We spent 9-1030 on the pyramids. You can get an affordable guide there if you’re interested in learning more in-depth about them.

There are also hot air balloon rides you can take early on. I have done several over the years and wasn’t interested but if you haven’t this would be an epic place to take one.

Another fun thing to add in is Mercado de la Bola for a meal. I loved wandering around this local market and we tasted everything we could!

If you want to find the famous pink wall you always see on Pinterest, it’s at Hotel Camino Real in Polanco and you can hit this up when you’re out that way shopping!

Make time for more street food. When you see a taco stall on the road that has 10 or more locals eating, grab a taco. For 50 cents, it is the perfect snack!

Roma and Condesa are cool neighborhoods and spending time wandering around them into cafes, restaurants, bars, and shops, is a must. Rent a scooter and ride in the middle tree-lined path between the roads. It’s safe and fun.

Add in the museums you missed at the Bosque de Chapultepec park. You will also want to consider making appointments to see Luis Barragan’s homes or adding in more tourist attractions like the Leon Trotsky house or the Soumaya Museum.

There is also more to do downtown like hanging out in Zocala, the main square, and listening to the mariachi! I hope you enjoy Mexico City as much as I did.

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If like me you are so excited to be planning trips around Mexico, you might be asking “Do I need travel insurance for Mexico?” and the answer is yes. I’ve been living here for about 9 months in Merida, a city in the Yucatan and have loved exploring new places around the country. After five years in India, it’s a very different vibe altogether! I’ve written about travel insurance on my blog, but want to address travel insurance for Mexico specifically in this post.

Do I need travel insurance for Mexico travel?

The truth is that yes you do, and not only for Mexico but essentially anywhere you travel you should always be budgeting in travel insurance into the equation. Even in a place that is light on the wallet like India, you need insurance, which I have written about in detail here.

Click here to get an insurance quote.

Often, people think that because they are going to a country which is less expensive than the one they are in, that health care will be “cheap” and they can go without it – after all, if something happens, they can just pay out of pocket? The truth is that something like a broken arm or kidney infection could run your $2,000 USD while an insurance policy will run you as low as $61 for a week of travel or $111 for two weeks (I just did a quick search to check).

You can run your own quote here. Just enter your home country and state, where you are going (Mexico), your dates, and age. It will tell you two different quotes the standard plan and the explorer’s plan.

Mexico is a great country to travel but of course, like many big cities around the world some places here do have a higher rate of petty theft, scams, and you do need to be street smart. The smartest of travelers still sometimes face issues abroad and having travel insurance for those or getting sick is such a relief – as your home insurance likely won’t cover your outside of your country. The amount of expats I have read about in the news here in Mexico who have $50,000 hospital bills from car accidents and aren’t allowed to leave the country until they pay is just crazy. It’s not a risk I would take.

Some reasons you might need travel insurance for Mexico are:

• Your flight gets canceled or delayed
• Your luggage is lost and the airline is being useless as usual!
• Your luggage, purse, or other belongings get stolen
• You get ill and need an overnight hospital stay
• You have a serious accident and need surgery or even life-flighted to a bigger better hospital
• You need someone from your home country flown to Mexico to help you in the case of an injury or illness and their flight needs to be paid for.
• You are doing adventurous activities in Mexico like scuba diving
• If you are renting a car (more on this later, it’s so important!)

Why World Nomads travel insurance for Mexico?

World Nomads is the best travel insurance there is based on cost and coverage. They focus their insurance on adventurous travelers and make sure to cover a wide and varied set of issues with a low fee. Everyone from Hostelworld to Frommer’s and Lonely Planet recommend this travel insurance and so have I on this blog for five years. I’ve personally used it since 2009.

World Nomads offers:

• Competitive prices
• Known to reimburse easily and without hassle
• Cover adventurous activity injuries in their “explorer” package
• You can extend your policy while you are traveling, which most other won’t allow, if you decide to stay longer in Mexico
• Customer service available 24/7

World Nomads rates are easily affordable for budget backpackers but their coverage is so good that even if you are a mid-range to a luxury traveler, they are the place to book through.

Renting a car in Mexico, travel insurance options:

If you are renting a car in Mexico, you will want to know about this! With the “explorers” package from World Nomads, CDW is covered (collision damage waiver). In Mexico, 750,000 MXN liability insurance is always legally on a car rental and with your CDW from the travel insurance that means you can decline all coverage when you rent a car. So those “upsells” they do at the car rental place, you can decline it. Many people can already do this with certain credit cards (I do with my Chase Sapphire) and it saves hundreds of dollars. This will pay for the travel insurance itself. There are such cheap car rentals in Cancun and other tourist hotspots. I’ve gotten a month car rental for $15 (kid you not, it was $.50 a day and then I declined insurance). Insurance would have been $20/day for the month which would have been a $600 fee that I got to avoid. You can too with travel insurance. There are so many small benefits like this!

Be careful to note that some car rental places will really try to push for the insurance and tell you that you are not covered, but you are. You might need to print out proof to show them. Remeber when booking to print out your car rental rules where it will state the 750,000 MXN liability is already there – they often try to make you pay twice for it.

What is an isn’t covered on World Nomads travel insurance

I would go into this in detail but I already wrote a post that breaks this down point by point with screenshots so click out to see what’s covered on WN insurance. Get a quote for World Nomads travel insurance for Mexico here or using the widget below.

The post Do I Need Travel Insurance For Mexico? Costs & Options appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

There’s no doubt that Tulum is the “it” place in Mexico and maybe even the world right now – yeah, big statement but let’s be real, everyone and their mom has been to Tulum lately! It’s where celebs go to pretend they are “down to earth” even though it’s one of the most expensive places in Mexico. It’s popular and booming for a reason, it’s the most idyllic little coastal town, with a center that has true Mexican vibes, local food, nearby Mayan ruins and cenotes, but on the beach they have modern villas, parties, and a Bali party vibe. Many people come to Tulum looking for yoga retreats and are shocked by the prices they find – yoga in Tulum isn’t cheap. I’m going to share a few Tulum yoga retreats you can book online through the site I’ve used for years back when I was living in India, bookyogaretreats.com, which is like the booking.com of yoga.

Whether you go to Rishikesh or Bali, this is a great website to start your search. While they won’t have all the smaller mom and pop places, they do have a listing of popular retreats with reviews you can read in detail about the yoga classes, teacher, cleanliness, lodging, location, food, and more. Even though they don’t list them all, this is a great option for people who want to book ahead, arrange airport transfers, read reviews, and pay through a safe website.

Remember that this won’t be all the options, there are hundreds if not thousands in the area! For more options you can google yoga retreats in Tulum and search for websites of the ones on offer – it’s just hard to know if their reviews are real that way so be careful sending a ton of money via PayPal or a bank transfer without doing your research.

When looking at prices for yoga retreats that include accommodation, take into account you’re getting a lot there when a non-A/C villa near the beach could be $300+ per night or a popular ‘Instagram-worthy” place is $600 and up per night with A/C. Tulum’s popularity comes with a hefty price tag if you stay on the beach. Many retreats that are very affordable offer accommodation off-the beach in town. You are still just a bike ride into the beach area and it’s actually nice to stay in a real little cute Mexican town. This is what we do when we visit Tulum.

Not interested in Tulum specifically? Here are 6 of the best retreats in Mexico

You can also see al Tulum listings here.

1. 6 Days Yoga Retreat in Tulum, Mexico for 15,839 MXN ($817)

This Tulum yoga retreat is the highest and most reviewed retreat in Mexico! It currently has 77 5-star reviews. Tulum is so pricey that for this rate just getting such an awesome loft for five nights is a steal! While food isn’t included, the 19% state and local taxes are. For food, it’s kind of good in that it will get you out exploring more so you can try some of the best food in Tulum. I have an article about my time here, you can read here. You can hire them for an airport transfer and tours for an additional fee. You’ll notice the Tulum retreat is priced higher than others on this list – Tulum is very trendy now and is expensive because of its popularity, which I think you can also tell by the sheer number of reviews for this retreat.

• Daily yoga classes
• Personalize your retreat according to your wishes
• Practice Hatha, Iyengar, Vinyasa, Yin, or Restorative yoga
• Five nights accommodation in a beautiful loft apartment
• 15% discount on scuba diving and snorkeling tours
• Free bike rental

Read reviews for this Tulum retreat and book here.

The above listing is from Tribal Tulum Yoga and they also offer a similar 8-day retreat which you can read about here and a 6-day free-diving yoga retreat you can read about here.

2. Various Options with Copal Retreats, Tulum, Mexico Starting at 19,000 MXN ($987).

Copal retreats have options in Tulum and Riviera Maya and the prices range. This is for people who are really into yoga and have specific teachers in mind. You can scroll their listings and see the teachers who are doing each course. I can’t link to them each as they will expire – they will have X teacher on April X and then another teacher on another date, so you can take a look yourself and see.

• 1-hour relaxation massage
• Daily sunrise and sunset yoga classes (Hatha, Kundalini, Vinyasa)
• Welcome ceremony with Mexican cuencos
• Two local cenotes and excursion to city of Tulum
• Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner by on-site chefs
• 6 nights accommodation

Choose your teacher and course based on reviews here.

3. 6 Day Relax and Restore Retreat in Tulum, Mexico for 17,345 MXN ($902).

While here, you’ll be staying in luxury glamping tents at Harmony Glamping & Boutique Hotel Tulum which has a pool and yoga shala and is 7 km from the beach. Food is farm to table and the yoga shala is in “lush organic gardens and a beautiful pond with water lilies and Japanese fish”. During this retreat, you will be served 10 meals, 5 breakfasts and 5 dinners at Tropica, and either Raw Love, Verdant and/or Frida Restaurant. You will receive 12 meal coupons when you register at the reception; 6 for breakfast and 6 for dinner.

• 2 daily yoga sessions
• 1-hour relaxing massage session
• 1 SUP board yoga session in a lagoon
• A chance to recharge your body and mind
• Free bicycle rental during your stay
• 5 nights of quirky accommodation
• 10 meals during your stay

Read reviews and book here. Reviews are directly on the bookyogaretreats website and they also add reviews from TripAdvisor. While this place sounds amazing, the reviews are totally mixed with some people loving it and others saying it was awful!). I would check for recent reviews. 

4. 8 Day Simplify and Replenish Yoga Retreat in Tulum, Mexico for 44,278 MXN ($2,304).

This retreat is through the company One Yoga Global and your teachers are Bita and Moses. While i’s lsited that food is standard, reviews say it was vegan. This listing is pricey compared to others, and that is likely because it’s on the beach.

• Yoga classes
• Meditation and breathing practices
• 7 nights’ accommodation
• Pristine beachfront lodging
• One group airport shuttle transfer to and from Cancún International Airport (CUN)
• Daily healthy meals

Read reviews and book here.

Those are the top listed reviews for Tulum yoga retreats online. While it’s not a lot to choose from, I think the first option is going to be your best bet with tons of 5-star reviews, it’s actually one of the top retreats in Mexico.

These are just from the bookyogaretreats site, there are so many more retreats in Tulum! I’m just trying to help you narrow them down to ones you can review – You can also search on TripAdvisor or in the Google search results. Much of what comes up are either drop-in classes or luxe retreats at 5-star properties. I’ll keep an eye on more listings I can add to this blog post.

Pin these 5 best yoga retreats in Tulum for later:

The post Yoga in Tulum: 5 Best Tulum Yoga Retreats You Can Read Reviews and Book Online appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I want to help you decide what to wear in Mexico! In this post, I’m going to share about the different regions, weather, resort wear vs. casual, and different experiences and outdoor activities you might want to pack for. Below is a complete Mexico packing list to help you get prepped!

Different Regions of Mexico

Mexico is not just the beach! There are so many areas in Mexico, lakes, mountains, and bustling cities. You will want to think about your itinerary when you start to pack. Some cities will feel a little more conservative than others. For example, in Merida, where I am based, people are mostly Catholic and cover up quite a bit: booty shorts and a bra-like crop top will really make you stand out.

Resorts vs. Regular Travel in Mexico

If you’re staying at a resort on the coast, it really doesn’t matter what you pack in terms of “Mexico” specifically, you can pack the same thing you would for Florida – but most resorts are a good excuse to dress up, at least for dinners.

Weather in Mexico

The summer here gets hot, hot, hot in some places. In general, in the winter, even in the hot areas, you will want to dress for some chill because even the hot areas will cool down a bit at night and jeans a sweater are sometimes the best thing to throw on.

When you are coming here in the extreme heat in the summer, I prefer to wear light linens, sun dresses that allow a breeze, and bring a sun hat to make any outfit instantly chic.

If you come to the higher areas in the winter, like Mexico City, dress for the cold! I was just in Mexico City last week, and it was around 40 degrees F at night yet nice and warm in the daytime. Layers are key! A sweater, jeans, socks, closed shoes, and a leather or suede jacket was perfect.

What to Wear in Mexico For…

Adventure Activities

You are totally fine to wear leggings here or shorts if you prefer with a workout top or tee shirt. I like to wear Tevas or Chacos when I can go with open-toe shoes but if closed-toe, you might want to check out Keen boots if you are doing a LOT of hiking or just a classic tennis shoe. A shoe like a Teva can also act as a cuter water shoe for visiting cenotes or waterparks.

Sightseeing

Some of the towns in Mexico are SO colorful. It’s such a good place to either dress in bright colors or if you want to pop, wear white! For shoes, I like to pack something like Ked shoes for when it’s rainy or a bit dirty/dusty to walk, or my favorite walking sandal, UGG Kari slides which make me feel like I’m walking on a cloud all day and are so darn cute. For a cheaper option, consider Franco Sarto “Gia” sandals – so cute and comfy.

The Beaches

Like most beaches, you pack as you usually would: bikinis, coverups, and [easyazon_link identifier=”B004XGPMFA” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]sunscreen[/easyazon_link]. I like to take a baseball hat or sun hat because it does get HOT here and I do burn here even more than I did in India. Bring your [easyazon_link identifier=”B07CXG6C9W” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Kindle[/easyazon_link]! For towels, the BEST is a Tesalate towel which is anti-sand and packs so well. You can use code “hippieinheels15” to get 15% off the towel. I also think you’ll want a perfect tote bag for the beach which you can just use as your “personal item” when you fly. Protect your eyes with sunglasses (like these) that are polarized; I like classic Wayfarers from Ray-ban.

Cultural Activities

Visiting Mayan Ruins or churches, you really might stand out in a skimpy outfit. It’s not really a religious thing as much as it is families will be there together and will dress to impress sometimes so you’ll just look out of place.

I recommend closed-toe shoes (even though I’m not wearing them here) because it’s dusty at a lot of these ruins and if you’re like me, it’s a terrible feeling to have dry dusty feet!

Nightlife

Literally, anything goes for the clubs and cantinas! Dress however you feel comfortable. For dinners, it’s the same as anywhere else: maybe a little less on the club look and little more casual or nice if it’s a fancy restaurant.

A Sample Mexico Packing List

If I were visiting Mexico for around 2 weeks and packing in a checked luggage (I have so many I love you can check out full details here but I’ll link some below too!)

10 Dresses

Sounds like a lot BUT we’re talking 14 days here – and dresses don’t take up that much space. 10 dresses and you’re ALMOST set! Dresses help with the heat, go from day to night, and are cute as can be! 1-2 dresess will be a smidge sexy while the rest will be casual and cool.

4 Bottoms

I’ll take a mix here. Currently, I’m into ADO high-waisted shorts and would take a white and a dark jean. I’ll then pack a cropped light Levi (like this one) and a “trouser”, my faves now are a gorgeous high-waisted mustard pair from Anthro.

1-2 Cute Top

To mix with the above, I’ll take a cute blousy shirt. Anthro has the best options!

4 Tee Shirts

I love to have tee shirts that are actually LOVE. I get them on sale from Anthropologie or I love to get the “bandana tees” from Free People that have my favorite brands on them.

2 sets Activewear

I love Stronger sets, Lilybod Leggings, Fabletics, and so many more – but you can bring what you love best!

Underwear/Bras

Nordstrom makes the most comfortable basic thongs which take up no space and are great for travel. Just buy a bunch in nude and take them on all your trips! For bras, the Demi by VS is the best but see all my favorite bras in this blog post.

Winter

Don’t underestimate the cold of Mexico in the winter. Check the forcast and keep elevation in mind. Mexico City and other popular places are at high elevations. You will want a coat – something like a leather jacket or suede coat is great, layered over a sweater. You will want warmer pants like jeans and tennies shoes or even boots. Dress for “fall” weather basically. No need for hats and gloves in most places. (Oh, also check out my winter skincare routine)

Shoes

• UGG Kari Slide (It’s the best)
• Franco Sarto
• James Smith Platforms
• UGG “Tye” Tennis Shoes
• Reef Flip-Flops
• Teva Tirra Sandals (only if water adventure stuff)
• Keen Boots (only if doing adventure stuff)

Toiletries

Here are some items I always travel with:

Misc

• Patagonia Fanny Pack
• [easyazon_link identifier=”B07MQC46KW” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Sun Hat[/easyazon_link]
• [easyazon_link identifier=”B07B9SZZH9″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Baseball Hat[/easyazon_link]
• Polarized Ray-Bans
• Tesalate Towel
• [easyazon_link identifier=”B01HFIKZWW” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Beach Tote[/easyazon_link]
• Sarong
• Madewell mini-tote purse
• [easyazon_link identifier=”B01LZHIX13″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Camera[/easyazon_link]
• [easyazon_link identifier=”B07CXG6C9W” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Kindle[/easyazon_link]
• [easyazon_link identifier=”B00Z9QVE4Q” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Portable Battery[/easyazon_link]
• North Face Rain Coat
• Anatomie travel pants
• Tan linen button-up
• 2 PJ sets
• 5 Bikinis
• 3 Swim Cover-Ups
• Cotton Hair Scarf

Any tips on what to wear in Mexico?

For More Mexico Travel

• 50 Unmissable Things to do in Merida, Mexico
• 40 Things to do in Mexico: My Mexico Bucket List
• What It’s Like Living in Merida, Mexico

Pin for later!

The post What to Wear in Mexico: The Ultimate Guide + Sample Packing List appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I love my city! I’ve been living in Merida Mexico for about a year now, and since I’m a blogger I have put in even more effort to get to know this city inside and out. I love to share on my blog about places I know well and Merida Mexico is one of them! Here are the best things to do in Merida Mexico during your trip here. It has so much to offer from culture and festivals to food and drinks, architecture and history; Merida Mexico has it all – and many activities are free!

This list is meant to simplify what you can find online and put the best of the best of Mexico with experiences and tour but also make sure to cover the top tourist attractions so you don’t leave with FOMO. I hope you love Merida Mexico as much as I do.

Read more: 40 things to do in Mexico, my wishlist!

50 Things to do in Merida Mexico

Merida, Yucatan Mexico | Let’s get started on this epic list of Merida things to do! 

I’m breaking this things to do list into sections starting with where to stay and basics, what to do culturally, museums, markets and shopping, what to do in Merida when it rains, festivals, food, cantinas, day trips, and more!

1. Experience the Haciendas

Choose your home here wisely! I love the cute boutique hotels and even hostels. I loved Luz en Yucatan and Hotel Hacienda Merida both a lot. You can also go higher end at Rosas X Chocolate or Casa Lecanda. For a hostel, look no further than Nomadas Hostel. You can also visit Haciendas during the day for a spa or pool day with yummy food.

2. Rent a Renovated Colonial Airbnb in Centro

There are SO many epic Airbnb options in town that are renovated colonial home. They are affordable and will honestly blow you away. We stayed in a bunch and I wrote up some favorites here. If you are a larger group or family you can get a mansion here for $200 or so a night and you’ll love it!

3. Park Hop to catch the Merida Vibe

Walk from park to park to shop, eat, and sightsee. Santa Ana, Santa Lucia, and Santiago are all lovely to explore. Don’t forget to enjoy the free WiFi.

4. Free City Walking Tour

Take a free walking tour of the “white city”. I’ll admit, I haven’t done this haha! I have always loved a free walking tour in my backpacking days and all my fellow expat friends here say this one is actually really worth the time. You can meet at Plaza Grande (the main square) at the Merida tourism office. They do these every morning at 9:30. While it’s free, you should give your guide a tip.

5. Carnivalito Bus City Tour

You can also tour Merida by bus for 75 pesos! This meets at Santa Lucia at 10 am, 1 pm, 4 pm, and 7 pm. This tour is in Spanish but it’s still enjoyable if you don’t speak the language just to get your bearings.

6. Learn to Salsa

Take a salsa class! You’ll see cantinas offering classes, like Dzalbay one of my favorites. I haven’t taken classes because I have two left feet, but they are very popular.

7. Visit the Gran Museo Del Mundo Maya

Did you know that 30% of the people here speak Mayan – and many Mayans live in town not just out in the country working on farms like you might imagine? It is a culture that is very much part of Merida from the food to the clothing. You can learn more about the Maya at the museum. Keep in mind that the video at the beginning is in Spanish without subtitles as are many of the plaques – but not all. There is still a lot of English information. It will cost you 150 pesos and is closed on Tuesdays. The hours are 8-5. You can take an Uber or use their parking garage

8. Visit Palacio Canton

Palacio Canton is another Mayan museum, much smaller, on Paseo de Montejo. No need to check it out truthfully if you have been to the grand museum, but if not then definitely go in here for a little information on the Mayans. The price is 60 pesos.

9. Casa Museo Montes Molina

Ever wonder what the inside of the mansions on Paseo Montejo look like? Pop into Casa Museo Montes Molina which is where the “Montejos” used to live for generations – the founders of Merida! Tours are on the hour 9-11 AM most days. In general, just cruising along Paseo Montejo is a nice way to spend a morning!

10. Visit the Cemetario Paneton Florido

See what a Mexican cemetery is like. They celebrate their dead loved ones here and these places are the “gate to the other life”. Full of color and beauty, it’s not unusual to do cemetery tours in Merida or elsewhere in Mexico.

11. Watch Pok Ta Pok Mayan Ballgame

Watch the Mayan ballgame on Fridays next to Grande Plaza at 830 PM. Pok Ta Pok is the game which was played by the Mayans in ancient times. You’ll see a real ballcourt when you visit Chichen Itza. The hoops are way up on the walls and they had to get the ball through them – with their hip and it was made of rubber! Ouch. I was told that the losers were sacrificed at the top of the pyramid. But these days, they just play for fun to re-enact this game in costume. This is free to come to watch, like most things in Merida.

12. Enjoy the Teatro Jose Peon Symphony

Have a fancy grown-up night at the symphony! You can go listen to music at the Teatro Jose Peon which is usually on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons. I have seen tickets being sold outside – sometimes there have been big lines, I imagine when someone famous is playing. This is right there in Centro, so just pop by and see what is playing and grab some tickets (or just look online). Tickets are usually under 200 pesos and if you want to go in when there is no show, you can wander around for free.

13. Photograph the Colorful Streets

In general, you need to make time to explore the colorful streets and practice your photography! There’s nothing like these colorful walls with the many, many VW bugs lining the streets (the factory was based here!). It’s really beautiful. I recommend going to the street that has Casa Lecanda (use Google Maps) and walk from there.

14. Visit the Merida Sign and Giant Kissing Chairs

Other tourist photography tips: you can go to Santa Lucia to get a photo of the giant “kissing chairs” and the Plaza Grande to see the giant colorful “Merida” sign. Kissing chairs are supposedly for couples who are meeting up but have conservative family chaperoning. They sit in these chairs so they are separated and cannot kiss! You’ll see normal sized kissing chairs all over Merida.

15. Friday Night In Plaza Grande

Feeling like you have nothing to do? Have guests to show around but not sure what’s left to see? There’s almost always something going on in Plaza Grande, even on weekdays. Just head down there to see what’s up! It’s the main square. On Fridays, the whole street of Calle 60 which leads to here is shut down and pedestrian. This is where and when the ball game is – every single week!

16. Ride a bike on Paseo Montejo for Bici Ruta

Take a free ride for “Bici Ruta”. On Sunday mornings until around noon, you can take a bike (for free) and ride along the shutdown Paseo Montejo. They even have tandem bikes. It’s so family-friendly and you can hop along from cafe to shop or just ride for fun. From here, you could then head down to Plaza Grande for the market I mentioned earlier.

17. Vaqueria Night Ballet

Every night has an activity. Enjoy Vaqueria Night which is when there is a ballet and Orchestra. This is at Plaza Grande and Calle 62 and starts pretty late, around 9 PM but get there a bit early.

18. Dance at Santiago on Tuesdays

On Tuesdays, at Santiago Park, you can go dance your little heart out! They have a band and lots of couples go bust a move. Get there around 9 PM.

19. Yucatan Serenade at Santa Lucia on Thursdays

Thursdays is live music at Santa Lucia. You need to arrive early to get at seat for the “Serenade” and see local dancing and music.

20. Noche Mexicana

Every Saturday is Noche Mexicana. Christmas at Noche Mexicana in Merida is so dreamy but it’s great all year. This is at the end of Paseo Montejo – where the road ends, near Cafeteria Impala. At Christmas, they put up a huge Christmas tree, lights, and giant polar bears and nativity scenes. Grab at marquesita and have a stroll any other time of the year and get all the tacos!

21. Lucas Galvez Market

Get into the REAL local vibes at the Lucas Galvez Market. When I’m here, it reminds me of being in Goa. Ben and I thrive in chaos! It’s really not that chaotic actually, but compared to the perfectly manicured squares like Santa Lucia, it’s refreshing to see such a lively market. Try local fruit juices, taco stalls, shop around, taste things you see that you haven’t seen before. This isn’t a tourist market and you aren’t getting souvenirs here – this is a true local market.

22. Plaza Grande Sunday Market

Want souvenirs? Then head to Plaza Grande on Sunday mornings for a lovely market with lots of handicrafts like hammocks and bags, but also some of the best food! You’ll get tacos, panuchos, salbutes, kibis, empanadas, tortas, and more for such local fair prices that you can literally try it all. I love spending a Sunday morning here.

23. Shop Bohemian Decor

If you are looking for more bohemian “Tulum” style stuff, check out Casa Tho, Jiwa, Coqui Coqui, Kukul, and the small shop inside of Catrin. Merida doesn’t have a lot of this, to be honest. There are also some great homewares stores in the North but honestly so unaffordable. Much of that type of things here is too novelty and prices are sky-high.

24. Fair-trade art at Casa De Las Artesanias

Go to Casa De Las Artesanias for fair priced artisan souvenirs that are fixed price, not negotiable, which is owned by the government if you aren’t into haggling.

25. Avoid the rain at one of these malls

Check out a mall if it rains – you have TOO many options. Merida actually has too many malls – some are better than others but overall they are pretty similar. The newest ones are Harbor (has a Sephora) and La Isla (has a lake outside). The ones I usually go to are Galerias or Altabrisa.

26. Enjoy a VIP movie

Check out a VIP movie if it rains. The American ones are in English with Spanish subtitles for the most part. In Merida, at the Cinemex Platino theatres, you will get big comfy recliner seats, blankets, and you just push a button for someone to bring you a glass or wine or buffalo wings haha. It’s awesome and $5. PLUS, many offer BOGO tickets throughout the week.

27. For the kids: go-karting, laser tag, bowling, and arcades

Other ideas if it rains are go-karting, laser tag, bowling, and arcades. You’ll find a lot throughout the North of town. Centro is great and historical but can feel touristy; in the North (Norte) you have real-life everyday things going on like wives popping into Costco for their groceries – which by the way, has a cenote in the parking lot!

28. Saturday Slow Food Market

If you’re staying for a longer time and cooking at home, you might enjoy the Saturday Slow Food Market. Many local people come here like a farmers market and sell hummus, delicious bread, herb olive oils, plants, fruit/veg, and even farms with meat like ribs or lamb – it’s all here.

29. El Dia de Los Muertos

At the start of November, it’s time for Day of the Dead festivities “El Dia de Los Muertos” but in Merida, you have a combination of that with Hanal Pixán which is the Mayan version. The parades are AWESOME and I actually cried some happy tears. Like most festivals here, there are so many things that are involved in the culture like unique face paint and food. Get in on all the fun!

30. Noche Blanca

If you’re here in December, check when Noche Blanca “White Night” is. We have experienced it twice – once on accident – and it was around the 6th of the month. For six hours straight, it will be live music all over the place! Like all the festivals, it just means stages set up, roads closed, more shopping and street food, performances, live music, and more. They do walking tours down to the cemetery which is a site to see.

31. Merida Fest

If you’re here in January, enjoy Merida Fest. Mexicans love a reason to party and it seems like there is always a festival and fireworks. This goes on for a couple of weeks and there is always something going on down in Plaza Grande.

32. Merida’s Carnaval

Play around at Merida’s Carnaval located at X’matkuil Fairgrounds and watch the floats go by. The date changes so you can check here to see when it will be – sometime in Feb/March. There are free shuttles for all from downtown but you can also just grab an Uber there.

33. Eat local

You have to try everything! Cochinita Pibil – slow roasted pork you can have on tacos or panuchos. Chilaquiles – basically breakfast nachos. Huevos Motuleños – breakfast dish, Mayan style. Tacos, panuchos, salbutes – all kind of similar tacos, fried or unfried, with or without beans is the difference. Queso Relleno – pork stuffed in Edam cheese. Sopa de Lima – lime soup with turkey. The list can go on and on. I love Pastor Suizo for tacos, La Chaya Maya is okay but touristy, El Barrio, and the famous ones Manjar Blanco and Wayan’e.

34. Have Netflix-Famous La Lupita’s

For the best lunch, go to La Lupita at Parque de Santiago. It’s been featured in the new Netflix show “Salt Acid Fat Heat” for the “acid” episode. Order everything. Most stalls in this market close by 2 PM, so go early enough.

35. Dinner at the trendy night markets

Go to a trendy less local market for a different scene. There is Mercado 60 which has pizza, BBQ, wings, and is great for big groups of people. Our families loved it. It’s affordable and has local food, too. There is usually live music. Casa Domingo is a similarly good option, a little more upscale than Mercado 60.

36. Enjoy the booming cafe scene

You can’t go wrong with trendy Manifesto Cafe, local cafe Sukra, hipster Bengala Kaffeehaus, or fancy Latte Quattro Sette.

37. Take a cooking class

You’ll see many haciendas and small boutique hotels offering them as well as tours you can book online like Viator. What an awesome way to spend the afternoon!

38. Botanas at the Cantinas

Around 5 PM, get to them to get a seat. They close by 10. Inside these little assuming swinging “Western” doors are crowded lively bars with live music. Favorites are Dzalbay, Cantina Negrita, El Cardinal, and Eladios has good snacks and allows children in. There is one on the beach and in town. For craft beers, head to Hermana Republica.

39. Bar Hopping

After the cantinas close around 10 PM, head to the bars: Casa Chica, Mayan Pub, Fundación Mezcaleria and many more.

40. Enjoy Culinary Creations from Around the World

If you’re dying for a non-Yucatan meal, don’t fret. There is everything from ramen to authentic Italian here. I have a FULL list of my favorite restaurants, bars, markets, desserts, and more in this blog post.

41. Head out to the beach

You can pop over to Progreso (again I suggest renting a car, but Uber is also available) in just 30 minutes. I suggest Eladios for the best free botanas, cheap tacos and beachy drinks. If you want something nicer, check out Crabster. I love it there. Milk is also a great option. If you want a pool, go down to El Pez Gordo near the “Progreso sign” on the far side of the beach.

42. Snorkel in a cenote

There are plenty of cenotes all around Merida and thousands in the Yucatan state. The best thing to do is just google map cenote and see which ones you might pass on your way out to a day trip. Many people stop at Ik Kil and Santa Barbara is also a good one.

42. Lay in the Coconut Groves of San Crisanto

For a more secluded beach, there are so many, but we love San Cristanto aka “the coconut grove”. Such a beautiful stretch of beach. Rent a cabana or bring an umbrella. We pack a cooler and bring lunch. If you want to eat on the way, stop in at “Angeles Azul” on the way. The best coconut shrimp!

43. The Ecological Reserve Corchito

On your way into Progreso, stop into The Ecological Reserve Corchito. I can’t remember the price, but I think just 20 pesos to enter, and you can access four cenotes (three of which you can swim in) and kids love it here. To get to it, you have to take little three-minute boat ride across. It’s not something I’d do again unless I had friends with kids visit me.

44. Take Advantage of ADO and Local Buses for Day Trips

If you’re wondering what to do in Merida Mexico when you have done all the things in town, it’s time for a day trip! Take advantage of local buses, ADO buses, and affordable taxi rides to get around. Don’t feel trapped in Centro. Norte and day trips are essential to understand this city. You can also fly in and out of Cancun for better prices/routes and book a comfortable A/C reclining seat bus ride into Merida.

45. Take a trip to Celestun to see the flamingos

There are a few that are definitely worth doing. Celestun is about three hours away. I highly recommend renting a car even just for the day for this – tours can be boring. You’ll drive out, buy a ticket, take a boat ride out into the area where the flamingos are and if you’re lucky November to March you can see thousands. Keep in mind, you also just see them randomly when you drive to the beach up past Progreso to the NE.

46. Visit Chichen Itza Mayan Ruins

Of course, you have to take a day trip to Chichen Itza! These are huge Mayan Ruins and are a “Man-made Wonder of the World”. You can leave early and be back in Merida by two. There are tons of tours but you can easily drive yourself as well. Even I’ve done this drive! The roads are big and safe. It takes about an hour and a half. For more information, I have a whole article with tips here.

47. Visit the yellow city of Izamal

Just an hour from Merida is a cute all yellow city with great haciendas you can enjoy a traditional lunch at, churches to walk around, and old fashioned vibes (like horse and carriages where the horses are wearing ladies’ hats).

48. Do a tour to Uxmal Mayan ruins

I loved Uxmal even more than Chichen Itza. It’s a more spread out ruin and fewer people go. On the way there and back you can stop at a very hidden cenote, Muna Point, shop handicrafts straight from locals, and an amazing hacienda for lunch. All the details for this day trip are in this blog post.

49. Las Coloradas Pink Lake

Go see the giant pink lake that Pinterest loves, Las Coloradas. It’s about three hours away. This lake is bright pink from the salt and makes for an interesting site and great photos. You can no longer swim in it. Pictured above is NOT Las Coloradas; I haven’t been. If you also don’t know if you’re up for the mission, you can see these (pictured above) just on the way past Progreso when you go the beach!

50. Valladolid Cenote

If you’re up for it, head to Valladolid about 2 hours away. This cool city is famous in the Yucatan for it’s stunning cenote. It looks like the light just shines down from heaven onto a stone walkway out into the cenote! So epic.

I hope you enjoyed these 50 things to do in Merida Mexico as much I did writing it! I have so much more information to share and will be doing so in the future like shopping guides and such. For now, make sure you’ve also read:

1. Best restaurants in Merida
2. A little guide to Merida
3. Day trip to Uxmal
4. Chichen Itza tips
5. Great Airbnb options in Merida

If you want to move to Merida, check out these articles:

1. What it’s like living in Merida (after 9 months)
2. How to move to Mexico

Pin these 50 things to do in Merida Mexico for later

The post 50 Unmissable Things to do in Merida, Mexico (2019) appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I’m loving living in Mexico and in my mind there are so many cool things to do in Mexico that are just waiting for me to explore! We all have some bucket list, even if it’s in our heads. I have a fun travel bucket list and after moving to India, I made a specific India travel bucket list that turned out to be very popular with readers. It’s fun to think of all the places you can visit and experiences you can have in your life – and see which ones resonate with you. Since moving to Mexico, I’ve been trying to prioritize traveling here but it’s yet to happen yet.

The last six months in Merida has been busy with tons of travel for work, becoming a resident here in Mexico, and so much more.  But, I do have so much in my mind for Mexico and places I want to visit and so many things to do in Mexico  – and luckily in the last year, there are a few places I’ve been able to knock off my Mexico bucket list! Maybe you can follow along with my dream little Mexico bucket list. I’m surprised at how many I’ve actually already done.

40 THINGS TO DO IN MEXICO: My Mexico Bucket List

1. Visit Mayan ruins of Chichén Itza, a “Man-Made Wonder of the World”

The Mayan Ruins of Chichen Itza are incredible to take in. Learning about them on a tour, trying to picture the Mayan ballgame, and exploring the grounds freely is too cool. It’s only an hour and a half from my house so I’ve been twice already!

2. Take Salsa classes

Can’t come to Mexico and not try to dance! Ben is hesitant to take classes with me, but I’d love to play around and learn to salsa. There are free classes often, and the cantinas will play music that gets you up to dance!

3. SUP in beautiful Tulum

Renting a standup paddleboard in Tulum is heavenly. It’s such a beautiful beach and to see it all together from the sea is magical. What a view! The water is so calm here and clear. Loved every minute!

4. Explore the colorful streets of Merida

Merida is my home, so I’m biased but I do love the stunning streets here in Merida. The pastels with the cute little VW bugs dotted along the streets. It’s straight out of a magazine. Inside those doors are cantinas, shops, and the best food ever!

5. Swim in a cenote

It’s definitely one of the top things to do since Mexico has more than anywhere in the world. Cenotes are holes in the ground – well kind of like underwater caves. From above sometimes you can barely tell anything will be there but once you take a ladder down, you’ll see the most amazing crystal clear water you can swim in. It’s so beautiful. In the Yucatan, which is known for them, they are so prevalent that the town of Merida basically sits on one – created by the meteor that killed the dinosaurs – and some people have them in their houses and backyards.

6. Take the ferry to the paradise Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres

Playa Norte is commonly called the prettiest beach in Mexico and makes “top beaches in the world” lists all the time. I visited, and it is stunning, although busy. All of Isla Mujeres is pretty. Rent a golf cart for around $40 and tour around the tiny island on your own – the landscape changes drastically as you go along. I didn’t write a post about this one – but might!

7. See the pink lakes of Las Colorados

In the Yucatan there are several places that you can see pink lakes; I pass some every time I drive to the beach from my house. But there is one famous place to see them – what I think is the largest one – and that’s Las Coloradas. They are salt lakes which make them pink and you cannot swim in them.

8. Take a food tour in Mexico City

Each state in Mexico has it’s own type of food. Here in the Yucatan, it’s very much panuchos and salbutes, kibis, and items with Mayan and Lebanese influence. Mexico City is the cultural capital of Mexico and I’d love to do a food tour there to try the classic.

9. Surf’s up in Sayulita

I loved Sayulita and will no doubt be back! While I spent more time drinking that surfing, it would be great to go back here and catch a wave or two. This town is cool and a great place for a getaway if you’re coming to Mexico for a week. Ben and I went here all the way back in 2012 pre-blogging days.

10. Explore the cobbled streets of San Cristobal

Chiapas is a lesser visited state, but the capital of San Cristobal is still pretty popular. It’s known for it’s beauty. It’s an old town in the highlands of Mexico and seems like a really special place, colorful and situated in the mountains with amazing views.

11. Learn conversational Spanish

I’m working on it! My five years of Spanish in school haven’t come back to me completely and I’m pretty much only able to do present tense, but I want to be able to have better conversations with locals. It makes it easier to connect with the locals and tends to lead to more authentic experiences.

12. Visit the yellow town of Izamal

In the Yucatan, this town is all yellow! How cool is that!? There is a giant square with a church and many little shops and restaurants. They have cobbled streets and horse-drawn carriages. Even the horses have cute little Yucatecan hats on. I have to go back as when we visited, it was a torrential downpour!

13. Visit Frida Kahlo’s home in Mexico City

The blue house is the home of Frida Kahlo in Mexico City and has many of her pieces of art, photos, and even her dresses. Her oils and paints are still sitting out – kept how she left them. It was worth seeing. You can buy passes online to skip the long line. I’d also visit the Museo Nacional de Antopologia to see Aztec and Mayan artifacts and learn about their cultures, and The Blue House where Frida Kahlo was born.

14. Visit Paricutin Volcano, a “Natural Wonder of the World”

This is the youngest volcano in the world, and this giant cinder cone looks EPIC. There is no other word for it! It’s in the state of Michoacán.

15. Visit the Mayan Ruins of Uxmal

There are a few Ruins in Mexico that are worth seeing like Chichen Itza mentioned above and more that I’m listing below – but Uxmal is pretty cool. The main pyramid is smaller than Chichen Itza but it’s spread out across a huge area with so many ruins all over it so it can take a long time to see. You can walk up a lot of them and see some really cool views.

16. Go on a boat ride to see the flamingos at Celestun

The flamingos are best seen in Celestun in November to February but you can see them year-round. If you want a huge amount of them, then plan to come in the winter. You can see thousands! You’ll go out by boat and can take a mangrove tour as well. There are crocodiles so no swimming!

17. Experience the festivities of La Dia Del Los Muertos

This is the Day of the Dead. On this day, which is NOT Halloween, the veil between life and death is at it’s thinnest and people celebrate their past loved ones. I have seen this here in Merida although I’d like to see it even bigger in Oaxaca which is known for having the best celebration or in Mexico City. Here in Merida, they put a Mayan spin on it.

18. Tour an agave farm and see how tequila is made in Guadalajara

Did you know that there is a town in Mexico called Tequila in Jalisco? Tequila comes from the Agave plant and there are tons of agave farms you can visit and learn about how tequila is made. I’ve heard that Guadalajara has some awesome ones!

19. Visit the Tulum Mayan Ruins

The ruins in Tulum are unique because they overlook the Caribbean Sea. The views from these ruins are amazing and it’s so cool to think of Mayans living here and having these views so far back in time.

20. Playa Del Amor “the hidden beach”

You’ve probably seen this on Instagram or Pinterest! It’s a hole in a rock formation on the beach where you can see a beach down inside. You have to swim to get into it. This is in Cabo San Lucas and translates to “lovers beach”.

21. Stroll down Malecon Boardwalk in Puerto Vallarta

I did visit PV years ago (2012) and stroll this very boardwalk but I’d love to go back. It’s a very touristy town and one of the top-visited towns in Mexico for American and Canadian tourists. It’s not a typical big city like Cancun even though it does have some resorts but still has that small town vibe.

22. Visit the Palenque Mayan ruins

More ruins!? Yes! These are located in Chiapas and are supposedly worth the visit, with some saying they are the best ruins in all of Mexico. Sadly, I’ve yet to visit them.

23. Swim with whale sharks in Isla Holbox

I’m not much of a diver, but I do like to snorkel and here in Isla Holbox you can swim with whale sharks! It’s safe to do and they are GIANT creatures which makes for an epic adventure. Holbox itself is a very cute little island that you can’t even have cars on, so plan on renting a bike to explore this paradise.

24. Take a Balloon ride over the Pyramids of Teotihuacan

The pyramids at Teotihuacan are definitely one of the biggest attractions in all of Mexico. It’s an ancient Mesoamerican archeological complex which holds so much information about the past. It’s called the “place where men become gods”. Supposedly you can take a hot air balloon ride over them and I’m so down for that!

25. Take a weekend break to Bacalar

People tell me that Bacalar is what Tulum was 20 years ago and that it’s headed the way of Tulum now. So before it’s crowded and super well-known, I’d love to get to Bacalar and enjoy its beauty for a weekend getaway. In photos it looks just like San Blas which is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.

26. Go snorkeling in Cabo Pulmo

This tiny village has a huge eco-friendly protected reef where you can go snorkeling or scuba diving in the Sea of Cortez. They say this is the aquarium of the sea because it’s literally the place where you can see more underwater life than anywhere in the world!

27. Sip on Mezcal and try a Michelada

Done, and done. Mezcal comes from a certain type of Agave in Mexico, similar to tequila but unique in flavor – tequila comes from specifically a blue agave while mezcal is smokier and comes from the heart of the plant. A Michelada is a really unique drink that Mexicans love which is a mix of beer, lemon juice, Worchester sauce, and chili. This is definitely an interesting taste. Add tomato juice and you’ve got an Ojo Rojo!

28. Visit the UNESCO Heritage city of Oaxaca

Oaxaca is a city in the state of Oaxaca – the same state that has the epic surf town of Puerto Escondido and is known for being a foodie and cultural haven. Here you can learn about the Zapotec, stay in stunning boutique hotels, eat unique food of the region, and explore the most colorful streets.

29. Watch a Lucha Libre fight

Mexican Wrestling is a huge deal and Lucha Libre is like their version of WWE. You’ll see masks for sale in most tourism markets. I’m not sure I’ll love this but it’s such a big part of Mexican culture, I have to see it at least once.

30. Surf in San Pancho or Puerto Escondido

Puerto Escondido is the surf capital of Mexico and while the waves can get HUGE, they can also be manageable and there are usually other beaches you can visit for smaller swells. This is a laid-back chilled out vibe and one that hippie people flock to for that “chilled out” Mexico surf scene.

31. Swim in the Hierve el Agua waterfalls in Oaxaca

The photos of this blew me away and I can’t wait to visit. Apparently you can swim underneath the waterfall and the salt on it makes it look like it’s frozen. They are nicknamed “the water that boils”. The mineral water pools that are all around it are stunning.

32. Take a trip to the jungle of Chiapas

On the border of Guatemala, this is one of the least visited states in Mexico. There are tons of adventurous things to do here, you can do bird-watching, and relax in the famously beautiful city of San Cristobal.

33. Take cooking classes in multiple different states

Food changes as you travel pretty much in every country, especially one as big as Mexico. I love to take cooking classes when I travel so that I can learn what goes into each dish – sometimes it will surprise me and be similar to another totally different place I’ve traveled to and taken cooking classes. This is also just a really fun way to pass the time.

34. Swim through “Rio Secreto” in Riviera Maya

This turquoise river is a cave system with stalactites & stalagmites overhead. You will have to take a tour here to make sure you go on a safe path and it’s one of the top tourist attractions in Mexico. You’ll only be in waist-deep water for the most part.

35. Take a train ride on the Copper Canyon Railway

Ride ‘El Chepe’ from Chihuahua to the Los Mochis through the mountains. This is the top attraction in all of Northern Mexico, offers amazing views in the mountains, and is one of the most epic notorious train rides in the world. The Copper Canyon that you’ll see is even bigger than the Grand Canyon and is the main attraction on this ride.

36. Visit Iztaccihuatl “The Sleeping Lady”

This volcano is the third highest peak in all of Mexico and makes for a great hike if you’re adventurous enough! It’s called the sleeping lady because it looks like a lady lying down sleeping on her back. You can do this on tours from Mexico City but a day-tour won’t wake you all the way to the peak.

37. See the arch of Cabo San Lucas “Land’s End”

This arch is a simple thing, just an arch in a piece of rock in the sea, but it’s stunning and looks like it would be amazing at sunset. It reminds me of the famous arch in Malta that was a huge tourist attraction but recently fell into the sea.

38. Take a weekend trip to San Miguel de Allende

A friend of mine lives in the state this city is in, Guanajuato. This is said to be the most beautiful city in all of Mexico and is a UNESCO site. CN Traveler recently called it one of the top 25 cities in the world. From art to music, it has a lot to explore year-round.

39. See the epic cenote in Vallodalid

There is this one epic cenote in Vallodalid that the sun hits from above like a light beam coming straight down into a walkway that jetties out into the cenote. It would make the best photograph.

40. Shop!

I can’t have a list without shopping, you know I love it! I wrote a souvenir guide for India that told people what to buy in each state and eventually I’d love to do something similar here in Mexico as there are so many amazing handicrafts here.

Stoked to visit Mexico yet? I know I’m even more excited now than I was before I wrote this to get out and try more new places here in Mexico and get up to some cool unforgettable adventures.

Pin these top 40 things to do in Mexico for later so you can have your own Mexico bucket list:

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I love living in beautiful Mexico, and like India (where I was for years before moving here), it has the same hippie yoga vibe with tons of retreats here for healthy eating, yoga, to help change your lifestyle, and enjoy Mexico and being in paradise at the same time. I haven’t been in Mexico long enough to try out these retreats myself, but after so many emails asking me for recommendations, I put this together – so if I sent you this link, sorry for the less-than-personal message but I hope this helps you find a yoga retreat in Mexico. I am listing ones that were recommended to me by friends who have tried them as well as ones from the only yoga booking site that I trust and have used for years in India, bookyogaretreats.com. These top-ranked yoga retreats in Mexico are in some very cool areas and I’ll share their rating, what they include, and their prices.

After reading these options, you can then click through to see what personal reviews people have left and then book directly through the bookyogaretreats.com website. There are thousands of retreats in Mexico that focus on yoga – and most will ask for PayPal payment, bank transfers, or payments on their website but the reason I love bookyogareteats is that you can pay safely through them and see all the unbiased reviews. The other great thing about this site is that you can see each of the teachers and read their qualifications and learn more about their background, where they have taught before, and what style of yoga they do.

If you want more than yoga, you can search yourself on the site because they offer surfing and dive retreats, too, as well as specialized yoga retreats like silk aerial yoga. Alternatively, you can join Facebook groups for yoga around the world or for a specific place in Mexico you want to visit to read even more reviews for places that aren’t listed online – there are SO many.

The most popular places in Mexico for retreats are trendy Tulum, laid back Sayulita, resort area Riviera Maya, and surfer’s paradise Puerto Escondido. You can’t go wrong with any of these stunning destinations. There’s also a very highly recommended digital detox 4-day yoga retreat in Mexico City, while not the most “relaxing” destination for a retreat, is loved by so many people and SO fairly priced, I’ve included it as well!

Want to know which ones I selected for Goa? Click here. I also have a list of the top retreats in India which you can read here.

1. 6 Days Yoga Retreat in Tulum, Mexico for 15,839 MXN ($817)

This Tulum yoga retreat is the highest and most reviewed retreat in Mexico! It currently has 77 5-star reviews. Tulum is so pricey that for this rate just getting such an awesome loft for five nights is a steal! While food isn’t included, the 19% state and local taxes are. For food, it’s kind of good in that it will get you out exploring more so you can try some of the best food in Tulum. I have an article about my time here, you can read here. You can hire them for an airport transfer and tours for an additional fee. You’ll notice the Tulum retreat is priced higher than others on this list – Tulum is very trendy now and is expensive because of its popularity, which I think you can also tell by the sheer number of reviews for this retreat.

• Daily yoga classes
• Personalize your retreat according to your wishes
• Practice Hatha, Iyengar, Vinyasa, Yin, or Restorative yoga
• Five nights accommodation in a beautiful loft apartment
• 15% discount on scuba diving and snorkeling tours
• Free bike rental

Read reviews for this Tulum retreat and book here.

2. 10 Day Meditation and Yoga Retreat in Mazunte, Mexico for 7,905 MXN ($408).

Mazunte, Mexico is a hidden paradise, just a small beach town, about an hour from the more well-known Puerto Escondido. This is not just a yoga retreat but is about “finding the meaning of the universe”, finding yourself, spirituality, and learning local traditions. I think this would be great for someone open-minded looking for a new type of experience as the focus isn’t just on yoga, but meditation as well. This retreat is ALL day and you can see on their schedule that they offer teachings, classes, and meals throughout the day until 930 PM. Like Vipassana, genders are separated, there is no talking, no books, no cell phones, and no smoking, drugs, or alcohol. The teachers are from the Hridaya course. These meals are strictly vegan and nothing else will be offered!

Not for the faint of heart.

• Daily hatha yoga classes
• Daily meditation practices
• Learn methods to approach the spiritual heart
• Insightful lectures on non-duality and awakening love
• Teachings on techniques for stilling the mind
• Daily vegan meals available on request
• 9 nights accommodation

Read recent reviews for this meditation and yoga retreat.

3. 6 Day Yoga and Surf Camp in Puerto Escondido, Mexico for 4,909 MXN ($254).

Puerto Escondido has a reputation for being the coolest surfer spot in Mexico – it also gets some huge swells. This yoga retreat is more of a combo, with the focus being split between surfing in the day and relaxing yoga in the evenings. In May and June when waves are quite large, they will take you to another beach that has smaller waves for beginners. At this price to get 5 two hour surf classes, accommodation, and yoga classes, it’s a pretty darn good deal! Note that meals are not included.

• 5 surf classes
• 3 yoga lessons (hatha)
• Equipment included
• Experienced surf instructors
• Transportation to surf spots
• 5 nights accommodation
• Airport transfers
• Photo session

Read full reviews and book this yoga and surf retreat here.

4. 4 Day Detox to Retox Yoga Retreat in Mexico City for 3,247 MXN ($168).

I know a lot of people want to come to Mexico for a retreat that is on the beach, but this retreat has nearly 60 5-star reviews, is so affordable, and Mexico City has a lot to offer to make this a well-rounded vacation.  With just the accommodation and meals being included, you already have saved a ton of money but you’re also getting your yoga classes and a daily wellness class. This isn’t a place that says you can’t drink or party, it’s a place that teaches balance. You your cell phone but don’t be obssesed, party but do yoga the next day and have a green juice! If you need help with balance, this is for you.

• Yoga lessons (hatha)
• Daily wellness class
• Explore the amazing Mexico city
• Opportunity to connect with fellow travelers
• Regular access to free Wi-Fi
• 3 nights accommodation
• Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Healthy snack

Read full reviews and book this yoga retreat here.

5. 7 Day Women’s Only Yoga and Surf Camp in Sayulita, Mexico for 32,760 MXN ($1,700)

This cource with Alana is more expensive that the one listed above in Puerto Escondido but it has epic reviews and seems very personalized. It also offers more of a yoga focus with classes in the morning and evenings offering vinyasa and yin. They also have fancy catered dinners and a huge buffet breakfast. This is definitely more upscale. I also love that it’s a women’s retreat! The accommodation is at Hotelito Los Sueños, a popular boutique hotel. I love Sayulita and even considered living there – it’s sooo stunning! You’ll love this area. It also is more of an all-inclusive with even your airport pick up included, so you have literally nothing to stress about.

• 6 nights accommodation (based on double occupancy)
• 6 full breakfasts
• 4 catered dinners
• 4 surf lessons in small groups with a 4:1 student to instructor ratio
• Airport transfers to and from Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR)
• Relaxing evening yoga class
• Skill and strength-building morning yoga class
• Welcome reception upon arrival with beverages and snacks

Read full reviews and book this surf and yoga retreat.

6. Various Options with Copal Retreats, Tulum, Mexico Starting at 19,000 MXN ($987).

Copal retreats have options in Tulum and Riviera Maya and the prices range. This is for people who are really into yoga and have specific teachers in mind. You can scroll their listings and see the teachers who are doing each course. I can’t link to them each as they will expire – they will have X teacher on April X and then another teacher on another date, so you can take a look yourself and see.

• 1-hour relaxation massage
• Daily sunrise and sunset yoga classes
• Welcome ceremony with Mexican cuencos
• Two local cenotes and excursion to city of Tulum
• Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner by on-site chefs
• 6 nights accommodation

Choose your teacher and course based on reviews here.

Pin these top-ranked best yoga retreats in Mexico for later:

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Are you considering moving to Mexico? The weather is good, the cerveza is cold, and and the living is cheap, so you’ve heard. I moved to Mexico six months ago, after living in India for five years. I did it with legal residency and set up a life here. I’m going to share how to move to Mexico, a complete checklist of things to do before/after you move to Mexico, and the cost of living in Mexico (in general, as it can range just like any country).

There are a lot of Americans living in Mexico and it’s not difficult to move here as a resident at a young age, self-employed, or if you want to retire in Mexico. There are several types of visas that you can look at to see which one will fit your needs best.

Expats in Mexico often come here for six months of the year and then go back to their home countries. Because you can get a six-month tourist visa for Mexico, if that is what you are planning, you don’t really need to go through the legal hoops of living in Mexico. If you want a home here, to stay long-term, to buy a car, or open a bank account, you’ll want to look into residency. Let’s get started!

Moving to Mexico: How to Move to Mexico

There are several things to do to move to Mexico and once you get here. I’ll start in the order that I did things when I moved here.

Visit Mexico: Choose a City to Live in, What Are the Best Places to Live in Mexico?

You need to come to Mexico first! Plan a trip, even if it’s just for a couple of weeks. You can look up the best places to live in Mexico, research them, and choose one or two to visit at a time.

Consider why you are relocation to Mexico. Are you looking for retirement communities in Mexico? Are you looking more for a laid-back beach town? Do you want a place with local vibes that is very different from home, or somewhere that is touristy and will have the amenities you love from your home country?

For me, I wanted somewhere that was safe, I could think about starting a family, a place I could buy affordable land or a home, and that had stores that I could get things I missed from the USA. I had been living in the jungle in India for years and was moving to Mexico to have a more “westernize” life. Not so much so that I wanted to be in Cancun or Puerto Vallarta which I had visited previously, and I didn’t want the tourism of cute beach towns like Tulum of Sayulita which I also visited, so I chose to live outside of Merida in the Yucatan. I am not a big city person, so ruled out Mexico City. Merida is a safe city, is hugely popular with expats (mostly retirees), and since it’s not too touristy, you can the real Mayan vibes here. I can live in the jungle in a village outside Merida (eventually, right now I’m in a rental in town while we look for land), and have the complete jungle vibes but still be to a Costco or Sephora in 15 minutes. The beach is about 30 minutes away as well. Many people like San Miguel, Guanajuato, Morelia, and San Cristobal.

I don’t know a LOT about Mexico. I haven’t had a chance to travel much here except 5 major towns so I have a lot more to see and am really happy with Merida as my base. It’s okay if you don’t know Mexico that well – you’ll have so much time to explore once you move here.

You’ll want to consider the temperature you can deal with here. It gets VERY hot in Merida, for example, and many people simply can’t bear it in the summer months when humidity also soars. I was used to this from India and didn’t mind it. Others will want a place that cools off a bit with more nature and mountains like San Cristobal de las Casas. You’re going to want to visit because sometimes online isn’t enough and you need to feel the place out a little bit. I use this website for weather comparison.

Other then temperature you want to consider how modern the place is, internet speed if you work online, if there is an expat community (if that is important to you), the crime rate, and the cost of living. You’ll spend more on rent in Mexico City and Tulum for example than Tijuana or Guadalajara.

Consider the Cost of Living in Mexico: If You Can Afford It and If You REALLY Want to

Want the real examples of the cost of living in Mexico? This website puts all major cities in order of cost of living and Mexico’s cities start at around the 400’s. While it’s absolutely going to cost you less in Mexico than the USA if you live how Mexicans live, you can still end up spending a lot in Mexico if you want to.

I live in Merida which is a big city in Mexico with 777,000 people but nothing compared to Mexico City’s 8.8 million. I pay $1,200 for my house here per month. Sound high? That is because it is, for Mexico. Most expats I’ve met here are renting for a quarter of that – but they don’t have a house as nice as mine. Some live in apartments, in small beach houses, or in colonial homes in Centro. I have a large 3 bedroom 4 bathroom house, with a huge yard a pool, that is dog-friendly, and in a very nice neighborhood of Benito Juarez. My rent includes a house-keeper once a week for a 8 hour day at $17 USD, a groundskeeper twice a week for $14, and a pool cleaner once a week for $14. Keep in mind, well these seem low, they are the normal rates here (which was built into my rent) and not something negotiated down. The minimum wage here for a full days work is under $5.

Friends in Tulum pay less in town and some pay more on the beach. Friends in Playa Del Carmen pay similar for a small two bedroom condo. The rent varies greatly in all cities and towns in Mexico just like in the USA. I lived in India before this, one of the cheapest places in the world for expats to live, and I paid $1,000 for rent while my friends paid $200 because I had an amazing villa and didn’t mind paying it. You get more for your buck in India and Mexico, both and it’s up to you if you want a cheap rent or the same rent and a kickass place you couldn’t have afforded in your home country. Do you want to clean your own house since you wouldn’t pay $120 a month back home for someone to clean? Or do you think $120 is a steal to not have to clean again? In India, a monthly cleaner would make closer to $60-70 a month to clean six days a week. In Mexico, it was basically double for ONE day a week – so we aren’t ready to splurge to have someone come daily, but still, it’s nice to have someone come once a week when in the USA it would probably be $50 for someone to come clean for the day if not more.

When it comes to food, something like McDonald’s or Texas Roadhouse is going to cost the same, while a street taco could be .50 in some towns. You could live on cheap restaurants and local food on a budget or you could go to fine dining places that are $100 per person.

Compared to the USA, movies here will be $4-$6 with VIP seating, gas is the same price, used cars are the same price, Uber is a LOT cheaper, in general, local restaurants are much cheaper, groceries are about the same, booze is cheaper in restaurants but about the same in grocery stores. Novelty items, for example, a beach chair, pool float, Kitchenaid mixer, throw blanket, decor items, are MUCH more expensive. I tend to bring these types of things from the USA. I haven’t lived everywhere in Mexico, so this is about as much information as I can give in terms of cost of living. I know that I spend a lot here in Mexico, but that is because I choose to have a higher quality of life than I would have in the USA at the same price rather than the same quality of life at a lower price. You get to make that choice too, or fall somewhere in between.

Moving to Mexico is a process that takes some time in terms of residency, so really think it through and make sure you’re really up for a new culture that YOU have to fit into. Don’t just move somewhere because it’s cheap – you need to love the food, the people, the atmosphere, the holidays, the temperature, everything about your new home!

Remember that in your budget, you should put aside money for a couple of round-trip flights home to visit family, go to weddings, funerals, or anything else you might want to come home for. It’s an added cost of being an expat.

Tie-up Loose Ends at Home Before You Leave

Ready to make the move? Chosen your dream home? You need to make sure you are ready to leave your old one behind.

• Sell or rent our your house
• Sell or put your things in storage
• Cancel memberships: Anything you’re getting charged for monthly that you’d only use in the USA like that Cosmo subscription or gym membership
• Cancel your phone bill and unlock your phone
• Sell your car and cancel your car insurance or keep the car in storage and change your insurance to storage insurance
• Re-route your mail to someone else’s home or cancel it
• Get your banking in order (does your bank know you’ll be abroad?, does your card charge huge fees to withdraw money abroad, do you want a new bank?
• Taxes: make a mental note if you are still earning in the USA or online, you need to pay taxes still in the USA unless you give up citizenship.
• Do some last minute preventative health check-ups before you leave and while you have that $10 co-pay and great doctors who know your history. This is invaluable! Mexico does not focus on preventative care and you can pay $50 and up for a good English-speaking doctor for a check-up or dental cleaning.
• Say bye to family and friends

I go into more detail in a blog post I wrote about moving abroad when I moved to India you can read here.

Find a Long-Term Rental & Sign a Lease: Somewhere to Stay on Arrival & Choose a Date

Now that it’s real, and really while you’re doing all that, you should be looking for a place to rent out. I really like Airbnb and that is how I found my place now. You can also look at sites like Vivanuncios, Segundo Mano, or Mercado Libre, Inmuebles 24, among others. Usually, you can message through the website and sometimes they sneak a phone number in there you can message them on WhatsApp.

This article was one I wrote one month after moving to Merida, where I look back at finding my rental property, rates, places I looked, and more. Check that out!

You will want to find a place and either take it for one month online then meet in person to take a longer lease you can sign for – OR you can take a long lease online but keep in mind the realtors who set this up often take a ONE MONTH rent fee for themselves. This is why I found a place and booked just a month on Airbnb but then had an agreement with the owner that when we arrived, we would sign a long-term lease.

You will find the prices are set as “monthly” when you search by month on Airbnb.

Why take a lease? You need a lease with your name on it, which will be signed in front of a lawyer or notario. You will need this to later get a bill in your name so you can have “proof of address” which is very important to becoming a resident here.

Start Learning Spanish

Once you find a place and are just waiting for that flight out, things are pretty chilled, and it’s time to start learning at least basic Spanish. I used the free app Duolingo for six months to practice and bring out my high school Spanish that was hiding away. I later got Rosetta Stone, you can read my review of it here and get a discount code.

Are You Bringing Pets? Family/Kids?

If you are bringing your kids, you’ll have to find them a school here. I don’t know much about that except for the fact Mexico has great international schools that can cost around $200 or more per month even for little kids. You can’t put them in public school if they aren’t fluent in Spanish – well maybe legally you could, but then how would they learn anything?

For pets, I brought two dogs and a cat through the Cancun airport from India. Vets here are great and there are Petco’s and all kinds of pet shops to get anything your little one needs!

• How to Bring Pets from India to Mexico, paperwork, prices
• Tips for Flying with Pets

Get a SIM Card

Upon arrival, you’ll want a SIM card. You can pick them up in shops all over, even an OXXO. I recommend Telcel. It’s cheap and you can top-up credit yourself on your phone with an international bank card without issue. You need an “unlocked” phone to put in an international SIM, but most are these days.

Get a Bill in Your Name

You can go to the electricity bill office, which for us (and maybe everyone, actually, I’m not sure) is CFE, and get the bill changed to your name. Take with you the following:

• The original bill in your landlord’s name
• You lease
• Copy of your lease
• Passport
• Copy of your passport

They will change your bill over to your name and it takes a minute or two. Now you have proof of address. It can only be in one person’s name.

Shop for your home: memberships

Hopefully, you have rented a furnished home, but if you need to do some shopping and have stores like Costco or Sam’s Club nearby, you can go get memberships at a little lower cost than they are in the USA. Stock up on what you need there, Sear’s, Walmart, Chedruai, or Soriana and then chill out in your new home! You can even shop online from most of those places.

Tip: If you see something on Amazon MX compare that price to Amazon USA with the global search on and customs and shipping added in – if it’s a USA product, it’s often cheaper to buy from the USA. Example: I only found crappy $5 pool rafts here in stores, and on Amazon MX nice ones were over $50. I could get one from the USA for $20 with the customs fee sent here and it took three days. They deal with customs and estimate the fee. If the fee is higher than they have to pay, you get reimbursed.

You can get out and explore but if you’re dead tired, download apps like Uber Eats and Rappi if they are available in your town and get food delivered.

Get Health Insurance

Once you’re settled a bit, it’s time to start moving along in the getting “legit” process, starting with health insurance. I wrote a WHOLE article about it here that tells you the price, the places to get it, and how to read your quotes to know what things will cost if an accident happens or you get sick. I break it all down in detail!

You do NOT need to be a resident to get private insurance. You just need proof of address. You DO need it for national health care; all explained in the blog post.

Start the Residency Process

Time to do the needful, as the Indians say (can’t take the Indian out of me!). You will do step one outside of Mexico although it doesn’t have to be in your home country, it can even be in Belize. Step one is an interview. Step two is in Mexico, where you follow up with fingerprints and get your actual residency card.

I have a blog post that explains this entire process step by step including what can qualify you for residency, what paperwork you need, the prices, temporary vs permanent, and more.

Remember, while your residency is pending (part two in Mexico) you cannot leave unless you request an exit permit. Here is how you do that. I had to do it three times!

Buy a Car, Get Car Insurance & Register the Car

You can buy a car in Mexico without residency, however, you cannot register the car. While your residency is pending, I recommend looking for a used or new car and going ahead and buying it. You will have their stickers for how long it’s registered under their name (sometimes you have two years), and you can register it once you get residency.

You CAN get car insurance without residency and you should do this too, right away!

I bought a used Chevy Trax and registered it under my name. This blog post has full details about where to shop for a used car, how much they cost, what to look for when buying, how to check if it’s stolen, paperwork needed, and where/how to register the car.

Get a Driver’s License

Once you register a car in your name, you have ONE year to get a Mexican driver’s license. You DO have to take a test on the computer (either in English or Spanish) and then do a driving test. I failed my parallel once and had to come back, whoops.

This blog post has all details about what paperwork you need, where to go, how long it takes, and more. Remember, you need to have residency to register a car and get a driver’s license.

Open a Bank Account

Also once you have residency, you can open a bank account here. There are banks you can have accounts without residency but they are smaller banks I don’t recommend. For a big bank like HSBC, Citibank, or Scotiabank, you need residency.

This blog post tells how to open a bank account, what paperwork you need, and how to transfer money into the account from abroad.

Look for Land or a Home to Buy

You can be looking for land or a house from the get-go and I recommend doing so. Right now, I have done everything on the steps above and have a plot of land to buy with the money ready in my Mexican bank. You need to then get a notario who will deal with your agent to set up the paperwork for the sale of the land/house and check back to make sure it’s all legal and legit. If you live within 50 km of the beach, you have to buy your property through a fidecomiso which is a bank trust with banks like Scotiabank or Monex. You can get that started once you find land. Ask locals for a notario you can trust and which bank they recommend most in your area.

Ready to Move to Mexico?

This is where I’m at now and I will be writing a blog post soon about buying land here – and eventually probably several posts about building a house! We have met with an architect already and are looking for potential contractors. It’s all very exciting. We have been here for six months. Keep in mind, I’m very Type A and you don’t have to do all this or move this fast. You could get residency, rent a place, and Uber around for years. I like to do it all and get it done though! Ben, my boyfriend of six years, is the opposite and has done nothing on this list so far (here on a tourist visa) so it’s really not necessary to do it RIGHT away – eventually he will, and he only got lucky not doing it because it’s all in my name and we share. Point being, if you are here with a partner and only one of you wants to go through this that is a possibility. If you are both from the same country, you might as well go through it all together. He is from the UK, so we couldn’t do the process together as he needs to get some bank documents notarized from England the next time he is there to start his residency process. Wow, long post, but I hope this helps you in your plans moving to Mexico!

Is there more to moving? Maybe! These are the things I encountered on my move. If you are bringing things here from home across the border, you will need permissions to aviod customs and could encounter other things I didn’t on my move. It won’t be the same for everyone. Good luck!

Pin these tips for moving to Mexico for later:

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Merida, Mexico has some amazing food! When I first visited it was for just two weeks, and I tried tons of the “top ranked” places I had researched. Now, six months after living here, I’ve gone a bit deeper and tried out places that blog mentioned, locals told me about, places around my house in Norte, and of course some chain restaurants that you see all over the place. I’m going to share my thoughts on the best restaurants in Merida.

Best Restaurants in Merida, Mexico

This is a big city with tons of different neighborhoods and I’m sure like any list, there will be places I have missed. I, myself, still have a huge list of places I want to try. To organize this list, I’m going to put divide it into cafes, markets, restaurants with Yucatan/Mexican food, restaurants of other cuisines, bars, and dessert places. Within each category, I’ll list places I loved, places I just “liked” but others seem to love, and a list of the places I haven’t yet visited in case you are curious. As time goes on, I’m going to keep this blog post updated and add more places I try from that list.

There are specifically a lot of Yucatan places I haven’t tried because there are simply SO many good ones around (50+ worth checking out). Most are located in Centro and are open only until 2 PM. As I live in Norte, it has been hard to go to them all, but I’m working on it.

What is food like in Merida, Mexico?

Food in the Yucatan is not the same as food all over Mexico, as it really varies here state by state. As it’s not a huge tourist destination in comparison to something like Cancun, you can expect less quesadillas and more panuchos and salbutes thanks to the Mayan influence. Turkey is a popular meet here, as is pastor (pork on a spit like shawarma). You can expect corn tortillas, not flour as the norm. The cheese here is usually edam. Don’t expect salsa at table or taco sauce, it’s more haberno sauce (so spicy) or a green tomato sauce and maybe some pico de gallo. When it comes to seafood, it’s all about the ceviche! You’ll try pib, chicharron, poc chuc, cochinita pibil, castacan, and queso relleno for sure while you’re here! A lot of the meat and cheese here has a smoky flavor – so keep that in mind when you order something like sausage (from Valladolid) which is not really my jam.

Meal times are a little different here than in the USA. Small stalls for lunch close up by 2 PM, sit-down lunch restaurants don’t get started for lunch until 2 PM, and dinner places often don’t open until 7 PM. Cantinas (small bars) close up by 10 PM and then you go to the more “clubby bars”. That means if you go for live music at a cantina you’ll want to go out early, like 5 or 6 PM on the weekend.

The best thing about going to a cantina in the early evening is botanas! What are they? Free snacks! When you order a drink, you’ll get snacks brought out. The more you order, the more/better the snacks get. You’ll have bean dip, tortillas, little hot dogs, popcorn, and sometimes even tacos and ceviche.

Best Cafes in Merida

Manifesto

This is a cute cafe in Santiago that has very simple wooden, calming decor and WiFi so would be a great place to work or to meet friends for a coffee.

Bengala Kaffeehaus

Bengala Kaffeehaus has a couple of locations I believe, but I have been just to the one near Santa Lucia square a few times. It’s cute but has high bar stools so for me isn’t comfortable to work. It’s quite a small space but does serve good coffee. This is a local fave and I actually met some cool people here and just chatted with them about moving here on my first visit (before I lived here).

Latte Quattro Sette

This is to me the most aesthetically pleasing coffee shop. I love how it’s decorated. It’s next door to the popular Lecanda Boutique Hotel and this cafe has the same owner as the hotel and I believe Oliva Enoteca (a good Italian restaurant). Great coffee, a good place to work, and a fun place to meet friends. There is quite a lot of seating. They have basic breakfast items too like yogurt and granola or avocado on toast. This is near Santa Ana.

Cafetería Impala

This is a big cafe on Paseo Montejo and is a good place for a simple brunch/late lunch and to people watch. You can then stroll alone this big main road to shop and enjoy an afternoon popping into museums along the way. We take our dogs walking here and stop for a coffee and some huevos motulenos or a sandwich.

Coqui Coqui

This is actually a boutique that sells luxury perfume, homewares, and clothing. It’s a boutique hotel as well (one room on top) and has a sister boutique hotel in Valladolid with several rooms. But, in the back is a tea room and chocolate tasting room. You can head back there for a nice afternoon tea and snacks. Very chic!

Sukra Cafe

This is a little cafe on Paseo Montejo. Food is good and affordable, coffee is strong, and the juice is fresh. It’s a great spot to meet friends and have a casual breakfast or brunch.

Voltacafe

YUM! I love this little cafe in Altabrisa. It’s owned by the same people who own Apoala. I really want to go back and try more – we head this way a lot to do our shopping and both Ben and I said it’ll be a new regular for us. I had the eggs benedict and he had a ham/bacon sandwich. Each was 140 MXN – so pretty affordable for such a nice/fancy-looking cafe. It has a European design but is kind of hidden in a little plaza that looks like it wouldn’t even be worth going into if you were just driving by.

La Barrita

La Barrita is the cutest cafe in Merida Norte. It’s about 10 minutes from my house and I love to pop in on a Sunday morning to do a little work or read while having their signature house coffee (mocha with tiramisu syrup) and a chicken and pesto panini for lunch. You can also order them with Rappi (a delivery app). It has great food and also happens to be adorable. There is street parking.

Dalia Cafe

This is a very cute, stylish “instagrammable” cafe in the Norte that also serves great sandwiches. I’ve been trying to explore this part of town more, up near the periferico. The roast beef and bacon waffle sandwich was great and Ben had a ciabatta serrano ham sandwich. Expect about $5/dish. Merci, another place I want to try is right next to here.

Petite Delice

Located in a little shopping center called “Victoriaplatz” which is the same plaza the cute boutique animal store “Humanimals” is, is this little cafe. It has around 10 tables and serves tasty French-style cafe food. It’s brunch food, not lunch. They have pastries and bread for sale to-go which are really good. I had the egg white omelet and it was so good. I just keep ordering it! I’d like to come here more often and work, but it gets crowded and I’d feel bad taking up a table.

Alexandra’s Cafe

Just a couple shops down from Petite Delice is this interesting work cafe. It’s basically a co-working space that allows you to pay hourly or buy monthly memberships and then you get free coffee/tea and snacks like muffins and cookies. You can sit quietly and work on their fast WiFi. By the hour it’s expensive for local standards: 77 pesos, especially since it’s just standard coffee with milk/sugar that you pour yourself. But, if you need to crack down and get work done it’s a perfect little place to do just that. Additionally, if you were going to come often, it would be a steal as you can get a six-month membership to come as much as you want for around 3,000 pesos ($160). I mean it’s essentially office space, so that’s a deal!

Te Extrano Extrano in Lagala

Lagala is a new space in Centro that has a shop, cafe, and is kind of a cultural center. Their restuarant Te Extrano Extrano is beautifully designed. The food and drinks are delicious – it’s health food though, so keep that in mind. There are small portions and if you’re vegan there will be a lot of options for you although they do have steak as well.

Merci

Merci is located next to Dalia Cafe in the North. It’s very tasty. Most of these brunchy cafe’s in Merida are very similar (Dalia, Volta) and have great eggs, salads, toasties, coffees, smoothies, etc. I like the vibe here and it was pretty busy on a Sunday morning!

Cafe’s I Haven’t Tried Yet But Want To:

Toesto Cafe, Cafe Orgánico, Midtown Cafe, Escargot Rústico, Cafe Cream, Estacion 74 (Merida coffee club meets here Tuesdays at 10 am),

Best Food Markets in Merida

La Lupita at Santiago Park

Parque de Santiago has a covered market that has many little eateries inside. The most popular is La Lupita, which has been featured recently on Salt Acid Fat Heat on Netflix. Everything I’ve ever had there is tasty. Keep in mind basically all these types of places close by 2 PM so you need to go early. I have tried most of what’s on the menu and you can’t really go wrong – but make sure to get an empanada, too! Another popular stall in this market is Le Reina de Itzalana, which is open in the evenings, and has very good food & sopa de lima!

Saturday Slow Food Market

The Slow Food Market is every Saturday morning until about 1-2 PM but some vendors leave early once they sell out so best to go in the morning. As a tourist you might not want to come here but for those who live here, it’s great. You can get delicious fresh bread, hummus, and even meat from local farms like pork chops and ribs.

Taco Asada at Grande Plaza Market

On Sunday’s if you come into Centro, you’ll want to go to the Grande Plaza Market, which is from early morning until the afternoon. They have shops with local vendors, food stalls, and performances (the main one is at noon). We had tacos at one called “Taco Asada” which was really tasty so keep going back to it – however, just go anywhere here. You can just see where the locals are eating and eat there. Pictured above are tacos, a torta, and the bottom photo is a kibi.

Lucas de Galvez Market

This is the big main market, and one of the only places in Merida that reminds me for a second of being back in India. I haven’t really had time to explore this properly to tell you where to eat – but again, just go to a place that locals are eating at and eat there. You can shop here, get your fruit and veggies, and get a real feel of the “real local” Merida that tourists don’t really go to. The most famous stall here for a pastor is “Javis al Pastor”. This is also called the San Benito market.

Mercado 60

Mercado 60 is just near St. Lucia square. This is an evening market with a mix of Yucatan and International food. I’ve tried BBQ ribs, buffalo wings, tacos with mole (didn’t love them), and also gone just for the drinks and live music. There is usually a very cool vibe here and it’s somewhere we usually go with friends who come to Merida to visit us.

Casa Dominga

This is kinda of like Mercado 60 but fancier. They have a popular wine bar called Taninos Para Todos. I didn’t remember to take a photo here, sorry! But, there is a variety of food and I ordered the burrito. Here, they will come to take your drink order and it’s more of an older crowd while Mercado 60 is a young crowd. Outside is a valet and fancy cars – it definitely is more upscale.

Parque de Santa Ana

There is a strip of restaurants (food stalls) next to the park which have the standard Yucatan fair. There are also coffee shops along here and it’s a cool place to hang out in the evenings with a few bars. There is a place called Marias (or Marys, I can’t remember) that is really good!

Markets in Merida I Haven’t Tried Yet But Want To:

El Mercado Miguel Alemán (local), El Mercado San Sebastián (local), Nacion Gourmet (sister to Mercado 60 in the Norte but has very mixed reviews), Mercado Garcia Rejon (local), Paseo 60 (open-air A/C market with places like Oliva and Bryan’s Burger Bar inside, brand new)

Best Yucatecan/Mexican Restaurants in Merida

Pastor Suizo

I eat Pastor Suizo at least once a week. This is a chain restaurant, no frills, just good pastor. If you aren’t familiar with pastor, you soon will be – it’s like a gyro or kebab (the layered meat on the spit). I like to get a pastor gringo which means it is on a “harina tortilla” which is a flour one (corn is more popular here) with cheese and pineapple. I also get beef tacos here. Cover everything with all their sauces!

Taquitos PM

It’s always a toss up when you ask locals which they prefer: Pastor Suizo or Taquitos PM? Both are pastor chains you’ll see all over, even in shopping malls. Taquitos PM is definitely bigger and more commercial. Ben likes Taquitos PM better while I like Pastor Suizo! You’ll have to try both and see.

Chilakiller’s

Chillakillers is a must! Chilaquiles are a popular breakfast food in Mexico which is kind of like breakfast nachos. You put a green or red salsa on the tortillas and it gets nice and soggy – add some guac, onions, cilantro and such. You can add egg, chicken, or whatever they have on offer. Chillakillers serves chilaquiles on steroids (get the steak ones) and amazing tortas. I love it!

El Pez Gordo

El Pez Gordo is a chain restaurant in Norte with tex-mex style seafood: think fried shrimp tacos, cornflake covered fried shrimp, and you can order it with a flour tortilla. Their guac is the best and has mango on top. This is a chain restaurant and you might think it’s not “real Mexican” but regardless, it’s tasty.

El Fabuloso Pez

Literally, right across the street is this spot which some others had told us tastes better than El Pez Gordo. Ben agreed, but I personally still like El Pez Gordo better! They are very, very similar and have pretty identical menus. It’s kind of weird!

Crabster

This is actually on the beach in Progresso and has really nice seafood. The chef is “famous” I’m told. I’m not so down with the cheesy seafood tacos, but everything else was so good! This is where we took our family for Christmas lunch. There is seating inside and on the beach with the cabanas.

Micaela Mar Y Lena

We love this seafood restaurant in Centro! You can order family style and get a whole fish or shrimp by the kilo. With the family platters, you get 3 sides (which are pretty small). This was enough food for four people but we also got the guacamole as a starter (with pico and chicharron on it) and the papaya chicken skewers (so so good). I loved it and will be back for more!

Eureka

This is the best Italian in Merida. The photo above doesn’t do it justice because of the dark lighting, but I love this restaurant in Itizma. Mussels in proseco, tasty fruit balsamic salad with goat cheese, and the focaccia with smoked provolone were so good. We had the steak and the shrimp lemon pasta and we just loved it. Compared to other Italian food I’ve had here, this one is the best! The space is really cute as well and perfect for a date night.

Pollo Brujo

You’ll notice this chain around town, and it’s always popping at lunchtime. You can get a takeaway rotisserie chicken with lots of different sauces and build your own taco. After seeing this so many times, we finally tried it and it’s become a staple for a quick meal.

Hermana Republica

Oh, Hermana Republica, how I love you! This is one of the first “nice” Yucatan style dining places we went to and there are two locations (they are building a third). One is in Centro and the other in Norte. As you can see from the photos, it’s delicious and you can’t really go wrong with anything you order. They have their own craft beer and it’s a very cool spot to go have a chilled out meal and drinks or just go for snacks and have some beer.

Catrin’s

Catrins is a cute little taco place and has a nice a nice boutique at the entrance as well if you’re into a little shopping. I got a very cool basket/backpack here that I love! I found my tacos very bland if I’m being totally honest but Ben’s were good. The guac was decent – I feel like often at these places unless you add a ton of haberno, you aren’t going to get a lot of flavor. This place is quite popular though!

Mi Viejo Mohino

Great for breakfast, okay for lunch. I like coming here for coffee and a breakfast burrito type dish. Lunch/dinner is kind of like a diner style with so many things – you could order crappy American food or you could order a pretty tasty quesadilla. If you stick with Mexican/Yucatan food then it’s pretty good. It’s very cheap which is why a lot of people love it.

La Chaya Maya

La Chaya Maya is the most popular place for tourists to come try Yucatan food. There is always a local Mayan lady in the traditional clothing making corn tortillas in the front of the restaurant which draws in the crowds. Many people will say it’s touristy and crap and don’t go – but honestly, it was fine! You’ll start to notice that all panuchos and salbutes and sopa de lima tastes the same, so if you want to come here and feel the Mayan vibes, go for it.

Trotters

I had passed her 100 times and never thought to go inside because it looks like a tourist trap, to be honest. But a friend wanted to meet here and I was pleasantly surprised by the place! First off, it was full of locals. The food was delicious Yucatan-fusion food, and they had great mezcal cocktails. The vibe is really fun and it would be a great place for drinks and taking family or friends who visit you out for a meal.

Los Trompos

Los Trompos is another place that some will say is just a tourist trap – but it’s clear that locals love this place. It’s a chain and it’s always busy. The one in centro has chairs out into the street. There is live music, it’s very cheap, and I love the tacos. I’m not a fan of the pizza, although it seems like everyone else is.

El Barrio

El Barrio is just off a backstreet behind Paseo Montejo. I loved the tamal aztec style – it was full of poblano peppers and cheese. Yum! The chilaquiles were good as well. I didn’t try anything else here but based on peaking at other people’s plates, it all looks soooo good.

Azul Angeles, San Crisanto

When Ben and I go to the beach we sort of eat at the same places. We’ve tried new ones a little bit and been disappointed. In Progresso, we often eat at Eladios for shrimp tacos. When we go up toward San Crisanto we stop at a little place on the street called Azul Angeles or Blue Angel. I don’t think it’s on the map, but you’ll see it on your right before you reach the town.

K’u’uk & Apoala

Alright now for two popular places that just didn’t do it for me, Ku’uk and Apoala. Ku’uk is fine-dining Yucatan style and is in a big mansion. I thought it was over-priced. I didn’t get how their Sopa de Lima was better than any other food stall. Ben and I both thought our mains were bad and didn’t bother with dessert. On the plus side, alcohol was strangely cheap. Apoala is in St Lucia square and serves fine-dining Oaxacan-fusion food. We thought it was mediocre and over-priced. Both of these are top-ranked restaurants in Merida but neither are ones we would go back to.

Yucatecan/Mexican Places I Haven’t Tried Yet But Want To:

Rosas & Xocolate (the gorgeous pink hotel you see on Instagram – the menu didn’t appeal to us to be honest so we didn’t eat here when we stopped in, but has a dessert place too, Ek Chuah), Maiz de lo Alto, Manjar Blanco (very recommended), Wayan’e (everyone says best tacos, four locations), La Prospe del Xtup, Cacique, Nectar (fancy Yucatan), Los Platos Rotos (Mexican not just Yucatecan),La Tradición, Los Almendros, La Terraza Amarilla de San Fernando, Amaro, Bistro Cultural, La Pigua (seafood), El Marlin Azul (seafood), El Apapacho, Cocina Economica La Lupita (like a cafeteria), Maiz, Canela y Cilantro, Miguelito’s (hole-in-the-wall), Taqueria Ivan (hole-in-the-wall for conchinita), El Cangrejito (shrimp tacos), El Capricho (Yucatecan buffet)

Best Restaurants in Merida That Aren’t Yucatecan/Mexican

Local 59

I love this little Canadian-owned cafe in Centro. Our first Airbnb was by here, and I loved walking up to it for a big breakfast. You can’t go wrong with anything you order. They are known for their perogies. I’ve had a couple sandwiches as well which were so good, as was the soup and salad!

Amore Y Gusto

Located in Norte, in Benito Juarez is this little Italian place you would never think to go into – but it’s so tasty. I love the burrata, the shrimp starter, and the lasagna is SO good. I’ve had a couple of pastas I love and some I didn’t – so that can be hit or miss. This is a very good spot though that I highly recommend.

La Tratto

La Tratto is an Italian chain restaurant. They have really good thin wood-fired pizzas, great Ceasar salad, and I am obsessed with this 3-cheese dip that they do.

Monique’s Bakery

Bocadero

I haven’t remembered to take a photo of this food since I always order it at home from Uber Eats BUT this is one of our favorites to order at home. They do American food (think TGIF) and Tex-Mex.  Ben likes the BBQ ribs and I like the burrito. The cajun fries and chicken strips are good, too. This is located in North Merida.

Raffaello Pizza

In Centro, Raffaello’s is known as the best pizza and for being truly Italian. We took my parents here and we all loved it. The “Benjamin” is good and I loved the Hawaii pizza, too. They are thin crust and super quality ingredients. We were border-line drunk and I forgot to take photos. I’ll be back soon, though!

Milk Bar

In Progreso, Milk Bar is the best! It serves breakfast all day. The coconut shrimp is the best on the beach and they have American food (like sausage gravy biscuits and chili dogs), seafood, and Mexican food.

Dadaumpa

Yum, yum! We love Dadaumpa in Centro. It’s tasty Italian, has cool owners who are really friendly, and it’s so affordable. 150 MXN for pasta or less, and cheap alcohol to boot. The ragu cannelloni was the bomb, the lemon chicken tagliatelle was yummy, and the pizza was good, too.

Tokio 07

All kinds of Japanese yumminess in this adorable restaurant! When you walk in, it’s like you’re walking into the kitchen. Grab a glass of wine and have a late lunch of pork gyoza or ramen. They have a ton of vegetarian options, too.

Pizza E Core

This is the best pizza in Merida! I love sourdough pizza and this is very similar to Franco Manco in London, one of my faves when I’m there. The crust isn’t thick (to me) but has some heaviness to it, not like a traditional Italian thin crust. The sauce is very flavorful and they do huge chunks of cheese – there are about 15-20 kinds of pizza on there but other than that it’s a small menu with two antipastis and two salads to choose from. This is in Centro.

Blatt Salat Haus

This is my go-to when I need a healthy bite. You can order salads that are small, medium, or large and you pick your toppings: 3 cold toppings, 1 protien, and then a dressing. It’s just 100 pesos ($5) for the small salad which I actually think is really big. You can also get wraps for around 80 MXN that are healthy and tasty.

LIAN’S

Lianas is a great place for Chinese. I’ve actually only ordered takeaway from here, but we’ve tried so many things on the menu and like it all. The Thai food isn’t great Thai, buuut this is a Chinese place in general, so that makes sense. The Mongolian beef is a favorite, but pricey at 200 MXN and I love the orange chicken and fried rice. Sorry for the terrible photo! I was just about to eat then remembered I should have taken a picture, and had put like 7 different things in my dish so it’s pretty messy lol.

130 Grados

If you want the fanciest International meal you can have in Merida, it’s probably 130 degrees steakhouse. The steak are PRICEY but you can order it by size. I found the guac to be bland, and the cheese sausage dip is probably amazing but I don’t like smokey flavors – so didn’t love it. The mac and cheese was so good and I would go back just for that and a steak! We left here pretty darn drunk because their bar is STOCKED, ha!

Oliva Enoteca

Oliva is the top-ranked Italian restaurant in Merida, and although I love the vibe, I really thought it was just okay. My shrimp in my pasta didn’t seem that fresh. My started of the pork belly was very good, though! I’d go back for sure and try it again – some others have also said it’s been pretty hit and miss for them, too.

Rosa Sur 32°

On my birthday, we went to Rosa Sur 32 degrees in Santa Lucia square. It was the BEST meal ever. We raved about it. We loved the hidden little space in the courtyard and the dish I had was fantastic. We had pork belly, pork chops, and Ben had some steak with mole and the oysters. For dessert, we had a guava ice cream treat that was heavenly. This is a restaurant by Chef Mario Espinosa from Rosas & Xocolate. However, we went back recently and the menu had changed and we didn’t like anything we ordered. I’m not sure what happened there but with a meal of $100 with drinks, I’m not sure we’ll be rushing back.

Pho MX

This Vietnamese place is popular with expats here, even those from Portland and Seattle who say it’s comparable. I often eat at “Pan Asian” restaurants that have some Vietnamese on the menu but also went for basics like spring rolls and chicken wings. They have those here and they were good. I tried the beef pho and it was also good. Everything was okay but heavy on the anise star flavor – maybe I’m just not that into Vietnamese food? Not sure that I’ll go back (I prefer ramen I guess) but again, people love this place so definitely one to go try.

P.F. Changs

You guys know this place, haha! You can’t go wrong with P.F. Changs for a bite of Asian food! It’s in the Altabrisa mall next to iHop and Fuddruckers – yes, that’s right, there are TONS of USA restaurants here. This list is for my favorite places to eat, and really the truth is there are some American chain places I like to go to and you might want to know they are here.

Texas Roadhouse

Again, one I have to mention. When I crave Texas chili, rolls, or a simple salad with ranch dressing, this is where we head. It’s new this year and on the weekends in the evening,s it can be a waiting list. They even do line dancing.

Panfila

I’m kind of getting to the places that aren’t topping the list here, but I’m mentioned because some people rave about this healthy place. I think it’s best for vegans/veggies but it’s above a big Lifestyle Fitness and people go there after they work out. I thought my turkey sandwich was a little weird but the other girls I was with ordered healthy things and loved theirs.

Illuminati Pizza

Illuminati pizza is a favorite with folks in Merida, but Ben and I weren’t that into it. The cheese pizza had some local cheese on it I didn’t love (manchego I think) and Ben’s BBQ pizza was pretty much falling apart.

Eskondida Pizza

Even better than the above, is Eskondida pizza. We order it from Rappi to the house and it’s still nice and warm when it gets here. They do NY style pizza and are supposedly actually from New York, but that could just be a rumor. It is a very tasty pizza! It’s affordable too at around $7 for a small pizza and $12 for a medium, etc. They do pasta, salads, and bread appetizers as well.

La Recova

La Recova is a popular steakhouse in Santa Lucia square that is always packed. While it’s a great environment with live music and a lively vibe, we thought it was just okay. My shrimp alfredo was good but Ben’s steak was pretty basic. I think people go mostly just for the vibe.

Boston’s

I don’t have a photo, but when we order takeaway there is a Boston’s down the street and we get pizza from them. Sometimes we order Pizza Hut or Little Ceasars, but Bostons is the go-to. They do all kinds of American snacks. I’m pretty sure this is a Canadian chain restaurant.

Sanbravo

This is a seafood and steak restaurant. We pass it when we walk down to Pastor Suizo and it’s always packed with very fancy people having their Mercedes valeted. We finally tried it and $75 (for two people, no alcohol), we decided it was good but nothing crazy special. I think the vibe here is “over the top fancy, make you feel SO special” which some people are down for – but several waiters kind of stood over us the whole time, they have you pick out your steak knife from a selection of unique one-of-a-kind knives, and bring a trolley drink cart over to make your cocktails. It’s cool in a way, and really $75 isn’t bad for two appetizers that were huge, a shrimp and a steak main, and a dessert. So, it’s kind of a toss-up. Portions are huge and we definitely didn’t need starters. I’d probably go back to try more like the seafood pastas and risottos but we weren’t “wowed”.

Sonora Grill

Sonora Grill is kinda of like Sanbravo in that they take their drinks and steaks seriously – but it’s very laid-back inside and not pretentious at all. It had a lively crowd while still being fancy. The steaks were amazing (many people had told us they are the best in Merida) and affordable starting at around $20 but up to $75 for a Japanese one). The truffle and parm fries were so good, too!

Hennesy’s

This is the main Irish (and maybe only one) in town, located along Paseo Montejo. It’s popular with expats and you can always find someone to chat to if you pop into the bar. They have classics like shepherd’s pie but you can also get good pasta and sandwiches here.

La Bierhaus

There are two locations, one of which is up north near our house. We like it here! They do live music on the weekends around 10 PM which was 90’s and fun. The food is typically German pub food. The menu makes Ben really happy because he actually grew up for five or so years in Austria and loves schnitzel and German-style potato salad, goulash, and more. They are known for their sausages and brawts. I loved mine, although the bread crumbled. The saurkraut is great. The schnitzel is pork (as it should be) and tastes amazing but is too thick, it hasn’t been pounded down as much as a real schnitzel should be. So, it’s the closest to real German you’ll get in Merida and worth a visit, but it’s still not 100% true German.

Mr. Pampas

Mr. Pampas is a chain restaurant Brazilian BBQ which is the kind that does all you can eat buffets. The meat comes around to the table on sticks and you can go up to the salad bar. The meat is actually really good and a nice variety from ribs to chicken livers, but it’s quite salty… I mean, delicious, but salty. The arrachera is great. It all was. The salad bar is more quantity over quality but still, you have several different lettuce salads and all the dressings then you have soups, cold salads (like cole slaw, macaroni), and then hot stuff like pasta, potatoes, rice, there is a lot! There is also a dessert bar, but it was the least impressive part. Overall, if you were hungry for meat this is the place to go. After 7 PM, it’s 200 pesos, so for $10, it’s a steal. Even if you just wanted a huge salad with all the toppings, you’d pay more at somewhere like TGIF, so I mean, can’t say anything bad about this place!

Korean Grill and Icecream

This was recommended by many, but being on the tourist strip of Paseo Montejo we always thought it might not be authentic or worth going. It actually was when we tried it out, though! We had the fried shrimp and fried dumplings as starters, I had ramen, and Ben had some beef dish with miso soup. Prices were really affordable, wine was around $3 a glass, and we would definitely go back.

I’m going to mention a few places that we tried and thought were okay as well.

Angry Angus has burgers, BBT has American food like wings, potato skins, buffalo strips in alfredo pasta, and it’s okay – it’s something we order when we just want snacky Netflix food, then there is Lapalapa which is the same food basically but is not as good; I won’t order it again. Bryan’s is also one people rave about that we thought was just okay.

Obviously, you have all the mall food too: Burger King, McDonald’s, mall-style Chinese food, Alabama Mama, and then more chains like Chilis and TGIF. We like TGIF here but Chilis was terrible – maybe we got unlucky though.

Non-Yucatecan/Mexican Places I Haven’t Tried Yet But Want To:

Lo Que Hay (vegan/veggie), Numen (vegan), Wokies Monchis (burgers), La Rueda Steak House (steak and wood-fired pizzas), La Terrazza (Lebanese), La Cubanita (Cuban), Pita (Mediterranean), Dang Ren (Chinese), Billy O’s Burgers, Patio 57 (Lebanese), Siqueff Restaurante (Lebanese), Ave Del Paraiso (Thai), Casa Thai (Thai but tried to go and it’s closed for renovations)

Best Bars in Merida

Eladios

Eladios is a good stand-by for a bar to go to. The big one in centro is kind of hit or miss with the music, and the one on the beach is great. It’s a chain. This place gives the best/most botanas (free snacks!).

La Negrita Cantina

This is the most popular pub I think and it’s popping up in guidebooks so a lot of travelers come here (hostels send them here as well). I love seeing the locals dance, love the bands, and the outdoor patio. It’s a favorite!

Mayan Pub

If you want a party party experience, then go to Mayan Pub and wander into the back patio. You can go here later at night after the cantinas close.

Casa Chica

This place is a really cute bar on Paseo Montejo. It has palm trees and neon flamingos – kind of a chic upscale vibe but not necessarily expensive – although it’s not a cantina so don’t expect free botanas. Casa Chica, La Negrita, and La Fundacion Mezcalaria are “sister” bars with the same owners but all have very different vibes.

El Cardenal

This is a great little cantina that has a big courtyard, a very friendly owner, and is one that we love to go to with friends.

Dzalbay

They do live music here on the weekends and we’ve seen a couple of great bands here. Come early to get a good seat – it’s a small place. Also, in the hot months here, these cantinas that are inside-only can be very hot!

Malahat

This is a speak-easy behind Santa Lucia square. If you want to go somewhere later at night, this is a cool spot and something a little different. You can ask at Apoala where the entrance is.

Fundación Mezcaleria

This cantina is a really lively place that often has live music. While many cantinas close at 10, this bar does not open until 8 pm and stays open late. It gets packed so if you want a table come early. Their food is actually pretty good if you want a drunk snack. Four people drinking many buckets of beer for 5 hours and having food was just 500 pesos. This is a great place for dancing and going a little crazy.

Bars I Haven’t Tried Yet But Want To:

Esvedra (fancy place, has pizza), El Porvenir, Beso de la Flaca (open late, dancing), Casa Negra (open late), Pipiripau (open late, hipster), La Pura at Santa Ana Park, Delorean (live music), Bela Chela (gastropub), La Linda Cerveceria (micropub, craft beers), La Valentina

Best Desserts in Merida

Pola Gelato

This is a very cute ice cream shop (very instagrammable) but I gotta say, I didn’t think it was very good gelato, and I must be the only person in Merida who has said that.

Sorbeteria Colón

A famous ice cream and sorbet spot.

Cafe Creme

A cafe and place for coffee and also nice french pastries.

Marquesitas on the street

This is the most popular street food and you’ll see the common combi is Edam cheese and nutella. I’m not a fan but everyone else is! It’s basically a crepe and you can get all kinds of flavors, minus the cheese if you want.

I want to try a dessert place called Browniques Youssef as well that looks tasty.

This is a big list it seems like, but I still feel like I’ve barely scraped the surface!

Merida has so many good restaurants and I cannot wait to try more. I added in to each sections places that people rave about which I haven’t been able to try yet so that you can go try those, too. Most good Yucatan food is in Centro and closes by 2 PM so I rarely get there since I live in work from home in the North of the city, but eventually, I’ll get to them all and update as I do!

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