Mexico is a beautiful country filled with good people, amazing sights and delicious food. Everywhere you go, you’ll find something new and exciting to experience. Visitors often comment on the country’s warmth, history and flourishing culture. And whether you want to hang out at the beach, explore ancient ruins, take a stroll through some museums or marvel at the city architecture, there’s something for you to do in Mexico.
Beaches and resorts
Mexico is a popular tourist destination because it has numerous sunny beaches and resorts where you forget about the stress of daily life. The hours seem to drift by a little more slowly when you can dig your toes into the sand, sip a cold drink and catch some rays. Some of the best beaches in Mexico include:
- Puerto Vallarta: A popular winter destination, Puerto Vallarta has gorgeous beaches, lots of sun and some amazing cuisine. Snorkeling and scuba diving are great ways to explore the aquatic world, or you can fish for your dinner on a chartered boat.
- Playa del Carmen: In Playa del Carmen, you’ll find calm pedestrian thoroughfares lined with amazing restaurants. And when you’re finished at the beach, you can hop over to the Muyil ruins to the archeological sites of ancient Mayan temples.
- Tulum: How about some yoga on the beach? At Tulum, you can stretch your body to the relaxing sound of incoming tide.
- Cozumel: If island life is appealing to you, look no further than Cozumel. Here you can swim with dolphins, trek through a national park, dive in the reef and even go deep-sea fishing for marlin and swordfish.
Mexico City
The capital of Mexico is a metropolitan area that offers everything from fine dining and amazing hotels to brilliant cathedrals and sprawling museums. Those interested in Mexican culture, both past and present, would do well to spend a few days in this amazing city.
There’s a museum for every interest in Mexico City. For example, the National Museum of Anthropology houses exhibits of ancient Mayan artifacts and even some human remains from more than 10,000 years in the past. There’s also the Templo Mayor, a 13th century Aztec temple where you can learn about the country’s history firsthand. And for art lovers, there’s the Frida Kahlo Museum, a house where the artist once resided which now features artwork by Kahlo as well as items from her personal life.
Mexico city also features a number of amazing architectural achievements, many of which can be found in the historic city center. At this UNESCO world heritage site, you’ll find Aztec temples as well as the enormous Metropolitan Cathedral, which first opened in 1813. In the historic center, you can also visit the canals and artificial islands built by ancient Aztecs to harness their natural environment. There’s so much to do in the city center that you could easily spend an entire day here, taking photos and drinking in the history.
Chichen Itza
If you don’t get enough ancient history in Mexico City, then you must check out Chichen Itza, the most famous Mayan pyramid. Built sometime around 600 A.D., much of the ancient structure survives to this day. In addition to the pyramid, the site also contains the ruins of a ball court, smaller temples and a wall of carved skulls. At Chichen Itza, you can take a step back through time to an era before European colonizers and get a glimpse of what life might have been life for the ancient peoples of Mexico.