Mexico

Key facts

• Region: North America — Sovereign states
• Capital: Mexico City
• Currency: Mexican peso (MXN)
• Languages: Spanish (plus 68 recognised national indigenous languages)
• Main airport: MEX — Benito Juárez International Airport, serving Mexico City
• Best time to visit: November to April, the dry season; avoid the Yucatán and Pacific coasts in September, the peak of the rains and hurricane season

Overview

Mexico is the most-visited country in Latin America, combining large beach resorts with some of the world's most important ancient ruins and a deep, distinct food and craft culture. It shares a long land border with the United States and is easy to reach overland or by short flights. Its cuisine and colonial cities set it apart from the smaller Central American countries to the south.

Airports

Mexico City's Benito Juárez International (MEX) is the country's main hub. Cancun International (CUN) is the busiest gateway for the Yucatan and the Caribbean coast. Guadalajara (GDL), Monterrey (MTY) and Tijuana (TIJ) serve other major regions. Puerto Vallarta (PVR) and Los Cabos (SJD) are the main resort airports on the Pacific side. Felipe Angeles International (NLU) is a newer airport serving the Mexico City area.

Main cities

Mexico City is the cultural and political centre, worth several days for its museums, markets and food. Oaxaca is the standout for regional cuisine and crafts and a base for nearby ruins. San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato offer the most polished colonial-town experience in the central highlands. Mérida is a calm, safe base for exploring the Yucatan and its ruins. Puerto Vallarta and Playa del Carmen are the main resort towns on the coasts.

Places to go

Chichén Itzá and Tulum are the best-known Maya sites in the Yucatan, with Uxmal and Palenque also major destinations. The pyramids of Teotihuacán sit just outside Mexico City. The Copper Canyon (Barrancas del Cobre) in Chihuahua is larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon. Isla Holbox and Cozumel offer quieter or reef-focused alternatives to Cancun, and nearby Bacalar is known for its lagoon. Hierve el Agua near Oaxaca has petrified waterfalls above the valley.

Getting there

Cheapest cached round-trip fare into Mexico, refreshed every 6 hours:

Where to stay

Practical information

Frequently asked