Mexico is known for its historic sites, gorgeous beaches, delicious food, and colourful festivals. The capital, Mexico City, is one of the main tourist destinations with its modern and historic look, while Cancun, Mexico, is a great option if you’re looking for a getaway with beautiful beaches and azure waters. There are also many ancient and mysterious Mayan ruins in Mexico. Mexico’s distinctive cuisine will also add another dimension to your trip.
1. Mexico Quick Facts
Language Spanish
Religion Catholic
Currency Mexican Peso (MXN, Mex$)
Visa FMMd (Forma Migratoria Multiple Digital)
Power Plugs 127 V 60 Hz (A/B Type)
Capital Mexico City
ATM You can use an ATM from a commercial bank.
Use card Outside of shopping centres and airports, credit cards have limited use, high fees, and are best avoided in emergencies.
APP
Google Maps
Uber
DiDi
2. Packing for your trip
Air plain Ticket
Dollar Flight Club has made it easier and cheaper to buy flights to the Airport.
SIM card
Airalo is the world’s first eSIM store that solves the pain of high roaming bills by giving you access to 200+ eSIMs (digital SIM cards) globally at affordable prices.
New member one-time use 15% discount coupon
10% discount coupon for multiple use by all members.
Pacsafe Pro safe 800 Luggage Lock
Good protection against snatchers or impulse thieves.
Universal Power Adapter
One of the most essential but most forgotten items in your travel gear? A power adapter!
Travel insurance
Prepare for risky situations Travel insurance can be a big help in the event of an emergency
GoPro HERO11
If you want to capture your own memories of your travels, GoPro is the way to go. It’s small, has great image quality, and is easy to carry around
3. Transportation
3-1 Mexico City
There are various types of city buses and metros in Mexico, including metro buses, public buses (Ecobus), electric buses (Trolebus), and small buses (Microbus, Combi).
3-1-1 Metrobus
Metro bus trunk lines 6 pesos per trip (regardless of distance) with Metro Card
The Metrobus, a double-decker bus that operates on bus lanes, is the most comfortable, with seven routes covering major tourist destinations and the city centre, and is used by many foreigners.
3-1-2 Metro
Metro trunk lines 5 pesos per trip (regardless of distance) Metro card accepted
There are a total of 12 subway lines in operation, but they are often subject to sudden service interruptions and delays.
Metro Transport Card (15 pesos for card issuance)
3-1-3 city buses
Cash only No change is given, so you’ll need to make sure you have change.
Purple buses 8 pesos
Green buses 6 pesos
3-1-4 Taxi
Due to the prevalence of taxi robberies in Mexico, it is very dangerous to take a regular taxi (Libre taxis with pink livery) on the street, so it is recommended to use a shared taxi service such as Uber or Didi, or a hotel taxi. Uber and Didi are available through apps and are generally cheaper, although rates fluctuate depending on availability. At the airport, shared taxis may not be available, so we recommend using the airport taxi service (Taxi Seguro). You can purchase a coupon at a window in the departure hall for a flat rate based on distance, and then follow the staff’s instructions to board. Occasionally, there are solicitors around the arrivals area, but beware of extortionate prices and the risk of robbery.
3-1-5 Rent a car
The price does not include insurance and a security deposit, and insurance often exceeds the cost of a day’s rental, so it’s important to check the final payment. When renting a car, you’ll usually need to show identification, a driver’s licence and a credit card for the deposit.
3-2 Cancun
Taxis are plentiful in Cancun and are known to be safer than taxis in any other part of the country.
There is also a well-developed bus system that connects the tourist areas with the rest of the city, and is used by tourists as well as locals who work in the tourist areas.
4.Safety
Mexico is a high-crime country and security can be an issue in some areas. Mexico City is among the cities with the highest murder rate in the world, and you should be especially cautious in Tijuana, Juarez, and Cancun.Therefore, it’s important to be prepared for crime when travelling to Mexico. It is advisable to keep valuables on your person and avoid travelling alone.
Most city centres in Mexico City and provincial towns have a square called a zocalo, where there are many shops and stalls, and where tourists tend to congregate in bars and crowds, so you should be aware of the possibility of theft, mugging and robbery.
Useful phone numbers for tourists
Emergency: 911
Fire Department: 068
Police: 060
Ambulance: 065
5. Climate
The coastal areas have a tropical climate with hot and humid weather year-round, the central highlands have a dry temperate climate except during the rainy season, and the rest of the country has a subtropical climate.
Mexico City is located at an altitude of 2,300 metres. The climate is mild year-round, but the weather varies greatly, and the rainy season runs from June to October, when it rains briefly and heavily for about two hours almost every day.
6. price
Prices in Mexico City are low, but in the holiday destination of Cancun, prices are European and much higher
Gas (1 liter) 24 MXN
McDonald’s Combo Meal: 129 MXN
Water (1.5 liters): 16 MXN
Milk (1 liter) 26 MXN
7. Travel precautions
Located in the centro area of Mexico City, the Tepito Market is the largest black market in Latin America and is a hotspot for the sale of illegal goods such as contraband, drug and arms trafficking, and crimes such as robbery and theft, and should be avoided by travellers.
8. Etiquette & Service Tip
It is considered polite to make eye contact when shaking hands with someone
The Mexican greeting between men and women, regardless of age, is a light hug and a light peck on the cheek.
Tip
It is customary to tip 10-15% in restaurants, hotels and taxis, and it is also customary to tip $1 or the equivalent in local currency for cleaning your room or running personal errands.
10. Holidays
The following are the national public holidays for 2024:
1 Jan Mon New Year’s Day
5 Feb Mon Constitution Day
18 Mar Mon Benito Juarez Day
28 Mar Thu Holy Thursday *
29 Mar Fri Good Friday *
1 May Wed Labor Day
5 May Sun Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla *
16 Sep Mon Independence Day
12 Oct Sat Day of the Race *
2 Nov Sat All Souls’ Day *
18 Nov Mon Revolution Day
12 Dec Thu Lady of Guadalupe Day *
25 Dec Wed Christmas Day
2025 National Public Holidays:
Wednesday, 1 January : New Year’s Day
Monday, 3 February : Constitution Day
Monday, 17 March : Benito Juarez Day
Thursday, 17 April : Holy Thursday
Friday, 18 April : Good Friday
Thursday, 1 May : Labor Day
Monday, 5 May : Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla
Tuesday, 16 September : Independence Day
Sunday, 12 October : Day of the Race
Sunday, 2 November : All Souls’ Day
Monday, 17 November : Revolution Day
Friday, 12 December: Lady of Guadalupe Day
Thursday, 25 December: Christmas Day