Travel guide – Mexico

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Overview

With a Native American heritage and a distinct Spanish flavour, Mexico is vibrant, colourful and unique. Its varied terrain ranges from cactus-studded deserts to white sandy beaches and blue waters, tropical rainforest and jungle-clad hills to steep rocky canyons and narrow gorges, and from snow-capped volcano peaks to bustling cities.

Since the height of Mayan and Aztec civilisations, Mexico has suffered the destructive force of the Conquistadors, European colonial rule, civil and territorial wars, rebellions, dictatorships, recessions and earthquakes. Yet its people remain warm and friendly, much of the countryside remains unspoilt by development, and its cities display a unique style of architecture. The extraordinary history is reflected in the ancient Mayan temples strewn across the jungles and ruins of Aztec civilisations, rural indigenous villages, Spanish colonial cities and silver mining towns, and traditional Mexican ports.

Buildings display a unique combination of colonial and pagan architecture, blending together Art Nouveau, Baroque, Art Deco and Native American design into the structure of their churches and public structures. The country's culture displays a similar blend of the traditional and modern, where pagan meets Christian in a series of festivals, or fiestas throughout the year.

Besides a combination of unique culture and fascinating cities, Mexico also boasts several hundred miles of coastline extending down through both the Pacific and the Caribbean, which has branded the country as a popular summer retreat destination. Beach resort cities such as Acapulco, Cancun and those of the Baja California peninsula are accepted vacation havens. The countryside is also rich in archaeological treasures with pyramids, ruins of ancient cities and great stone carvings of ancient gods standing as testament to a country once ruled by the Aztecs and Mayans.

Regions and cities within Mexico...

Mexico City

Climate

The coast and lowlands are hot and humid all year. The interior highlands are milder and drier, but can become freezing between December and February. Rainfall is scarce throughout most of the country.

Health

Those entering Mexico from an infected area require a yellow fever certificate. There are no vaccination requirements for visitors to Mexico, however visitors should take medical advice if travelling outside the major tourist areas. Immunisation against hepatitis A and typhoid is generally recommended. A malaria risk exists in some rural areas, but not on the Pacific and Gulf coasts, and the dengue fever mosquito occurs. Other risks include dysentery and diarrhoeal diseases, and sensible precautions regarding food and water are strongly advised, visitors are advised to be cautious of street food and stick to bottled water. Medical facilities are very good, but medical insurance is recommended.

The basics

Time

Mexico spans four different time zones: GMT -6, -7 and -8 with daylight saving, and GMT -7 all year round in the state of Sonora.

Electricity

130 volts, 60Hz. Two-pin flat blade attachment plugs are standard.

Language

Spanish is the official language. Some English is spoken in tourist regions.

Tipping

Tips are expected in Mexico by almost all services; waiters and bar staff should be tipped 10 to 15% if a service charge hasn't already been added to the bill. The American custom of tipping 15-20% is practiced at international resorts, including those in Los Cabos. Taxi drivers are not usually tipped unless they have helped with luggage.

Safety

There is a risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks in public places. Crime is high in Mexico, especially in Mexico City, where robberies and muggings are prevalent. Travellers should avoid displays of wealth and be particularly vigilant on public transport, at stations and tourist sites. Only use authorised taxi services. Women travelling on their own should be alert, especially in tourist areas; a number of serious sexual assaults have occurred in Cancun recently. Visitors drawing money from cash machines or exchanging money at bureaux de change should do so in daylight hours and be especially vigilant on leaving. Visitors are advised to be wary of people presenting themselves as police officers attempting to fine or arrest them for no apparent reason, leading to theft or assault; if in doubt ask for identification, and, if possible to make a note of the officer's name, badge number and patrol number. The practice is most common in Cancun where increasing numbers of motorists in rental cars have been stopped and threatened with imprisonment if an immediate fine is not paid. Hurricanes may affect the coastal areas between June and November. Hurricane Wilma hit the north eastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula, including Cancun, Riviera Maya, Cozumel and nearby islands, on 21 October 2005. There was damage to the tourist infrastructure in the area, but most hotels and tourist facilities are operating normally again. Cancun and Cozumel were the most affected.

Communications

The international access code for Mexico is +52. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 001 for North America). Some US long-distance phone companies have access numbers which can be dialled in order to use your phone card - calls are usually cheaper than direct-dialled calls from a hotel room. If calling internationally from a phone booth only use the official TelMex phone booths, as all others charge very high fees. GSM 1900 mobile networks cover most of the country. Internet access is widely available in the tourist areas.

Duty Free

Travellers to Mexico over 18 years do not have to pay duty on 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g pipe tobacco; 3 litres wine or other alcoholic beverages; perfume, eau-de-cologne or lotions for personal use; a video camera and one standard camera. Non-residents are allowed to bring in 12 rolls of film or video cassettes, and goods to the value of US$300 without incurring duty fees. Prohibited goods include fresh food products and the import of canned food. The export of tobacco, alcohol and archaeological artefacts are strictly forbidden.

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