Mexico

When to go

Weather

The plateau and high mountains are warm for much of the year. The Pacific coast has a tropical climate.

Festivals

Mexicans celebrate more than 120 festivals every year. Some occasions are of religious significance, others secular, national or local. In nearly all instances, however, they are a time for music, dancing, processions and fireworks. The Day of the Dead is celebrated with enthusiastic fervour throughout the country on 1 November. It is especially dramatic on Lago de Pátzcuaro, where locals converge on the island of Janitizio in canoes, a solitary candle alight in each craft. Other major events include Semana Santa, or Holy Week, in the week before Easter. As in the rest of the Latin world, Carnaval in the week before Lent, is celebrated with costumes, parades, eating and dancing.

Highlights

Mexico City has the world's largest taxi fleet – some 60,000 cars

Mayan ruins

Stroll among majestic temple complexes, the remains of cities inhabited by the Maya people, fringed by jungle and mostly dotted across the Yucatan peninsula. Chichén Itzá, with its vertiginous temple, chacmool figures and dramatic snail-shaped observatory, is the most famous Maya site. But there are plenty more equally noteworthy: hauntingly-beautiful Palenque, strongly linked with lost cities of Guatemala; Tulum, set on a cliff overlooking a stunning stretch of white sandy Caribbean beach and turquoise sea. In parts of the Yucatan, descendants of the Maya retain some of their ancient traditions and lifestyles.

Mexico City

Set beneath two snowcapped volcanoes at a dizzying altitude, this heavily-polluted yet fascinating urban sprawl is a throng of people and a centre of art, politics and culture. There’s a colonial feel about the place, while everything bustles around the Zócalo, the huge central square, surrounded by the cathedral, Aztec ruins and the Palacio Nacional.

Acapulco

Watch dare-devil clavadistas, professional high divers, as they gracefully swallow-dive from the steep cliffs into the sea far below. Elsewhere, great beaches provide the daytime entertainment, while at night it’s the bars and clubs that are the draw. Feel free to go loco.

Copper Canyon railway

Board the train, then settle back for a scenic - and often heart-stopping 13-hour ride, from the west coast into the Sierra Madre.

Being there

Etiquette

English is widely spoken in business circles, but a knowledge of Spanish will go a long way. At beach resorts, dress is very informal. Mexicans regard relationships and friendships as the most important thing in life next to religion.

Food and Drink

Each region has its own specialities, but national dishes include enchilidas and tacos filled with pork, chicken, cheese, chilli or vegetables. Guacamole, an avocado salsa, is a popular accompaniment. A national favourite is turkey mole. Moles are sauces made from several ingredients including chillis, tomatoes, nuts and chocolate Kahlua, the coffee liqueur, is world famous, Hidalgo is a good white wine, while Calafia is an excellent red.

Shopping and Souvenirs

Silverware, ceramics, pottery, wool blankets, silk scarves, charro hats, straw work, blown glass, leather, precious stones, hammocks.

Additional Info

People and Places

Capital: Mexico City.
Language: Spanish.
Population: 101,965,000.
Population Density: 51.9. (pop per km²)
Size: 1,959,248. (area km²)

Transport

(And distances from the nearest city): Mexico City (MEX) 13 km, Guadalajara (GDL) 20 km, Acapulco (ACA) 26 km, Monterrey (MTY) 24 km.
Good domestic air and rail networks. Extensive road network, but less than half is paved. Car hire available.

Red Tape

International Driving Permit or British driving licence.
UK: 8 Halkin Street, London SW1X 7DW, tel (020) 7235 6393, fax (020) 7235 5480, email info@mexicanconsulate.org.uk. USA: 2827 16th Street, NW, Washington DC 20009, tel (202) 736 1000, fax (202) 234 4498, email consulwas@aol.com.
UK: Rio Lerma 71, Colonia Cuauhtémoc, CP 06500 México DF, tel (55) 5242 8500, fax (55) 5242 8522, email consular.mexico@fco.gov.uk. USA: Paseo de la Reforma 305, 06500 México DF, tel (55) 5080 2000, fax (55) 5511 9980, email ccs@usembassy-mexico.com.

State of the Nation

Life expectancy: M 72.42, F 78.1.

Finance: Credit cards widely accepted, traveller’s cheques generally accepted.
Business hours: Vary considerably, usually 0900-1400, 1500-1800 Monday-Friday.
GMT: - 6 to - 8.
Voltage guide: 110 AC, 60 Hz.
Country dialling code: 52.