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Baja CaliforniaBaja California is a long finger peninsula running parallel to the west coast of the Mexican mainland, separated by the Gulf of California or Sea of Cortez. It is divided into two states, Baja California Norte in the north and the southern region of Baja California Sur, and extends from Tijuana on the American border down to Cabo San Lucas at the peninsula's tip.
Baja is one of the least humid places on earth with an intensely dry climate. It is a diverse geographical area providing remarkable contrasts. This is a wildly beautiful place of unusual scenery and dramatic
color changes, of exquisitely azure bays and miles of fine white beaches, rocky cliffs and deserts, giving way to dry mountainous slopes covered in a stunning display of cactus plants. The interior is harsh and undeveloped, while the coast is dotted with attractive resorts and modern towns. The protected gulf is home to more endemic species than anywhere else in the world; the warm waters are rich in marine life, and the protected waters on the Pacific coast are an important breeding ground for whales. Most resort tour operators arrange whale-watching trips from January to March.
A journey down the trans-peninsula highway conveys many surprises, from the bulging and frenetic activity of the modern city of Tijuana, with its tacky souvenir shops and thriving gambling scene, to the oasis town of San Ignacio, a beautiful respite from the hot Vizcaíno Desert on its fringes, with some extraordinary cave paintings nearby. From the peaceful laid-back village of Mulegé to the tranquil port of La Paz, with a colonial center and spectacular sunsets, and the charming traditional Mexican town of Todos Santos in the south, there are a great variety of places to explore and enjoy. The Baja Peninsula also boasts the best seafood and wine in Mexico.
Getting Around: There is an efficient bus system that covers the distance between Tijuana and Los Cabos in 24 hours on the Trans-peninsula highway, stopping at towns along the way. Car and passenger ferry services connect Baja to the Mexican mainland and there are airports at Tijuana and near Los Cabos. Car rental companies can be found in the larger cities and at airports, although the Trans-peninsula highway is narrow and routinely traveled by trucks. Within the towns there are plenty of taxis and collectivos (shared taxi vans) for hire.
Mexico CitySprawling across a valley encircled by ice-capped volcanoes and mountains, atop an ancient Aztec civilization, Mexico City is North America's highest city, and one of the worlds most densely populated. With a long and fascinating history that runs from ancient native civilizations through to the invasion of the Conquistadors and subsequent colonial rule, Mexico City has a vast number of fascinating sights and attractions.
In the city center, constructed out of the stones of the ancient palaces and temples, is the vast open space of the Zócalo - Mexico's city square - said to be the second largest in the world after Moscow's Red Square. At La Merced you'll discover the city's largest and most vibrant market, with a vast array of bizarre and exciting stalls, while the huge expanse of the Bosque de Chapultepec park houses the National Museum of Anthropology, with a fascinating collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts. At Teotihuacán visitors will discover one of the most impressive and mysterious archaeological sites in Mexico, constructed by an ancient, and long forgotten culture.
The sprawling capital is a place to both love and hate, with everything you'd anticipate in a large city. It has world-class museums and galleries, a remarkable architectural legacy and elegant buildings, palaces and cathedrals, green open spaces and colonial suburbs, historical ruins, attractive squares, modern skyscrapers and great economic, cultural and political importance. It also has poverty, overcrowding and slums, incredible pollution, traffic congestion, crime, unemployment, and a constant cacophony of people and noise. It is exhilarating, frenetic and fascinating, an unabated reserve of vibrancy and life.
Despite its problems and somewhat bewildering energy Mexico City is a magnet for Mexicans and tourists alike: a modern, cosmopolitan and ever growing city that is attractive in so many ways. Despite its renown for the appalling, throat-rasping levels of pollution, Mexico City's skies often remain remarkably clear, and it does make for incredible sunsets.
Getting Around: The efficient and very cheap public transport system makes Mexico City surprisingly easy to get around; it consists of the metro, buses, trolley buses and minibuses (peseros or colectivos). The metro is the best method of travel, being fast and easy to use (6am to midnight), but buses are also very extensive and reliable, although more complicated for non-Spanish speakers to use. Peseros are smaller, more comfortable and faster than buses, but slightly more expensive, and can be stopped anywhere along their set routes. All forms of public transport are heavily crowded during peak hours and are best avoided at this time. Visitors should also be aware that crime levels are high on all buses and the metro, particularly when crowded; visitors should avoid travel on public transport at night. Different types of taxis are available, but unfortunately there have been increasing incidences involving violent crime on taxi passengers, most involve unauthorized cab drivers or the very cheap, metered VW Beetle taxis; visitors should not hail taxis on the streets. Most hotels have official taxi drivers assigned to them or hotels and restaurants can call radio taxis, both of which are more expensive but far more reliable and safe to use. When taking taxis visitors are advised not to travel with large amounts of cash, credit cards, or visible valuables. Driving in the city is a nightmare and cars should be left in the hotel's secure parking for the duration of stay; renting is expensive and lone drivers are prone to criminal assaults at night.
Yucatán PeninsulaThe Yucatán Peninsula is quite different from the rest of Mexico. A distinct change in the landscape, people and architecture as one crosses into the remoteness of the Mayan realm, is easily noticeable. The atmosphere is more relaxed and tranquil and the legacy of an ancient people is evident in the scattering of ruins within the encroaching jungle. It is an area famed for its white sand beaches, magnificent off-shore coral reefs and diving opportunities on the Caribbean coast, as well as for the region's splendid ruins: the extraordinary Mayan temples and ceremonial centers of an ancient kingdom.
The peninsula is an area of great diversity, from tropical jungle and rainforest, flat and hot countryside dotted with Mayan villages, a superb coastline with popular resorts and islands, numerous archaeological sites, and colonial towns. Once distant and inaccessible, tourism has made determined advances especially around the major places of interest, to the Mayan sites of Chichén Itzá and Uxmal, and along the most visited stretch of the coast incorporating the 'party resort' of Cancún and the islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres. These resorts and islands have become highly sought-after package tour destinations with renowned vacation facilities.
The traditions, religious beliefs and ancient customs of today's Mayan culture are a natural part of the Yucatán's character, but large-scale tourism development has shifted many of the Mayan people to unwanted areas where they live in small settlements, scratching out an existence from their crops, and relying on the brazen publicity of the tourist brochures to endear them and their handicrafts to the tourist trade.
Getting Around: The Yucatan Peninsula is serviced by regular first and second-class bus services that connect Merida to Cancun and the Caribbean coast along Highway 180, via Chichen Itza. Frequent buses also travel along the coast between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. Taxis are the preferred way to get around most of the resort areas, and can also be hired to visit nearby sites, although several tours are offered to the main sites of interest on the peninsula or the islands. There are also frequent ferry services to the islands of Cozumel and Mujeres.
Pacific CoastThe Pacific coast contains some of Mexico's principle beach resorts as well as other lesser-known, beautiful spots and small coastal villages, backed by sweeping jungles that reach down to the clear blue waters of the Pacific. Known as the Mexican Riviera, the central coast has international beach resorts like Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta, excellent seafood and a large selection of adventure tourism attractions and activities, and is one of the leading resort destinations in the country. Miles of palm trees, golden beaches and picturesque bays, excellent surf, active nightlife, elegant dining and luxury accommodation are the main focus of this part of Mexico. From Mazatlán in the north, the 'Pearl of the Pacific', to the exhilarating action of the famous La Quebrada divers of Acapulco, bird watching near the small fishing village of San Blas and the jade green waters of Puerto Escondido, the Pacific coastal region holds something for everyone, whether looking for action or relaxation.
Getting Around: There are frequent first and second bus services along the Pacific coast connecting the main towns and resorts. Local buses service the beaches in and around the main towns. Taxis are readily available in the resort areas. Acapulco, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta have ports with ferries and cruise ship dockings.
San Cristóbal de las CasasThe colonial village of San Cristóbal de las Casas is the jewel in the center of the cool Chiapas highlands, nestled in a valley and surrounded by forests and hills. It is at the center of many traditional Mayan villages, and it is the indigenous soul of the town, coexisting harmoniously with its colonial charm, that makes it such an enchanting place to visit.
The town was originally designed as a Spanish stronghold against the surrounding indigenous communities. It is a town of cobbled lanes and long rambling streets that undulate with the hilly terrain, squat whitewashed houses with red tiled roofs, flower-filled patios, wrought iron balconies, shady plazas, ornate facades and lavish churches. The main plaza was the Spanish center of town and today it is the best place to sit and watch the town life happen. The cathedral dominates the northern side and its steps are always busy with playful ragged children, arriving and departing worshippers, resting passers by and vendors. North of the plaza the daily market is a fascinating bustle of indigenous life, a trading space for local produce and household goods.
The streets and plazas are filled with the vibrancy of people from the surrounding villages who give the town its character and dominate its trade. The region is known for its colorful handicrafts, traditional markets, fascinating local fiestas, legends and mystical ceremonies that are influenced by the Mayan ancient traditions and way of life. Each barrio or neighborhood of the city has a distinctive identity, rooted in the old custom of trade, with candle making, carpentry or blacksmith shops the predominant feature in each.
San Cristóbal is an invigorating, yet peaceful town, a good base to enjoy the graceful colonial atmosphere and to explore the highland region and the outlying Indian villages. The grand Mayan site at Palenque can be visited from here, as well as Agua Azul, a dazzling series of waterfalls and turquoise pools that are one of Mexico's natural wonders.
The Copper CanyonThe north west of Mexico is the country's 'wild west', where it is possible to undertake one of the most remarkable train trips in the world, the Chihuahua al Pacífico (Chihuahua to the Pacific) railway, also known as the Copper Canyon railway, and one of the country's most remarkable tourist excursions. The canyon is in fact a maze of gorges that combine to form six massive interconnected canyons, covering an area four times larger and almost two times deeper than the Grand Canyon in North America. The name, Copper Canyon, incorporates all the canyons and gorges and refers to the color of the lichen that clings to the canyon walls.
Acclaimed as an engineering marvel, the railroad travels from the Pacific coastal town of Los Mochis, climbing to 8,000ft (2,400m) over the Sierra Madre mountain range, before dropping down to the city of Chihuahua 393 miles (655km) away. Along the way it passes through 86 tunnels, crosses 39 bridges, and performs an unbelievable 360 degree loop, winding through some of the country's most magnificent scenery, between towering canyon walls and hugging the cliff face with intermittent views of the river far below.
The region is not only scenically splendid, but is rich in indigenous culture. The canyon cliffs are the home to thousands of Tarahumara Indians, a semi-nomadic population of primitive cave dwellers who eke out an existence from farming, cattle ranching and by selling their handicrafts. In stark contrast are the Mennonite settlements centered around Cuauhetmoc, where the people of this religious sect, of German descent, sell their farm products such as cheese and sausages, but otherwise keep themselves completely separate from those around them. They are distinctive with their old-fashioned style of dress, own language and rigid community ways.
The train makes several stops along the way, brief opportunities to admire the view and buy food or crafts from the Tarahumara Indians. Several little towns or mountain villages are of interest, and many break the journey at Creel, a frontier-spirited mining town complete with horsemen in cowboy hats and tight jeans, and a good base to further explore the surrounds.
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