Alice World Travels

From tacos to tequila, mariachi bands to Mayan ruins, Mexico is famous throughout the world for many things. But this vast and varied country has a lot more to offer than you think.

I loved almost everywhere that I visited during my six weeks in the country, with special moments including being awoken by the sunrise from a hammock in Chacahua and swimming in the unbelievably clear waters in Lake Bacalar. But a handful of places really stood out to me.

Here are my top five destinations in Mexico.

5. Oaxaca de Juárez

Pronounced Wahaca (like the restaurant, for those in the UK), the city of Oaxaca, together with the nearby archaeological site of Monte Albán, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s not hard to see why. With colourful flags strewn from building to building, salsa dancing at every turn, and artisan and organic food markets, Oaxaca felt like quintessential Mexico. Just walking through the cobbled streets was fun, especially if you came across a wedding parade…

With giant balloons donning the names of the newlyweds, cheery live bands, and — most strikingly — huge fifteen-foot replica puppets of the happy couples, you definitely won’t be able to miss a wedding parade even if you wanted to when visiting Oaxaca.

Known as calendas, the parades were originally introduced by the Dominican friars in the colonial era to celebrate saints days. Now, they celebrate weddings, graduations and other happy times. I came across three of them just one Saturday, and I couldn’t stop smiling — “this is how weddings should be done!“, I thought.

Oaxaca is also known for its excellent food scene, with regional cuisine including mole, a sauce that is used to complete a variety of Mexican dishes. I had a mole dish at Ocote Cocina, a restaurant which provides a creative twist on traditional food, and it was one of the best meals I tried during my time in Mexico. I was also lucky enough to have great company and lots of laughs during that dinner!

4. San José del Pacifico

I have been asked quite a few times in the past, “what is the best sunset you have ever seen?” My mind used to wander to Santorini or Sri Lanka, but now I am sure of the answer: San José del Pacifico, Mexico.

Located between Oaxaca and the port town of Puerto Escondido, this captivating small town nestled in the mountains is the perfect place to visit if you want to soak up the silence of nature, enjoy some hiking, or even try magic mushrooms which are sacred in the area.

Another popular activity to try is a temazcal ceremony. Temazcal is a sweat lodge fused with a sacred ritual usually led by a shaman, and it is steeped in Mexican tradition. I had heard mixed reviews about the ceremony, but I decided to book onto one anyway.

After being led into the fairly small, pitch-black lodge, our group sat on its narrow sides as the facilitator mixed water with herbs, pouring the concoction over hot volcanic rocks. We went inside the lodge four times, each for about twenty minutes, with each representing a different element: earth, water, air and fire. Our temazcal lasted four hours in total, and it included a cacao ceremony at the start.

Submitting to the peace and nature of San Jose and being surrounded by its soaring mountains and unforgettable sunsets made the whole experience there very special.

3. Palenque Mayan Ruins

Mexico is home to a plethora of Aztec and Mayan ruins, some more worth visiting than others. Almost everyone flocks to Chichén Itzá in the Yucatán Peninsula as it’s by far the most famous (a quick Google search of the word ‘Mexico’ will show photos of the huge mesoamerican-step pyramid that dominates the centre of the archaeological site). But on my way from the Chiapas State to Yucatán, I had a one-night stop off in Palenque to see the Mayan Ruins there. And they were my favourite of all the ruins I saw in Mexico.

The modern town of Palenque itself is nothing special, but grab a quick colectivo (local bus) to the archaeological zone and you will be pleasantly surprised. Dating from ca. 226 BC to ca. 799 AD, Palenque has since been overgrown by jungle, with soaring mahogany and cedar trees surrounding the area and sometimes even creeping into the structures.

Void of hoards of tourists, we were some of the first people to arrive in the early morning. It felt like we were discovering the ruins ourselves as we climbed up steep steps in the almost excruciating humidity to get a view of the sprawling site. I will never forget it.

2. Isla Holbox

I had met plenty of people who had visited Holbox, an island a few hours north of Cancun, but I don’t remember any of them being too enthusiastic about this tropical paradise. I’m glad though, because it meant my expectations were low and I ended up loving it! Set in the Quintana Roo State, Isla Holbox is car-free (although not without countless golf buggy taxis), and is home to white sands, clear waters, street corners with salsa and relaxed vibes.

From the moment I hobbled off the ferry and along the main street, I could tell I was going to enjoy my time there. I booked to stay at Tribu Hostel which is also a bar and restaurant and was perfectly located one minute from the beach and a short stroll from everywhere else.

Tribu organised all sorts of activities for those staying there, but my absolute favourite was walking local shelter dogs. Refugio Holbox Animal Sanctuary is just around the corner, and a group of us chose to walk four of these rescued street dogs one morning, taking them to the beach and around town. All of the animals there are up for adoption so if you’re thinking about adopting a dog or a cat, look no further than Holbox!

1. San Cristobal de las Casas

I agree when people say the best part of travelling isn’t where you go, but who you meet along the way. Although sometimes it’s both. 

I fell in love with San Cristóbal de las Casas, the cultural heart of the Chiapas state, after mere minutes of strolling around its narrow, cobbled streets. Located in a valley beneath lush green mountains, San Cristóbal is home to unique street art and murals, delicious chocolate and coffee and live music from around the world, and it has a magical, mystical feeling to it that is hard to describe unless you’ve been there. I felt strangely at home; it was the only place on my trip that I could imagine living in.

I also happened to meet a very memorable and kind person who made my time there even more special.

However much I loved San Cristóbal de las Casas, I can’t ignore that it has its problems. People had warned us of going there because the water is undrinkable and many people get sick even when trying to avoid it. Long story short, Coca-Cola has a factory in the area which essentially uses almost all of the good water. No one, including locals, can drink the tap water because of this, and Coca-Cola is literally cheaper than water there, with even babies drinking it. You can read more about it on this blog.

Despite this, I met many backpackers who stayed there for weeks on end, as well as people who had moved to the city from other parts of Mexico and the world. I guess I’m not the only one who fell for its charm…

Words and photos by Alice Bzowska