The big question is should i travel to Mexico? or How will i be prepared to travel Mexico? Well, we are here to tell you that you should definitely travel to Mexico. It’s a country full of beautiful architecture, culture and amazing people. Western media seems to portray the false narrative about how dangerous the country is. However, We had the most amazing month traveling Mexico city and cant wait to go back! This is how you can really be prepared for the upcoming trip.
Staying safe in Mexico
As full-time travelers we are always worried and cautious when picking our next travel destination. With me being from New York my family was worried about us when we picked Mexico. A lot went into us picking this location, We started with research. All over the internet we were searching. This includes Google, Youtube, and even websites like Quora. We started asking people we know that are in or have been to Mexico and everything tells us that it is safe. We had this same experience when traveling to the Philippines. What it comes down to is there are always going to be rough places within any country. Not that they aren’t safe but the crime rate is just higher there relatively. For the the USA, it’s Detroit, Michigan they say this is the worst place with the highest crime rate in the USA but I have been there for concerts and don’t think it’s that bad. In Mexico it’s Los Cabos, i don’t think this should stop you from seeing this beautiful country.
I would just suggest doing your research before traveling. Use the Map below to help you understand where you should and should not go. Generally speaking, they suggest to avoid the states that is boarder to the USA, this is due to trafficking routes. Research what areas you want to go and see what people say. We spent one month in Mexico City, and yes ! we were told some areas were nicer then others, and all the stuff we wanted to do in Mexico city were in a very nice areas. We mainly stayed and roamed around Condesa, Roma Polanco and Narvarte; these areas are safe, clean and full of amazing people. What i’m trying to say is, generally speaking, most area in Mexico is safe. Don’t always let media stop you and depict your travel destinations.
Where to stay in Mexico City
Accommodations in Mexico City can be more tricky than you think. A lot has to do with the length of time you will be staying there. If you are staying long term it tends to be a lot easier to find an apartment. There are numerous apartments around the city for rent. Most of them requires a month in advance and even someone to sign on your behalf saying you are a good renter. You can walk the streets and find many signs saying “Alquiler” this is when you know they have an apartment for rent.
Another common and easy way to get an apartment is in the Facebook groups such as ‘Foreigner in Mexico City’ or ‘Expat in Mexico City’. If you’re renting for short term ( 1-2 months ) it will be much different. We didn’t have any luck with getting an apartment these ways. Many people told us that the best way is through Airbnb. We don’t suggest you booking an Airbnb for this long without looking at it though. Instead, when it comes to renting long term or at least for 1 month, what we will highly recommend is to do a short term rental in the city for 1-3 days, and take time to pick the right place. We had many options on the site but when it came time to look at the apartments they looked nothing like the pictures. If you are staying less time (1-2 weeks) you can book a standard hotel or Airbnb without much worry.
The best transportation in Mexico city
Public transportation is incredibly cheap in Mexico City. You have four common options : Buses, Subway, Cabs and Uber. In most cases, a lot of people avoid local buses and cabs. Uber and Subways are the most common way to get around. Uber can be cheap but in times of traffic, it can be drastically expensive.
The Traffic is completely insane in Mexico City and can take hours to go only a short distance. In most cases, when there isn’t a lot of traffic, and you want to go somewhere about 15 minutes away, your ride will be around 60 Mexican peso ($2.91 USD). For the subway your ride will always be 5 peso ($.24 USD) no matter how far you go or how long you are on the subway. This is why the best way to get around is subway but again i would avoid all public transportation during rush hour.
— Want a discount on on Uber? use code: jamesh80799ui when you signup!
Do they speak English in Mexico?
Being from the USA and Mexico being our neighbor i guess i was naive. English is not as common as i thought i would be. I have heard that in some more touristy areas English is more common. In the city where we were if you walk into a local shop there is a high chance they wont know English. I suggest you download a translation app to help you get though situations like this.
All in all, have a great time on your trip in Mexico, just keep some of these simple things in mind when traveling. If you want to check our FULL VIDEO GUIDE we have that on out YOUTUBE CHANNEL showing you and in depth guide to all the best and even some of the most unknown local spots!
IF you are planning a trip make sure to check out our Must know and travel essential Packing list that is completely free! DOWNLOAD IT HERE
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