The big question is should I travel to Mexico? How will I make sure I am preparing for a trip to Mexico correctly? 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 can’t wait to go back! There are so many places to see like the amazing Chichen Itza in Cancun or the beautiful Cenotes of Tulum. The country is so diverse and you should try and see it all! Make sure when your big trip comes up you are really be prepared.
Table of Contents
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 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 are 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 than others, and all the stuff we wanted to do in Mexico city was in a very nice area. 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 areas in Mexico is safe. Don’t always let media stop you and depict your travel destinations.
There is a ton of questions about Mexico before people travel here but the reality is that its nothing like media says.
If you are planning on seeing all the amazing Mayan Ruins make sure you find out the difference between them.
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 require 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 the 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 book 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 pesos ($2.91 USD). For the subway, your ride will always be 5 pesos ($.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 the subway but again I would avoid all public transportation during rush hour.
— Want a discount on Uber? use code: jamesh80799ui when you signup!
Do they speak English in Mexico?
Being from the USA and Mexico is our neighbor I guess I was naive. English is not as common as I thought it 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 won’t know English. I suggest you download a translation app to help you get through situations like this.
All in all, have a great time on your trip to 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 our YOUTUBE CHANNEL showing you an 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
It’s really a great article in Travel Tips. I’ve been traveling to many countries. Mixx has not been left. There is a desire to do so. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.