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Mexico is one of the most popular visitor places in the world and with good reason; it has a never ending list of wonderful sites, but which one to choose? This article will tell you the must see places in Mexico and why, so you have all the info you need to plan your journey.
1. Chiapas
If you had more than a few weeks to travel and you just went to Chiapas, you would not be able to see it all, Chiapas is full of interesting and beautiful placesso don't worry if you ignore some of them. San Cristóbal de las Casas is maybe one of the best known spots, full of very friendly peoples and regular souvenier markets, there is also a very attractive city centre with some elegant restaurants and shops lining the streets. Then you have Palenque and other archaelogical sites, once great cities inhabited by the advanced Maya civilization. If none of those interest you, perhaps you would enjoy the natural pleasures of the Canyon of Sumidero, where you follow a river along the bottom of a canyon or the impressive Waterfalls at Agua Azul and Misol Ha, then there's the fantastic lake complex at Los Lagos de Montebello. You can visit San Juan Chamula, marvel at the almost prehispanic religion that the locals still practice. The list goes on; I hope you can forgive the author if I leave out one or two things, in the interests of space.
2. The Copper Canyon
Very much of the hidden money in Mexico, the Copper valley is located in the northern Chihuahua state. Rather than one canyon, it is an enormous complex of caves, cliffs and valleys that together are larger than the Grand Canyon in the U.S. In the valleys below, there still live the Tarahumara indigenous peoples who continue to practice their traditional customs. At the top, you can get some extremely breathtaking views. You can walk along the side enjoying the view, though it stretches very far. In several places, there are look out posts, some have glass-bottom bridges so you can see all the way to the bottom, for the really courageous. The best place to get a view is El Divisadero, about an hours drive from Creel, which is the biggest town in the area. It's also possible to take a walk down to the bottom in some areas.
3. Yucatán
Like Chiapas, one could spend weeks, perhaps months here and not see all that it has to offer. Natural loveliness abounds with a number of cenotes (underground lake or water hole) very close to the capital, Mérida, there is also a number of national parks, perhaps the most imposing is Celestún, reknowned for it's abundance of flamingos. Yucatán, being on the Caribbean, has a large supply of hamacs and with all the fantastic beaches, you'd be forgiven for getting one and hanging it up between two trees. Progreso is perhaps the nicest beach and certainly the most accessible from Mérida, just 30 minutes away. Speaking of Mérida, the town itself is a jewel to explore with its beautiful colonial centre, along with the various other colonial towns in the area. Then there’s the ancient Maya ruin, including the modern wonder of the world, Chichén Itzá. This site is known best for its huge pyramid, known as 'El Castillo' and the giant ball court found just to the left of the entrance. But apart from Chichén, there is also, Uxmal, probably the best-preserved ancient city in the state, Dzibilchaltún, known for its 'doll house' (no dolls present, sorry) which every equinox, allows the sun to shine through the building, illuminating the central path of the city. Then there's Mayapan, where the word 'Maya' comes from, amongst many other beautiful ruins.
4. Isla Mujeres
Most people going to Mexico have plans to see Cancún. Cancún is very, very touristy and the area surrounding the beaches is like a region of any US city picked up and moved to the south of Mexico. It is of course good-looking, but if you want a really lonely, attractive place to go where the beaches are even better than in Cancún, go to Isla Mujeres, just a 30 minute boat ride away. When you get there, you can rent a golf cart and explore the island alone. All over the island are some of the most attractive, isolated beaches in the Caribbean. There is also a (very) small Mayan ruin and a small zoological garden, amongst other modest attractions.
5. Oaxaca
Oaxaca (pronounced Wahaca), a state bordering Chiapas, like its neighbour, has a lot in it for its size. The capital, also named Oaxaca, is a beautiful, colorful colonist city. Merely walking through the streets is happiness, marvelling at the buildings and decorations. Apart from that, it is one of the most cultural cities in Mexico with film showings, plays, poetry readings and more on all week. Outside the city, one could take a trip to Tule, wherein resides what is reputedly the widest tree in the world or to Puerto Escondido, the surfer's paradise. Also in Oaxaca are Monte Albán, Mitla and many more olden cities belonging to the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples, some of the most advanced in all of Mesoamerica. Like Chiapas, there is also plenty of natural attractiveness which waterfalls and streams practically anywhere you go.
6. El Tajín
One of the most imposing ancient ruins in Mexico, this is singled away because it is one of the most whole olden cities in the country. Located in northern Veracruz state, walking through this site will really give you a sense of what it was like to live there all those years ago. The main market square, the imposing 'Pyramid of Niches', the ball court, a number of former nobles' residence is all amazingly together. One can walk through the streets of the city and admire the buildings, getting a sense of how a local might have live there some thousand years ago or so.
7. Beaches of Baja California Sur
Los Cabos is the most excellent known and for good reason, it is a very attractive place. When you're there make confident to take a water taxi out to Los Arcos, where the Sea of Cortes and the Pacific Ocean meet, the guide will explain to you the images that sea-farers have found in the rocks there. Apart from Los Cabos, however, the beach in La Paz and those in the surrounding area are also well worth a look and are often better. In La Paz, the Malecón (board walk) stretches the length of the city centre, letting you see numerous sculptures, wee restaurants and straw umbrellas by the sea. The Topolote is much more isolated, if that's what you like, you're unlikely to have to fight for towel space and it's another amazing beach just minutes away from La Paz.
8. Tlacotalpan
Not the most well-known of sites in Mexico, indeed, you may not find this one some guide books, but Tlacotalpan is maybe the most beautiful town in Mexico. There is little righteousness a written description can give, but the houses are a multi-colored beauty, like from some fantasy novel, most have their own arches in front. At each interval, there is a lovely park or square, re-enforcing the beauty and a number of churches dot the town. Though it probably won't take more than a day to see, it would be recommended to stay much longer and enjoy the relaxed environment and talk to the friendly locals, while enjoying the striking colors, occupied anywhere else in the country.
9. Zacatecas
Zacatecas is placed in the centre north of Mexico; going to Zacatecas is like going back to the 16th Century when the Spanish first built the town if you ignore all the cars and modern amenities obviously. The town is very well preserved, retaining its colonial look with narrow streets, small buildings and colorful exteriors. The minster alone might be worth the visit, a wonder of Mexican baroque, the facade will most likely stop you in your tracks as you pass. But that's only one of a large number of fantastic buildings located in the centre. Then within and on the outer edge of the centre are a number of parks which you can saunter through or just spend a while relaxing. Once ready to move again, you can ascent the hill only to delve into the famous silver mine located there, once the heart of the Zacatecan economy, when you're finished, you can get the cable car across the city and see the town from above.
10. Mexico City
No trip to Mexico would be complete without a stop in the capital of the country and one of the biggest cities in the world. When you're there, the most important thing to see will be the Zócalo (Main Square) where you'll find the cathedral, the Palacio National (goverment buildings) and the Templo Mayor, the main temple of the Aztec city Tenochtitlán. Once you've enjoyed the sites, you can have a wander through the beautiful colonial streets that lie around the area, including churches, former colleges and the first printing press in the Americas. Afterwards you can take a stroll down to the Fine Arts museum and through the Alameda Central, where the Juarez monument is. Also in the city and considered 'must-sees' are the Chapultepec Park, which houses the National Museum of Anthropology (which takes a day to see in itself), situated at the end of Avenida de la Reforma. There's also Coyoacán where León Trotsky was murdered, there's some 5 or so museums dedicated to Diego Rivera or his contemporaries. Soccer fans will want to take a journey to the Estadio Azteca, the third largest stadium in the world, there's also Xochimilco, the last outstanding canal from the grand city of Tenochtitlán, and that's just the 'must-see'! If you have time after that, you should go to Teotihuacán, home of the impressive Sun and Moon Pyramids.
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