Mexico
Exuberant festivals, ancient civilisations, canyons and deserts, sugar-white sand and coral reefs, authentic street food, mariachi and mezcal - Mexico is a vibrant and passionate country of endless variety and contrast.
If you can tear yourself away from the gorgeous Caribbean and Pacific beaches, there are wonderful old Spanish towns to explore, local markets selling colourful textiles, fascinating museums, and excellent restaurants serving regional specialities alongside classic dishes spiced with chilli peppers, chocolate and coriander. Accommodation ranges from rustic lodges to luxurious private villas and elegant colonial haciendas, steeped in history and character.
Mexico has superb Olmec, Aztec and Maya ruins, whose ancient heritage survives to this day in the customs and dress of its indigenous communities - brilliantly displayed in colourful festivals held throughout the year, a fusion of timeless tradition with richly symbolic Catholic ritual.
The natural world is exceptional too, whether you’re swimming in turquoise sinkholes, or cenotes, spotting whale sharks out to sea, following clouds of Monarch butterflies on migration or taking in the incredible scenery of the Copper Canyon. Adventurer, culture lover or history buff, Mexico will capture your mind and delight your senses.
Highlights
Here are some of our Mexico highlights
Stunning snorkelling
The clear blue waters off Mexico and on mainland cenotes (sinkholes) are a wonderful place to snorkel and see marine life. Whale sharks can even be seen around Isla Holbox from June to September, when they come to mate.
Canyons and railroads
The Copper Canyon, longer and deeper than the Grand Canyon, is reached via the Chepe railroad offering the most dramatic scenery in Mexico. The area is great for walking, or just marvel over the vast canyon from the various viewing points.
Ancient Maya sites
Palenque is the country's most enchanting ruin, still partially covered in vegetation and hidden in the rainforest, itself home to howler monkeys, toucans and ocelots. Hundreds of ruined buildings remain undercover, yet to be excavated.
Idyllic Beaches
The small, friendly Isla Holbox has miles of white-sand beaches and tranquil waters blisfully devoid of Mexico's usual crowds. Its natural reserve also affords excellent wildlife viewing - all in all a highly recommended, relaxed beach spot!
I had a wonderful time in Mexico, it was a hugely enjoyable trip: all flights and arrangements worked really well and I thank you for all your efforts. The schedule that you created worked very well, producing some wonderful memories and my guide was exceptional and very knowledgeable - I could not be more delighted. The Espirito Santo, swimming with sea lions excursion, was excellent - it was of course a delight to swim with the sea lions, to observe them at close quarters, but also to see the islands, landscapes, and fauna and flora. The day was calm, with little wind and ample sunshine and was perfect for the activities undertaken.
We saw one youngish whale shark close to the boat and were unlucky not to see any grey whales, but the tour was turned into one of the most enjoyable excursions by the extensive knowledge of the guide who pointed out so many different birds (including pelicans, cormorants, heron, ibis, caracara, a barn owl, a green-breasted mango etc.) and explained about the mangroves ecology. He encouraged the boat captain to search further waters (in the hope of seeing whales) and we were rewarded by a fine sighting of a dozen or so dolphins with some young.
The blue whales tour – Isla Carmen, Loreto, was a delight for the sea life we saw but also for the landscapes and sheer joy of being in an open boat on the largely calm sea. The boat captain was commendably attentive to his responsibilities to the whales and took pains to ensure good sightings were possible, and the knowledge of my guide made the tour very much more rewarding than it would otherwise have been. With great luck we encountered a humpback whale soon after leaving Loreto and were afforded good views, including its tail fin making a silhouette against the sun. Dolphins, mantarays and many different birds were seen and right at the end of the tour (causing its duration to be extended) we had a clear, fairly close sighting of a blue whale. The whole tour was a delight.
In Bahia Magdalena the boat captain was superbly good at his job, tracking down the grey whales with some skill in the swell and manoeuvring the boat at close quarters to the whales for some considerable time to afford the closest contact. We encountered two grey whales who, perhaps having become used to human contact, were willing to display themselves even to the point of being touched. I understand that the sighting and contact we enjoyed was of a quality that could hardly be exceeded. The guide provided much information and encouraged us to interact with the whales. He also arranged a delicious lunch at one of the restaurants in the port.
Once again, the whole experience of my visit to Mexico was a succession of delights, typically exceeding expectations, and I remain very favourably impressed with how you managed to assemble such a wonderful programme for me and with such little effort being required of me. I record my lasting appreciation.- BF