Mexico has been our home for the past 2.5 years. We originally planned to visit for 6 months, but somehow kept finding our way back to this beautiful country! We’re far from experts, but have loved exploring around Mexico. Before moving here, like most people I pictured that Mexico was just desert and beaches. But when traveling around we saw incredible jungles, mountains, waterfalls, lagoons, and pretty much any other form of scenery you can imagine. The food, culture, and people also make Mexico a must visit destination.
So this is a “Best Things to See” post. But it’s so hard to pick a few things in a country as big and diverse as Mexico. I didn’t want to pick too many of the same type of thing. So I tried to choose a variety of experiences to show all of the amazing things Mexico has to offer, but of course this list only scratches the surface of what there is to see and do in Mexico.
1. Tulum (+ other beaches)
Location: Tulum
I figured I had to start with one of the most obvious one. Mexico is home to some incredibly beautiful beaches. Because of its popularity on social media, Tulum is currently the most popular beach town in Mexico. Famous for its incredible beaches, Mayan ruins, and of course thousands of Instagram posts, this bohemian style beach town is one of the most hyped international travel destinations. Whether you are looking for cheap housing and 15 peso tacos or high end beachfront hotels and restaurants, there is a little bit of something for everyone here. You could visit Tulum a dozen times and have a dozen different experiences.
With this list I’m trying not to take the easy way out and just list generic things like “beaches.” So because of its popularity I picked Tulum, but there are hundreds of other beaches that are just as beautiful and offer a completely different (and less touristy) experience. Here are just a few of the other options for beach towns in Mexico: Puerto Escondido, Isla Mujeres, Isla Holbox , La Paz, Mazunte, Sayulita, Cabo, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta. Each town has a completely different vibe and several amazing beaches.
2. Chichen Itza (+ other ancient ruins)
Location: Valladolid
Mexico is full of rich history. One of the most popular and powerful ancient people groups were the Mayans. Seeing a Mayan pyramid towering over the Mexican jungle is truly an amazing sight. With hundreds of these incredible sites, it’s almost impossible to narrow it down to just one to visit. But ultimately I decided that when you get a chance to see one of the 7 Wonders of the world you have to go. The ruins and mysterious history behind Chichen Itza make it a must-see in the Yucatan. El Castillo, the main pyramid shaped ruin is the most well-known Mayan ruin worldwide. But the grounds of Chichen Itza are filled with several other amazing ruins like the Great Ball Court, Temple of the Warriors, and the Sacred Cenote.
Chichen Itza may have the international recognition, but it definitely isn’t the only ancient ruin in Mexico. One of the most impressive ruins in the country isn’t even Mayan but Toltec/Aztec. Just outside of Mexico city are the massive ancient Teotihuacan Ruins. I have no idea how they were able to build such impressive structures without modern day equipment! Other famous ruins are: Planque, Tulum, Coba, and Ek Balam. Each is unique and worth a visit in itself.
3. Swimming with Whale Sharks
Location: Isla Mujeres
It’s hard to try to describe the feeling of swimming next to a 30 ft, 40,000 lb shark in the water! Thankfully these amazing creatures are completely docile and only like to eat things that are as big as plankton. This area is one of the best places in the world to swim with whale sharks! In our travels this has definitely been our favorite experience under water. The day that we went there were over 40 whale sharks just hanging out! It was incredible seeing how big their mouths were and how effortlessly they moved through the water!
In order to help protect the whale sharks, Mexico doesn’t allow scuba diving around them, so everyone is snorkeling. Which also means that this is a great experience for everyone to try! We loved the company we went with called Sea Hawk located on Isla Mujeres. We loved our experience so much that we did it again on the west coast in La Paz, Mexico. That was also an amazing experience, but the whale sharks there are juvenile and often less abundant. For this area, the whale shark season goes from May – August. (Typically the best months are July and August). So weather permitting, if you’re in the area during this time, this is a must-do experience! If interested in more details about this experience read our full whale shark post here.
4. Mexico City
Location: Mexico City
Mexico City is massive! It’s the largest city in Mexico and one of the largest cities in the world! The city is so big, that each neighborhood has its own unique personality. There are dozens of other amazing cities to visit in Mexico, but with magnificent museums, cathedrals, palaces, ruins, parks, and monuments, there is something for everyone in this incredible city. One of the main draws of the city is it’s incredible food! The city is home to some of the finest restaurants in the world. Two of my favorite experiences were being serenaded by a mariachi band in Plaza Garibaldi and eating warm churros in Coyoacán. I wasn’t as much of a fan of eating a scorpion in San Juan Market, but Em pretty much ate most of it. Whether you plan to eat a tarantula or not, exploring the eotic meats in San Juam Market is definitely a unique experience! If upscale dining is more your style head over to Planco and eat at one of the many incredible restaurants there.
Mexico City isn’t just the political capital of the country, but the cultural capital as well. Some of my favorite things to see while we were there were Palacio de Bellas Artes, Plaza del Zócalo, Chapultepec Castle and Park, and the Angel of Independence. My favorite neighborhood, La Condesa, was also the same place that we stayed. If you’re looking for more ideas of what to do in Mexico City read our 14 Best Things to Do in Mexico City blog post here.
5. Cenote Suytun (+ other cenotes)
Location: Valladolid
Mexico has some of the prettiest, coolest, freshwater caves in the world! You can’t visit the Yucatan Peninsula without going to a cenote. First of all, what even are cenotes? (Read our post about cenotes here). They are clear, freshwater pools formed by underground springs. There are thousands located all around the peninsula, each is its own unique experience. Em and I have been to 20 or 30 different cenotes and have loved every single one. (If you like to scuba dive, cenotes diving is a definite must do.)
Cenotes range from caves, pools, rivers and pretty much anything in between. It is really hard to narrow it down to one cenote to visit, but if I had to choose it would be Cenote Suytun (picture above) close to Valladolid. If you’re in Valladolid, also check out Cenote Ik Kil and Zaci (a great place for cliff jumping). But personally, my favorite cenote is Oxman because of it’s rope swing!
6. Skydiving on the Beach
Location: Playa del Carmen
Definitely one of my favorite experiences in the Yucatan is skydiving in Playa del Carmen! There are many places you can go skydiving, but there are few places as pretty as jumping out over the beautiful Yucatan Peninsula beaches. We actually landed right on the beach! (The incredible views also really help distract from the fact that you are freefalling from 10,000 feet! =)
Located right in downtown Playa del Carmen is Skydive Playa. We can’t say enough good things about our experience with them. They’re a top of the line company that makes safety their #1 priority. Em’s tandem jumpmaster has done over 18,000 jumps! We loaded into the plane and before we knew it we were freefalling to the beach below! The feeling was incredible and the view was amazing. I can’t believe how blue the ocean was! After an incredible 40 second freefall our parachute deployed and we floated safely to the ground. The jumpmasters landed perfectly on the beach!! It was definitely one of my favorite experiences of traveling! If you’re like us and you’ve been wanting to go skydiving, Skydive Playa is the perfect place to go! Read our full skydiving post here.
7. Isla Holbox
Location: Isla Holbox
Isla Holbox is the best way to to experience a primitive island without having to actually rough it! There are still plenty of hotels, restaurants, and other basic amenities, but it’s definitely more primitive than Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, or Tulum. The roads aren’t paved and the only vehicles are golf carts and mopeds. If it rains (like it did when we were visiting) the roads become temporary rivers. It is a unique place to visit with plenty of things to do.
Our favorite things were lounging in the ocean hammocks, walking on the forever long sandbar, and tasting some of the island’s iconic lobster pizza. Some things that we didn’t get to do but I would definitely recommend are exploring the bioluminescent beaches at night and flamingo spotting. (You can also book a Whale Shark tour from here, but I would suggest booking a tour leaving from Isla Mujeres instead.) Side note: remember to bring bug spray and avoid sitting outside at dusk or dawn because the mosquitos are no joke!
8. Bacalar Lagoon
Location: Quintana Roo
Bacalar is possibly the most popular and beautiful lagoon in the entire country. It’s unlike any other lagoon I’ve ever seen. Fed by cenotes, almost every kind of blue imaginable can be found in Bacalar Lagoon. It is a great place to relax or see wildlife. Take a boat tour by a local and see how drastically the color of the water changes. In some areas the lagoon goes from a few feet deep to hundreds of feet deep in a couple of steps. Although it isn’t the ocean, there are several beaches and sandbars with crystal clear water that make the perfect place for laying out and relaxing.
Although well known, Bacalar is far less visited by international travelers. Which gives it a far more laid back and less touristy feel. There are still plenty of local restaurants, AirBnB’s, and local hotels. But it’s a lot different than the all-inclusive resort atmosphere. Bacaar is a great change of pace from the international crowds at Cancun, Tulum, or Cozumel.
9. Bungee Jumping in Cabo
Location: Cabo San Lucas
There aren’t many places you can go bungee jumping in North America. One of the few year-around locations is Wild Canyon just outside of Cabo San Lucas. Bungee jumping is one of the most thrilling experiences we have ever had. So we figured we couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to jump off a gondola into a Cabo canyon! About 15 minutes from downtown Cabo is Wild Canyon, an adventure park full of ziplines, ATVs, horseback riding, and bungee jumping! It definitely is a rush standing at the edge of the gondola, looking at the ground 300 feet below. But before my mind could say no, my legs took the leap! Falling head over heels into the canyon is a thrill like no other! If you’re interested, read our full bungee jumping post here!
While you’re there bungee jumping you might as well check out Cabo San Lucas =) Cabo is one of the most popular travel destinations in the country for international tourists. With dozens of resorts, restaurants and beaches, it’s a great place to go for a beachfront vacation. It’s definitely more of a touristy destination, however if you’re looking for a great resort and amazing food, Cabo is a great place to visit!
10. Hierve el Agua (Petrified Waterfall)
Location: Oaxaca
One of the most iconic day trips from the city of Oaxaca is Hierve el Agua. This is one of the few “petrified” waterfalls in the world! (The other being the famous Pamukkale in Turkey.) The combination of the pools, stalactites, and mountains make for some amazing pictures! (Or at least what I’ve seen online. Unfortunately When we were in Oaxaca City this attraction was still closed.) Being such a unique natural wonder makes it one of the most amazing things to see in Mexico.
Another reason for visiting Hierve el Agua is the nearby city of Oaxaca. Known for its history, culture, and delicious food! Ask someone from Mexico which state has the best food and chances are they’ll mention Oaxaca. Some of the popular dishes from the area are mole, mezcal, oaxaca cheese, and tlayudas. (Tlayudas are made of large toasted tortillas filled with meat, oaxaca cheese, and a bunch of other goodness.) You don’t have to go far to find a Tlayudas. They are everywhere downtown. We loved going out at night and trying different foods from the various street vendors. The city has several chocolate stores, markets, and restaurants. It’s a great city to stroll around and enjoy! Read our 16 Best Things to Do in Chiapas and Oaxaca, Mexico post here.
11. Sumidero Canyon
Location: Chiapas
One of our favorite day trips in Chiapas was Sumidero Canyon. Before moving here, I had no idea that something like this even existed in Mexico! Floating down the river, surrounded by 3,300 feet cliffs made us feel really small! During our 2.5 hour boat tour we also saw about a dozen crocodiles and two very cute spider monkeys! The canyon is about an hour drive away from San Cristobal de la Casas. The canyon boat tour is in spanish, but the views are so beautiful that we didn’t feel like we missed much. There is also the option to drive to various canyon overlooks for some more incredible views. We didn’t go to these, but the pictures look beautiful.
Sumidero Canyon is just a few hours away from San Cristóbal de las Casas. (Which just so happens to be next up on this list ;)
12. San Cristóbal de las Casas (+ other Pueblos Mágicos)
Location: Chiapas
A great way to witness Mexico’s small town charm is by visiting a Pueblos Mágicos (Magical town. In order to help preserve the history and culture of Mexico’s most prominent small towns, the government designated certain towns as Pueblos Mágicos.
A great representation of these magical towns is San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas. It isn’t as big or popular as other Mexican cities, but it is full of culture and charm. Full of cobblestone walking streets, cathedrals, markets, local restaurants and boutique hotels, it was the perfect city to stay and wander. It was also the perfect launching pad for many of Chiapas’s day trips. It’s hard to explain and pictures don’t do it justice, but after a few days it’s easy to see what all the hype is about!
Other popular Pueblos Mágicos are: San Miguel de Allende, Tequila, Tepoztlán, and Cholula. Altogether there are 132 Pueblos Mágicos in Mexico.
13. Cozumel Scuba Diving
Location: Cozumel
I’m far from an expert scuba diver, but I think this is one of the best all around best places for diving. (okay, I may be biased because Cozumel is where we were certified ;) There may be prettier places with more technical dives, but there are few places with such a wide variety of dives with such an ease of access. First of all Cozumel is an incredible place to dive. (Again I may be a little biased ;) The water is crystal clear and there are an endless amount of fun drift dives. The wildlife is diverse and the reefs are pretty amazing too.
But Cozumel is far from the only place to go diving in Mexico. Some of the most amazing wildlife that you can see while diving are manta rays, bull sharks, hammerhead sharks, and sea lions. Then there are cenote cave dives. It’s truly a unique and incredible experience floating through massive stalactites and stalagmites while watching beams of lights piercing through the water!
But of course there are amazing places to dive all around the world. What makes Mexico so unique is it’s diversity of dives and ease of access. There are countless dives and dive companies that offer first time discovery dives to advanced technical dives. Instead of traveling to remote locations you can be picked up directly from your resort or AirBnB and be back before lunch! Also in all of our dives we haven’t found a better company to dive with than ScubaTony in Cozumel. (Read our Cozumel blog post here.) They go above and beyond to make sure you have the best experience possible. All this to say, if you’ve ever wanted to try Scuba diving, the Yucatán Peninsula is the place to go!
14. Las Coloradas
Location: Yucatan
The first time I saw a picture of Las Coloradas I was positive that it was photoshopped. But after visiting these incredible pink lakes I can confirm that they are in fact real! It’s just another example of an unbelievable sight in this incredible country. If you’re lucky you can even see flamingos grazing in these pink lakes!
Something to know before you go however is that these lakes aren’t naturally this pink. The lakes are shallow man made pools created for mining 750,000 tons of salt each year! The cool thing about this is that Mayans harvested salt here more than 2,000 years ago! I’m definitely no scientist, but our guide at Las Coloradas told us that the halophilic microorganisms that turn the water pink are 100% natural, but the water looks extra pink due to the shallowness of the man made lakes. (Confused? So was I ;) The summary is that there’s pink water, made by man made lakes, and are really pretty!
15. Copper Canyon
Location: Chihuahua
The Grand Canyon in America is one of the most impressive landscapes in the country. We haven’t yet been to Mexico’s Copper Canyon, but it spans 4x the size of the Grand Canyon and many people say that it is just as impressive! (Copper Canyon is made up of several smaller canyons instead of 1 major canyon.) Located in the Northwestern part of Mexico, Copper Canyon is a little more remote than many of the other locations on this list. One of the most popular ways to see the canyon up close is the 390 mile long Copper Canyon Train Ride. It’s just another example of Mexico’s many incredible natural wonders!
