Which Places in Mexico Should Be at the Top of Your Travel List?

What's going on Island Hoppers? Today we are going to take a look at Mexico. We're going to do an ultimate travel guide talking about the premier destinations for exploring this culturally rich and historical country with beautiful beaches and highland mountains. We're going to really dive into Mexico. Let's get into it. First up, we're going to take you out to the Caribbean Playa del Carmen is a resort town in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. When you arrive in Cancun, you go south about an hour and that's when you arrive at this beautiful destination that faces one of the most popular islands in Mexico, Cozumel. Playa del Carmen has a lot of great shopping areas, some of these ritzy shopping boutiques, and the historical classic Mexican style vendors right along the street front. Also, along with great beaches, amazing food. I really love the food out here in Playa del Carmen. You get a variety of different types of Mexican cuisine and of course, who can forget tequila. Last time I was in Playa del Carmen, I felt like staying longer. It's one of those places that just captivates you and you want to stay a couple weeks or a month or maybe even long term depending on what your situation is. Hey, it's in the jungle so don't mind these creepy crawlies. All right, now we'll just head up the road a bit to Cancun. We're going to stay in the Yucatan Peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo. Cancun is known for its translucent blue Gatorade color water. Also, its close proximity to several islands like Isla Mujeres, which people like to go visit while they're in Cancun, but the white sand, the turquoise translucent water really captivates people. They've also got a spring break party kind of scene if you're into that. I would say Cancun is more for the younger people, whereas Playa del Carmen is more for the 30 plus range. Although, people who are 30 plus like to go to Cancun and people who are in their 20s like to go to Playa del Carmen, just generally speaking. And here you'll find Senior Frogs, Hard Rock Cafe, Coco Bongo. So like I said, the nightlife scene out in Cancun does get popping off, but people like to stay at these all-inclusive resorts or these resorts along the beach, so check them out. Cancun, Mexico, Quintana Roo. Next up, we are headed over to Cabo San Lucas. This area known as Los Cabos has beautiful beach resorts, great food, deep sea fishing, snorkeling tours, desert tours in razors and ATVs, horseback riding, camel rides, lots to do out here. Totally different vibe than Quintana Roo because over there it's tropical and jungle, over here it's going to be more of a desert. And because it's more of a desert, you can do this off-roading, but you'll notice the beach is actually a different color sand. Over here it's more of like a dirt, sandy, pebble sand. It's still soft, but it's not like that pure white sand that you get over in Cancun. As with anywhere in Mexico, tacos and seafood are popular, but Cabo really does reel in some of the best tasting tuna. I eat sashimi, raw ceviche, you know, that's what I like down here. Also, you go out here to the point, the southernmost point of the Baja. And from about November to March, you can see whales. There's lots of humpbacks, some gray whales. Cabo's a great place for whale watching, let me tell you. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets, also awesome nightlife right there on the beach. Tequila, cerveza, and raw tuna right there. Look at that sashimi. Wash it down with a frozen margarita or a cocktail. Oh yeah. Next up, we're gonna head over to the big daddy of them all, Mexico City, CDMX. Sitting at an altitude of 7,500 feet, so make sure to prepare yourself for a high elevation experience. But this is really the cultural center of Mexico, home to the Aztecs. And if you go over to the pyramids of the Teotihuacanos, really a great experience. But around here, you can learn about the revolution, you can learn about the history of Mexico City, eat some phenomenal food. Mexico City is considered one of the best foodie capitals of all of the world. I mean, the cuisine here will really rock your socks. You need seven days in Mexico City to really experience this metropolis. It's one of the biggest cities in the world. It's modern too. People don't understand just how modern it is. They have big mega skyscrapers and beautiful downtown areas, Santa Fe, downtown Mexico City in the Revolucion. So do check this place out. Don't overlook it. I think people underestimate just how much value they can get out here. But look at these pyramids. I really enjoyed the history of Mexico, one of the richest indigenous cultures you will come across in the Americas. And even all across the world. This one is up there. All right, let's head back over to the east side where Quintana Roo is in the Yucatan. But this time we're going to head a little bit further south to Tulum. Tulum has gained great popularity over the years. And the main reason is the Tulum beach area. Also, it's close proximity to several Mayan archeological sites. Another great historical indigenous culture out here in Mexico alongside the Aztecs. So these beach bungalows and resorts and beach clubs are known for its unique architecture where they incorporate some of the local wood and they put it right there on the beach with the pools and these really cool architectural designs that Tulum is known around the world for. Only really in Tulum can you find this kind of experience where you get these stick bungalows, these stick beach clubs with beautiful pools that cost, you know, $75 an hour just to sit there at their pool. Also, let's not forget about nature's pool, the cenotes that are nearby. People love to go out to the cenotes and the Mayan ruins. Like I said previously, they have Coba, they have the Tulum archeological site, and really the area in Tulum you want to stay at is going to be Tulum beach. The town is a bit misleading because people think that when they're in the town, that's Tulum. No, you got to go to the beach. So don't forget that. Next up, we're going to head over to the other big city in Mexico, in Jalisco, Guadalajara. Here in Guadalajara, they have a rich history as well, and they also are close to the Lake Chapala. And when exploring Guadalajara, you'll want to check out Tlaquepaque, Chapultepec, which is where the nightlife is and the young people go. If you head over to the churches and the cathedrals all across Guadalajara, great food. Remember, Jalisco is where tequila originally comes from. So you'll notice that they have these markets also where you can do shopping. Very unique experience if you get a chance to go to one of the markets in Guadalajara. And nearby Guadalajara, like I said, is the Lake Chapala, which is the largest lake in all of Mexico. Over here, you can find Ajaic and several different towns along this beautiful lake. Like Mexico City, this one is overlooked and underrated. I would say spending anywhere from 48 hours to 72 hours in Guadalajara would be a good idea, especially if you get a chance to go out to Lake Chapala and maybe spending a day or two out there. So don't overlook Guadalajara. All right, next up, we're going to head over to the Mexican state of Guerrero, to Zihuatanejo. Yes, the famous place from Shawshank Redemption. But Zihuatanejo really is a quaint village, fishing village, as they said in the movie. But check out these views. I mean, this is all around the Bay Area of Zihuatanejo. Over here, you're going to get great food, nice views on the hillside, cascading down into the sea. You've got two different areas, La Ropa and the main beach of Zihuatanejo. Also, you've got these boat tours. It'll take you around these banana boats and lots of fun for a whole family, but also a great place to just come, relax, chill out, and just let the worries of the world slip away. That's what you're going to get in a place like Zihuatanejo. Not quite as busy as Puerto Vallarta or Cabo San Lucas or Cancun. For me, I consider this a safer alternative to Acapulco. Acapulco obviously is the original beautiful Mexican Riviera town, but Zihuatanejo really is in position to be what Acapulco is not right now, which is a safer alternative. So if you love fishing, sunsets, and great food, Zihuatanejo is the relaxing place for you. All right, let's head down south to Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido. Now down here, you're going to find a hidden gem. This place is not as talked about as the other destinations, but because of that, I find it to be underestimated. Beautiful beaches. I mean, we're talking some prime time beaches. Great surfing communities are nearby, so if you guys do explore this area, you won't be let down. But the food is great. As you know, Oaxaca is also known for its cuisine, its history, even if you go up into the mountains. Also, another alternative place for where they produce lots of tequila, because agaves grow out here. And when you're in the area, you can head down to Huautuco, which is another surfing community, but a very cool biospheric area. Even heading up into where Oaxaca's main city is. So consider this area and this region. By the way, guys, we've made travel guides for each one of these destinations that you can watch specifically. Check the description below for those links. But next up, we're going to head north of Mexico City to the interior of Guanajuato, to the actual main city in Guanajuato, Guanajuato City. This is a very historical mining area known for frogs. That's why they call it Guanajuato. Anyway, over here, you're going to get this really charming Spanish style, European style town in Mexico. You almost feel like you are in Spain or something because of the architecture. It was really popular for silver mining, and they have an interesting underground tunnel system that you can explore. You'll drive through it when you're coming into the town. Some say it's for controlled flooding. Others say it's old mining tunnels. I don't know the full story, but here you can get a really awesome experience with mariachi bands and live music while you eat and just chill out. Weather is awesome here. It's in this canyon ravine, so definitely consider this place. I would say it might just be the most underrated place in all of Mexico, actually. And we'll keep it simple, heading just east to San Miguel de Allende. This is another historical town. It was actually uncovered at the turn of the 1900s by students who found this area, and they said, hey, wait a second, this place deserves to be considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. So those art students who found it put it on the map, and then it became a expatriate place for American immigrants and people from around the world who now actually call this place home. So it's really popular with people who've resettled there, but the historical charm is still intact in this beautiful town, and you can see it with the colors, and the cathedrals, and the churches, and the vibe walking around the town. It's a cobblestone road. Everything is awesome about San Miguel. And the cool thing about this area is you can do several of the main towns like Guanajuato City, San Miguel de Allende, and Mexico City all within a short drive. So that's something to consider about this area. In fact, some people actually land in Mexico City and drive up here. It's that close. All right, next up we're going to move you up the Baja a bit from Los Cabos. Everyone knows about San Lucas and Los Cabos, but let's talk about going up the Baja a bit to some of these cool places like La Paz. Now I will say there are several islands around here that really make this place amazing to me along the Sea of Cortez, but even if you go further north to places like Laredo, you'll be happy. So I think Baja del Sur, Mexico is definitely an awesome place. I love it. And this is one of the places you can see whale sharks. Also, one of the best beaches in all of Mexico is nearby here, Playa Balondra. So check that out. We actually went up to Tecolote because it was hard to get into Balondra since they do it by permit only, but you can see the beautiful sand, the beaches. They've got all types of marine animals in this area. Whale sharks, like I said. They've got certain types of eagle rays, sharks, just a really eco-friendly place. You'll notice all across Baja del Sur that there's a lot of retirees from the United States who've settled here. But yeah, you could see why. It's like a desert oasis right along the Sea of Cortez. Anyways, next up we're going to head over to Puerto Vallarta, Nayarit and Jalisco border right there. This is another popular destination. They have so many beach villages around the area of Puerto Vallarta. You can go to San Pancho, you can go to Sayalita. They've got a lot of resorts out here in PV. I really enjoy this destination. But that's going to wrap it up for this travel guide of Mexico. Let us know if you liked it. If you did, subscribe to this channel, like the video, and we'll see you on the next one. Click on one of those other videos right there and watch that next one.