Safety

Learn these tips before you travel to Mexico | guest post by Jenn Chan

Image from pixabay.com

Image from pixabay.com

Mexico is an incredible country to vacation in, drive through, or just backpack around. There is plenty to see and explore from the pristine surf beaches on the Pacific coast to lush jungles and incredible ruins. The country is also home to big tourist centers such as Cozumel, Punta Cana, Cancun, and Tulum as well as incredible resorts. Mexico has several regions and each of them is incredibly diverse, and the locals are some of the friendliest people on earth. 

The aforementioned tourist centers and resorts are a huge draw for visitors to the North American country. However, visitors tend to ignore other parts of the country during their trip, which can be a mistake. Are you planning a visit to Mexico? In this article, you’ll find tips on everything related to traveling to Mexico to help you make sure that you are thoroughly prepared for the trip. These Mexico travel tips will help you get the best out of your trip. Read on. 

When to Visit Mexico

When is the best time to travel to Mexico? You can travel to Mexico at any time of the year — depending on what you are looking for. The busiest season for travel to is New Years and Semana Santa. During busy seasons, resorts and big tourist centers are often crowded. If you want to avoid crowds, don’t travel during the busy seasons. Are any of the attractions you want to see dependent on seasons? Take that into consideration as you plan your trip to Mexico. 


The busiest tourist season in Mexico runs from December to the end of April. The temperatures are high but there’s plenty of relief in the coastal areas. This is the best time to visit if you want to take advantage of Mexico’s tropical climate. June to October is the rainy season in Mexico, mostly the central parts of the country — it hardly ever rains in northern Mexico. If you want to have the best trip possible, you have to plan. Book your flight 2-5 months before your travel date to get the best prices.

What to Pack

The next thing you need to do is pack. So, what do you pack for a trip to Mexico? Your packing list should include light clothing, a pair of comfortable shoes, a swimsuit, and a small medical kit — safety is important. Your packing list depends on the type of activities you will be involved in during your trip. All travel experts will advise you to pack light. That’s because it’s easier to get around when you are not dragging a huge suitcase around. It’s good to be prepared for anything but if you plan ahead, you’ll do just fine with a smaller suitcase. You’ll be able to move freely and get into your hotel more easily with a smaller suitcase. 


How to Stay Safe in Mexico

Contrary to what you may have heard on the radio or seen in the news, Mexico is a fairly safe country to visit. The media likes to paint Mexico as a dangerous place to visit, but that’s not accurate. Most of the conflict you may have heard about is between the drug cartels and Mexican authorities, which shouldn’t have any impact on your trip. However, bag snatching — and other forms of petty theft — is common so don’t let your guard down. No country is 100 percent safe. The locals are extremely friendly and helpful in difficult situations. 


The real threat when it comes to traveling to Mexico is online. During your trip, you will need access to the internet to communicate and keep in touch with friends and family back home. The country has seen an increase in internet penetration (more than 100%) in the last few years. Digital threats such as hacking incidents, data retention, and government surveillance have increased in proportion. Connect to a VPN server in Mexico to protect yourself from such threats every time you access the internet during your trip. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic making it unreadable to prying eyes such as hackers, Internet Service Provider (ISP), etc.