8 Safe Places To Visit In Mexico

Mexico’s tourist footfall showed a southward trend in 2010, but after that the graph has only risen as awareness about Mexico’s safety situation spreads. As of date, if the average tourist displays basic common sense and steers clear of trouble spots, then the good news is that you are more likely to give up the ghost in a tequila fuelled drinking spree than in a drab statistic increasing drug related murder. Before brushing off a trip to Mexico this year, consider researching the following destinations –

Mexico City – Start you Mexico holiday with Mexico City, a city much misunderstood with a crime rate about a third of Washington DC. A study in contrasts, this city’s thousand years of culture shows off its Aztec history along with the gleaming skyscrapers that push into the sky. Visit the Museo del Templo Mayor for a distinct Aztec flavour or the Metropolitan Cathedral to get a taste of the Spanish influence on the city. Do not miss Museo Frida Kahlo, dedicated to Mexico’s favorite artist or stroll around Plaza de Garibaldi listening to Mariachi bands perform traditional boleros, all this without incident!

Merida – Visit the land of the Maya on weekends or for day trips. A very interesting place to get a great insight into Mexico’s layered history – Merida’s cathedral and other important buildings built by the Spanish have been constructed out of bricks from the Mayan pyramids they destroyed. Its museums and art galleries can keep a visitor occupied for a while.

Todos Santos – Artsy Todos Santos has borne the brunt of tourist disregard for quite a while. A simple case of guilt by association, the southern part of the Baja peninsula has been penalized for sounding the same as Baja California (Norte), which is home to the infamous Tijuana. That out of the way, it draws surfers, artists, new age spiritualists and divers. Come here for kayaking, wind surfing, hiking, zip lines even hot springs and cave paintings!

San Miguel de Allende – The prettiest town in Mexico, San Miguel is the stuff of legends, or at least movies. As shown in ‘Once Upon a Time Mexico’, the town is actually its own USP. The cobblestone streets, quaint architectural details, buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries; it is all here in San Miguel. Come here for a cooking course or brush up your Spanish while you stay at any of the delightfully lovely guesthouses.

Huatulco – A planned resort town, Huatulco has become stiff competition for other established resort towns in the country. The former fishing town today offers endless days of diving, kayaking, snorkeling, cycling, surfing and rafting. There are also tours to waterfalls and coffee farms that travel guides of Mexico will organize for you.

Playa del Carmen – With cruise ship visitors streaming in daily, Playa is quite the touristy place. One step ahead of nearby Cancun in terms of a planned resort town, it is also one step behind when it comes to the physical beauty of the place. This, of course, is adequately made up by its enormous entertainment quotient.

Puebla – Two hours by bus from Mexico City, Puebla is packed with cathedrals and an interesting museum, besides being home to the twin volcanoes Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl. Also remember to check out Talavera pottery, 2,600 historic buildings and a whole lot of archaeological sites.

Guanajuato – A dramatic hill city, Guanajuato is picturesque in the most delightful way – 16th century cathedrals stand proudly amongst homes painted in bright colors. The tree-lined plazas are witness to the laid back colonial life of this Unesco World Heritage City. Time your visit to coincide with the Festival Cervantino in October, a vibrant cultural extravaganza.