Top Mexico hotels
Tipping Cancún
12 Reviews Re: ".. don't tip taxi drivers in Cancun. Of course you should tip them! Just like you would in any other country." This is very wrong. Whilst tipping may be expected in Cancun it is not universal...
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Tipping Puerto Vallarta
7 Reviews Even when "all gratuities included" at a resort (and I laugh), think twice about not tipping. If you like waiting 10-20 minutes to be noticed for a drink that's fine.. but tipping 1.00usd a round gets...
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Native Animals Playa del Carmen
3 Reviews We've seen the large band of coatis on both of our trips to Riu Tequila, in 2009 they were hanging out near the pool and near some of the rooms near the pool waiting for someone to take pity on them...
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Drinking Cabo San Lucas
2 Reviews To have the perfect shot of tequila, you start with ice-cold tequila, kosher salt, and fresh Mexican limes; then you lick your hand and sprinkle the salt, lick the salt onto the tip of your tongue,...
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Food / Drink Tijuana
7 Reviews Traditional Mexican food varies from different regions in Mexico. Since Mexico also spans several climatic zones, the types of foodstuff available and the regional cuisines display much variety. While...
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Cultural Mazatlán
8 Reviews I enjoyed taking the time to talk to the vendors on the beach... Some may think it is a chore but I liked that aspect of my trip. I tried to get to know as many of them by name as I could.. They loved...
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Dia de los Muertos Monterrey
5 Reviews Every november 2 the hollyday ¨Dia de Muertos¨ (Dead´s Day), is celebrated in Mexico. This is a special day where people build a ¨Altar de Muertos¨ (Dead´s Shrine ) in memorial of any special...
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Slow Pace Cancún
4 Reviews Any gringos with little patience for slow service should probably stay away from Cancun. The fact that the city owes it's sheer prominence almost entirely to foreign tourism, combined with the Yucatan...
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Local People Puerto Vallarta
14 Reviews Puerto Vallarta, just as it is now, meets all the expectations that visitors may have; however, it isn’t resting on its laurels. Projects are being planned for the development of the area to make it...
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People / Language Tijuana
23 Reviews If you stick to the tourist spots, like Revolution, you will find that language isn't an issue. Most of the shopkeepers speak English very well. It does help to know spanish, but it is definitely not...
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Tipping/Financial Mazatlán
4 Reviews Tipping... At restaurants, 10 to 15% is standard, but check to ensure a tip has not been included in your bill. Be sure to differentiate between the 15% tax and a tip. Bellmen usually receive about...
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Traditional Dress Monterrey
2 Reviews A few old men still use ranch style sombrero, in some case hand made. In this photo the girl is celebrating his 15 aniversary, in Mexico these celebratios is very special because it mark the end of...
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Learn the lingo Cancún
5 Reviews Many first names have a Spanish equivalent. For fun, find out if you have a Spanish name before you go so that you can use it to introduce yourself. Hotel workers, guides, and locals will be able to...
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Financial Puerto Vallarta
6 Reviews bring several american one-dollar bills with you for tipping before you change your money into pesos. DO NOT change your money at the american airports; the rate is terrible, and some charge a...
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Border Culture Tijuana
7 Reviews There are numerous parking lots on the U.S. site of the border crossing point in San Ysidro. They are large and always guarded - does it mean that there are many car thefts there? The parkings are...
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Greetings / Courtsey Monterrey
7 Reviews These are typical greetings and sultations. The translations are less literal and more "general meaning." Greetings... In person: Buenas Good Buenas (tardes, dias, noches) (afternoon, day,...
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Shopping/Haggling Puerto Vallarta
6 Reviews It seemed common that a lot of women where getting their hair put in beads. I didn't see any local women with them but amongst the local tourist it seemed to be the thing to do for the women. I don't...
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Los Negocios Tijuana
10 Reviews I considered putting this tip in the Warning section, but since it probably won't happen while you visit Tijuana it seems better as a Local Custom Tip. Actually having your hair done in a restaurant...
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Music & Dance Monterrey
2 Reviews Regional music is dubbed musica norteña, northern music, which is unique, very lively, kind of Mexican polka, with accordion, guitar and drum, and has lots of groups and fans. It is obviously not only...
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Nature Puerto Vallarta
4 Reviews The most wonderfu thing about the "Dreams Resort" in Puerto Vallarta, is that the sea turtle conservatory is located on the beach!! We were walking early one morning on a romantic strole & were called...
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Music / Drinking Tijuana
8 Reviews The exciting music of a Mariachi band embraces the essence of Mexico and its people. Characterised by lively rhythms and the sounds of violins, guitars, vihuelas (a five-stringed guitar) and a...
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Alameda Monterrey
2 Reviews Lesson # 325 to be a good tourist in Mexico: When you come to Monterrey, come to the Alameda (central park) and go to the big fountain to get a picture of you riding one of these wood made horses. As...
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Health/Safety Puerto Vallarta
4 Reviews Hopefully you will not need any! But, it is good to know that there are some excellent, English speaking doctors here. There is a brand new hospital here in Vallarta, San Javier and really is as nice...
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Poverty Tijuana
2 Reviews Walking around Tijuana you can find a lot of signs of poverty and first of all you can find beggars but not in Avenida Revolucion (main street of Tijuana) - it's forbidden there, I suppose. But when...
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Local Foods Monterrey
3 Reviews Mostly on the weekends restaurants (and sometimes individuals) will set up grills on the side of the road and roast kid goats, chicken, sausages, etc. Not exactly haute cuisine, but at least you see...
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It is popular belief in Mexico that the dead have divine permission to visit friends and relatives on earth. once a year during the days of the dead the living offer food, candles and flowers to their loved ones that have died. This occasion is not morbid but a celebration of the passed ones lives. It is thought that the souls of children visit on November 1st and adults on November 2nd. Many shops sell skeletons dressed in clothes and performing everyday activities.
The Mayan people are indigenous to parts of Mexico and Central America. They can be traced back as far as 2600 BC. The Mayans still live and work in parts of Mexico especially around Chichen Itsa, which was once a commercial, religious and military centre. The Mayans living around Chichen itsa sell local crafts on stalls within the ancient site, many wearing traditional dress.
1. people go in the ocean with clothes on, and sit or lay in the sand as the water laps up over them.2. vendors and musicians often come onto local and regional buses to make money. some of the treats they sell are plantanes, juice sold in plastic bags, and a type of fried pig skin with a hot sauce. 3. men (mostly men) will lift their shirts up over their bellies and stand on the street corner, for no apparent reason. 4. the women don´t generally drink outdoors, but in closed quarters, like a restaurant or home.5. people throw their trash on the ground. PLEASE DON´T DO IT! mexico´s rivers and oceans are very polluted because of this.6. you will always be approached by vendors on the beach, especially in tourist destinations. some of these vendors are children and old women. it breaks my heart. 7- some street food includes juices topped with peanuts, corn with hot salsa served in a cup,...
The Aztecs believed that the place where the gods were born , the very centre of the earth, would be revealed to them by the sighting of an eagle perched on a cactus and with a snake in its beak. Where the eagle was sighted became the centre of their civilization - their capital city, Tenochtitlan - now the the sprawling megalopolis of Mexico City.The snake-bearing eagle has become the country's coat of arms and takes pride of place as the centrepiece of the nation's flag whilst the colours are symbolic of hope (green), unity (white) and the blood of the heroes of the revolution (red).
We got lucky and managed to see a performance of the Viejecitos (Little Old Men). This is a dance said to have been invented by the local Purepecha during the early colonial period to mock the Spanish colonists.The dancers were boys from about 6-12 years old, and they wore pink wrinkly masks, plus had on hard-soled wooden sandals, which they use to make a lot of noise stumbling around, as the names suggests, like clumsy old men. You can usually see performances of the Viejecitos at the major hotels, and on weekends at the Casa de los Once Patios, around noon.
Rebozos semed part of life in the Mexican countryside and it seemed most females wore one. They use it for warmth, to accessorize, and even to carry their babies on their backs as well. You can get rebozos ranging from very expensive at some of the craft shops, to inexpensive at the local markets. I bought mine at the local markets, I guess their version of the fake pashmina. They are much better quality and more distinctive than fake pashminas and just as cheap; plus they're great souveniers to buy for people back home.
When carrying pesos, make sure you have plenty of small bills. It seems that no one has change or if any, very little. It doesn't make sense, as they issue large bills, so someone must use them! And if everyone has small bills, someone must have change ... if I think about it too much, it drives me crazy, so trust me, carry lots of small bills and change.
Although it looks like Halloween, it is not Halloween!During the Dia de los Muertos, which occurs every year on November 1 and 2, many Mexican families honor their ancestors and their dead with home altars and/or by visiting and spending time in the cementerio where their loved ones are buried. This was originally thought as to greet the spirits as they return to the home for 24 hours each year. There are different traditions within the large one itself so the way it is celebrated might change from region to region or even from family to family . But basically this day is very important to Mexicans and most people will take the 2 days to visit the graves of their loved ones. The more rural the place is is the more traditional the celebration is.
Mexico's modern-day Zapatista movement had its roots in the southern state of Chiapas Although they are mostly associated with Chiapas, the Zapatistas aim is to represent " the dispossessed millions" of the whole country against both the one-party system of the government and wealthy international interests who they see as having oppressed the the indigenous people for the last 500 years and virtually all the country's population for the last 70 years.Arguing that the land should belong to those who work it (and indigenous Mexicans own virtually no land at all) their aims include land reform, an end to illiteracy, dignity in the workplace and respect for indigenous peoples and cultures as well as the recognition and implimentation of many basic rights for all the population that currently, and sadly, are available to relatively few. In January this year (2006), the Zapatistas began a...
GUELAGUETZA DANCING FESTIVAL in OAXACA CITY... month july all years...the festival is celebrated each year in july, the dancers from different regions of oaxaca show their local customs and its a big parade in the city, with big puppets, colorful dresses, gifts to tourists, music alla round,...great spot to visit in Mexico.
Four Seasons Mexico City Mexico City
6 Reviews and 219 Opinions If you are there over the weekend, do forget to check-out the rate. We paid about US$165 excl tax...
Club Med Cancun All Inclusive Cancún
4 Reviews and 958 Opinions I spent a week at the Club Med from 18-25 May 2008 with my 12-yr old daughter and thoroughly enjoyed...
Marival Residences & World Spa Puerto Vallarta Puerto Vallarta
6 Reviews and 313 Opinions We had a DREAM VACATION at the Marival Resort. We will be going back once or twice a year. The...
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Q: Going to Puerto Vallarta for Cino de Mayo. Never been to PV before. Any tips you can provide me?
A: I have not been to Puerto Vallarta but know about it as a popular tourist resort town. I do live next to the Mexican border and have experience with Mexicans and...
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