Mexico
7
 DAYS IN 
Mexico

My first trip to Mexico, and it will not be my last. Visiting Mexico City and Holbox Island perfectly balanced city and nature (which is not something I could say for my second trip to Cancun).

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I wasn’t very inclined to visit Mexico because it was far and seemed relatively undeveloped. My impressions were unfounded because it was an incredible journey from start to end. It was a treat to be immersed in a culturally rich city and witness the ancient ruins of Mayan civilization. The only surprise was that many places were not English-speaking - it wasn’t an issue since most things were online, and in places like local eateries, we had to depend on my brother’s basic Spanish.

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TRANSPORT | For Mexico City, Uber and public transport were relatively cheap and convenient. We used Uber to travel within the city and out to Xochimilco and Teotihuacan. For the Yucatan Peninsula, we rented a car since our route wasn’t as conventional, and it was a lot more flexible to drive around. No vehicles were allowed on Holbox Island, but plenty of parking spaces at the ferry terminal.

 

DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY | I missed out on all the incredible cenotes on the Yucatan Peninsula! This wasn’t possible for a family trip, but I wished I could have done scuba diving or diving, and even visited the MUSA Underwater Museum in Cancun.

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HIGHLIGHTS | Mexico City, Teotihuacan, Chichen Itza, Rio Lagartos Flamingo Tour, Holbox Island Whale Shark Tour

Day 2: Mexico City & Xochimilco

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LA CASA AZUL

XOCHIMILCO

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We split the day into two parts: half for La Casa Azul and the other for Xochimilco.

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La Casa Azul (or Museo Frida Kahlo) was Frida Kahlo's childhood home. It was quite fascinating to get a glimpse of her life by tracing her footsteps in her house. It’s not a huge place for the number of tourists entering, so I advise purchasing tickets (in advance) for non-peak periods. On a side note, our credit card information was stolen when we ordered the tickets online, potentially due to the unsecured website or the Wi-Fi from our Airbnb.

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Xochimilco was a pretty cool place. We took an Uber (~$15) there and back, around an hour each way. The boats were available to charter on the spot (no pre-booking, I think). It was a vibe to be surrounded by mariachi bands and colourful boats. Boat rides are serene and relaxing, so that’s a bonus! It was the first time we saw (and heard about) an axolotl on one of the islands, and it was pretty cool.

Day 2: Mexico City & Xochimilco

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LA CASA AZUL

XOCHIMILCO

‍

We split the day into two parts: half for La Casa Azul and the other for Xochimilco.

‍

La Casa Azul (or Museo Frida Kahlo) was Frida Kahlo's childhood home. It was quite fascinating to get a glimpse of her life by tracing her footsteps in her house. It’s not a huge place for the number of tourists entering, so I advise purchasing tickets (in advance) for non-peak periods. On a side note, our credit card information was stolen when we ordered the tickets online, potentially due to the unsecured website or the Wi-Fi from our Airbnb.

‍

Xochimilco was a pretty cool place. We took an Uber (~$15) there and back, around an hour each way. The boats were available to charter on the spot (no pre-booking, I think). It was a vibe to be surrounded by mariachi bands and colourful boats. Boat rides are serene and relaxing, so that’s a bonus! It was the first time we saw (and heard about) an axolotl on one of the islands, and it was pretty cool.

Day 3: Teotihuacan (Mexico City Day Trip)

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It was a marvel to stand in the extensive archaeological complex of Teotihuacan. We engaged many independent private guides at the entrance to do a tour of the compound. With the size, it took at least 2 hours to cover the area. Honestly amazing. Traffic to and from Teotihuacan can get very intense, so we went early and left early. It was around an hour each way, and I went back just in time to check out of the Airbnb.

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In the evening, we flew to Cancun and stayed at an Airbnb near the airport before we continued our journey upwards.

Day 4: Chichen Itza, Los Coloradas, Rio Lagartos

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CHICHEN ITZA

LOS COLORADAS PINK SALT LAKE

RIO LAGARTOS

 

Chichen Itza is one of the “new seven wonders of the world” and is worth visiting. We went early in the morning to escape the crowds (that can be quite insane). A few independent tour guides were at the entrance, and we found another group of tourists to bundle with (saving money!). We also learned a great deal about the deep history of Chichen Itza.

 

After that, we drive up to the Los Colorados Pink Salt Lake. It was an interesting sight, but it was more or less a giant pink water body. The Instagram photos allured me, but did not meet those standards. The lake is not something I would visit unless I were in the vicinity.

 

The Rio Lagartos sunset boat tour was just the most amazing. It was a private sunset boat tour where we had unobstructed access to the waters all to ourselves. Maravilloso!

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WE STAYED AT an Airbnb in Tizimin for a night before heading to Holbox Island. 

Days 5 & 6: Holbox Island

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Holbox Island was basically a beach, so we kept activities to a minimum. There were few crowds, so it was a fantastic place to shut off.

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No cars are allowed on Holbox Island; they only use club cars on the island, so we had to leave the car on the mainland, which wasn’t an issue since there were many parking spaces before boarding the ferry. For longer stays, it would probably make sense to arrange a transfer.

 

We did a whale shark snorkeling tour, the most unforgettable experience I had on Holbox Island and the whole trip! We got to see a bunch of whale sharks and even swam with them, which was incredible. Although I wish I had sea sickness pills handy, if I knew that it would kick in hard when the boat stops.

 

We also did a short bioluminescent tour at night, which was cool. It wasn’t the most exciting because the illumination is caused by planktons moving in the water (from creating movements in the water). We were ruffling the water a bunch to see these illuminations. It wasn’t the glowing sea I was expecting from pictures.

 

A note, the island can be a mosquito-feeding frenzy at night.

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WE STAYED AT Villas Caracol, and it was nice. Such a calm vibe. It was within walking distance of several restaurants, and it was really a stone's throw to the beach! They arranged our club car from the ferry terminal, so everything was settled once we set foot on the island.