Mexico, officially known as the United Mexican State, is a federal republic in North America. Covering an area of almost two million square kilometres, the nation is the fifth largest country in America by total area and the 13th largest independent state in the world. With an estimated population of over 120 million, it is the most populous Spanish-speaking state in the world. Mexico is a country of amazing food, culture, and stunning geography. It features an extensive coastline which is home to some of the most amazing beaches in the world. Also, Mexico ranks fourth in the world in terms of biodiversity and is one of the 17 megabiodiverse countries. With over 2,00,000 different species, Mexico is home of 10–12% of the world’s biodiversity. Here is the list of ten top most fascinating places to visit in Mexico.
Places to Visit in Mexico
1. Tulum Town
One of the best places to visit in Mexico, Tulum is a resort town which stands on the coast of Yucatan Peninsula of the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The city of Tulum was earlier known as the Zama, which means the City of Dawn. Tulum is today a popular site for tourists, The Tulum ruins are the third most-visited archaeological site in Mexico, after Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza, with over 2.2 million visitors every year. Tulum also has architectures of Maya sites such as Maya Blue, Naharon, Temple of Doom, Grand Cenote etc.
2. Chichen Itza
One of the most beautiful Ancient Mayan Temples, Chichen Itza is a complex of Mayan ruins on Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. It is maintained by the National Institute of Anthropology and History, Mexico. Chichen Itza is one of the largest Maya cities with numerous architectures of Maya ruins. The Maya name “Chichen Itza” means “At the mouth of the well of the Itza.” Itza is the name of an ethnic-lineage group that gained political and economic dominance of the northern peninsula. Chichen Itza is one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico with over 2.6 million tourists visiting every year. The site contains many fine stone buildings such as El Castillo, Temple of Warriors and the Great Ball Court etc. Many of these stone buildings were originally painted in red, green, blue and purple colours making the site a colourful place. Chichen Itza was also designated as the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 and it is the second-most visited archaeological site in Mexico. In 2007, Chichen Itza’s El Castillo was named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Related: 7 Most Amazing Pyramids in Mexico.
3. Mexico City
It is the capital city of Mexico and also the most densely-populated city in North America. It is located in the Valley of Mexico also called as the basin of Mexico, a large valley in Mexico at an elevation of 2,240 metres above the sea level. This valley is surrounded by beautiful mountains, volcanoes, plateaus etc. Mexico City primarily stands on on the shore of Lake Texcoco and it experiences subtropical climate due to its location and high elevation. However, the lower region of the valley receives less rainfall than the upper regions of Mexico City. This fantastic place is also a destination for many foreign tourists. The Historic centre of Mexico City and the floating gardens of Xochimilco are a great tourist attraction and has also been declared as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. You will also love reading about beautiful small towns in Mexico.
4. Playa Del Cerman Town
One of the best vacation spots in Mexico, Playa del Carmen is a coastal resort town in Mexico, located on the Yucatan Peninsula along the Caribbean shoreline. It is well-known for its stunning palm-lined beaches and great coral reefs. The town has also become one of the fastest to grow in terms of population in Mexico. It is a popular tourist area and features a wide variety of leisure activities due to its geographical location. Playa del Carmen is enriched with luxury residential buildings, restaurants, boutiques and entertainment venues. The Quinta Avenida or Fifth Avenue is the most popular place to visit. It also hosts several major annual events, the largest of these being The BPM Festival, a world-famous electronic dance music festival which took place in January each year. It is one of the best places to visit in Mexico.
5. Isle Cozumel Island
Isle Cozumel is an island located on the eastern coast of Yucatán Peninsula, just opposite to the Playa del Carmen. The main town on the island is San Miguel de and the majority of the island’s population lives in this peaceful town of Cozumel. The island has tropical savanna climate and is covered with mangrove forest which has many endemic species of fauna. Apart from this, the island also encompasses more than 300 restaurants hotels, bars, clubs etc which provides a variety of activities to the visitors to relax and enjoy such as swimming, diving, fish watching, charter fishing, kitesurfing and much more.
6. Izamal City
Izamal is a small city in the Mexican state of Yucatan. Izamal is known as the Yellow City because most of its buildings are painted yellow and the also known as the City of Hills because of the remains of the ancient temple pyramids. The town of Izamal was officially ranked as a city on 1 December 1981. It is an important archaeological site of the Pre-Columbian Maya civilization as many ancient Mayan ruins are located in the central part of the city. In ancient times Izamal was a centre for the worship of the supreme Maya god, Itzamna, and the sun god, Kinich-Kakmo, many of temple pyramids were devoted to these gods in the ancient time.
7. Guadalaraja City
It is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Jalisco, Guadalajara is also the fifth-most-populous city in Mexico. The city is named after the renowned Spanish city wadi-al-hajara which means valley of stones. It is a strong business and economic centre. The city’s economy is home to services and industry, especially information technology, with a large number of international offices and manufacturing facilities. Also, the traditional industries, such as shoes, textiles and food processing are also important contributing factors. It is also home to the C.D. Guadalajara, one of the most popular football clubs in Mexico.
8. Merida City
Merida is the capital city of Yucatan state in Mexico. It is the largest city of the Yucatan and ranks13th among the most populous Mexican metropolitan areas. Merida also has the highest percentage of the indigenous population with 60% of total inhabitants being of Maya ethnicity. The city is also located in the Chicxulub Crater, a very flat topography only 30 feet above sea level because of which Merida features a tropical wet and dry climate. Merida is a cultural centre, featuring multiple museums, art galleries, restaurants, movie theatres, an abundance of beautiful buildings, a vibrant cultural centre with a comprehensive range of shopping malls, top-quality hotels, restaurants, and leisure facilities.
8. Los Cabos
It is located on the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico at an altitude of forty meters above sea level. The region is divided into three main terrain types, mountain terrain, semi-flat areas and flat areas. The region also experiences a hot and dry climate and it is one of the sunniest locations in the world, with an average of 320 days of sunshine per year. The area is also home to a large number of animals such as badgers, skunks, coyotes, foxes, pumas etc.
9. Peurto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta is Mexico’s prettiest resort town and the second largest urban area in the state after Guadalajara. P.V or simply Vallarta offers something to do for every type of traveller, from lively nightclubs, beautiful beaches, colonial buildings to lush jungles, Puerto Vallarta is more than just a typical resort getaway. Once it was also designated as The Friendliest City in the World.
10. Cancun
Cancun is known as the resort capital of Mexico and has long been popular among travellers for its luxurious resorts and hence one of the best places to visit in Mexico. Cancun is located on the Yucatan Peninsula which borders the Caribbean Sea and is known for its beaches, numerous hotels and nightlife. Cancun is surrounded by clear Caribbean water which enhances the beauty of the region and offers bird’s eye view of the visitors making their visit a more relatable one. It is also surrounded by its beaches, that have fine and white coral sand. But, Cancún has a tropical climate, specifically tropical monsoon climate and it remains very hot in the city throughout the year.
These are the best places to visit in Mexico. Do post your comments.
