Later this month, I'm leaving Colombia to discover Mexico's food, beaches, and ancient civilizations with G Adventures.
A little over one year ago, I first had the opportunity to travel with G Adventures in Patagonia.
The experience surpassed my expectations in every way, from our friendly mountain guide Christian and the nightly feasts of Patagonian lamb and king crab to the breathtaking scenery and optional activities like ice climbing.
When you factor in airfare, Patagonia is one of the more costly regions of Latin America to visit.
By contrast, Mexico remains one of the cheapest, most easily accessible destinations from North America.
The two-week itinerary below hits all the hot spots en route from Mexico City to Playa del Carmen on the Mayan Riviera.
There are so many optional activities on offer in each city; I'm not even going to try to list them all.
It was last year that two of G Adventures' Wanders in Residence, Daniel and Audrey of Uncornered Market, sold me on Oaxaca through their vivid Instagram photos of food and daily life.
Add to that the massive appeal that Playa del Carmen has as a hotspot for digital nomads, and I could no longer delay visiting Mexico.
Last weekend, while researching which UNESCO World Heritage Sites I've visited so far, I found that I may be able to see as many as six new sites on this 15-day tour alone.
- Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco
- Historic Centre of Puebla
- Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán
- Prehistoric Caves of Yagul and Mitla in the Central Valley of Oaxaca
- Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of Palenque
- Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza
As always, I'll be providing live coverage of the trip through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and following that up with articles and photo essays on both Go Backpacking and the G Adventures' blog.
Expect lots of food photos as I delve into one of my favorite world cuisines!
I'll be arriving in Mexico a week early to visit friends in Puerto Vallarta, and I'll be spending an extra two weeks exploring Playa del Carmen and the region on my own after the tour.
Have you been to Mexico? Share your recommendations below, and I'll do my best to try them all!
Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 66 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Read the full story of how he became a travel blogger.
Planning a trip? Go Backpacking recommends:
- G Adventures for small group tours.
- World Nomads for travel insurance.
- Hostelworld for booking hostels.
- Rail Europe for train passes.
slawomir
Wednesday 12th of June 2013
Hi Dave ,
How was the tour ? i'm planning to take it in september .Can you provide me with some insight ?
Slawo
Dave
Thursday 13th of June 2013
I had a great time, and would highly recommend the tour. For me, it was a nice mix of culture and ruins, food, and beach time (at the end, I continued to hang out with people from my group for days after the tour officially ended).
Palenque was everyone's favorite ruins, not Chichen Itza. What else would you like to know?
Julio Moreno
Sunday 28th of April 2013
Hey, I hope you havent finished this trip yet. Directly south of playa del carmen is Tulum, and the entrance to Sian Ka'an (another UNESCO world Heritage site). My whole blog is based on ranking UNESCO WHS, and I would put Sian Ka'an above Mexico City, Teotihuacan, or even Chichen Itza (which I haven't written a review for yet, but will soon). I hope you have a blast in Mexico. I visit for months at a time since I have a lot of family there. BTW, the beaches of Tulum have been ranked as #5 in the world, and I have to say, they are the best Ive ever seen.
Dave
Sunday 28th of April 2013
Nope, I just arrived in Puerto Vallarta, so I have a few weeks before I reach Playa. Thanks for the tips, I'll definitely hit Tulum!
Julio Moreno
Sunday 28th of April 2013
BTW, my gravatar picture (the dolphins) were taken in Sian Ka'an
Emily of Roads Less Traveled
Monday 22nd of April 2013
You're hitting all the great spots. We toured much of that area last spring and loved it. Especially the ancient ruins of Monte Alban (http://roadslesstraveled.us/monte-alban/) and Palenque (http://roadslesstraveled.us/palenque/).
I don't know if you'll have time for a daytrip out of Palenque, but the absolute highlight of our entire time in Chiapas we our river trip to the Mayan ruins at Yaxchilan (we felt like we were walking through the pages of National Geographic) and Bonampak (amazing colorful wall frescoes that almost look Egyptian and so well preserved they could have been painted within my own lifetime not a millenium ago)... http://roadslesstraveled.us/yaxchilan/
Have a ball - wish I were going there too!!!
Dave
Monday 22nd of April 2013
Thanks Emily, I'm excited. I'll keep Yaxchilan and Bonampak in mind.
Sam H.
Thursday 18th of April 2013
What a great itinerary, take as many optional activities as you can, I know I would.
Jenny
Wednesday 10th of April 2013
Mexico is fabulous. Be sure to see the Anthropology Museum and the Diego Rivera Murals in Mexico City. Also, if you get a chance, go some of the colonial "silver cities" in the center part of the country. I've been living in Mexico (in Guanajuato) for the past six years and really love it. Bienvenido!
Dave
Thursday 11th of April 2013
Thanks for the tips Jenny!