Mexico Insight

Although it’s still August, it’s worth remembering that the autumn brings no less than four key dates, during which you need to book well ahead for travels in Mexico: Independence Day, Day of the Dead, Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
We’ve noticed a significant surge in bookings for travels planned in October and November.  As students begin to go […]

Every country has it ‘norms’ of social etiquette and Mexico is no exception.  Social etiquette is perhaps more important to learn about and to observe when you are living in a country; however, if you’re just visiting the country, it’s also useful to have a general understanding of etiquette for some of the most often encountered situations […]

Mexico has extensive transport systems which make getting around the country efficient. They are also very affordable.
In addition to a substantial network of modern airports, Mexico also has one of the best national bus service networks you’ll encounter, offering three levels of service (executive, first, and second) on popular routes and two classes of service on […]

Travelers flying in Mexico this summer are being advised to exercise caution when purchasing tickets from low-cost carriers Avolar and Aviacsa.
Avolar owes the SCT (Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes), Mexico’s transport ministry, a backlog of airspace fees; the ministry says the sum exceeds $130 million pesos (US$13 million).  The SCT suspended the airline’s operations last week, although […]

Today, over half of all commercial transactions in ‘industrialized’ nations like the USA, Canada, Western Europe and Australasia take place using some form of electronic money employing the use of a credit or debit card, or a so-called ‘e-cash’ card; or electronic bank transfers of various kinds.
In Mexico, physical cash is still king, whether you […]

Mexico offers you the opportunity to acquire a panoply of artesanias (handicrafts) produced locally with materials sourced from Mexico’s thriving and diverse natural habitats.
The best place to buy handicrafts is in small rural towns and villages, where local people, known as artesanos, make their living by creating the art works.  Mexican handicrafts range from common trinkets to masterful works of […]

Most of Mexico’s principal towns and cities away from the coasts are situated at altitude.  Mexico City is situated at over 7,000 feet above sea level, and most of the other cities and colonial towns across Mexico are usually situated at altitudes of at least 5,000 feet above the sea.
The altitude keeps the climate at […]

Mexico is experiencing its first tropical storms and hurricanes of 2008.
Dolly, the first hurricane to affect Mexico this season, left the Yucatan Peninsula largely unscathed; heavy rains were the principal feature of the storm in that region.  However, when the storm moved across to the Gulf of Mexico, it renewed its energy (from the Gulf waters) before hitting […]

Foreigners are buying real estate in Mexico for a variety of reasons.  Some people are buying because they move to Mexico to live and work, and prefer to buy property instead of renting.  Others come to Mexico to retire, or plan their retirement, and some are just looking for a worthwhile long-term investment for their […]

Mexico’s love of all things bureaucratic is well known and documented. Notwithstanding this, the country’s immigration policies are surprisingly straightforward.
For tourists and temporary business visitors, Mexico operates a simple document, known as a FMT (Forma Migratoria Turista).  The document entitles visitors to stay in Mexico for a maximum of 180 days (thirty days for business), without […]