Mexico
One of the world's top destinations Mexico is exploding with color and variety. With a very strong cultural identity, this country is bustling with life, riveting for all the senses with a happy, magical quality that is just infectious.
In this vast land, there are many destinations to be uncovered and with strong traditions in fine colonial art and contemporary art, Mexico City is home to some of the best museums in the world. In fact, such is the imprint made by the Conquest that it still lingers in the air, and yet this powerful clash between Spain and the local tribes has resulted in a fascinating culture that is impossible to disappoint.
Copper Canyon
The largest canyon in North America, Copper Canyon is nearly four times the volume of the Grand Canyon found in the USA, covering a range of what some claim to be up to 10,000 square miles.
A great place to hike, with varying levels of difficulty, Copper Canyon offers other activities that include mountain biking, horse riding and relaxing ‘float trips' down the Rio El Fuerte. You may spot the local people, the Tarahumara on your travels here. These hardy people live in the canyons during the winter months and are experts in cultivating crops in these difficult conditions. Known for their endurance they sometimes hunt by running for hours down near-vertical slopes.
When hiking you will almost certainly be serenaded by colorful parrots, and catch sight of squirrels, raccoons, foxes and the eagles circling above. Our Mexico partner is one of the most accomplished guides in the Copper Canyon and can arrange an unforgettable trek to his favorite spots.
Colonial Heartland
Found in the heart of México's interior, this area offers a step back in time to the colonial era when Spanish influence thrived among elaborate baroque architecture and cobblestone streets along open, tree lined plazas.
Recognized as the region that sparked the Mexican revolution in 1911, this area evokes sentiments of liberation and revolution and is still looked upon today as a source of national pride and independence. Built during the ‘silver rush' of the 1500s state capital Guanajuato and neighboring San Miguel de Allende are said to be the gems within this mountainous heartland, but we prefer to visit less obvious tourist stops and highly recommend a visit to Queretaro to take in its beautiful town center.
In this region of colorfully painted houses, bougainvillea-covered mansions and sun-bleached cantinas we have meandered through the thousands of closely packed alleyways to find other highlights of this historic region. To absorb the creativity of the people, visit Museo Rafael Coronel in Zacatecas where you will find a wild collection of masks or shop for brightly colored ceramics in the colonial city of Dolores Hidalgo. In this land of festivals, we recommend the Guanajuato Music Festival Cervantino, celebrating its 37th year in 2010 when many theater and music groups put on productions in the city's many performance venues.
Chiapas
Combined with the Yucatan Peninsula and parts of Guatemala, the state of Chiapas is a central part of the Mundo Maya ‘Mayan World'. Modern day locals, “chiapanecos”, are descendants of the Maya and still maintain close ties to their religion and customs. Here is where the communities have maintained their traditions to this day and where the Mayan ruins of Palenque can be found.
From its lush tropical lowlands to the indigenous highlands, Chiapas attracts more travelers and trekkers than typical tourists. Local festivals, exquisite Mayan ruins, diverse nature and a rich blend of colonial and indigenous cultures turns trips to the region into fascinating travel experiences. Our Mexico partner knows the region inside and out and will bring this area to life for you.
Yucatan
The ancestral home of the Mayan people, the Yucatan Peninsula was relatively isolated from the rest of Mexico until a railway was built in the 1960s and has evolved its own very special cultural identity. The most popular tourist destination in Mexico today, Yucatan offers more than the purpose-built resorts of Cozumel and Cancun. For a quieter break, there are islands with luxury resorts, while inland the rainforest hides underground caves to explore and ancient Mayan ruins dating back over 3,000 years.
Renowned for their tranquil and relaxed demeanor, the Mayan people, the largest indigenous population in Mexico, play their part in providing a peaceful backdrop to a stay here. The cuisine is a deliciously different take on typical Mexican fare and the accommodation is varied and of an excellent standard.
Oaxaca
Nestled in the mountains of Southwest México, Oaxaca's rocky landscape and crystalline skies create vistas and landscapes that are found nowhere else in the world.
Here the unique blend of tropical forests and temperate zones has contributed to create perhaps the most biologically diverse state in México. With its extensive and expansive indigenous populations, Oaxaca offers rich cultural experiences and an opportunity to find unique handicrafts and weavings, as well as enriching visits to local ruins and historic churches.
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