So You Want to Come to Mexico…-Pt. 1-
Welp, the cat’s out of the bag: Mexico is f*cking amazing.
Beaches, cities, incredible food, kind people and colorful, unique culture that ebbs and flows from north to south across the mountaintops—yeah. It’s got it all.
When I first lived here a couple of years ago pre-pandemic, my American friends and I used to shake our heads and whisper over $3 margaritas: “Shhhhh, don’t tell anyone about this place.”
Not that Mexico doesn’t have its fair share of big-time problems: corruption, poverty, homicides and, yep—narcos out the wazoo. 😅 But as my friend Oscar says “Mexico may not be a rich country, but we are rich in other ways.”
So, do you truly want to come here ✨ respectfully ✨ and experience everything this wonderful place has to offer? Here’s how to do it safely… and without lookin’ like a total gringo.
Mexico, land of endless thirst trap opps
First things first
Before we get started: this guide is written for someone who has never been to Mexico before, is average in terms of fitness and health, and who wants to stay anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months. Let’s say you’re flying into Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City.
By the way, most people don’t call Mexico City “Mexico City.” That’s what foreigners call it when they’re not actually in Mexico. Here, everyone calls it “CDMX” or “El D.F.” (pronounced ehl day eff ay). But when you’re on the plane, they’ll call it Mexico City or “La Ciudad de Mexico.”
What to pack
Ok, we know Mexico has it all… but how to pack for it all? When I travel, I usually pack light. The general rule is to pack what you think you need, then cut it in half. 😬 You will likely buy art, clothes, and random cute things, so make sure to leave room for all that!
Mexico City weather in December - April: Dry, up to 75° during the day, low 40’s at night. People don’t usually rock bare legs around here during this time of year (December)—most everyone is wearing pants and jackets.
Clothing: Bring LAYERS! During the day, it can be hot and sunny. I usually wear jeans and a tank top with a T-shirt or long-sleeve shirt, and carry a little jacket (oh, and red lipstick… you never know what’s going to happen here 😚). Since we’re in the mountains (7,300 ft!), it gets way cooler at night: I wear pants, a light shirt and then a thicker jean or fuzzy jacket.
Footwear: I usually rock Nikes during the day. Light boots at night (optional).
Mexico City style
A note about style in CDMX: It’s VERY easy to tell who is a tourist here in CDMX if you wear these:
-Open-toed shoes (think flip flops, Birks, sandals etc)
-Teeny, tiny booty shorts or skirts
-Frumpy sweatpants
-Generally, very little clothing. I HATE dressing for the male gaze, but keep in mind that if you’re blonde/blue-eyed like me, you’re already going to get plenty of attention on the streets. If I wear a short skirt or dress, I usually keep my top more covered, and vice-versa.
Beach weather: Depending on which side of Mexico you are, it’s HUMID AF, 85° or more during the day—low 70s at night.
Clothing: Swimsuit and maybe shorts/tank top during the day. A cute dress to wear out’n’about at night with maybe a light jacket.
Footwear: Light sandals (Chacos, birks, whatever), some running/hiking shoes, cute shoes to go out in (optional)
Mountain weather: It can get quite cold in the mountains, but also hot in the sun. Bring layers.
Clothing: A puffy jacket, layers, long pants, light/quick-dry stuff to hike in
Footwear: Hiking boots/shoes, daytime shoes (Nikes/Vans), some light sandals (optional)
For a Mexico City/Beach trip: Remember, you can always buy more shit when you’re here: especially on the beach!
Infinite underwear
2-3 pairs of socks
2 swimsuits
3-4 shirts: a long-sleeve button-up, 2 cute shirts
2 tank tops
Light beachy dress
Whatever other cute going-out dress
1 pair of pants
1 pair of tights
1 pair of shorts
Tennis shoes for activities
Light sandals or Chacos
Daytime sneakers
A jacket (maybe a rain jacket if it’s rainy season June-Oct)
Toiletries (try to get travel-sized everything, you can always get what you need here)
Chargers and whatever other tech you need
Makeup, hair stuff
A small lock / TSA lock for your bag or for lockers if you go to the gym
Before ya go
Make sure your bank knows you’re traveling: you can add travel plans on the apps
Depending on how long you’re traveling, you can pause your car insurance by putting it on “parking storage”
Travel insurance, if you want it: World Nomads is the most popular
Organize your shit so your passport is easy to access: I usually wear a small purse hanging on the front of my body
Organize your shit so not all of your credit cards are in one, single place. Maybe sneak $100 bill in somewhere in case of emergencies
I’d pack any jewelry/electronics in the backpack you carry on with you, sometimes shit gets stolen out of checked bags, or lock your checked bag with a TSA lock
Brush up on your Spanish if at all possible :)
Mexicans know how to decorate and take pride in their towns
Getting there
Let’s make one thing clear: the CDMX airport is a total shitshow. It’s massive, poorly designed, often has unclear signage and layout, and don’t you DARE accidentally go to the wrong terminal ‘cuz it will take you a while to realize it and get to the other one. I always go early because the lines are long and it’s generally confusing.
Anyway. You’re flying in. On the plane, they’ll give you a green, red and white FMM immigration form which you’ll need to fill out from top to bottom. Once you get off, you’ll be ushered through to immigration. It should be clearly marked which line to get in—the foreigners/non-Mexican nationals line (it will likely be way longer than others).
Quick backstory: in the good ol’ days, Mexico used to just give everyone 180 days to do fuck’all in MEX. It was very common for people to hop over the border for a “visa run” to get another 180 days when their time was up.
Those days went away for a while in 2022 and everything was VERY annoying for a while. But in 2023, they seem to have reverted some of this red tape and now let digital nomads, visitors etc into the country scot-free for 6 months. Buuuttttt….
Be prepared to show to Immigration:
Your return ticket
Hotel/hostel/Airbnb reservations
Your phone 😬
They will ask you why you’re traveling and how long you plan to stay. Tell them “vacaciones” or “vacation.” If you’re only staying a hard 14 days or whatever, tell them that. Welcome to Mexico.
Once you get through Immigration
Yay! You made it. Now time to snag your bag: it will be on one of the conveyor belts (sometimes airport workers pull them off and gather them on the floor, too). You’ll have to pass through one more scanner and put all of your bags/personal items on your way out.
Once you get through customs and all that, you’ll walk through giant sliding doors into the exit area of the airport—it’s massive. There will be a couple of taxi stands right in front of you where you can pre-book a registered taxi to your destination. They also speak English. :)
That’s one option. Personally, I just use Uber. It’s comfortable and SUPER safe. Sometimes I don’t get good service in the airport—if that’s your case, too, just head over to the Starbucks on your right. They have free WiFi.
Also, if you want to get some cash, there are ATMs lined up against the opposite wall—but it might be easier just to wait till you get to wherever you’re staying to lessen the risk of having all your shit and a bunch of money on you. There are also bathrooms on the far end of the sala to your left, if needed.
To catch the taxi/Uber, go outside via Door 3—there will be a roundabout with people waiting. As with anywhere else in the world, double-check the license plate of the Uber before you get in. Drivers will usually get out and help you with your bags as a courtesy.
Safety 😬🙌😇
Staying safe in Mexico generally depends on two things: where you are and what you’re doing. Like many places in the world, most crime here occurs from pure opportunity, so if you’re not doing something stupid, you’ll generally be fine. BUT, there are plenty of precautions you can take to just keep yourself (and your stuff) safe.
Low-hanging fruit
As someone who’s traveled A LOT, I am HYPER VIGILANT about all my shit. When I’m out and about at bars, cafes, etc I always have everything within arm's length and within eyesight. It goes without saying:
NEVER leave your laptop, backpack or general stuff unattended, anywhere
Don’t wear anything that’s toooooo flashy, and avoid neighborhoods that you don’t know
Keep an eye on your shit, especially when random people come talk to you
Don’t walk alone at night*
*Depending on the neighborhood and time of day. I only walk alone at night in my own neighborhood, when it’s before 11 or 12 on a weekend and there are plenty of people out and about. Otherwise, I avoid walking alone at night at all costs. I also avoid walking alone during the day in neighborhoods that I’m unfamiliar with.
You just never know… especially as a woman 😏
Before you go out:
‼️ DO NOT BRING ALL OF YOUR CREDIT CARDS OR YOUR PASSPORT OUT WITH YOU ‼️
Bring one or two that you might need (I carry my Amex, a debit card, my drivers license and some cash). That way, if you lose your wallet, get robbed, etc., you won’t be fucked. I’ve never understood why people carry their passports around, so dumb
‼️ Make a plan. ‼️
Where are you going, and how will you get back? What’s the backup plan in case someone doesn’t have a key ? Etc.
When you’re out:
Use bags that have zippers, and aren’t easy to reach into
Keep important stuff like your wallet or cell phone at the bottom of your bag, or in a hard-to-access zipper
If you’re a dude: DON’T CARRY YOUR WALLET/PHONE IN YOUR BACK POCKET YOU DUMMY!!
Don’t flash your phone around too much in unfamiliar territory, especially at night—and don’t put your phone down ANYWHERE, even for a second (my friend had hers stolen from a market this way as she tried something on)
When traveling, keep your passport and other important stuff in one single bag that hangs on the front of your body the whole time. I also generally spread out my cards and secret cash in different bags, so in case one thing gets taken, I’m good
If you’re in an Uber/taxi in an unfamiliar area, keep the windows rolled up to avoid unwanted attention
Unbeatable tacos. If you’re nice, maybe I’ll tell you where to find ‘em
If you do get robbed…
Despite our best efforts, sometimes shit just happens. I got robbed at gunpoint IN a hostel in Colombia, k?! But we’ll save that story for another time.
At risk of sounding like a government-issued meditation instructor, the best thing you can do when shit hits the fan is… stay calm. Seriously.
Usually, people get robbed on the street. I rarely hear about this in CDMX, but it happens. If you’re getting a gun or knife waved in your face, focus on your breath and hand over anything that the guys or gals are asking you for. If you have your wits about you and the situation doesn’t seem THAT threatening, try just opening your wallet and giving them cash. If they want your phone, etc., give it to them. In my experience, these peeps are already jittery, and you don’t want to bring the energy up any more than it already is.
Don’t lose your damn life over a stupid phone, ok?!
But what if it’s the cops ?
So now let’s talk about something a bit more complicated: the Mexican Police. For reference, the emergency number here (as in the states) is 9-1-1.
If and when something happens and the cops get involved, do your best to cooperate and be courteous. Definitely helps if you speak Spanish.
But what if they’re fucking with you?
You’ve probably heard a few stories by now, so I’ll skip the fluffy stuff and get straight to the point. Cops here are corrupt. Maybe not all of them, but most of them. Bribery is rampant. Many are bought off by narcos, the government, etc.
Not to scare you.
Generally speaking, Mexico wants tourists here to feel safe. It’s good for business. But sometimes cops fuck with tourists. They might threaten you with jail time for something you didn’t know was illegal, or threaten you for something that’s definitely not illegal. Or, shit, maybe you are doing something illegal. 😅 What to do ?
Can you get away with paying off the cops? Yep. Of course, this depends on the place, time, and supposed “crime” you’ve committed. You can usually pay them off for small stuff. The bigger stuff, not so much. Here are some examples:
When to pay ‘em:
They catch you smoking a doobie somewhere
They catch you doing something naughty on the beach ;)
You get pulled over for “speeding”
Small amounts of drugs
You’re isolated, not within visible eyesight of many people
When NOT to pay ‘em:
You get a D-DUB (DWI), or something serious of the sort
Mass amounts of drugs
Immigration issues (rare, but happens)
You’re in full view of people… city life
How to pay ‘em:
Not saying that I’ve done this. Or that you should do this. But in theory, if Mexican police are threatening to take you to jail, and you think you can “solve” the issue… be discreet. Don’t do it too obviously. Look around, take out your wallet and give them 300 pesos, if you have it. Start low. They will likely ask for more. If it’s a small infraction, give them a bit more, but stand firm if they start asking for too much. Be courteous and pleasant, don’t get angry. A smile helps. Say “gracias, buendía” or “buenas noches” or “perdon, no tengo mas” and walk away if you can.
If they keep pestering you for more and more, give into them if they’re super serious/mean. Of course, this is another reason why you shouldn’t carry mass amounts of cash around.
But if things keep escalating…
Extortion
Sooooo this is super rare, but I’ve heard of cops doing the dreaded “ATM-empty” with tourists from time to time. Basically, they try to arrest you for something, and when you start freaking out, they take you from ATM to ATM and empty your bank account.
If this happens (or seems like it’s happening), say you want to go the police station with them. In most cases, everyone advises against going to a Mexican police station (or jail), but in this one, I’d insist. Or, if they drag you to the ATM anyway, pretend to mess up your PIN number (it should lock you out). Worst-case scenario, start making a scene. Mexicans do NOT like scenes, much less the Mexican police. If you have your phone, try calling 9–1-1 to get more cops there, or save the American Embassy number.
Basically, don’t give into them unless you seriously feel your life is in danger. Hopefully, it never gets to that point... Right? 😅
You’ll make friends here…
To be continued >>>
