Before we dive in, we’d like to state that this is not an ultimate Mexico Bucket List. The day we write that one it’ll have way more places and it will include our favorite travels and things to do in Mexico. This blog post is all about the places we haven’t visited yet and would like to travel to starting next year, and also an inspiration board for your next trip to Mexico.
It’s been almost 6 months since we last left our house and many more since we’ve traveled, so naturally, we can’t wait to go out and keep showing you around our beautiful Mexico. We’ve covered a lot of ground in the past three years (we’re not counting our pre-blog trips), but at the same time, it feels like we’ve barely scratched the surface of Mexico!
Mexico is a HUGE country, and although one lifetime may not be enough to visit all there is to it, we’re taking it one step at a time. Next year it’ll be mostly about getting to know our roots, the indigenous communities who have shaped Mexico, and who are the main carriers of our culture.
So, in no particular order, here’s our Mexico Bucket List for 2021:
A local’s Mexico Bucket List for 2021
1. Northern Chiapas
We LOVE Chiapas and it’s very close to our hearts, partly because it was one of the first trips Nils and I took together. And since we already have a blog post on the best experiences in Tapachula, which is in the South, we now would love to do two routes in the North: one called ‘Culturas Vivas’, which crosses various indigenous communities, and the ‘Ruta Maya’ which covers the most important Mayan archaeological sites in Chiapas. We’ve actually done the latter one before, but not for the blog, so we’re excited to head back and show you around!
Oh, and if we have time for a little detour down south, we’d love to spend the night in the jungle with the lacandones (Mayan group). That’s top on our list!
2. Road trip through Nayarit
We’ve never been to Nayarit, can you believe it!? We would love to visit the towns of Bucerías, Sayulita, and Mexcaltitlán; eat Pescado Zarandeado and shrimp tamales; see the petroglyphs of Altavista; go humpback whale watching (the best season is from mid-December to March); do some snorkeling in Marietas Islands, and spend some time in Xatsixarie, El Nayar and La Yesca communities, so we can talk to and learn from the Huicholes and the Coras, two indigenous groups of Nayarit.
3. Re-discover Mexico City (our home)
We’ve written plenty of blog posts about Mexico City, but there’s so much more! We haven’t even done our Downtown or Condesa guides, which is absurd given the fact that we live here. So, expect to see many more blog posts on Mexico City soon! If you haven’t been yet, it’s beautiful.
4. Visit Chihuahua’s Copper Canyon
First, we want to ride the “new” (it was inaugurated in 2018) Chepe Express, which is the luxury train that crosses the Copper Canyon and is said to be one of the most scenic train rides in the world. Then, we’d love to rent a car a visit different rarámuri (indigenous group in Chihuahua, also known as Tarahumaras) communities, so we can learn about their culture and worldview.
5. Swim with a Giant Manta Ray
This was a nice compromise between swimming with whale sharks again (watch our ‘Whale Experience gone wrong’ video), which was my choice, and traveling to Guadalupe Island in Baja California Norte to dive with a white shark, which is Nils’ dream.
I’m not gonna lie, this one makes me nervous too, but it’s mixed with excitement. After all, this specie is harmless and eats plankton. The experience takes place in the Revillagigedo Islands in Baja California Sur, which is a Giant Manta Ray sanctuary and one of the best places in the world to watch them. Especially in Socorro Island, where more than 500 of them arrive between November and June –the best time to see them is from May to June, though.
This place is also great to spot blue lobsters, whales, turtles, dolphins, and mackerel schools.
6. Tour the Grand Costa Maya and Maya Ka’an
Look. We like Tulum just like the next person, but next year we want to explore its southern neighbors: the reserves and more pristine beaches of Quintana Roo found in Chetumal, Bacalar and Mahahual, and the Mayan communities of Maya Ka’an, which also houses an important biosphere reserve called Sian Ka’an. Actually, this region should also be in your Mexico Bucket List!
CAN’T WAIT for these trips to unfold!
PS. Tell us about your travel plans! What’s on your bucket list?
