Mexico’s Hidden Gems: Must-Visit Spots Beyond the Tourist Trail

Ancient ruins, beautiful beaches and coastlines, colorful streets, and so much more await you in the magic Mexican land. Join me to learn about the best places to travel in Mexico, destinations that promise adventure, relaxation, curious souvenirs, and memories to last a lifetime. Ready to explore?

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Best Places To Travel In Mexico

Mexico is one of the biggest countries in America, getting the 5th place if you go by the full continent, and the 3rd if you’re only counting Latin America. As such, it is one of the most varied places you can visit, and you can find incredible landmarks. Many of them are very well-known, but there are so many more that don’t make grand appearances in magazines and travel blogs, and that’s where we’re focusing this article.

And you might ask, why should I stay clear of the highly touristic attractions? Are they bad? Well, no, they aren’t. But if you want a more authentic and deep experience of Mexico, you won’t find it there. In these lesser-known places, you’ll get a closer look at the real Mexico and its raw natural beauty. Plus, you’ll get more acquainted with the locals and spend less on attractions and food!

Bacalar, Quintana Roo: The Lagoon of Seven Colors

Have you heard about the Seven Colors Lagoon? It’s one of Mexico’s most unique freshwater lagoons, and it preserves a delicate ecosystem with mangroves and ancient microbial reefs called stromatolites. The name comes from the wide array of blues that form a striking gradient. Near the shore, where the water is barely a few feet deep, it’s light turquoise, but it can suddenly turn a deep, dark blue as the depth changes dramatically.

You can explore the lagoon by boat or kayak, as the waters are calm without strong currents, which also makes it a perfect and safe place to enjoy with your family. In the clearer spots, you can swim or snorkel and see the stromatolites. Remember, see, not touch, as they’re delicate. On that note, there are more rules you need to follow to preserve this natural wonder, like leaving no trash behind you and using only biodegradable sunscreen.

Isla Holbox, Quintana Roo: A Car-Free Paradise

The small and relaxing Isla Holbox is one of the best places to travel in Mexico. In contrast with more commercial beaches like Cancun and Tulum, it’s quieter, laid-back, and the wildlife is barely touched. In fact, there are no cars, so you’ll have to get around on bicycles, golf carts, or on foot.

To get there, you have to drive about two hours from Cancun to Chiquilá and then take a 15-25 minute ferry. But it’s all worth it when long stretches of beautiful beaches await you. It’s a perfect place to relax and unwind, but there are interesting activities too! Here are some amazing nature experiences to enjoy in Isla Holbox:

• Swim with Sharks: Relax, they’re not scary sharks, but gentle and beautiful whale sharks. During the summer, from June to September, they gather in the nearby waters, easily reach with a guided tour.

• Watch the bioluminescence: It can occur year-round, but it’s especially common from May to September. If you go to the beach late at night, without any flashlights or phone lights, and walk in the water, you’ll see neon blue sparkles that are caused by bioluminescent plankton.

• Visit Yalahau Lagoon: It’s just a 30-minute boat ride to this freshwater spring, where you can see flamingos, pelicans, and many other birds. And, fun fact, it was believed that this spring in particular was a “Fountain of youth” by the Maya people.

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Sayulita, Nayarit: The Surfer’s Bohemian Retreat

For surf lovers, there is the town of Sayulita, about 30 miles north of Puerto Vallarta. If you want to connect with the locals, you can walk around the center and visit the many stores, food stands, and the plaza. If you take your time and look around, you’ll find many buildings covered with Aztec-inspired colorful designs.

But the main star in the city is the beach. It’s great for both beginners and experts, with its consistent waves. Even if you’ve never touched a surfboard in your life, you’ll find surf schools everywhere, and places to rent a board!

Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca: Where Surf Meets Serenity

Another paradise for surfers is Puerto Escondido, especially Playa Zicatela, famous for its huge waves that can reach 16 meters high during the surfing season, from November to March. However, if big waves are not your thing, there are smaller beaches like Carrizalillo, where the water is calm and perfect for swimming and relaxing.

Being serene doesn’t mean devoid of nightlife, and you’ll love the beach bars with live music. You can try popular local drinks like the mezcalita, a twist on the margarita made with mezcal instead of tequila, the tamarindo mezcal mojito, a sweet, sour, and smoky mix, or coco loco, served in a coconut with a mix of spirits that tastes like relaxation and vacation!

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Yucatán’s Hidden Coastline: Secret Beaches & Fishing Villages

If you love beaches and can’t get enough of the local life, one of the best places you can travel in Mexico is the Yucatan coastline. In this strip of beautiful beaches, you’ll also find charming fishing villages, like El Cuvo, near the Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve. In this small town in the far northeast, you can see flamingos and explore mangroves. Or Progreso, with its long pier, the longest in Mexico at 6.5 km and a gateway to less crowded beaches, like Chuburna and Chelem. Further west awaits Celestún with boat tours through wetlands teeming with migratory birds, which calls the nature lovers like you.

Copper Canyon, Chihuahua: The Grand Canyon of Mexico

You will surely be impressed to see the great canyons of Las Barrancas del Cobre. It’s one of Mexico’s most spectacular natural wonders, and it’s actually much larger than the Great Canyon, with deeper canyons.

You can admire it well from El Chepe, a train that winds through the canyons and offers some of the best scenic rides. It’s an adventure full of tunnels, bridges, and hairpin turns that barely covers a bit of the wonders of this canyon. If you prefer to up the adventure level, there are other ways to explore: hiking, mountain biking, zip-lining, or enjoying the views from Divisadero or the Valle de las Setas.

Sumidero Canyon, Chiapas: A Boat Ride Through Time

The Sumidero Canyon is one of the most dramatic natural wonders you can visit in Mexico. It’s a deep and narrow gorge that was carved by the Grijalva River over millions of years. An incredible show of what persistence can achieve over time.

The best way to visit it is definitely by navigating it. You can get a boat round trip from the nearby town of Chiapa de Corzo and meander through hairpin bends, caves, waterfalls, and cliffs. Along the way, you will see howler monkeys swinging in the trees, crocodiles resting by the water, and colorful toucans flying overhead. Quite the lively show!

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Sierra Gorda, Querétaro: A Biosphere Reserve with Everything

The Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve is one of Mexico’s most ecologically diverse and culturally rich regions, so it is one of the best places you can visit if you love nature and adventure! It has quite the range in region, going from high mountains to deep canyons, and from tropical rainforest to semi-desert landscapes, each with its own variety of fauna and vegetation. Here are some of the best places to explore in Sierra Gorda:

• Chuveje Waterfall: It’s an easy walk, just 20 minutes from the parking area, and you’ll be rewarded with a 30-meter tall waterfall surrounded by pine forest and giant ferns.

• Puente de Dios (God’s Bridge): A perfect crystal-clear pool under a natural rock bridge. Enjoy the turquoise waters where small fish swim in their hidden paradise.

• The Franciscan Missions: These old and beautifully preserved missions were built by Fray Junipero Serra in the mid-1700s with a mix of European Baroque architecture and Indigenous symbolism.

• Charming villages: A unique opportunity to see more of the Mexican people, you can visit and stay in places like Jalpan de Serra, the cultural hub of Sierra, Landa de Matamoros, a quiet mountain town with lots of colonial charm, or Pinal de Amoles, a high-altitude town surrounded by misty forests.

Campeche: Mexico’s Best-Preserved Colonial City

If you’ve seen pirate movies or played games, you have heard of the complicated past that Campeche has. When the Spanish ships rode the waves, and the city was a wealthy port, the pirates raided the area constantly. Forcing the locals to build thick stone walls and several forts to defend the city. Seven of those original bastions remain, like the Baluarte de San Carlos, now a museum where you can learn about the city’s wild past.

But even the downtown feels like entering a time capsule, with pastel-colored colonial buildings in the classic Spanish Renaissance style. The whole place takes you back to the adventures of the old world, with its colorful streets, ocean views, and centuries of history engraved on its walls. It’s the perfect opportunity to visit the local markets and buy some unique handmade souvenirs, like embroidered blouses, hammocks, and hand-carved items like animal figures, masks, and boxes.

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Huasteca Potosina: Mexico’s Surreal Waterfall Wonderland

If you are a waterfall lover, the Huasteca Potosina in San Luis Potosi is a magical paradise that seems especially made for you. In the middle of the lush jungle, amidst a turquoise river, there are some of the most beautiful waterfalls you’ll ever see. The main star of the show is the Tamul Waterfall, the highest in the area, with a drop of 105 meters. To reach it, you can take a boat ride on the Tampa River and paddle through deep blue waters until you reach the huge drop.

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If you are traveling with your family, we recommend you visit the Tamasopo Waterfalls. A natural water park with three main waterfalls, bathing areas, swings, hammocks, and food stands. But if you prefer to up the adrenaline level, you can visit the Salto de los Micos to rappel or jump down a series of seven waterfalls in a row.

Final Words

Staying off the path is a highly rewarding experience, as you can find some of the best places to visit in Mexico this way. These places show a different side of Mexico, aside from the big and metropolitan cities and the world-famous beaches, a more natural and authentic experience with the local people, for a trip that you will remember for the rest of your life.