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Travel Essentials › Mexico

Travel Essentials

Mexico: What To Know Before You Go

Plugs: Types A and B, 127 V. Emergency: One number for everything 911. Tipping: Leave 10-15% in restaurants; tip bag packers, gas station attendants and porters a few pesos. Tap water: Drink bottled or treated water outside major resorts.

Open The Mexico Trip Kit

Plugs And Power

Types A and B, 127 V

Emergency Numbers

Checked 13 Oct 2026 against the official page: gov.uk

Tipping

Leave 10-15% in restaurants; tip bag packers, gas station attendants and porters a few pesos.

Water And Health

Tap water

Drink bottled or treated water outside major resorts

Vaccines

Routine vaccines, hepatitis A, typhoid; hepatitis B and rabies for some travelers

Malaria

Risk in parts of Chiapas, Campeche and southern Chihuahua (rare in Oaxaca, Sinaloa, Sonora and Tabasco; none along the US border); ask a doctor about preventive tablets for those areas

Checked 13 Oct 2026 against the official page: wwwnc.cdc.gov

Apps To Download Before You Go

• DiDi: Very widely used ride-hailing app in Mexican cities, often cheaper than Uber.
• Uber: Reliable and widely used in most cities and at airports.
• WhatsApp: Used for nearly all messaging, including with businesses and tour operators.
• Rappi: The dominant delivery app for food, groceries and pharmacy items.
• Uber Eats: Major food delivery competitor to Rappi.
• Mi Tarjeta MI: Mexico City's integrated transit card app for metro, Metrobús and buses.
• Mercado Libre: Latin America's biggest online marketplace, with Mercado Pago for payments.
• Moovit: Helpful for bus and metro routes in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

Customs And Etiquette

Greetings. Handshakes are standard for first meetings; friends often greet with a single cheek kiss, and taking time for small talk before business is expected.

Tipping. Tipping 10-15% at restaurants is standard and appreciated; small tips for baggage handlers and hotel staff are also customary.

Punctuality is flexible. Social gatherings often start later than stated; business meetings are more punctual but some flexibility is normal.

Safety And Scams

Crime is real but highly localized to specific states and neighborhoods rarely visited by tourists; most visitors to well-established tourist areas (Mexico City historic center, Yucatan, resort towns) do not encounter serious problems.

Tourist-priced menus. Some restaurants in tourist zones use a different, higher-priced menu for foreigners; check prices before ordering.

Taxi overcharging. Unmetered taxis may overcharge tourists; use app-based rides (Uber/DiDi) or agree on a fare beforehand.

Fake police or 'fine' scams. Scammers posing as officials may demand cash 'fines'; ask for identification and insist on going to a police station.

Passport-as-collateral scam. Some car rental agencies ask for a passport as collateral; never hand over your passport, offer a credit card deposit instead.

Women travelers. Solo women travel widely in Mexico; standard precautions (avoiding walking alone late at night, using trusted transport, being cautious with drinks at bars) are advised, and catcalling can occur in cities.

LGBTQ+ Travelers

Legal · Mostly Safe

Same-sex marriage is legal nationwide since 2022 and Mexico has strong constitutional anti-discrimination protections; Mexico City and most major cities are LGBTQ+-friendly, though acceptance is more limited in rural and conservative areas.

What Things Cost

2026-09

Best Time To Visit

December to April is the driest and most comfortable stretch nationwide, though it's peak season with higher prices; May and November offer good weather with fewer crowds, while hurricane season (June-November) affects the coasts.

Do You Need A Visa?

Mexico visa requirements by nationality

Phrases

Basic Nahuatl phrases

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