12 Surprising Things to Do in Mexico

The Day of the Dead is an ancient Mexican tradition honoring ancestors. The event is mainly a private familial experience across Mexico, but certain towns allow you to witness profound ceremonies such as the "bone-washing" ritual, during which families clean and care for loved ones' skeletal remains, an act symbolizing their perpetual bond.

Elaborate altars adorned with marigolds, music, and ceremonies may fill the cemeteries as people make offerings and celebrate their loved ones’ souls in this syncretic tradition blending pre-Hispanic and Catholic beliefs. Some Michoacán communities are on UNESCO's Intangible Heritage list for their iconic celebrations dating back to pre-Hispanic times when the present and afterlife were seen as intertwined.

Best Places for Day of the Dead Experiences: Pomuch • San Juan Chamula • Michoacán

Skilled indigenous women teach the ancestral waist-loom and embroidery techniques passed down through generations. With time, you can progress from simple stitches to intricate designs inspired by nature and daily life, where each thread intertwines with cultural stories and traditions imbued with meaning.

Whether learning local folklore or focusing on how each stitch creates a larger image, you can embrace the vibrant folk art through interactive workshops that allow you to try your hand at the colorful craft while exploring the symbolism embedded in each motif.

Best Places for Embroidery Experiences: Santa Ana Tzacuala • Campeche • Dzitbalché

From foraging traditions to renowned culinary flavors, discover Mexico's diverse food heritage steeped in pre-Hispanic roots. Learn ancient techniques like using metates and molcajetes for grinding spices and nixtamalizing corn, methods passed down through centuries.

Gather ingredients from local markets pulsing with life and savor the authentic tastes of regional specialties, such as the diverse recipes for moles and tamales prepared over wood-burning stoves. Each immersive experience connects you to the living gastronomic culture behind Mexico's acclaimed cuisine, allowing you to appreciate the incredible depth and history in every bite.

Best Places for Cooking Experiences: Acaxochitlán • Teotitlán del Valle • Santa Ana del Valle

Marvel at the shimmering hues of Mexico's mountain lakes, from the brilliant turquoise of Lago Tziscao to the color-drenched Montebello lakes. These hidden gems set amid pine forests offer incredible opportunities for hiking along lakeside trails to pristine viewpoints, photographing the shifting blue, green, and yellow hues reflecting the sky, or kayaking across glasslike waters for an intimate perspective of the stunning volcanic landscapes sculpted over millennia.

Some lakes, like the Lagunas de Montebello, are even considered sacred by local indigenous communities who safeguard these natural wonders through spiritual rituals and environmental stewardship.

Best Places for Hidden Lakes: Lago Tziscao • Montebello • La Cañada • Pojoj • Lagunas de Colores

Each winter, millions of monarch butterflies migrate to the forests of central Mexico, a natural spectacle UNESCO deems a World Heritage experience. Visit designated sanctuaries to witness this awe-inspiring phenomenon as the butterflies cluster in the oyamel fir trees, their orange and black wings creating an undulating river of color rippling against the stillness of the surrounding forest.

Time your visit between November and March for the best viewing, when the western migratory population takes up residence in these protected habitats during its multi-generational journey.

Best Places to See the Monarch Butterflies: Rosario Sanctuary • Sierra Chincua • La Mesa • Ejido del Chapulín

The temazcal is a Mexican sweat lodge and part of an ancient indigenous tradition for purification, renewal, and healing that can take place as a celebratory ritual near the end of the year. Partake in this spiritual tradition led by local shamans known locally as temazcaleros and emerge renewed, connected to the region's mystical heritage.

The small, steam-filled chamber made of volcanic rock represents the womb, allowing you to have a symbolic rebirth into a new phase of life guided by ancestral wisdom. Traditional herbs and copal incense add to the atmosphere of ceremonial energy.

Best Places for a Temezcal Experience: Oaxaca

In artisan towns across Mexico, you can connect with master craftspeople who will introduce you to the whimsical world of alebrijes, the intricately carved and brightly painted folk art animals. Design your own colorful sculpture depicting mythical creatures born from dreams and known for absorbing imagination and symbolic meaning that will better connect you to this traditional art form, one that’s celebrated as part of Mexico's UNESCO Intangible Heritage.

As you shape the copal wood and apply vibrant decorative patterns, you'll learn the personal stories alebrijes convey.

Best Places to Craft Alebrijes: Arrazola • San Martin Tilcajete • San Antonio Arrazola

While Cancun's shores are famous, uncover Mexico's off-the-beaten-path beach havens, which can reveal idyllic fishing towns, pristine snorkeling destinations, remote diving sites along the Mesoamerican Reef, or tranquil islands that feel worlds away from the crowded coastlines of popular resort towns.

Escape and experience the authentic coastal culture of these lesser-visited places to find the natural marine environments that make Mexico's hidden beaches treasures. From exploring biosphere reserves to tasting local seafood, you'll get an authentic sense of seaside life.

Best Places for Hidden Beaches: El Cuyo • Mahahual • Isla Mujeres • Cozumel Island

From Edzná's monumental structures to the grand plazas of Monte Albán and Acaxochitlán's archeological wonders, immerse yourself in Mexico's living Mayan heritage. Explore these ancient cities and beyond with expert guides to uncover local mysteries of advanced astronomy, architectural engineering, and spiritual cosmology as you find elements that continue to influence contemporary indigenous groups and modern society.

Learn about the sophisticated civilizations that predicted celestial events with remarkable precision, feel the spiritual essence still present at popular sites, and grasp the Maya's profound understanding of time and the universe.

Best Places for Mayan Archeology: Edzná • Acaxochitlán • Monte Albán

Join indigenous guides on a sustainable foraging experience through misty forests cloaked in mushroom varieties. Learn to identify edible fungi using ancestral knowledge passed down through centuries. Hear stories of mushrooms' spiritual significance and savor a meal featuring your wild-harvested fungi prepared in the local style.

During your foraging experience, you will not only connect to an integral part of Mexico's gastronomic heritage, but you will also find how the traditions, intertwined with the natural world and traditional life, continue to shape the surrounding communities.

Best Places Foraging Experiences: Acaxochitlán • Cherán • San Miguel Canoa

In marine reserves along the edges of Mexico, you can snorkel alongside the majestic whale shark, known as the ocean's largest fish. The whale shark can reach lengths of over 40 feet, resulting in a profound encounter that will connect you with nature and the surprisingly gentle giants.

Whale sharks are plankton feeders that cruise tropical waters with their gaping mouths. They are friendly and curious, but it’s important to view them with a licensed expert as an ethical way to visit them in their natural habitat, while contributing to conservation efforts protecting the species and its environments.

Best Places to Swim with Whale Sharks: Cabo Pulmo National Park • Isla Contoy • Isla Mujeres

Artisan towns give you a chance to spend time with locals and experience their authentic way of life. Whether joining age-old rituals for a deeper appreciation of what inspires art or learning more about Mexico's living cultures, you can witness sacred ceremonies carried out by community leaders as you witness the key generational roles and traditions.

Observe highly skilled artisans and perhaps try your hand at crafts like weaving, pottery, or wood carving to immerse yourself in these vibrant communities shaped by their ancestors.

Best Places for Local Community Visits: Tupátaro • Cuanajo • Tzurumútaro • Cucuchucho • Isla Pacanda • Tzintzuntzan

From the bridge between traditional and contemporary communities to the vibrant culinary scene building on community knowledge, you can find more extraordinary experiences to enjoy during your trip to Mexico. Break free from typical resort vacations and famous beach destinations to embrace the wide variety of culture, history, and natural wonders that make Mexico a truly remarkable destination.

Uncover more exciting ideas and possibilities for your Mexico vacation with expert tips, insider knowledge, and in-country resources by speaking with a Mexico destination specialist.