How to Maximize Your Mexico Backpacking Trip in 6 Easy Steps
Create the Best Plan for Your Mexico Backpacking Trip
Mexico is a country bursting with culture, history, and life in abundance. With rugged coastlines bedecked with picturesque beaches, Mayan and Aztec ruins steeped in history, and lively, bustling cities infused with deeply rooted traditions, this North American gem vies for your unending fascination.
To ensure you flawlessly capture the essence of this incredible land, learn how to maximize your Mexican backpacking trip by purchasing this backpack made by Osprey. Now imagine that you’re traveling on a much-anticipated Mexico backpacking trip with a new, dependable, spacious backpack. One major thing that you won’t worry about is having a backpack that fails you.
🚙 Need a Rental Car while in Mexico? We are offering additional savings to our followers and website visitors. Easily rent a car with unlimited kilometers. 🚘
Don’t use your old backpack that unzips on it’s own when filled to the maximum in order to save a few dollars. Invest in quality for your once in a lifetime Mexico Backpacking Trip to avoid having memories of equipment failure. LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES!
Planning Your Route and Packing Right

Whatever illusions of gypsy-like spontaneity you might have about a backpacking trip, nothing beats well-thought-out planning. Preparing your travel route in advance helps you save time and ease the stress of navigating a foreign country. An ideal route should encompass the diverse blend of culture, adventure, history, and relaxation that Mexico offers in abundance.
Moreover, ensuring you have travel health insurance for Mexico is equally crucial. It assures a safety net against unexpected illnesses or injuries that could derail your travel plans. When it comes to packing, stick to the essentials.
I always use this site to book ADO buses and others because of how readily available the buses are in Mexico. Check out the Luxury Bus Prices on Busbud.com.
Other than basic amenities, you want to ensure provision for bug spray, a good-quality beach towel, water shoes for cenote swimming, and perhaps a Spanish phrasebook. Check out my list of things to bring on your Mexico Backing Trip. Remember, traveling light is the mantra for a successful backpacking experience!

Immersing Yourself in the Riviera Maya to start your Mexico Backpacking Trip
The southeastern coastline of Mexico, known as the Riviera Maya, is laden with undisturbed white sandy beaches backed by palm trees. However, it’s more than a sunbather’s paradise.
Dive into the underwater world of Cenotes, Mexico’s freshwater-filled cave system, or wander the ancient ruins of Coba and Tulum, ancient cities of the Mayan civilization. Don’t forget to take some time to enjoy the nightlife in Playa Del Carmen!

Exploring Historical Ruins and Rich Culture
Mexico is a historical playground with ruins of ancient civilizations at every turn. The crown jewel undoubtedly is Chichén Itzá, one of the ‘New Seven Wonders of the World’. Equally intriguing are the Palenque ruins, cloaked by the engulfing jungle in the state of Chiapas. Additionally, Teotihuacan, an easy day trip from Mexico City, is known for its Pyramid of the Sun, the third-largest pyramid in the world.
Discover the vineyards of Baja California, the birthplace of Mexican wine; partake in a local ‘Día de los Muertos’ (Day of the Dead) celebration; or simply take a quiet stroll in San Miguel de Allende, absorbing the music-filled streets and colorful buildings. Mexico has the richest culture, and it’s not hard to find, especially while on your Mexico backpacking trip.

Venturing into Vibrant Cities and Markets
From the amiable charm of Oaxaca City to the bustling energy of Mexico City, each of Mexico’s cities offers a unique flavor of the Mexican lifestyle. Wander around local markets, or ‘Mercados,’ to experience, quite literally, the taste of Mexico through a cornucopia of street food. Indulge in a ‘Taco crawl’ in Mexico City, or learn the art of making the ‘Mole’, a traditional Mexican sauce, in a cooking class in Oaxaca.
Mexico Beyond Tourism: Volunteering Opportunities
One of the most satisfying ways to truly understand Mexico is to volunteer. Whether that is helping rescue sea turtles in Baja California or teaching English in a rural school, the path to truly experiencing the pulse of Mexico is through giving back.
Seize the Mexican Adventure!
A backpacking trip to Mexico, packed with eclectic experiences, is incomplete without embracing its most essential ethos—the friendly and warm spirit of its people.
While carefully planned routes, essential packing, budget planning, and travel insurance secure your journey, the ultimate joy is unlocked through breaking habits, trying new things, cultivating patience, and understanding a way of life apart from your own.
In the end, it’s not about how many places you cover, but rather how deeply you allow Mexico to touch you that will make your trip unforgettable. So venture forth and seize your Mexican backpacking adventure with open arms and an open heart!
See below for things you’ll certainly need inexpensive currency exchange apps for. Read the ever-evolving list below that I continue to iterate as I find out more about being a dual citizen of Mexico and my home country. Trust me, you definitely want to be aware of my recommendations.
11 Big Discounts Are Available for Readers Who Finish This Article! Which Partner Discounts Will You Use?
🏨 What’s the best way to find accommodation in Mexico?
Expedia.com is wonderful specifically for reserving high-end luxury hotels and resorts and is by far the best for reserving flights. Booking.com is awesome for affordable hotels in Mexico. VRBO specializes in apartment and house rentals, making it a wonderful place to find long-term stays.
✈️ What’s the best way to find affordable flights?
In my experience traveling to and within Mexico, I LOVE Expedia.com because they simplify rate comparisons between different airlines. I’ve always come back to Expedia.com because of how wide the selection is of airlines to choose from that go to Mexico. Great pricing is another reason, too!
💸 How should I exchange money in Mexico?
Have you ever heard of the company named WISE? WISE is an app that offers the best solutions for individuals and businesses traveling internationally, providing the fastest and most cost-effective way to convert money into a foreign country’s local currency. It is the least expensive and fastest way to transfer money from your home country’s bank to one in a foreign country.
🚖 How do I find a safe airport transfer?
I recommend GetYourGuide.com for airport transfers anywhere in Mexico. It’s almost as excellent and simple to use as Uber, in my humble opinion. I’ve used them LOTS.
🚗 What’s the best way to find rental cars in Mexico?
I recommend Booking.com. What I’ve found is that their price comparison tool is updated multiple times daily, making it easy to find and prepare to snag the best deal possible because of the inclusion of fire sale types of discounts.
Other companies don’t include these short-lived discounts in their price comparison because they sync once a day (typically overnight) with each rental car company. The Booking.com tool for comparing rental car prices is what I use for car rentals in Mexico. I’ve yet to have complaints about them.
🚐 How do I book bus tickets online in Mexico?
Book your tickets with Busbud—the site is in English and takes foreign credit cards.
🤿 How do I find cool activities and tours in Mexico?
TripAdvisor is the usual website and service I use for finding fun things to do; it has great options and it’s much faster to book with them since they organize their personalized recommendations for you if you’re signed in.
🇲🇽 How can I experience Mexico like a local?
Travelers can hire a local guide through GetyourGuide.com. You’ll be able to tailor tours based on your interests—it’s basically like experiencing a destination with a local bestie!
🧳 What’s the best luggage for Mexico?
Unless you’re staying at a resort, a travel pack is recommended. I’ve used travel backpack from Osprey for the last 8+ years.
👯♀️ How do I connect with fellow travelers in Mexico?
Join my Female Travelers in Mexico Facebook group, a supportive community of fellow Mexico travel enthusiasts, where you can find answers to all your travel questions!
✈️ Janine, How can I make a website like JanineintheWorld.com?
BigScoots.com is who I use for managing my WordPress website (which they help you make changes to and teach you as part of their service).
Use the coupon code JANINE2025 for a 15% discount on any product or service that they have. They’re really the best-managed WordPress hosts out there. This website is significantly superior to both WPengine and Bluehost.
I absolutely LOVE BigScoots. The support team at BigScoots is always available to help me with the free WordPress site they set up for me and even assisted in setting up my email! It’s the best website hosting provider with the best prices.
I assure you that you’ll love them too! What can I say? We are a company powered by WordPress.
Learning more about WordPress and WordPress plugins that basically do the work for you, especially nowadays with AI at your side.
If I can do it and make a living, then you can too! Purchase the WordPress entry level plan if you want the best WordPress support that has ever existed. It’s like getting a custom Louis Vuitton purse and picking it up at the factory.
Join my Female Travelers in Mexico Facebook group, a supportive community of fellow Mexico travel enthusiasts, where you can find answers to all your travel questions!
11 Big Discounts Are Available for Readers Who Finish This Article! Which Partner Discounts Will You Use?
🏨 What’s the best way to find accommodation in Mexico?
Expedia.com is wonderful specifically for reserving high-end luxury hotels and resorts and is by far the best for reserving flights. Booking.com is awesome for affordable hotels in Mexico. VRBO specializes in apartment and house rentals, making it a wonderful place to find long-term stays.
✈️ What’s the best way to find affordable flights?
In my experience traveling to and within Mexico, I LOVE Expedia.com because they simplify rate comparisons between different airlines. I’ve always come back to Expedia.com because of how wide the selection is of airlines to choose from that go to Mexico. Great pricing is another reason, too!
💸 How should I exchange money in Mexico?
Have you ever heard of the company named WISE? WISE is an app that offers the best solutions for individuals and businesses traveling internationally, providing the fastest and most cost-effective way to convert money into a foreign country’s local currency. It is the least expensive and fastest way to transfer money from your home country’s bank to one in a foreign country.
🚖 How do I find a safe airport transfer?
I recommend GetYourGuide.com for airport transfers anywhere in Mexico. It’s almost as excellent and simple to use as Uber, in my humble opinion. I’ve used them LOTS.
🚗 What’s the best way to find rental cars in Mexico?
I recommend Booking.com. What I’ve found is that their price comparison tool is updated multiple times daily, making it easy to find and prepare to snag the best deal possible because of the inclusion of fire sale types of discounts.
Other companies don’t include these short-lived discounts in their price comparison because they sync once a day (typically overnight) with each rental car company. The Booking.com tool for comparing rental car prices is what I use for car rentals in Mexico. I’ve yet to have complaints about them.
🚐 How do I book bus tickets online in Mexico?
Book your tickets with Busbud—the site is in English and takes foreign credit cards.
🤿 How do I find cool activities and tours in Mexico?
TripAdvisor is the usual website and service I use for finding fun things to do; it has great options and it’s much faster to book with them since they organize their personalized recommendations for you if you’re signed in.
🇲🇽 How can I experience Mexico like a local?
Travelers can hire a local guide through GetyourGuide.com. You’ll be able to tailor tours based on your interests—it’s basically like experiencing a destination with a local bestie!
🧳 What’s the best luggage for Mexico?
Unless you’re staying at a resort, a travel pack is recommended. I’ve used travel backpack from Osprey for the last 8+ years.
👯♀️ How do I connect with fellow travelers in Mexico?
Join my Female Travelers in Mexico Facebook group, a supportive community of fellow Mexico travel enthusiasts, where you can find answers to all your travel questions!
✈️ Janine, How can I make a website like JanineintheWorld.com?
BigScoots.com is who I use for managing my WordPress website (which they help you make changes to and teach you as part of their service).
Use the coupon code JANINE2025 for a 15% discount on any product or service that they have. They’re really the best-managed WordPress hosts out there. This website is significantly superior to both WPengine and Bluehost.
I absolutely LOVE BigScoots. The support team at BigScoots is always available to help me with the free WordPress site they set up for me and even assisted in setting up my email! It’s the best website hosting provider with the best prices.
I assure you that you’ll love them too! What can I say? We are a company powered by WordPress.
Learning more about WordPress and WordPress plugins that basically do the work for you, especially nowadays with AI at your side.
If I can do it and make a living, then you can too! Purchase the WordPress entry level plan if you want the best WordPress support that has ever existed. It’s like getting a custom Louis Vuitton purse and picking it up at the factory.
Join my Female Travelers in Mexico Facebook group, a supportive community of fellow Mexico travel enthusiasts, where you can find answers to all your travel questions!







