Traveling through Mexico

Traveling Through Mexico

Traveling through Mexico has never been easier. Mexicana and Aeromexico, Mexico’s major airlines, provide extensive service throughout the country, as well as to major US, Canadian and European cities. The good news, however, is that low-cost carriers have been making inroads in Mexico’s until recently noncompetitive airline industry, bringing down air fares and opening up new routes. Among the newcomers are Volaris (www.volaris.com.mx) and Interjet (www.interjet.com.mx).

The nation’s network of paved highways, the largest in Latin America, has been expanded, and now encompasses more than 72,000 miles, making driving between tourist destinations easier. Visitors to Morelia, the state capital of Michoacan, for example, can now make a short three-and-a-half hour drive to the Pacific coast resort of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, combining a beach getaway with a culture- and history-filled visit to one of Mexico’s colonial gems. In Chiapas, a better road has brought San Cristobal de las Casas closer to Tuxtla Gutierrez, and highway access to Oaxaca and Guadalajara has also improved.

Motorists who decide to leave their car at home have more car rental options than ever before. All of the leading car rental companies — familiar names like Avis, Thrifty, Budget, Hertz, National and Alamo — now have offices in Mexico’s major cities and resorts.

Mexico’s motor coach industry is considered to be one of the world’s best thanks to modern buses, economical fares and flexible routes. In fact, first-class service in most cases outshines that of the US and rivals Europe’s. Standard first-class bus features include reserved seating, reclining seats, air-conditioning and heating, restroom, and TV monitors for video viewing. Luxury bus service may include greater legroom or one-across seating, exclusive waiting rooms at terminals, snacks and refreshments, and even an on-board attendant. First-class and deluxe buses also stick to a certain speed limit on the highways, usually 95 kilometers per hour/59 mph. For added convenience, some bus companies sell seven- to 21-day bus passes offering unlimited travel.

Mexico’s rail system has been practically forgotten. Nonetheless, one train continues to offer unforgettable trips tailored specifically to tourists. The Copper Canyon Express showcases north Mexico’s famed canyon system. The journey stretches for 300 miles across mountains, taking passengers over 37 bridges (the highest about 300 feet above the Chinipas River) and through 86 tunnels (the longest measuring more than a mile).

Where to Stay

A few short years ago, Mexico offered visitors the usual menu of hotels: modern high-rise or small inn, chain property or independent operation, standard or all inclusive. Today, visitors have a greater variety of accommodations to choose from, including converted haciendas, increasingly popular bed-and-breakfasts, and historical colonial-era mansions.

A proliferation of boutique or small luxury hotels offer unique accommodations, highly personalized service and, ultimately, a memorable getaway. Many of these small hotels were the former homes of the extremely wealthy. Today’s converted haciendas, large estates similar to southern plantations in the US, were often the family homes of retired conquistadors, silver barons, mining magnates, bull-breeders and other colorful characters who played a lead role in the country’s financial or political landscape for about 300 years. Prime examples are the luxury haciendas that dot the Yucatan Peninsula, especially in and around Merida.

Boutique hotels are especially ideal for weddings. Many even have exquisite wedding packages, with trails of roses and candles leading to buckets of champagne on four-poster beds. Helping you to get away from it all is what these small hideaways do best. But getting away from it all doesn’t mean having nothing to do. Thirtysomethings, in particular, want more adventure. They want to return home refreshed, renewed and inspired, with a sense of having achieved something on their holiday.
Personalized service, idyllic settings, and distinctive style, as well as intimate size, are some of the key qualities of Mexico’s boutique hotels. Some are grand, others basic, but all typify the charm and uniqueness that is part of Mexico’s allure.