Cheap travel tips for mexico

If you are driving, keep in mind that you will need to purchase travel insurance for Mexico. This is not terribly expensive, but needs to be taken into account, as does the higher price of gasoline in Mexico. However, if you are traveling with a family of five, a car is definitely the way to go. A good bet is to travel during the daytime, and use the same common sense that you would use in your native country.

If you are traveling solo, or with one other person, the absolute cheapest way to get to your destination is to take the bus. There are buses leaving from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California that go directly into Mexico. If you do not live in the southwest United States, once you cross the border, take the bus. You can't beat the bus for a good deal. As far as trains go, don't even think about it. They are unreliable, and are not a good deal.

Traveling Around Inside Mexico

For traveling from city to city, the buses are once again your best bet. The only exception to this is if you have a short time to spend in Mexico, and you would like to spend time in a northern city, and then travel to a southern city such as Chiapas. Then you would take an internal flight.

The first-class buses in Mexico are just that. If you have ever ridden a bus in the United States, you will be pleasantly surprised at how nice the first-class Mexican buses are. You are given a snack and a drink upon boarding, the seats recline quite comfortably, there is a clean bathroom and televisions on every third row show non-stop action movies. The action movies are nice for singles, but people with a child may find it necessary to cover their child's eyes every now and then, as most of the movies shown are rated R. At any rate, they are a great deal.

For about two-thirds of the price of the first class bus, which is to say, two-thirds of almost nothing, you can take a second-class bus. Chances are you are not on such a strict budget that you will feel the need to do this for long distances, as it is not recommended. Second-class buses stop to pick up a person everywhere, which means the bus may stop several times in what is seemingly nowhere. They are generally more crowded and do not have any of the amenities of the first-class bus. There may be chickens. These buses are fantastic for getting to out of the way locales, but will not be comfortable on a long trip.

Once you are in the city you would like to visit, buses and taxis are both good options. The buses give you a bit more local color, as you will get to see all of the sights at a slower pace, and more often than not, will get to hear a local musician perform for pesos while the bus is in transit. If you are in a hurry, or are traveling with two or three other people, you might consider a taxi. Make sure that you negotiate the price before you get into the cab. Taxis in Mexico are much cheaper than in the United States, and generally cost only a few dollars. If you have been shopping and have lots of bags, definitely opt for a taxi.

Where to Stay

If you really want to keep your trip expenses down, don't reserve a hotel before you go. Yes, this takes a certain amount of courage, but all you need to do is check and make sure that you are not arriving during a festival of some sort when all of the hotels will be crowded. If that is the case, you may need to make reservations in advance after all. Check out a reputable guide, such as Lonely Planet, and go to the part of town where several budget hotels are located. You can check out the rooms before committing, and they are always much more inexpensive than chain hotels. Basically, the local hotels are where Mexican travelers and savvy foreign travelers stay, while the chains are generally used by business travelers with an expense account or people who are worried about the quality of local hotels. There is no need to worry. As in any city, there will be some run-down hotels, but most are very clean and well kept. Many of them have very beautiful architecture as well, and an air of authenticity that a chain hotel simply can't replicate. The staff and your fellow travelers can tell you about other bargains in the city as well, such as good places to eat.

Where to Eat

If you are counting your pesos very carefully, you may want to eat some meals directly from the market. You can purchase a piece of fruit, a slice of bread and an avocado for less than a dollar. Ten fresh, hot tortillas generally cost about one peso""ten cents or so.

Eating out can also be very economical. Street vendors are not the horrors that many travel guides make them out to be, and usually offer the best deals. The trick is to watch and see which street vendors have the most business. If they have lots of business, chances are they are not spreading food poisoning. A vendor who has unsafe practices will not have customers for long. What you want to beware of is cross-contamination. If you see a vendor cut raw meat with his knife, cook the meat, and then scrape the meat onto a tortilla with the same knife, then pass on by.

There are many small restaurants that offer the "comida correa," the special of the day. For a low price, you get a main dish, a side or two, a drink and a dessert. You'll see that many Mexican workers eat this for their midday meal if they are unable to go home at that time to eat.

For breakfast or snacks, you may want to stop by a "panadaria," which is a bakery usually offering an astounding variety of baked goods. The danger here is getting carried away if you have a sweet tooth. You can fill your stomach for only four or five pesos this way.

Realize that people generally live on less than $500 per month in Mexico. Also, many Mexican families living in the United States regularly visit relatives in Mexico. Many of those families have tight budgets also. If people native to the country can live and travel on a relatively small amount of money, you can learn how to as well!