Where to go in Mexico on your gap year

Whether it's a gap year or a work sabbatical, there's no better place to get away from it all

Hola, amigos! If you’re taking a gap year or a work sabbatical this year, then look no further than Mexico. Home to beautiful coastlines, tropical forests and Mayan ruins, the Central American nation has been a backpacker favourite for decades.

Hostels are the backpackers’ favourite accommodation option – and they are everywhere in Mexico. Check out our budget best sellers here.

If you’re thinking about making Mexico your gap year destination but don’t know where to go, you have landed on the right page. Check out the must-see places below.

Mexican cities

Image by VV Nincic (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Mexico City is usually the best place to start, offering a vibrant mixture of ancient ruins, restaurants, bars, clubs, modern galleries, and outdoor pursuits.

Spend a day exploring Teotihuacan ruins, an ancient holy city only a 40 km bus journey away, before spending eating Mexican food and hitting the city’s massive club scene.

Make sure to book a walking tour to see all the historical attractions and quirky bars that Mexico City has to offer.

Other Mexican cities include Guadalajara, Playa del Carmen and Puerto Vallarta, which is home to beach bars and boutique shops. With so many loud and exciting cities to visit, you’ll be spoiled for choice on your gap year.

Ancient attractions

Image by iorni (Unsplash)

Everyone travelling to Mexico must visit the Mayan ruin of Chichén Itzá on the Yucatan Peninsula, which is officially one of the seven wonders of the world and a stunning archaeological site.

Throughout its 1,000-year history, different civilisations have left their mark on the city, and Monte Alban is a similar site, and well worth the visit.

Akumal

Image by 16:9clue (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Akumal (“Place of the Turtles” in Mayan) is a nesting ground for sea turtles who come ashore to lay their eggs every year. Many backpackers go here as a day trip from either Playa del Carmen or Tulum to swim with the turtles and experience the clear waters of the shallow lagoon.

Copper Canyon

Image by Wil Stewart (Unsplash)

These cave networks are larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon, and Sotano de las Golondrinas (the Cave of Swallows) is also the largest known cave shaft in the world.

Baja Peninsula

Image by W & J (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Baja Peninsula runs along the west coast of Mexico for 775 miles and is famous for its fine wines, natural landscapes, and some of the best diving spots in the world. Here you’ll find prehistoric cave paintings, gorgeous beaches, migrating whales, and tropical forests.

Los Cabos

Image by Carlos Villamayor (Flickr/Creative Commons)

The West Coast region is perfect for surfers and divers as the sun shines 350 days a year. Situated on the southern end of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, the resort encompasses the towns of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, as well as the Resort Corridor that lies between the two.

With its gorgeous climate and excellent sporting facilities, there is no better place to relax and unwind in Mexico on your gap year.

*Header photo by Iorni (Unsplash)