I have just returned from Mexico (2 months) and Guatemala (3) and may be able to answer questions on the following: Food!, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Oaxaca (city), San Cristobal de las Casas, Tuxla G., Comitán, Zipolite, Quetzaltenango (Xelá) and surrounds in Guatemala, and public transport / bus travel in cities and cross country / long distance (eg traveled from Guatemala to California by bus).

Afraid I don’t really have any useful info on language schools, museums, treks, arch sites, or the social/”nightlife” scenes.


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It would seem like a very straight-forward question @admin , but it’s the one I always stumble on since I tend to think every place is the greatest place (for it’s very own little reasons So I’ll think on it a bit… But of the places I visited I think Zipolite would be my favorite because it was most like South East Asia, which I love… I like to be able to buy a beer and sit down on the street to drink it. I like devour good and inexpensive streetfood. Best places to do this are Thailand, Laos, and VIetnam. Zipolite was the only place during this last trip that fits that bill ; and you don’t have to wear clothing.

Would like to say, however, to anyone thinking of going to Mexico to completely disregard any concerns about safety eg in Mexico City. Yes, you read that right. I feel sooo terrible for Mexico and it’s people over this exaggerated media hype about how dangerous it is to visit. I spent a week in Mexico City and it was simply wonderful. Great neighborhoods and plazas, people / families out enjoying themselves (most impressive how they literally shut down all of the city center on sundays and billions of familes take to the streets on their bicycles), tasty food, friendly people, approachable and friendly law enforcement, and a rather nice free zoo too. The only negative thing that I experienced here (and for that matter, this applies to most of the last 5 months) were interactions with foriegners. Most notably the surprising number of “desperate” americans who approached me in Mexico City with sob stories about having lost everything and neededing 500 bucks or whatever to get back home (embassy won’t help them, etc etc etc). This scam is well documented at places like the Thorn Tree. I did not experience this any place other then Mexico City.

Treat Mexico with the same precautions that you would use in any large city. I would even suggest that popular European cities may be more prone to “crimes against travelers” (pickpockets, scams, etc) then Mexico. In any event, it’s probably unlikely that anyone will shoot you dead until you cross back into California.