An hour and a half from Oaxaca, Hierve el Agua - a calcified waterfall like New Zealands lost Pink and White Terraces - is worth the visit to Mexico in its own right. Photo / Andrea Jutson
“You’re the first New Zealander I’ve met,” said my tour director.
If that isn’t a sobering indication of the impact Covid has had on travel, nothing is.
I took a moment to pick my jaw up off the table. “Well,” I reassured him, “don’t worry. Now the borders are open, you’ll definitely be seeing a lot more of us.”
And boy, does Mexico deserve to. From the largest city in the Americas to some of the most gorgeous swimming spots almost anywhere, there’s plenty to get Kiwis flying over.
I started my two-week G Adventures tour in Mexico City, home to more than 21 million Mexicans. Despite the sheer mass of modern development, it’s impossible to forget this place has history.
Standing in front of the ruins of Tenochtitlan, right in the old centre, I learned the city was built in a swamp. The crazy lean of some of the old buildings surrounding the cathedral is evidence of that. But looking at the archaeological photos of skulls along the walls, stacked head-high in grinning walls of bone, you’re reminded there’s as much blood in the foundations as water. The Aztecs loved a bit of human sacrifice.
Luckily, the only sacrifice I was forced to make was reluctantly posing for a photo at the National Anthropology Museum in sprawling Chapultepec Park. Locals love to tell you how their park is nearly twice as big as that paltry pretender, Central Park, and it’s even more stuffed with attractions, from a jewel box of a castle to a zoo. The museum could easily eat up a day by itself, with more treasures than Indiana Jones’ garage. The park is also the perfect viewing spot for a panorama of the city – or to pretend you’re not in a city at all, amongst the pretty trees and ponds.
A short drive (or train ride) away, the streets of Coyoacan, home to artist Frida Kahlo, are different again. Even though I missed out on a ticket to her famous Blue House – book well in advance – the area was well worth a visit for the simple pleasure of strolling in a thriving urban neighbourhood of colourful colonial homes, where families and friends were walking their dogs, eating cups of fresh mango from street vendors or simply hanging out in the square.
But arguably, it’s once you get out of Mexico City that the “real” Mexico begins.
Oaxaca is the gastronomic capital of the country, and a literal feast for all the senses. First, there’s the incredible hot chocolate, made with water. My deepest regret is not buying a second suitcase and cramming it with boxes from local institution Chocolate Mayordomo. Then there’s the sinfully rich Edam cheese stuffed with meat. And once you taste a tlayuda – a tyre-sized crispy corn tortilla topped with refried beans, pork fat, fresh lettuce, avocado, meat and sour cream – you start saving for your trip back. The only slightly bum note was the nachos for breakfast. Here they’re called chilaquiles, and come soggily drenched in salsa and sour cream.
Our group arrived just after the massive Guelaguetza festival, celebrated annually on the last two Mondays of July, when hordes pack the city with dancing and cultural performances. Cute, multicoloured figures resembling friendly scarecrows still hung from balconies in every direction, adding to the dazzling colours of the buildings themselves. An hour and a half from the city, Hierve el Agua was equally photogenic. A calcified waterfall like New Zealand’s lost Pink and White Terraces, it’s worth the visit all on its own. Floating in the natural “infinity pool” at the top, overlooking the mountains with hawks soaring lazily above, we felt rather smug at having chosen it over the others’ cooking class.
“They’ll be kicking themselves,” we said every five minutes, waving our feet in the aquamarine water.
A short plane ride (via Mexico City) away, Palenque stepped up the wow factor. Deep in the jungle, it shows a totally different view of the country. Outside our lodge, howler monkeys roared at dusk and dawn, and for me, seeing a hummingbird and a toucan was like winning traveller’s bingo. An excursion to the nearby Roberto Barrios waterfalls, layer after layer of jaw-dropping magnificence, is also in the running for trip highlight. And while the local Mayan ruins were fascinating, even they couldn’t top the experience of descending into a tree-covered house full of bats on the morning’s hike, or sampling a fresh termite from a log. Who would have thought they tasted of carrot?
But of all the archaeological sites, Uxmal was clear favourite. Near the city of Merida, it features some of the most impressive and complete Mayan buildings in the country, including ball courts where the winners were sacrificed (again) to the gods. I can’t see the All Blacks going for that. Despite the fame and importance of Chichen Itza, the poster-child of Mayan Mexico, it lacked something of the beauty of Uxmal and its uniquely curving lines. Perhaps it was the novelty of seeing iguanas basking casually on the steps as if the temples were built in their honour, instead of the rain god Chaac. It was also fun to clock whether Chaac’s noses were curving up (a plea for rain) or down (enough, thanks) on every new building.
The cenotes might also have had something to do with it. When the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs hurtled into the Yucatan peninsula, it pulverised the local limestone. Over the millennia since, water has crept in, creating gorgeous swimming holes perfect for chilling after a sticky hike. We visited two after our Uxmal visit, and could quite happily have been to all 3000.
As the tour drew to a close in Playa del Carmen, on the Atlantic coast, we enjoyed one of the best aspects of travelling with G Adventures – a visit to El Hongo. Part volunteer-run restaurant, part not-for-profit arts centre, it’s provided an education for many local children who would otherwise have been fodder for the area’s powerful gangs. The founder’s son proudly spoke of the young people who had taken part in free art programmes, inspiring them to use their creativity to clean up and decorate their neighbourhood, and giving them jobs that contribute to their community. G’s Planeterra foundation supports the venture, showing travellers a welcome glimpse of the real lives of people off the rather tacky tourist strip.
Visitors who just come to Mexico for the beaches don’t know what they’re missing out on. From the food (nothing like our Tex-Mex version), to the history, the wildlife and the hidden surprises in every part of the country, I was very glad I chose Mexico as my first post-Covid destination.
And if I’m the last Kiwi the CEO ever sees, I’ll eat my sombrero.
GETTING THERE
Currently the best route to Mexico is with United Airlines, flying from Auckland to Mexico City, via San Francisco. Talk to your travel agent for the best option for your trip. united.com
DETAILS
A two-week Classic Mexico Adventure small-group itinerary with G Adventures starts from $3219pp. Flights are additional. gadventures.com
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