Useful Information for Backpacking Mexico

We have a minimum age requirement of 18 years old to join the tour. Group members aged 16-17 years old are welcome to join the tour but only with a family member that will act as their guardian whilst on tour. Aside from that, no age requirements at all! While our target age is 20-45, what matters most is mindset. If you’re looking for a backpacking-style experience, with hostel-style stays, local transport, and optional evening activities - you’re welcome to join us.

We highly recommend that you travel with insurance for complete peace of mind. Please click here.

Yes! Travel insurance is a must for all our trips. You’ll need to show proof (on your phone or printed) to your group leader when you arrive.

Need to grab a policy? Get a quote and buy travel insurance here.

The dry season, from December to April, is the classic time to visit Mexico, with plenty of sunshine and very little rain. June to November is the rainy season, though rain usually falls in short afternoon bursts rather than all day. This is also hurricane season on the Caribbean coast, with the highest risk from August to October.

Mexico City, Oaxaca and San Cristóbal de las Casas sit high up and get chilly at night from around October to April, so pack a warm layer. The Caribbean coast is warm all year round. Our Mexico weather guide goes month by month.

Yes, Mexico is safe to travel, especially with a guided group like ours. While some areas of Mexico do have issues with crime, our tours focus on safe, beautiful, and popular destinations. Mexico is one of the most visited countries in the world, and with the usual common-sense precautions, you’ll feel safe throughout the trip. Travelling with a group and experienced local guides adds extra peace of mind.

We recommend getting a Wise travel currency card, which lets you spend in local currency and avoid foreign exchange fees. You can use it almost everywhere, including ATMs, and add it to Apple Pay or Google Pay. ATMs are available throughout Mexico, though some smaller places may only accept cash.

Tipping is not required on our tours, but it is a big part of Mexican culture. It’s common to tip in bars, restaurants, and for services like taxi rides. While we cover the costs of local guides and drivers, it’s appreciated if you choose to leave a small tip for great service. Your group leader can advise on typical tip amounts during the trip.

Absolutely! Many travellers on our Mexico tours are solo travellers. It’s one of the best ways to meet new people and make travel buddies for life. We’ll match you in a room with someone of the same gender (usually twin or triple share), so you’re never alone unless you want to be.

Yes, you can arrive earlier, and we'll still pick you up from Mexico City Airport (MEX) as long as you're staying at our accommodation. Just let us know and we'll book the extra nights for you before you travel.

Absolutely. Your payment is secure. Backpacking Tours is a licensed tour operator in Thailand (TAT Licence No.11/12642), and we use trusted international payment providers. Your booking is safe, and our team is here to support you every step of the way.

Your group leader will email you around 1 day before the tour starts.

Your passport must have at least six months’ validity and two blank pages. You should also have proof of onward travel.

Call your group leader using the number sent in your welcome email. They will assist you.

Mexico uses the peso (MXN). Always pay in pesos: prices quoted in US dollars, common around Cancún and the Caribbean coast, usually come with a poor exchange rate.

Cards and contactless are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops in cities and beach towns, while markets, street food stalls, small shops and some island businesses are cash only. Use ATMs attached to banks, and if a card machine or ATM offers to charge you in pounds, choose pesos.

Yes, if you visit the Caribbean state of Quintana Roo, which includes Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Isla Holbox. Every foreign visitor pays the state's tourist tax, known as Visitax, which is a little under 300 Mexican pesos per person.

Pay it online at the official visitax.gob.mx site before you fly home and keep the QR code on your phone, as it can be checked at Cancún airport. Avoid third-party sites that charge a fee on top.

No, it is best not to drink the tap water in Mexico, and most locals drink bottled or purified water too. Many hotels have large water jugs (garrafones) for refilling your bottle, and ice in restaurants and bars in tourist areas is normally made from purified water.

Bring a refillable bottle, ideally one with a filter, and use bottled or purified water to brush your teeth if you have a sensitive stomach.

Most unlocked phones work in Mexico, and some UK networks include it in their roaming bundles, so check with yours first. Coverage is good in cities and along main roads, and patchier in the mountains and on smaller islands.

A travel eSIM set up before you fly is the simplest option. If you buy a local SIM or eSIM instead, since 2026 every Mexican mobile line must be registered to an ID, so you will need your passport to register it.

Speak to your GP or a travel clinic about 6–8 weeks before you travel, and check the Mexico advice on TravelHealthPro for current recommendations on vaccines and avoiding mosquito bites.

There is no vaccination requirement to enter Mexico if you fly in from the UK. Pack insect repellent, as mosquitoes are common on the coast and in the jungle, particularly in the rainy season.

It might, a little. Mexico City sits at about 2,240 metres and San Cristóbal de las Casas at around 2,200 metres, so some people notice mild effects such as breathlessness on stairs, a headache or poor sleep for the first day or two.

It is rarely more than that. Take the first day slowly, drink plenty of water, go easy on alcohol and tell your group leader if you feel unwell. If you have a heart or lung condition, check with your GP before you travel.

Spanish is the main language, and dozens of Indigenous languages are still spoken, especially in Oaxaca and Chiapas. English is common in hotels and restaurants on the Caribbean coast and in the tourist areas of Mexico City, less so elsewhere.

You do not need Spanish, as your group leader speaks English and can help at every stop, but a few words such as hola, por favor, gracias and la cuenta (the bill) are appreciated everywhere.

Sometimes. Between roughly April and October, sargassum seaweed can wash up on Mexico's Caribbean coast, and some years are much heavier than others. Amounts change week to week and beach to beach, and beaches facing the open Caribbean usually get the most.

It is harmless but can smell as it rots, and it makes swimming less appealing when it is thick. Beaches are cleared regularly, and cenotes and lagoons are always a clear alternative.