Where Do We Like Best?

One of the questions we get asked most is: "What is your favorite place in Mexico?" This is a very hard question to answer. Every place we go could qualify in one way or another as each holds own unique people and attractions. One reader indicated he was looking for a place to settle for a few months and this is the answer I gave him:

There are many to choose from and you will have to do a lot of research. They range from cheap to expensive, hot to cold and wet to dry. The high (altitude) areas like Patzcuaro and Chiapas can have snow in the winter and the Yucatan can be oppressively hot and humid. The Pacific coast has annoying bugs and condo salesmen. This is why we like to be mobile.

Note: Filipe corrected me on this point - Patzcuaro gets lots of frost but no snow (well, maybe every 50 years or so!)

We liked San Miguel de Allende but it can be one of the more expensive places. Merida is a beautiful area but hot anytime except winter and is lacking in RV parks. The East coast from Cancun down is probably the most beautiful area I have seen but far too many gringos and English speaking for my taste and it is also very expensive. Zacatecas is very nice as well and was pleasant when we were there last year but I understand it can get cold there as well. I would stay away from Mexico City for a lot of reasons including pollution and over population.

Our problem is we get bored after a couple of weeks anywhere. We spent over two months in Mazatlan two years ago but it was our first time RVing in Mexico and was a good breaking in period for us. Our son came down around Christmas and my brother for a couple of weeks as well so we were kept busy acting as tour guides but as soon as they left we could hardly wait to move on to Guadalajara and San Miguel.

Except for the main tourist areas you will need at least a little Spanish, but what fun is staying with a bunch of Americans and Canadians? We were in places where no one spoke any English at all. In Chiapas even Spanish will not help you that much as many people speak one of the Aboriginal languages.

Luckily Mexican people are very forgiving and helpful when it comes to communicating. If you try, they will reciprocate. Most Mexican people know a little English but hesitate to use it because they do not want to look foolish for only knowing a little. Most children know some from school but they are quite shy and you really have to work to get them to open up.

We have seen much of the parts of Mexico you can see from near the main highways but there is so much more to see. We want to follow the Pacific coast down to the bottom just to be able to say we did and I want to see Oaxaca and more of Chiapas. Maybe in a couple of years I will be able to answer that question of where is our favorite place, but for now my answer must be, "Maybe the next place we see"!