Top 5 Non-Touristy Must-Visit Destinations in Mexico
The fact that Mexico receives more than 51 million tourists in a year translates to one thing: most of the destinations in this country are full of tourists. In fact, if you are in a place like Cancun or Cabo, you can hardly tell the difference from a major American city. However, there still are some places where you can experience authentic Mexican culture, language, cuisine and tranquility. Whether it’s your honeymoon or another family getaway, skip Puerto Vallarta, Cozumel, or Isla Mujeres, and head to one of these 5 amazing spots that are not overrun with tourists yet.
Manzanillo
Remember the beach featured in the Bo Derek and Dudley Moore film “10?” That was from this town. Even though Manzanillo has a few resorts and a shipping port, it is still a hidden gem in Mexico as far as tourist inflow is concerned. This Pacific Mexican city is known for its friendly, laid-back locals, lush forest, banana plantations, excellent fishing scene, and both active and inactive volcanoes.
It is one of the very few Mexican cities that have managed to retain an authentic Mexican vibe, especially if you visit in the off-season months. Head to this city to enjoy 100% Mexican cuisine, weekend market shopping, snorkeling, and sunbathing without the interference of too many tourists.
Just a 10-minute drive from downtown Manzanillo is the 70-hectare eco-park called Natura Camp. You can enjoy hiking, zip-lining and other extreme sports here.
If you want even more privacy and exclusivity, you can go to the little town of Barra de Navidad, just 50 kilometers from Manzanillo.
Tulum
Tulum might be one of the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico, but there are still a lot of hidden gems within the city that barely get any tourists. Once you check into a hotel, do not go downtown, you should either start with visiting some of Tulum’s cenotes to freshen up or try one of the following,
- Take part in the Temazcal Ceremony. This is a traditional ritual dating back to the Mayans. The participants walk through an enclosure filled with volcanic rock to sweat away the toxins and impurities in their bodies.
- Visit Aktun Chen Cave, one of the most interesting caves in Mexico, with a lot to see and do inside and around it.
- Labnaha Eco Park, also known as the ‘Magic of the Mayan World,’ is another lesser-known attraction in Tulum. It is only open for guided tours, making the visit totally safe for guests.
If you still find too many tourists wherever you go, just simply rent an ATV and go into the wild. With a jungle so big, you can easily find a location with no one in sight and enjoy a few hours of solitude or even camp for the night.
Guanajuato
Just about an hour’s drive from Leon airport is the city of Guanajuato which is a UNESCO World Heritage City. It was founded in the year 1559 as a mining city, and due to the abundance of silver in the area, it used to be the largest producer of the metal back in the day. Today, the charming city is full of colorful houses, colonial area buildings, and cobblestone streets. You can also find street performers at the plazas and in restaurants and bars.
The best time of the year to visit this city is during the Cervantino Festival, named after Miguel de Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote, which brings a large number of artists to the city. There are also several excellent museums in this historic city.
This city does not have the gorgeous beaches that Mexican destinations are best known for, and that’s part of the reason it is not overrun by tourists. What you can expect here is an authentic Mexican atmosphere, delicious local cuisine, and friendly locals.
Yelapa
Take a short 45-minute boat ride from the popular destination of Puerto Vallarta, and you’ll find yourself in a tiny beach town with a population of just 2,000 people called Yelapa. Do not expect to find colonial-era churches, Mayan ruins, or 5-star hotels here, but this small town does offer seclusion, privacy, and exclusivity.
Yelapa is situated in a cove of the seventh-largest bay in the world, Bahía de Banderas, and is surrounded by a lush, dense natural forest. You’ll find yourself surrounded by nothing but nature here because this city has no roads, no cars, and no shopping centers.
This low-profile destination might not be for everyone because you won’t find many of the amenities that you might be used to if you are coming from a big metropolis. However, if your aim is to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life and spend a couple of days close to nature and away from all those corporate emails, client phone calls, and office meetings, this is just about the perfect location for that. Just make sure that you get a hotel room with a view of the Caribbean.
Cuastecomates
Cuastecomates is a small town in the state of Jalisco, just a 40-minute drive from Manzanillo. You can get an idea of how secluded this town is from the fact that there is only one hotel here. The main highlights of this town are the long sandy beaches with next to zero tourists, the lush hillsides across the water, and the incredible sunrises and sunsets.
If you have your own car or rent one, you can also explore more of the authentic and vibrant nearby towns like Melaque or Barra de Navidad.
Conclusion
Mexico is one of the most visited countries in the world. While the popular tourist destinations in the country offer a lot of things, they are always crowded by too many foreigners. If you want to enjoy a much less crowded place in Mexico, you can go to Manzanillo, explore the lesser-known parts of Tulum, experience the UNESCO world heritage city of Guanajuato, cut yourself off from the worries of the world in the tiny town of Yelapa, or live for a few days in the authentic Mexican town of Cuastecomates that receives so few tourists that there’s only one hotel there.
