Mountains and canyons have their own special aura. Amazingly, they inspire awe more than perhaps any other natural concoction there is on earth (except perhaps a high rise waterfall). Due to this awe, mountains are often the tourist attraction for the tranquil seeking mob of our generation. If anyone is fed up with the ways of the world and it’s devastating intricacies, the mountain is the ultimate go-to destination. Since you, dear traveler, are in Mexico for a vacation, might we suggest a canyon for you? The copper canyon it is, and no, there is no copper here.

Situated in the state of Chihuahua, the copper canyon gets its name from its walls, which appear green in color. At some places, it is deeper than the grand canyon and flourishes in a wide variety of flora and fauna (photographers alert!). Like the Holbox Island, this place too is well secluded from metropolitan stuff and what you get is pure nirvana in the form of raw mother nature at it’s best. The village Creel is the highest point of the canyon and stands at about 8000 feet. Guaranteed, views from there are breathtaking and euphoric. Life is traditional, simple and old school. Worth a visit to the locals.

Do some mountain biking, have some much needed hiking, enjoy a bit driving or climb atop a horse to do some riding. Its almost poetic in this form, and at the canyon, you almost become a poet, bathed in the glory of mother nature. The smell of fresh air and the awesome sense of belongingness to the region. That’s what the Copper canyon promises. And with the promise, you get those valuable insights to life, almost philosophically. Don’t just read our advice. Visit the canyon and find out for yourself.

Which is why you should probably travel to this place. Not many people, no roads, no vehicles, no nothing. Just sand and water to quench your sea thirst and lots and lots of tranquil you haven’t felt in a while. You see, if you are one of those travelers who love the open ended beauty of nature without those traffic light and the roar of trucks, if you’d rather spend all day staring at the open sky rather than at the accounting book, if you’d prefer the quiet and soothing sound of waves  gushing on the seashore than a police siren, then this black hole (holbox means black hole in Yucatec Maya) is the most suitable place for you.

Don’t worry about the island’s dimensions. Its just 12 kilometers long and about a tenth of that figure wide. Great views from all the sides adorn this little island and what’s more, there are no disturbing elements for miles at a stretch to waver the thinking mind. Talk about attractions? you can view the great whale shark from this island, have a dig at the place’s one and only industry fishing and of course, the biggest attraction is actually the absence of noise. Tranquility is at it’s best here.

And, if you happen to be a kite board lover, this island provides one of the safest and best avenues to have a stint at kiteboarding. There are no big obstacles, the wind speed is almost perfect and best of all, there are actually two schools here that teach budding kiteboarders have a ride of their life. And because there are no cars and no roads whatsoever, people there move about with the help of mopeds and golf carts. Its a novelty you will not find in any other place. More than that, its the birds and their variety that will catch your attention on this black hole. A must visit.

You’ll never be able to get around a country without a good and solid backing of an effective communication system network. You see, communication needs in the modern age have reached new heights and constant connectivity to the different parts of the world is a necessity few can refute. The Mexican government is well aware of this fact, and, even though it is a relatively small country, Mexican telecommunications is one of the largest network in Latin America. Teléfonos de México, also known as Telmex is the country’s major operator, and is responsible for welcoming you to Mexico.

Due to varying orography of the country, landline phones are much less popular than mobile phones, and the fact that there are as many as four times as much mobile phone users as compared to landline users proves this. Mobile telephony has the advantage of  cheap infrastructure and deeper penetration in the remote mountainous areas. What this essentially means for you, as a traveler is that most likely, you are going to be connected to the world no matter what place you happen to be in. Whether you are camping in the Chiapas or enjoying the romantic lines of Mariachi in Jalisco, you are not cut off from the world.

Internet connectivity? No problemo. Mexicans rank 8 among the internet users in the world, which literally translates to anytime connectivity through broadband connectivity,wireless fidelity or mobile telephony. Telmex being the country’s dominant network operator, has left no stone unturned in giving out quality service to natives and tourists alike. Satélites Mexicanos, a private company takes care of all the satellite communication for Mexico, with the help of 120 earth stations and a microwave radio relay network that is extensive to say the least. Suffice to say, when you arrive to Mexico, whether it’s telling your loved ones about your co-ordinates or posting that valuable status update on facebook, you are never far away from connection.

You can trust your feet with stylish sandals to fulfill most of your transportation needs, mainly because Mexico is not that large a country(on the contrary, it believes in a more for less paradigm). The thing is, that even though Mexico’s geographic boundaries are constrained, there’s no dearth of exotic tourist destinations or flamboyant cities or sandy beaches, for that matter. Its because of this density of tourist attractions, do you, as a traveler, feel the need of faster modes of transport than your feet. Thats where Mexican transportation comes in.

Within the realms of the cities, buses are the most efficient way of transportation from point A to B. The Mexican road network is extensive, covering in excess of 350,000 km of roads (where you can ply your own vehicle for sheer enjoyment, if you have bought yours, that is). The autopistas de cuota (Toll roads) and the carreteras libres (Free Roads) are your best bet for moving between the cities and at the same time enjoying the beautiful countryside interspersed between the cities.  If you are on personal transport, take a warning, as anything above 110 km/h (70 mph) can attract the attention of the men in uniform.

The railway network of Mexico is not one of its highlights and you’d probably not want to choose this medium of transport. Who wants to get stuck inside a railway coach anyway, when the surroundings outside deserve every bit of your attention?. If you really need to travel fast, or you have a tight schedule, you can bank on Mexical Airways’ efficient network across the country. Latin America’s largest airport is in, yes you guessed right,  Mexico City. The air travel should take care of all your fast transportation needs. But, for pleasure travel and sightseeing, it is very, very heartily recommended that you take the open road and lose yourself on a highway. Guaranteed, you will choose to remain lost...

Minimal is more. You gotta trust it. If you want to be awed by Mexico, if you want to lose yourself in architectural splendor, if you need to feel the highest energy in a natural setting, take our word, don’t go to the cities, don’t get lost in civilized settlements. Instead, pay a finer attention to the ruins of Mexico, the world famous remains of the great civilizations of the Mayas and Incas. Don’t give much to history, because if you do, you might as well take up architecture as a serious profession. No, just take a walk around. Ruins were never so much captivating.

You are guaranteed to be overawed by the sheer beauty presented by the magnificent architecture, as you go deeper into the ruined city that is Palenque. It was a great state that flourished way back in the 7th century when Science and Mathematics were niche segment of study. And yet, what you will deduct from the ruins is that, if a place could hold awe and impose a presence after close to 1500 years, the original model of Palenque must have been jaw dropping, with words unable to fully describe the untold beauty of the place. You bet.

If you visit Palenque, which you definitely should, their await for you wonders in the form of The Palace, Temple Of The Inscriptions and The Temples of  the Cross Group. The Temple of the Sun should be the cream of the crop. Important artifacts that show the Mayan culture and way of living have been wonderfully preserved and are a must visit too. Steep and voluminous stairs adorn each and every temple in Palenque, and will give you a glimpse of how hard working the Mayans really were. Their awe inspiring height and pure stone construction makes you wonder how these structures were actually built by elementary technology. Just one suggestion: Go for Palenque. It’s worth it.

What does color signify? Is it just a play of optics? Is it just a way to make the world vibrant? Or, is is it a way to visually distinguish one thing from another? No. Color signifies meaning that has far deeper implications than just the physical aspect. Color, in the most basic definition defines the nature of an entity. Different colors have different stories to tell. Blue makes the environment cool and serene while red makes it hot and energetic. White, on the other hand, is all about purity, cleanliness and honesty that is bare. Mérida, aptly called the white city, is just that.

It’s not that you will find white buildings and white cars and white monuments and everything white in this city, its just that the very meaning the color white gives, you will find here. Mérida is one heck of a clean city. Mérida was the American capital for culture in 2000. This statement says it all. Because of the geography of the region, Mérida and the rest of the country are isolated from each other enough to create a unique culture in the city itself. The Mayan tradition speaks louder than words here, and for the uninitiated, The Mayan culture is one of the greatest cultures in the history of the world.

What you should be looking for? Apart from cleanliness, which is ubiquitous, lend some ears to the Yucatan Symphony Orchestra at the Jose Peon Contreras Theatre. The orchestra is known for Jazz and classical music. Also, food is heavenly here. Just try resisting the likes of Pop Chuc, Sopa De Lima, Pevo En Relleno Negro and oh, before you forget, the immensely famous El Yucateco hot sauce. One last thing: Don’t forget to add the monumental finesse in your tour schedule. Sites like Barrio y Templo Parroquial de San Sebastián (1706) and the Monumento à la Patria (1956), to name a few, are one of their kind. But at heart, they are all white…

It wouldn’t be beneficial to a country if, despite its rich culture, beauty, history and tradition, there is no happiness and order in the face of it’s people. It’s almost like a big, beautiful tree on a most romantic beach but having leaves that are absolutely lifeless. Mexico, being a prime contender for pulchritude, grandeur (and splendor) would fail in its majesty if the people living and visiting in it do not have access to state of the art healthcare facilities. Fortunately, you as a traveler, will have absolutely no reason to crib in this area. Mexico is a very healthy country.

Since the inception of the Hospicio Cabañas (Jalisco) in 1791, Healthcare in Mexico has only seen an upward trend. This oldest institution has now become a world heritage site. With the advent of the IMSS healthcare program in 1943 Mexico became a role model for other countries to follow, especially in the wake of the dangerous Swine Flu epidemic in 2009. The IMSS system securely covers every employed Mexican in any health crisis. How safe is that? Safer than safe.

Healthcare is generally affordable in Mexico, and you will find a first class hospital in almost every city or town you happen to be in. If you care about statistics, here are some numbers. An average visit to the doctor is $25. A night stay in a hospital is $35, and you can have your teeth cleaned with just $20 (just in case you happen to eat a bit to much..). Senior people have no reason to worry. Healthcare is enhanced for them.

So what do you, as a traveler learn from this? Simple. You visit Mexico, you travel wildly. You lose yourself in the sheer enjoyment of mother nature. You take a dive in any of  the many Mexican beaches. You have a jab at the elegant cuisine. And at the end of the day, you can come home with a secure feeling that your health is in safe hands. Gracias, MEXICO.

Language is the identity of a country. It is that quintessential medium of expression, that defines a country for the world to read. Without language, a man has no expression, a syndicate no productivity, and a country, without language, has a major chunk of it’s identity lost. Such is the power of language, and the very fact that almost every country in the world has it’s own store of unique (often many) languages, only makes the obvious true, that the human mind is infinitely capable of pure creation. Mexico, dear traveler, has its own (esteemed) share of languages.

As you might expect, the majority of Mexicans speak the very pleasant (and very charming indeed) Spanish. Besides that, lesser parts of the country are also known to speak traditional Mayan languages. Nahuatl is also a popular choice for many of the native Mexicans. In all, there are as many as 65 different native languages spoken in the country (which will be a richly satisfying experience, as you travel the length and breadth of Mexico). Be sure to check out the various classifications of Mexican languages before you embark on a major tour around. For one thing, a majority of them are descendants of the indigenous languages of the Americas.

Other languages used the world over also exist, the most notable and common being English. Besides English, Mexicans are also adept at Russian, Veneto, Arabic, French and Occitan to name a few. These languages are usually spoken by villagers of a small minority and are hence outside ,Mexican law recognition. Nevertheless, the variegation in the different languages spoken in the country makes it a rich experience when you travel to the country. You will have a taste of the things to come in your stay at Mexico, and mark these words, that taste is gonna be good.

Mexico is a tropical country, make no bones about it. And being a tropical country, it thrives in vegetation, dense forests and enjoys a heavy dose of rainfall while planet earth takes an yearly trip round the sun. Add to that the uneven surface of the Mexican landmass, which means that your only frame of reference in this uphill and downhill country is the friendly sea level (thankfully, the sea is never far off from almost any part of Mexico. Señoras and señores (Ladies and gentlemen in ever charming Spanish), here’s to you, a small take on Mexico’s climate.

A random glance at the map reveals that Mexico gets divided into temperate and tropical zones by the magnanimous tropic of cancer. So, temperature remains on the higher side throughout the year (Summers are hot, winters are cool). At an elevation range of 1000-2000 meters, the yearly average temperature lies between 16-20 degrees Celsius (relatively pleasant..). The nation’s capital, situated at an elevation of about 2300 meters enjoys an yearly average temperature of 15 degrees, which basically means that no matter what time of year you visit, Mexico City is always going to greet you with a pleasant season. Talk about rainfall, and it presents an altogether different story. It is more in the Southeastern region (sometimes in excess of 2000mm of rainfall), than in any other region (most parts receive  between 300-500 mm of rainfall) being a tropical country, rainfall occurs between July and September.

But what does all this metadata translate for you, as a traveler? Well, for starters, you’d find nature at its best, definitely. Second, Mexico welcomes you in a happy mood. Third, the shutterbugs among travelers can rejoice. Mexico is a very photogenic country (and we are not even talking about it’s people yet). Lastly, and this is given as a form of suggestion more than as information: Be sure to bring a lot of supplementary memory cards, and a camera too..