Winter in Mexico instead of Thailand, what is?

I remember in a post about where else to go instead of Thailand, us asked if we were considering Mexico as a country for wintering and generally Latin America. Although we did not think about it, it would be interesting to find out for common development. And here are our readers decided to write a useful and capacious guest post, Regarding how to spend the winter in this country, how much money you need etc. The only thing I want to note is that all the same visa the difficulties that have arisen in Thailand have so far had no effect on those who decided to go there for the winter.

Many and many people are going to Asia now for a long time. Until recently Thailand’s favorite country was until the start of the visa application. Problems. Now, many people think, where to pass the half a year-year, and now and more. And what if in Mexico, towards which glances more and more travelers?

At one time, we ourselves thought about it. In Thailand already, spent there several months for which you fell in love with the country, yes, that they even wanted to fly there for the second wintering. However, won curiosity and apprehension about problems, so that stopped selection on mexico. Now, after seven months, we can with with full confidence to say that it is no worse and we don’t failed.

Not to be unfounded, I propose to consider the main points that are taken into account when choosing a country for wintering and travels.

The content of the article

• 1 Cost of flight from Russia to Mexico
• 2 Visa issue
• 3 What is famous for the country – the main attractions
• 4 Winter in Mexico
  • 4.1 Housing options and prices
  • 4.2 Internet quality
  • 4.3 Food: general characteristics and prices
  • 4.4 Transport and prices for travel around the country
  • 4.5 Weather (seasons)
  • 4.6 Infrastructure Development
  • 4.7 People in Mexico – what are they?
  • 4.8 How common is English
  • 4.9 Security
  • 4.10 Sanitary conditions in the country, whether vaccinations are needed
  • 4.11 Average monthly budget
• 5 Conclusion

The cost of the flight from Russia to Mexico

This is the first and most important question. On average, if you buy tickets more or less in advance and monitor prices to Mexico from Moscow, you can fly for about 20,000 rubles per person. With this, the price of the ticket will be less if you fly with a transfer, for example, in New York (keep in mind that you will need an American visa). We flew like that: in January 2014, tickets for two in one side cost us 37,000 rubles. They were bought in advance in August. If you buy tickets for a month or both less, the price of a flight with a transfer or even several take off to 30 000 rubles per person.

A direct flight will cost much more. As far as I know, straight flights are offered only on the route Moscow-Cancun and the ticket costs about 40-50 thousand rubles.

So what do we have? At best, round-trip tickets for one person with an interval of, say, half a year will cost plus or minus 40,000 rubles.

Perhaps the cost of the flight – one of the most important disadvantages Mexico compared with the same Thailand.

Visa issue

In terms of hitting and staying Mexico is almost perfect. a country. Here she gives Thailand and all of Asia a hundred points ahead! First, everyone who wants to go to the country of cacti can get into it by electronic permission. It is made out literally within five minutes online, and completely free. Such permission gives the right to stay in Mexico up to 180 days

Secondly, you can get Mexican without any problems. visa It costs 36 dollars, is made out in about a week, virtually no failures. Visas can be issued for six months or 10 years (depending on what amount of income you specify). It also gives the right to continuously be in Mexico until 180 days

Thirdly, the Mexican border can be crossed on a US visa. it especially convenient for those who want to visit both in one trip country.

The number of days a tourist may be in a country indicated in the migration card. When you fill this document, you yourself indicate how much you want to stay in Mexico. But The border guard will still ask you personally how many days you need. You can say 180 without any fear. If less is written (what practically does not happen), it will be possible to extend to six months in migration service.

In order to extend the stay in the country after graduation first term, you need to go to any other country. It can be neighboring States, Guatemala, Honduras, South American countries, etc. The minimum period after which you can return to Mexico nowhere to be negotiated, that is, at least on the same day.

The only point worth considering is: if you plan to get to Mexico by electronic permission, you can do it only by air, by land crossing you will not be allowed.

Mexico Visa

What is famous for the country – the main attractions

You can tell about the sights of Mexico very long! The country is diverse and not exactly boring, some Mexicans what are they worth))

Among the main attractions are:

• bright colonial cities

San Miguel de Allende

Guanajuato

San Cristobal de las casas

• ancient pyramids

Pyramid of Palenque

Pyramids of Monte Alban

• luxury resorts

Cancun (Caribbean)

Puerto Angel (Pacific)

• unique cenotes

Cenote samula

• majestic volcanoes

Volcano Popocatepetl

• National parks

Park ivere el agua

• most interesting museums (for fans)

House Museum of Olga Costa and Jose Chavez Morado

And that’s not all!

Winter in mexico

Mexico is very diverse and everyone will find a place to their liking. Lovers of high water can settle on the shores of the Caribbean (Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Akumal) or the Pacific (Puerto Escondido, Acapulco, Puerto Angel). Who does not feed big love of the seas-oceans, will find many cozy towns that very comfortable for life (San Miguel, Guanajuato, Cuernavaca, Oaxaca, Morelia and many others). Fans of megacities can settle in the capital of Mexico City or in the second largest city – Guadalajara.

Housing options and prices

In Mexico, presents almost all possible housing options. In every city you can find a lot of hostels and hotels for any taste and wallet. On average, prices for normal rooms start from 250-300 pesos (750-900 rubles). However, for those who are going to live in Mexico for a long time, hotels are not the best option. Much more suited apartments or houses that can be found on the famous Airbnb site. In coastal cities, prices are higher and a simple apartment will cost from 5000-6000 pesos (15000-18 000 rubles), and it is unlikely that it will be near the sea. Houses are still expensive.

In other small towns you can rent an apartment from 4500-5000 pesos. For example, we are now renting an apartment with a bedroom in Oaxaca, living room and kitchen for 4300 pesos / 13000 rubles (with a discount from the owner by old friendship).

As you understand, the upper limit in prices is difficult to define, for example, in Mexico City, prices for steep apartments are in the thousands dollars.

On average, budget travelers who have relevant requests, can focus on 13000 – 18000 rubles per month for long-term placement.

Room for 800 rubles per day, in which we lived in Guanajuato

Internet quality

In general, in Mexico, the Internet works so-so. Often speed is lame, because of what the pages in the browsers are loaded slowly, movies are downloaded with creaks, etc. etc. But from place to the situation may change significantly. So before rent housing for a long time, do your best to check Internet work.

Food: general characteristics and prices

Food in Mexico is quite diverse, however, the basis most dishes are beans, vegetables, meat and corn cakes. Based on this simple set of Mexicans manage cook dozens of a wide variety of dishes. Vegetarians eat at Mexican cafes and restaurants will be very problematic, since meat is almost everywhere present.

Mexican food is not as spicy as it used to be. think. Most dishes are not sharp, but on the table is always there are sauces for those who like to make food “hotter”.

There are many fruits and vegetables, especially in winter, although the choice is not as exotic as in Asia. You can buy them in any market or in the supermarket.

Pro prices. Average bill for lunch at a local cafe for Mexicans 40-50 pesos per person (120-150 rubles). In such local cafes invited “comida corrida” – something like our business lunch with first, second, drink and dessert. In a simple restaurant have to pay about 70-80 pesos for a dish in a cool restaurant – 150-200 pesos. In general, prices are the same throughout the country except the most steep tourist areas in Mexican resorts.

Street food: tacos (corn tortillas with filling) cost from 5 to 10 pesos, corn (ear) 10-20 pesos, quesadilla (flat cake with cheese) – 10-15 pesos.

Food in the market

Transport and prices for travel around the country

Transportation in Mexico is well developed. By bus you can reach almost anywhere in the country, even the most remote the village. The only thing that bothers is that travel costs enough expensive. For example, a night trip by a first class bus will cost about 400-550 pesos (1200-1650 rubles) per person. Average the hour of moving by first class bus costs 70-100 pesos, on second-class buses – cheaper, sometimes twice, or even more.

Of the minuses, I can also voice what is not possible to take in rent a bike like in Thailand. They just nobody goes for a very rare exception. Bicycles also do not give up at every turn. Everything ride buses and taxis. Travel by city bus costs 18-24 rubles, by taxi in the city – 90-150 rubles.

Weather (seasons)

Basically, in Mexico you can live all year round without experiencing at the same time great discomfort. The winter months are dry and hot, spring also happy with good weather, only starting from May to upset with rains (However, once at a time it is not necessary – it can do without them). It’s officially a rainy season in Mexico in the summer, but that doesn’t mean that they go round the clock. For weeks, they may not be at all, only a gloomy sky will be reminded of the “non-season”. Autumn weather changeable – it can often rain, but by November all stabilized. As you can see, the weather is not bad.

Showers in San Cristobal

Infrastructure development

In terms of infrastructure in Mexico, I did not observe. AT each more or less large city, and even more so in those in which there are tourists, there is a market (most often not even one), supermarkets with a good selection of products and household items (Chedraui, MEGA, Soriana), small shops (7-eleven, OXXO).

In walking distance from the place of residence there will always be cafes with comid corrida, takeri (cafes specializing in tacos), simple restaurants. Food in mexico everywhere for rare exception, which may be, for example, urban suburbs and few lively areas.

People in Mexico – what are they?

Mexicans, like any nation, are different. But for the most part they are kind, sympathetic, friendly, sociable, smiling, lazy and plump.

In terms of people, Mexico is a very comfortable country: there is no negative or sense of danger, which is very important. Add that For more than six months, I have not seen a single drunk Mexican.

One of the big advantages – tourists do not cheat. Going for example to the market, you can be sure that everything will be calculated for you by the same prices as local.

Mexicans

Mexicans

How common is English

With the English language problem. Without knowledge of Spanish in Mexico there is nothing to do, unless of course you are going to sit in hotel in cancun. People at the resorts are still somehow in English talking, and even reluctantly.

Hence the conclusion: before going to Mexico you will have to master at least basic level of mexican spanish (it is slightly different from pure spanish).

Security

Situations are different, and can not get lucky in any country, even on the doorstep of your own homeland. Within seven months who we have already lived in mexico we have not had to face than such that could be ranked as dangerous. AT we walk quietly in the night (of course, not through doorways), We move between cities without fears, about the killings in those places where they have been, they have not heard. The same is said and our friends who have been to Mexico.

In any case, the observance of minimum precautions necessary in any unfamiliar country.

Dangerous Andrews

Sanitary conditions in the country, whether vaccinations are needed

No special vaccinations are required for Mexico. But, if you are very worried, you can take root from hepatitis A and typhoid fever.

Sanitary conditions are different from place to place: somewhere to shine clean, somewhere in the streets littering (in Mexico, the problem with urns, so often pieces of paper, cups, wrappers are laid out on window sills, plug into fences, etc.). In general, the country of Indians cleaner than many places in Asia.

In terms of food: who and how cooks, I do not look, but the dishes usually clean, and stomach upsets do not bother. Well, what you need to wash the fruits and vegetables all know))

Sheboldasik and street food. Anti-sanitation?

Average monthly budget

The conclusion about the monthly budget I will do on the basis of personal experience.

We traveled together (Sheboldasik and Andrews) from January to July 2014. As always adhered to a reasonable regime savings. Moved around the country exclusively on buses. First half a year actively acquainted with the country, so moved from town to town about once every two weeks. Dined in a cafe (comida corrida), had breakfast and dinner at home. Attended attractions, but not everything (about two, maximum three times a week – pyramids, museums, city walks, cenotes or something like). In this mode, we spent 40,000 a month – 45,000 rubles (plus or minus 5,000).

Now we live in the same city (Oaxaca), without moving and traveling to remote places of interest, and spend about 30,000 rubles per month.

Conclusion

In my opinion, Mexico is more than a suitable country for wintering. and long stay. She can be great alternative to the Asian direction. Yes, life in Mexico is a bit more expensive but not critical. Big cost of flight will be smoothed out no need to pay for solving visa problems, making flights or trips to neighboring countries. We lived in Thailand, both in Mexico and I can assure with certainty that both are good country! However, we must understand that they are very different.

Mexico is good people, great food, great list attractions, great weather – is this not enough?

Sumidero Canyon, Mexico

Our blog The Adventures of Sheboldasika and Andrews.

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