Top 10 Off-the-Beaten-Path Places to Explore in Mexico

In the wake of the pandemic, I decided to move from cold and rainy, locked-down Canada to Mexico. The pandemic fueled part of this decision, but in all honesty, I was already planning on leaving Canada for a while and Mexico, being open, warm, and cultured, fit the bill. 

What I have discovered after six months has been something genuinely unexpected. Mexico is incredibly diverse -- from mountains, jungles and,  beaches to many different ethnic groups and culinary traditions -- this country is packed with places to explore. I am not talking about the gringo tourism havens like Tulum, Cancun and Los Cabos. The more authentic side of Mexico offers incredible opportunities to get off the beaten path. 

After spending my first month and a half diving in Baja, I decided to branch out. I have since moved cities about every two weeks to explore more of the country. So far, I have visited 25 out of the 32 Mexican states (including the Federal District). Here’s my list of the top 10 off-the-beaten-path places to explore in Mexico, away from the tourist crowds. 

10. Querétaro and the Sierra Gorda 

The city of Queretaro is only a three-hour drive from Mexico City but feels like it is worlds away. Wealthy and colonial, this maroon-red cobblestoned historical city oozes with charm ripe for exploration. A couple of hours to the northeast lies the Sierra Gorda biosphere, a remarkable green zone of mountains, valleys and small villages nestled amongst misty peaks. Watch the sunrise over Cuatro Palos, or head further into the reserve over the border into San Luis Potosi to hike up the Puente de Dios river canyon to majestic waterfalls.

9. The Chiapas Highlands

Rustic and stunningly beautiful, this mountainous region of central Chiapas state near Mexico’s border with Guatemala is full of coffee plantations, ethnic Tzotzil and Maya villages, strong indigenous traditions, and incredible artwork. The town of Chamula boasts what might just be the world’s wildest church, where ancient Mayan traditions exist alongside syncretic Catholicism. Inside the church, eerie white-faced saints line the walls while locals can be found lighting candles on the floor, trancing in piles of hay and making animal sacrifices. San Christobal de Las Casas is a unique place to rejuvenate, eat and meander. The Mayan ruins at Tonia are spectacular and very under-visited. 

8. The Great Monarch Butterfly Reserves

In between Michoacan and the State of Mexico lies high-altitude oyamel fir tree forests, a favourite nesting ground for millions of monarch butterflies. These butterflies migrate to Mexico annually from across the United States and Canada to breed. They form individual colonies, millions of individuals deep, and as the morning sunshine warms their bodies, the forest becomes alive with fluttering orange. It is a true spectacle to experience. Some of the best places to observe this phenomenon of nature are Sierra Chincua and El Rosario in Michoacan, or Macheran and Piedra Herrada in the State of Mexico.

7. The Oaxacan Coast to the Highlands

The beaches of southern Oaxaca are magical. Without the crowds seen on many other beach areas of Mexico, this stretch of blissed-out paradise is home to nesting turtles as well as free-spirited locals and foreigners alike. Towns like Zipolite and Mazunte are great bases for both adventure and relaxation. Moving north, you can explore the stunning coffee-growing lowlands around Pluma Hidalgo before ascending into the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca. Oaxaca city provides an excellent base for trekking the mountains around Zapotec and Mixtec villages. For those interested in seeking out a spiritual experience, the hills around Huautla hold several Mazatec secrets to be discovered.

6. Real de Catorce 

Situated in the scrubby, Joshua Tree speckled desert of northern San Luis Potosi, Real de Catorce is a mix between a colonial ghost town and revived adventure centre. The highlight is hiking to the top of the Cerro Quemado, the holy mountain of the Wixarika people. This whole region is called Wirikuta by the Wixarika because it is their most sacred land. The area is a true Mexican wild west, replete with cowboy hats, moustaches, old pickup trucks, and cringy boots. Be on the lookout for a man who goes by Pepe Loco (Crazy Pepe), he’s a character (and be prepared to bargain hard with him otherwise he’ll snatch every peso he can). 

5. Zacatecas 

Zacatecas is the furthest north of Mexico’s old silver mining towns. Not nearly as well known as touristy Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende, Zacatecas combines incredible colonial charm and architecture with a bit of a western feel. Situated in the heart of one of Mexico’s economically hardest-hit regions, old Zacatecas is a true gem to meander. 

4. Magdalena Bay

Magdalena Bay is about a six-hour drive north of Los Cabos on the Pacific Coast of Baja California Sur. This bay and the adjacent coastline are a freedivers’ dream. There are countless opportunities to encounter pelagic species. Between October and December, millions of sardines arrive to spawn, attracting striped marlins, sea birds, sharks, sea lions, and humpback whales. Mobula rays also migrate through this area in pods, hundreds or thousands deep. By February, the Grey Whales arrive to give birth and mate. Endless desert sand dunes extend beyond the horizon line, so small scenic fishing villages are the only real population centres in this remote, underwater paradise.

3. The Lacandón Rainforest

Welcome to Mexico’s Amazon Rainforest. Deep in the south interior along the border with Guatemala lies the territory of the Lacandon Maya people. Their primary rainforest home is among the best preserved in Mexico, even though it continues to lose land to farming and logging. Ecotourism based out of the jungle’s main Lacandon towns-- notably Lacanja Chansayeb and Naha-- is one of the major driving forces towards conservation. Lush waterfalls and jungle lakes wait to be explored in their dense green forests. The region is home to several significant Mayan ruins that are well-preserved yet still maintain their authentic jungle feel. The most notable sites are Yaxchilan, which is only accessible by lancha up the river on the border with Guatemala, and Bonampak.

2. The Tarahumara Mountains

The Tarahumara Mountains and the Copper Canyon are Mexico’s answer to the outstanding national parks of the American West. Covered in pine trees and dotted with ethnic Rarámuri villages, the canyons formed here in the Sierra Madre are deeper than America’s Grand Canyon. Breathtaking in every way, this protected area is incredible for hiking, off-roading and cultural exploration. Forget the El Chepe train; instead, rent a 4WD and get out there. Do not drive at night though, as the region is a major marijuana production area, and while not aggressive towards tourists, cartels are present.

1. The Sierra Wixárika

If you travel from the Riviera Nayarit into the state interior along the Rio San Pedro, you will find yourself on a road of a thousand hairpins heading up into the southern reaches of the Sierra Madre Occidental. This extremely remote, off-grid region of central Mexico is home to the Cora and Huichol people. Hardly touched by outside influence, the family ranches that populate these remote mountain valleys make you feel like you are far away from Mexico. The region is excellent for hiking, village stays and cultural learning from the Huichols-- one of the only groups in all of Mexico that neither the Aztecs nor the Spanish managed to conquer.