How to NOT Get Sick in Mexico: 10 Tips You Need to Read Before Your Trip
Looking for ways to NOT get sick in Mexico?
You’ve come to the right guide because I’ve been living in Mexico since 2018.
I have gotten sick from both street food and restaurant food — you just never know where it can happen.
So I wrote this guide to help you avoid it, and to show you exactly what to do if it happens anyway.
The #1 way to not get sick in Mexico? These Water-To-Go Bottles filter your drinking water and keep you hydrated.
✅ The 10 tips at a glance
- Don’t drink the tap water (and know when ice is OK)
- Carry a filtering water bottle
- Don’t skip street food — choose it wisely
- Hot food should be hot, and cold food should be cold
- Plan for altitude, heat and alcohol, too
- Know where to see a doctor (it’s fast and cheap)
- Know which medicines you can buy over the counter
- Pack a few health basics
- Wash and sanitize your hands often
- Don’t spend your trip worrying about it
How to NOT Get Sick in Mexico: 10 Tips
1. Don’t drink the tap water in Mexico
Tap water in Mexico isn’t safe to drink, even in big cities and nice hotels.
Drink bottled or filtered water, and use it to brush your teeth, too.
What is in the water in Mexico that makes you sick?
The culprits can be bacteria, protozoa, viruses, toxins and parasites your body isn’t used to.
Why does water in Mexico make you sick?
The bacteria in Mexico water (as well as other microscopic things invisible to the naked eye, like protozoa, viruses and toxins) make Mexico water unsafe to drink.
Water filtration has improved in recent years, but Mexico tap water still isn’t safe enough — so please don’t drink it.
Why do people get sick in Mexico from food?
Traveler’s Diarrhea happens because your gut bacteria isn’t used to whatever’s in the food and water in the country you’ve traveled to.
Sometimes called simply TD, Traveler’s Diarrhea can affect any traveler, in any country.
🧊 Is ice safe in Mexico?
Is ice safe in Mexico?
Usually, in restaurants, bars and hotels — most of them use ice made from purified water. Ice from street stands and small markets is less predictable.
If you want to play it extra safe, the CDC advises avoiding ice unless it’s made from bottled or disinfected water.
When in doubt, ask “¿El hielo es de agua purificada?” (Is the ice made with purified water?).
What should you do if you get sick from water in Mexico?
Drink plenty of bottled water and see a doctor if it’s severe — especially if you’re vomiting or have diarrhea, which can both lead to dehydration.
In Tip #6, you’ll learn about the inexpensive walk-in clinics inside pharmacies all over Mexico.
2. Carry a Filtering Water Bottle
Get 15% OFF your entire order with code SOLO15 ▶︎ Shop for your water bottle now!
Bottled water is sold everywhere in Mexico, but there are two problems with relying on it.
Not all bottled water is created equal, and single-use plastic bottles are horrible for the environment.
🤔 So what can you do about Mexico drinking water?
Enter the Water-To-Go Bottle, a refillable bottle with a built-in, three-stage filter.
It’s my secret weapon for avoiding Mexico water sickness, and it cuts down on plastic waste, too.
According to the Water-To-Go site, the filters remove bacteria, viruses and other contaminants from the water.
If there’s one thing you’ll want to pack for Mexico, it’s this Water-To-Go Bottle.
Even when a restaurant serves you filtered water, you can pour it into your Water-To-Go Filterable Bottle for an extra layer of protection.
♻️ Mexico Travel Tips: The garrafón
You don’t have to order bottled water in restaurants!
You can ask for a glass of water, and most places will serve you free filtered water from the garrafón, the five-gallon water cooler jug.
3. Don’t skip Mexico street food — choose it wisely
If you go to Mexico and don’t eat street tacos — you didn’t really go to Mexico!
Getting food poisoning in Mexico is partly the luck (or unluck) of the draw.
In my years living in Mexico (since 2018), I’ve seen people who only eat in high-end restaurants get sick.
I’ve also seen people who eat nothing but 50¢ street tacos have the trip of their lives.
And as I mentioned, I’ve gotten sick from both.
5️⃣ Tips for choosing street food in Mexico
1. Look for long lines: Long lines mean a good reputation for both the food and the hygiene.
2. Look for taxi cabs: Cab drivers eat out all day, so they know where the delicious, inexpensive, clean places are.
3. Look for two employees: The person cooking the food shouldn’t be the one handling the money.
4. Look for hand sanitizer: If a stand doesn’t have any, skip it for one that does.
5. Look at yourself: Your own hands are one of the dirtiest parts of your body, so wash or sanitize them before you eat.
For taco shops and taquerías, the same five tips apply.
💊 How to Prepare Your Stomach for Mexico
Some travelers prep their gut health before a trip.
Common supplements include probiotics, Vitamin C, echinacea, zinc, elderberry, and other immune boosters.
👩⚕️ Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor! Please take this as friendly advice, not medical advice.
4. Hot food should be hot, and cold food should be cold
There’s no exact formula for not getting sick in Mexico, but this rule helps: Hot food should be hot, and cold food should be cold.
When you order something that’s supposed to be hot, make sure it’s hot — not warm.
At a street food stand, look for places cooking and serving on the spot.
If you’re ordering a smoothie or agua fresca (fresh fruit water), make sure it’s cold — not cool.
Skip anything that looks like it’s been sitting around, especially under the midday sun.
🧴 Mexico Travel Tips: Hand Sanitizer
This hand sanitizer holder clips to the outside of your purse or bag.
If it’s outside rather than inside, you’ll see it — and remember to use it — all day long.
5. Plan for altitude, heat and alcohol, too
Most travelers worry about stomach bugs, but plenty of Mexico trips get derailed by other things.
⛰️ Altitude Sickness in Mexico City
Mexico City sits about 1.4 miles (2.2 km) above sea level. That’s higher than Denver, “The Mile High City.”
🇲🇽 Check out Mexico City Altitude Sickness: How to Prevent & Treat It for a deep dive into this subject.
Altitude sickness feels like the flu, and it can quickly ruin your Mexico vacation.
Many travelers have success with an Acupressure Band or an Anti-Nausea Patch.
Others use Anti-Altitude Sickness meds or homeopathic Liquid Chlorophyll drops.
👩⚕️ Disclaimer: I have had altitude sickness in Mexico City, as well as reverse altitude sickness after leaving (yes, that’s a thing). But I’m no doctor, so take this as friendly advice.
🥵 Dehydration in Mexico’s Heat
This Water-To-Go Bottle also helps you stay hydrated, which matters more than most people expect.
This sun hat will help keep you cool, both in cities and on the beach.
🍻 Drinking Too Much in Mexico
Mexico makes all kinds of yummy adult beverages — from pulque in Mexico City, to mezcal in Oaxaca City, to red wine in Valle de Guadalupe, in Baja California.
Alcohol dehydrates you, especially in the heat, so drink water between drinks.
An electrolyte mix like this one can help you rehydrate after a night out.
6. Know where to see a doctor (it’s fast and cheap)
Unlike in the U.S., seeing a doctor in Mexico is quick and inexpensive.
If you get sick in Mexico, open Google Maps, find one of the big chain pharmacies near you, and go straight there.
Big chains include Farmacias Similares, Farmacia Yza and Farmacia Guadalajara.
Many of them have a walk-in clinic called a consultorio. Not every farmacia has one, but most of the big ones do.
A doctor will usually see you within about 15 minutes, and you can buy any medicine you need right there.
If you need more care, the doctor will tell you. With travel insurance for Mexico, you won’t have to worry about the costs.
👩⚕️ My Personal Experience With Consultorios
When I’ve gotten sick in Mexico, I’ve gone to a consultorio to see a doctor, and I’ve also taken Treda (more on that in Tip #7).
One of my visits was for a spider bite in Bacalar, Mexico. It didn’t look great, but I felt fine, so I chose the consultorio over the ER.
I saw a doctor in less than five minutes. The exam, antibiotic pills and a skin cream for the bite cost me less than $10 USD.
For the record, spider bites aside, Lake Bacalar is still one of the best places to visit in Mexico.
👩⚕️ Mexico Travel Tips: Seeing a Doctor
If your Spanish isn’t great, download the free Google Translate app.
You and the doctor can speak into your phone, and the translation is spoken back to you both.
7. Know which medicines you can buy over the counter
Many common medicines are easy to find in Mexico, so you don’t have to pack the whole medicine cabinet.
What should I take if I get sick in Mexico?
Many people in Mexico take Treda, a very popular stomach medicine. It’s sold over the counter at pharmacies, grocery stores and convenience stores all over the country.
It’s what I reach for when my stomach acts up in Mexico.
👩⚕️ Note: Ask the pharmacist which medicine fits your symptoms, and see a doctor if you’re very sick or not getting better.
Antibiotics are also cheaper than in the U.S., but you’ll need a doctor’s prescription for them.
Bring anything you take by prescription, plus anything you know you’ll need where you’re going.
That includes Anti-Altitude Sickness Meds for Mexico City, and Anti-Hangover Meds for party towns like Cancun, Cabo and Tulum.
If you only take a specific brand, like Advil, bring it with you. You’ll find pain medicine everywhere, but not always your brand.
8. Pack a few health basics
💊 Stomach Meds
Beyond your prescriptions, consider bringing antidiarrheal medicine and something for an upset stomach, like Tums or Pepto.
You can buy these at most farmacias, but it’s easier to have them on hand.
🚺 Tampons and Menstrual Cups
Tampons are easy to find in big cities, but not always in small towns and off-the-beaten-path destinations.
If you prefer a certain brand or size, pack it.
My travel life (and real life) changed for the better when I switched to a reusable menstrual cup.
You can wear one for up to 12 hours, so you’re not hunting for a clean bathroom every few hours.
♻️ Menstrual cups also cut down on waste. There’s a learning curve, so practice before your trip.
🤧 Travel-Sized Pack of Tissues
In small towns, gas stations and mercado (market) bathrooms, toilet paper is sometimes missing in action.
A small pack of tissues in your bag will come in handy for many things.
🧴 Hand Sanitizer
To make sure you use it all day, get this hand sanitizer pouch that clips to the outside of your purse or backpack.
9. Wash and sanitize your hands often
Wash your hands any time you pass a sink, especially before you eat.
You never know when the next sink will come along, so take every chance you get.
When there’s no sink, use the hand sanitizer from your Travel Bottle Keychain Holder.
10. Don’t spend your trip worrying about getting sick in Mexico
Getting sick in Mexico is a bit of a crapshoot. It can happen whether or not you worry about it, so there’s no point in obsessing.
Make good choices, enjoy your trip to the fullest, and if you do get sick, head to a consultorio (Tip #6).
💊 Mexico Travel Tips: Farmacias
Here are some of the biggest pharmacy chains in Mexico:
- Farmacias Similares
- Farmacia Guadalajara
- Farmacias del Ahorro
- Farmacias San Pablo
- Farmacias Benavides
- Farmacia Yza
Final Thoughts: How to NOT Get Sick in Mexico
Please, please, please don’t come to Mexico and skip the street food out of fear you’ll get sick!
Mexicans joke about getting their daily dose of Vitamin T, and the T stands for tacos.
Their stomachs are more used to it than yours, so maybe go easy — but please don’t avoid street food entirely!
No one drinks the tap water in Mexico, so your new Water-To-Go Bottle covers your water safety.
Water-To-Go Bottles have a built-in filter so you don’t get sick in Mexico from the water. Use code SOLO15 to get 15% OFF your purchase.
It also helps you stay hydrated — one of the Mexico sicknesses most people don’t plan for.
As you can see in this photo, I have one myself, which is why I’m such a big fan.
There are no guarantees, but these 10 tips will give you the best shot at a healthy Mexico trip.
