17 EPIC Bucket List Items in Mexico – #3 Will Leave You Speechless!
While Mexico has almost 7,000 miles of coastline and some of the world’s best beaches — it also has Mayan and Aztec ruins, natural pink lakes, bioluminescent lagoons, haciendas and cantinas, and much more!
In short: There’s MUCH more to Mexico than many people think.
Ready to get to this list of can’t-miss Mexico things to do so you can discover them all? Let’s dive in!
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links, meaning when you make a purchase, I earn a small commission. Affiliate links cost you nothing to use, and help keep my content free. It’s a win-win for us both. For more info, see the Disclosure Policy.
1. Swim with the Turtles in Akumal Bay
Swimming alongside the giant green sea turtles of Akumal, Mexico, as they glide through turquoise water is a bucket list activity.
Located only about 30 minutes from Tulum, and 1.5 hours from Cancun, the pueblo of Akumal is a peaceful escape from these bigger destinations.
The best way to swim with the turtles is by booking a tour, as the number of people allowed in Akumal Bay daily is regulated.
Tour companies provide snorkeling gear and a life jacket, so you can enjoy watching these gorgeous animals as you swim in the shallows of Akumal Beach.
Akumal turtle tours follow strict guidelines to continue conservation efforts to protect this endangered animal.
Swimmers must maintain a 10-foot (3 m) distance from the green turtles and allow them to surface easily to breathe.
Akumal turtle season runs from May to November.
Do note that sunscreen of any kind is prohibited, as it harms the reef and sea life, so opt for this SPF bathing suit (AKA rash guard) instead.
2. Eat Cochinita Pibil in Merida, Yucatán
Merida, Mexico, is known as the cultural capital of the Yucatan Peninsula.
It is located about 3.5 hours from Cancun, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen, though it feels like a world away.
One of the best things to do in Merida is eat some authentic Yucatan food, like cochinita pibil.
This slow-roasted suckling pig is cooked underground in an oven called a “pib.”
You can have it in a torta (sandwich) or tacos — however, in the Yucatan, the most traditional way to eat it is in a panucho (tortilla stuffed with black bean paste) or salbute (puffy fried tortilla).
3. See the Pink Lakes of Las Coloradas
Las Coloradas (The Blush) are the Mexico pink lakes in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Las Coloradas gets its pink color from the red algae, brine shrimp and plankton that live in the water.
The water’s salt content is very high, and the Mayans have used this area as a natural salt source for centuries.
Though visitors used to be able to go in the water, a few years back the Mexican government has since prohibited swimming in Las Coloradas.
The reason for this is that the salt content can actually.
4. Go on a Xochimilco Boat Cruise
One of the best things to see in Mexico City is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Xochimilco (pronounced so-shee-mill-co).
Located in the south part of the city, this unique area feels like a totally different world compared to much of the city.
Xochimilco itself has two distinct worlds within it.
The first type of Xochimilco tours from Mexico City take place aboard a multicolored trajinera (tra-he-nair-uh) boat, where loud mariachi music plays and people drink and dance.
The second is on the Chinampas: Living an Ancient Culture Tour, a quiet canoe ride through the canals of Xochimilco to visit the chinampas.
The chinampas (pronounced chin-am-pas), or Floating Gardens of Xochimilco, have been used as sustainable farms for centuries.
5. Visit North America’s only Castle (Chapultepec Castle)
Located in the massive 1,700-acre Bosque de Chapultepec Park, El Castillo de Chapultepec is the only true castle in North America, as royalty once lived there.
The former home of Emperor Maximilian I and Empress Carlota is now a museum and one of the must-see sights in Mexico City.
⚠️ MEXICO CITY TRAVEL TIP: Chapultepec Castle admission is FREE on Sundays, but arrive early because it gets very crowded!
6. Visit Chichen Itza Mayan Ruins
One of the most visited Mexico tourist attractions is Chichen Itza Ruins, which attracts about two million visitors annually.
Chichen Itza is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and a Mexico UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Chichen Itza is located about 2-3 hours from all the top Yucatan Mexico destinations—Cancun, Tulum, Merida, and Playa del Carmen—and less than one hour from Valladolid, Mexico.
There are many Chichen Itza tours from all places, or you can drive your rental car.
Chichen Itza is believed to be more than 1,500 years old.
The Mayan people were experts in astronomy, architecture, and mathematics, and their buildings were uniquely designed according to the rotation of the Earth and positioning of the sun.
⚠️ CHICHEN ITZA TIP: For a true Mexico bucket list experience, join the thousands who gather on the Spring and Fall Equinoxes. For about 30 seconds, the sun casts a shadow on the side of the El Castillo pyramid and it appears like a serpent is crawling down it.
El Caracol is the Astronomical Observatory and telescope once used to track the planet Venus.
The Maya believed Venus was the sister star to the sun and a war god. Observing its position in the sky helped them know the best time to go into battle.
The largest pyramid is El Castillo (AKA Temple of Kukulkan). This pyramid has 91 steps on each side, up to 365 for each calendar day.
The entire Chichen Itza site is filled with interesting buildings and amazing facts, such as this, which is why you’ll want to join a tour.
7. Swim with the Whale Sharks in Holbox Island
One of the best things to do in Mexico is to swim with whale sharks.
In case you didn’t know, these are the largest fish in the ocean and can grow up to 30 feet long (9 m).
As someone who has swam with them, I can attend that it’s truly an unforgettable to get to swim next to these huge, peaceful animals.
Isla Holbox is the perfect place to experience this incredible adventure and try something new.
Holbox (pronounced hole-bosh) is a small island in the Caribbean Sea, located in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and accessible only by ferry from the pueblo of Chiquilá, Mexico.
Only about 2,000 people live on Holbox, and the island is known for its small town feel.
While not far from the more popular destinations of Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancun, Isla Holbox’s more chill vibes mean you’ll find everything from relaxation to amazing Mexican street food there.
Besides swimming with the whale sharks in Holbox, the island has other incredible nature and unique wildlife.
You can see different types of birds (maybe even flamingos) on Isla Pajaros or Yum Balam Nature Reserve, and the bioluminescence at night on Punta Cocos beach.
Of course, the whale sharks swim is a must if you’re visiting during their June to September migration season.
There are several local tour companies you can book with when you arrive on the island.
They charge between $100-180 USD per person, which is pricey but worth it.
8. Boat Ride in Bacalar Lagoon of Seven Colors
Bacalar, Mexico is located on the southern tip of Quintana Roo state, only about 30 minutes from the Mexico-Belize border.
One of the most popular places to visit in the Yucatan Peninsula, Bacalar, is a pueblo magico (magic town), still untouched by mass tourism.
The top things to see in Bacalar revolve around Laguna Bacalar (AKA Bacalar Lagoon or Bacalar Lake).
This is the second largest freshwater lake in Mexico, which the Mayans nicknamed the “Lagoon of Seven Colors,” as they say you can see seven shades of blue in it.
Also sometimes called the “Maldives of Mexico,” Lake Bacalar’s water is as perfectly crystal-clear and beautiful as that in the Maldives Islands.
Some of the best things to do in Bacalar include the Canal de los Piratas (Pirate’s Channel), where there’s a shipwreck you can jump off into the lake, Isla de Pajaros (Bird Island), and Cenote la Bruja (Witch’s Cenote).
There’s also Cenote Azul (Blue Cenote), located just outside of the lake.
9. Stand on the Platform at Cenote Suytun
Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula has about 6,000 cenotes (sinkholes).
Some of them, known as swimming pool cenotes, are completely exposed and do not have any rock covering them.
Other cenotes are partially open, with some rock making a canopy over the top, and some are fully underground in caves.
Suytun Cenote is an underground cenote cave about 45 minutes from Tulum and Valladolid.
It has a circular platform in its center and a hole in the top so a single ray of light can enter, making Cenote Suytun among the best cenotes in Mexico.
10. Ride the Tequila Express Train
One of the most fun ways to experience the Tequila pueblo magico (magic town) is taking the Jose Cuervo Express Tequila Train.
This day trip goes to Tequila from Guadalajara, Mexico, with unlimited drinks and educational classes about Mexico’s famous spirit.
🥂 TEQUILA FUN FACT: Just as champagne is essentially a sparkling wine made in the city of Champagne, France — tequila is a mezcal that’s made in the city of Tequila, Mexico, or a few surrounding cities.
11. Explore the Huasteca Potosina Waterfalls
The Huasteca Potosina is located in the state of San Luis Potosi, northeast of Mexico City, and borders the Sierra Gorda UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
This natural playground for outdoor enthusiasts has breathtaking waterfalls, rivers, natural pools, and even some caves.
There is so much to discover that you could spend an entire week here and never run out of things to do in Huasteca Potosina.
For nature lovers, you’ll want to immediately add this somewhat off-the-beaten-path Mexico destination to your bucket list.
The Huasteca Potosina is still quite undeveloped and has retained its natural beauty and charm despite increasing tourism.
To explore the whole area, you can book this tour or rent a car and go on your own if you’re more adventurous. It is safe to explore either way.
12. Experience the Monarch Butterfly Migration
Every November, millions (possibly billions) of monarch butterflies make their annual 3,000-mile migration from Canada to the Oyamel Fir Forests in Mexico’s Central Highlands.
They remain in Mexico from about November to March.
Located not far from Mexico City, many visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site Butterfly Sanctuary on a day trip from Mexico City.
There are a few designated sanctuaries — one in Michoacan state, and the Piedra Herrada Monarch Butterfly Biosphere, located in the lakefront town Valle de Bravo.
Piedra Herrada Butterfly Sanctuary, in Estado de México (Mexico State), is closer to Mexico City, so many visit this one.
In the spring, the butterflies begin their eight-month migration back, when four generations of butterflies live and die.
Scientists don’t know how they find their way to the same spot in Mexico each year.
13. Visit Las Grutas Tolantongo Hot Springs
The Tolantongo grutas, or Tolantongo caves, is one of the most Instagram worthy places in Mexico.
It is one of the best Mexico City day trips, located about four hours north of the city in the state of Hidalgo, where you’ll also find the Basaltic Prisms in Huasca de Ocampo, Toltec Ruins in Tula.
Despite increasing tourism, Grutas Tolantongo is still quite undeveloped and has retained its natural beauty and charm.
The easiest and best way to visit Tolantongo is on one of these Mexico City to Tolantongo tours, or if you’re more adventurous, rent a car and go on your own.
14. See the Hierve el Agua Waterfall
Hierve el Agua (which means “boiling water”) isn’t a waterfall, but does look like a waterfall.
It results from small streams and mineral-rich water droplets falling over a cliff’s side. After many years, the water calcified and now looks like a waterfall.
Besides hiking down to the base of the “waterfall,” you can also swim in the Hierve el Agua pools in Oaxaca, Mexico.
These thermal pools hold the boiling water from which Hierve el Agua gets its name.
15. Release Baby Sea Turtles in Puerto Escondido
The Oaxaca beach town of Puerto Escondido is well known as one of Mexico’s best places to surf.
However, non-surfers have beautiful beaches to enjoy during the day as well.
🐢 When the sun’s setting, don’t miss the baby sea turtle release in Oaxaca.
16. Visit Playa Carrizalillo in Puerto Escondido
Playa Carrizalillo is arguably the most beautiful beach in Puerto Escondido.
It’s not super easy to get to, as you must walk down (then back up!) about 155 stairs to access this beach.
However, Carrizalillo is great for swimming, and could honestly be on a postcard, so it’s worth the trek.
There are several amazing beaches and beach towns in Oaxaca, like Bahías de Huatulco, Mazunte, San Agustinillo, and Lagunas de Chacahua National Park.
Though not as popular as the Mexican Caribbean beaches, Oaxaca has some of the best Mexican Pacific Coast beaches.
17. See Humpback Whales at Cabo Pulmo National Park
Cabo Pulmo is located in the Sea of Cortez, famously called “the aquarium of the world” by diver and 1970s TV personality Jacques Cousteau.
It is about 90 minutes north of San Jose del Cabo (and the Los Cabos Airport), in a protected Mexico national park.
During the winter months, this is the best place to see humpback whales in Mexico as they migrate past from about late November to early April.
If you’re visiting in the summer, Cabo Pulmo is known as one of the best.
Final Thoughts: Best Things to Do in Mexico
Mexico is an amazing country — and completely unlike what most people think it is.
That applies both to how many perceive it as unsafe (as someone who’s done solo female travel in Mexico, I dispute this wholeheartedly), and that Mexico is just a country of beaches.
As you’ve seen, there are stunning beaches on this list, but there’s so many more Mexico attractions to explore.
From ancient ruins and epic Mexico waterfalls, to swimmable cenotes in the Yucatan and Mexico pueblos magicos (magical towns), you’ll never run out of Mexico things to do.
So what are you waiting for?!
Book your flight already, then get your hotel booked too, and start crossing some Mexico bucket list experiences off your list.