Stay Safe
Travel tips that actually save you trouble
The shortlist seasoned Mexico travelers learned the hard way.
Mexico is overwhelmingly easy to travel in if you make a few small adjustments. Drink bottled water, drive in daylight, pay in pesos, watch the weather. The tips below come from the patterns that show up in claims and travel reports — small changes in habit that prevent the most common problems.
Money
- Pay in pesos. The dollar exchange rate at point-of-sale is almost always worse than an ATM.
- Pull pesos from a bank ATM (Bancomer, Banamex, Santander) inside a bank or hotel — better rates than airport kiosks.
- Carry a mix of bills. 500-peso notes are hard to break in small shops.
- Tipping: ~15% in restaurants, 10–20 pesos for parking attendants, 5–10 pesos for grocery baggers.
Driving
- Drive in daylight on highways outside the major resort routes.
- Use cuota (toll) roads where available.
- Watch for topes (speed bumps) — often unmarked, especially through small towns.
- Don't leave valuables in the car.
- Carry Mexican auto insurance: federal law requires third-party liability cover on federal roads (Ley de Caminos, Puentes y Autotransporte Federal, art. 63 Bis, diputados.gob.mx).
Food and water
- Hot, busy taquerías beat empty fancy restaurants on safety odds.
- Avoid raw vegetables you can't peel.
- Bottled water everywhere; ice in tourist restaurants is generally purified.
- Carry electrolyte packets — useful even before anything goes wrong.
Communication
- Most US carriers (T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T) include Mexico in main plans — confirm before you leave.
- If your plan charges roaming, get a Telcel or AT&T Mexico SIM at a convenience store. Telcel has the best rural coverage.
- Download Google Maps offline before you go — cell signal can drop on remote stretches.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to drive in Mexico?
Read the US State Department's Mexico travel advisory for the states on your route (travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/mexico.html). In the advisory issued 29 May 2026, Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas are Level 4: Do Not Travel. Drive in daylight, and carry full Mexican insurance, including roadside assistance: federal law requires third-party liability cover on federal roads (Ley de Caminos, Puentes y Autotransporte Federal, art. 63 Bis, diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LCPAF.pdf). The biggest practical risks are accidents and theft, both addressed by good coverage.
Do I need to tip in Mexico?
Yes. Tipping culture is strong: 15% at restaurants, small change for grocery baggers and parking attendants, modest tips for hotel staff. Tipping in pesos is preferred.
What about Mexico's water?
Stick to bottled or filtered water for drinking and brushing teeth if your stomach is sensitive. Reputable restaurants in tourist areas use purified ice.