Stay Safe
Travel tips that actually save you trouble
The shortlist seasoned Mexico travelers learned the hard way.
Mexico is 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 are small changes in habit that help prevent common problems.
Money
- Pay in pesos. The dollar exchange rate at point-of-sale is often worse than an ATM.
- Pull pesos from a bank ATM (Bancomer, Banamex, Santander) inside a bank or hotel — compare rates against airport kiosks.
- Carry a mix of bills. 500-peso notes are hard to break in small shops.
- Tipping: it is customary in restaurants and for parking attendants and 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
- Busy taquerías with fresh food are a good bet.
- Avoid raw vegetables you can't peel.
- Bottled water everywhere; ask whether the ice is purified.
- Carry electrolyte packets — useful even before anything goes wrong.
Communication
- Check whether your US carrier includes Mexico in your plan before you leave.
- If your plan charges roaming, get a Telcel or AT&T Mexico SIM at a convenience store. Compare coverage where you will be travelling.
- 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 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/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LCPAF.pdf).
Do I need to tip in Mexico?
Yes. Tipping is customary: at restaurants, and small change for grocery baggers and parking attendants, and 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. Ask whether the ice is purified.