Mexico Holiday Guide

Thomson Fly and First Choice offer weekly charters from UK and regional airports. Aeromexico and Mexicana offer scheduled services but they are not direct.

Internally, domestic flights aren't cheap and it's best to book them before you leave the UK. There are train and bus services for those looking to explore on a budget, but they are not fantastically reliable and should be used cautiously.

The Caribbean beaches of the Yucutan Peninsula are by far the easiest to get to from the UK and offer a range of water sports including diving, snorkelling and kayaking. Lively Cancun, Cozumel and up-and-coming Riviera Maya share dazzling, white-sand beaches, great nightlife and well-priced accommodation.

Pacific coast resorts with beautiful beaches include modern Acapulco, traditional Puerto Vallarta and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo for the adventurous. For a laid-back ambience head to Puerto Escondido, while surfing enthusiasts should make a pipeline for Zicatela.

Mexico City, the country's vibrant capital, is one of the world's most populous cities and will sweep you up in its energy and vitality. It's a vast city so get your bearings from the viewing platform of the centrally located, 44-storey Torre Latinoamericana building.

Explore historic Zocalo, one of the world's largest public squares, where you'll find the Presidential Palace, Catedral Metropolitana and Aztec ruins.

Admire murals in the Palacio de Bellas Artes and the Museo Mural Diego Rivera and enjoy live Mariachi music in Plaza Garibaldi which comes alive after dark. Travel just 30 miles outside the city to enjoy the 2,000-year-old Teotihuacan, Mexico's largest pre-Hispanic city. Other Mayan sites include jungle-shrouded Palenque and Chichen Itza.

If you're staying in Mexico City the most obvious day trip is out to the spectacular ancient ruins of 2,000-year-old Teotihuacan, Mexico's largest pre-Hispanic city. It's about 30 miles from the city so can easily be explored in a day.

If you are based on the Yucatan Peninsula at Cancun or the island of Cozumel, places of interest for a day trip include the extensive Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, or those around Tulum further down the Riviera Maya coast. After you've seen the ruins, Tulum has some beautiful beaches on which to relax.

The Islas Mujeres are a short boat ride from Cancun and offer a delightful contrast to the glitz and glamour of Cancun. Revel in the laid-back atmosphere and enjoy safe snorkelling in Garrafon Marine Park.

Mexican cuisine is a rich mix of native Indian, French and Spanish cuisines based around tortillas, refried pinto or kidney beans and chilli peppers - of which around 100 varieties are used in cooking.

Many dishes are served with a sauce which can be made from numerous different ingredients from avocado (guacamole) to chocolate.

Mexico is famous for its year-round, colourful fiestas which seem to take place almost every month. These lively celebrations often go on for days and mark any occasion big or small.

In February just before Lent, Carnaval is the huge party; Semana Santa takes place the week before Easter, while the Day of the Dead on November 2 is Mexico's best-known fiesta.

The nation that knows how to party also ensures that there are plenty of lively bars and clubs in major (and minor) towns and resorts. Live music, dancing and tequila drinking are common in plazas and squares.

Mexico City has two huge malls, Centro Comercial Santa Fe and Centro Comercial Coyoacan where you'll find international brands such as Max Mara, French Connection and Levi's. Markets like Centro Artesanal Buenavista and La Ciudadela are great places to pick up souvenirs.

In Cancun there are shops galore along Yaxchilan Avenue in Centro or visit Tulum Avenue's Mercado stalls for souvenirs. The Hotel Zone has a number of shopping plazas or malls too. Popular present and gift ideas include embroidered clothing, woven blankets, ceramics, silver jewellery, leather goods, toys, baskets, hats and hammocks, all of which can be found in shops and stalls in busy areas.

Mexicans love kids and families are welcomed wherever they go. In beach resorts there are plenty of water sports, dolphin spotting and snorkelling to keep little ones happy.

If you're holidaying on the Yucatan Peninsula, take the kids to Playa del Carmen's Xcaret Eco Theme Park where they can swim with dolphins, see shows and explore ancient ruins. Cancun also has a water park where you can interact with marine creatures.