WE LIVE IT UP AND LOVE IT UP, AMIGO

LIVE BEGINS WHEN YOU’RE IN MEXICO

My first solo trip to the Basque Country was a real eye-opener.
It showed me that if you have a dream, you have to do everything you can to make it come true.

The Trans-Siberian gave me the awareness that I could go anywhere..
My next destination was a long-held dream: Mexico.
And I’m not talking about luxury seaside resorts here.
I’ve been drawn to Chiapas for about ten years.

Mexico has always been a place that’s close to my heart, especially with regards to the EZLN and Maya.
I went in search of this, but not only that.

As I’ve found on previous trips, seeing more countries makes me feel free for a much longer time than I’ve been away from home. A month on the road seems as one year.

I decided to plan a trip to see Mexico and Cuba.

WHAT TO SEE IN MEXICO

Here’s a quick overview of the top sights in Mexico.

I began my programme by marking the essential places.

MEXICO CITY

It would be crazy not to spend a few days in an urban area with 20 million residents.
You’ve got to see the Zócalo, the Aztec Stadium and the ancient city of Teotihuacan.

ANCIENT MAYA CITIES

I’ve always interested in history and geography.
I’ve had the opportunity to visit some of these places, and they’ve often felt like stepping into a world straight out of a school textbook.
I’d seen lots of photos of Palenque and Tulum and I just had to go.

EZLN – ZAPATISTA ARMY OF NATIONAL LIBERATION

My first experiences of politics and demonstrations came in high school.
During that period, I began to imagine myself in the Lacandona Jungle, wondering how I could get in touch with the EZLN.

I was fascinated by their balaclavas and their phrases: “We are an army of dreamers and that’s why we are invincible.” This accompanied my studies and has stayed with me throughout my life.

I crossed the ocean with the hope of meeting them and I did, in Chiapas, near San Cristóbal de Las Casas.

RIVIERA MAYA

I’m Sardinian, so I don’t need to travel the world to see white beaches and crystal-clear sea.
But Mexico has a different seabed and animals, so I’ve planned to spend a few days here.

The whale sharks live in the waters of Isla Holbox from May to September, so it’s possible to swim with them and see the spectacular bioluminescence of plankton, which they love to eat.

TRANSPORT IN MEXICO

PLANE

The main airports you can use to get to Mexico are Mexico City and Cancun.
There are lots of flights from Europe, but the cheapest usually leave from Madrid.
More rarely, you can also find some great deals from Rome, Paris, London or Monaco.
I always prefer to avoid transit in the United States.

The airport at Tuxtla Gutierrez is a great way to get into the state of  Chiapas if you want to avoid the 11-14 hours it would take on a bus to get from there to both Mexico City and Cancun.

Although Tuxtla Gutiérrez is the capital, the city that best represents Chiapas (and was previously the capital) is San Cristóbal de Las Casas.

BUS

I took the cheap night bus from Chiapas to the Yucatan.

The seats are spacious and comfortable, so you can get a good night’s sleep.
Just make sure you’re ready for a night at polar temperatures.
Otherwise, maximum air conditioning could ruin your journey.

COLECTIVOS

I don’t often rent a car when I’m travelling, I prefer to use public transport.

In Mexico, I’ve had some great experiences with colectivo vehicles.
These are cars or minivans that are always on the move on the Mexican roads, and they’re perfect for short to medium-length journeys.
Depending on where you’re going, they’ll leave when the vehicle is full or they’ll load people on the way.
Just give them a signal and they’ll stop at the roadside.
The price varies depending on the distance, but it’s always affordable and convenient.

I’ve often read that in less busy streets, especially in Chiapas, locals can set up ‘improvised checkpoints’ with a rope across the road and ask for money to let you restart your vehicle.
I’ve never had that happen to me.
It’s also worth noting that Chiapas is the poorest state in Mexico, so some situations are sadly determined by poverty.

MY TRAVEL

It’s usually a good idea to book the return trip as well.
I managed to find a great price for a flight to Mexico City with a quick stopover in Rome and Paris.
Just 40 km from Mexico City, you’ll find the incredible archaeological site of Teotihuacan, which was one of the largest cities in the world.

I flew from Mexico City to Tuxtla Gutiérrez, which is near San Cristóbal de Las Casas.
If I hadn’t spent those days with the Colectivo Lajkin, the journey would have been pretty different.

They’re Italians who live in Mexico and give you a great insight into the local history and culture. Thanks to them I got to meet indigenous peoples, the Zapatistas and some social cooperatives.
They know how to find hidden gems, like forests, waterfalls, caves with thousands of parrots, and of course, an ancient Maya city.
I’ll always remember Chiapas thanks to them.

I took a night bus to Tulum, the scenic Mayan city that looks out onto the Caribbean Sea.
The beach below is small and crowded, so it’s better to move to the long adjacent beach or, in my opinion even better, to Akumal, where you can see the turtles just a few metres from the beach.

There are plenty of beaches in the Riviera Maya, from the more laid-back ones up to the more chaotic and crazy Cancun.

You should also make sure you see at least one cenote, which is a collapsed karstic cave that looks like a lake when it’s filled with water.
It’s clear that swimming is an option here.

I spent a few days in the quiet and peaceful Isla Holbox to see whale sharks, but unfortunately the rain and storm stopped all boats for four days.
That’s a good reason to come back.

It’s clear that swimming is an option here.

I spent a few days in the quiet and peaceful Isla Holbox to see the whale sharks, but unfortunately the rain and storm stopped all boats. That was a good reason to come back.

Then I flew from Cancun to the Island of the Revolution: Cuba.