00:00Hey guys, it's Chloe, Afar's Associate Editor of Destinations.
00:03One of my favorite parts about the job is finding those lesser-known places that travelers should put on their radar.
00:08And for me, Mexico is one of the best countries for finding them.
00:11I've traveled all around the country, and no surprise, my most enriching experiences have not been at an all-inclusive in Cancun.
00:17So if you're kind of over the hordes of tourists, and honestly nowadays, who isn't?
00:21I've got five tips for getting away from the crowds in Mexico.
00:24Mexico's small towns are, in my humble opinion, some of the most underrated places to visit.
00:32They're called Pueblos, and they're spread all throughout the country.
00:35The government even has around 175 or so of them that they deem Pueblos Mágicos, which translates to magic towns in Spanish.
00:41These are towns that the government deems especially beautiful, charming, historic, aka definitely worth a visit.
00:47I've visited a few of these Pueblos Mágicos myself, and I love how they give such a strong sense of community.
00:52For example, I'll never forget visiting Valladolid in the Yucatan Peninsula.
00:55I was in a jewelry shop, and the customer in front of me totally forgot to pay.
00:58By the time this shopkeeper realized, he just kind of looked at me, shrugged, and said,
01:02well, I'll find a way to get payment from him next week.
01:05Needless to say, this is not the kind of interaction that you'd expect in a big city.
01:09There's a good chance you missed out on the best places to get food in Mexico.
01:12If you really want to get the good stuff, head to a mercado the next time you visit a city or town.
01:16They're these big buildings where people come and buy local produce or food of the region.
01:21Oaxaca's Mercado Bente de Novembre, for example.
01:24You can get tortillas topped with meat, beans, vegetables known as playunas at one stand, and roasted grasshoppers at the next.
01:30It'll definitely be a more memorable experience than margaritas at a touristy restaurant.
01:35So we've all been to a pretty beach, but have you ever gone swimming in a sinkhole?
01:38Throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, there are a ton of these natural sinkholes known as cenotes that travelers have the opportunity to swim in.
01:44You can book a cenote tour online, but I honestly recommend asking around and speaking to locals.
01:48When you talk to them, you can learn about some lesser-known cenotes because, honestly, some of them are just off the beaten path.
01:53But if you are convinced that you want to do a beach-esque activity, I still recommend that you stay away from the cancuns and tulums and go somewhere smaller.
02:00When I was in Bacalar, for example, I saw the Lagoon of Seven Colors, which was this really cool place where soil, sunlight, and other factors create an effect where you can see a ton of different colors in the water.
02:10This one's for my cruisers out there.
02:12It's no secret that ports like Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta can feel a little tourist-trophy sometimes.
02:17Instead, look into trips that disembark at smaller ports for more authentic experiences.
02:21Cabo Pulmo in Baja California serves a great example, as it's home to one of the continent's oldest reefs.
02:27Puerto Chiapas in the Southern Pacific is another great one, as you can see some lesser-known lion ruins over there.
02:32Cruise lines with smaller ships and more adventure-focused itineraries like Lindblad Expeditions and Holland American Line are going to be your best bet for finding these smaller ports.
02:40Time your trip with a local festival, and you can get an experience that not a lot of other tourists see.
02:45A quick Google search and you can find festivals like the Noche de Rábanos in Oaxaca on December 23rd, where people display artwork made out of radishes.
02:53Or go to the Fiesta de la Candelaria in Tlacotópan, a town by the Gulf of Mexico.
02:58During the celebration, people listen to a special kind of guitar folk music known as San Jarocho, which mixes Spanish, African, and indigenous culture.
03:06I hope this video gets you thinking of all the different ways you can get off the tourist trail in Mexico, because trust me, it is so worth it.
03:12If you enjoyed this video, give us a like. And if you want to get notified when we share more places and more ways to get off the tourist trail, remember to hit that subscribe button.
03:20Happy travels!
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