Things you need to know before going to Mexico City
Mexico City was the first destination in our digital nomad adventure, and what a way to start our travels. Mexico City is a vibrant, colourful city full of life; we loved staying here. Will and I stayed in the city over the Christmas period for five weeks from December to January, and we're already planning our return for The Day of the Dead Festival in October next year.
Mexico City is, all in all, a very safe city.
The picture that the media and the movies portray is that it is a dangerous city full of odd characters, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Mexico City is full of wonderful people, food and places; in fact, I would probably say I feel safer here than I do back at home in London - although someone once did get murdered with a machete in the park outside my flat in London, but that's not the point.
Mexico City can give you altitude sickness.
Mexico City is 7,200 ft above sea level, meaning that some people can experience some minor symptoms of altitude sickness, such as feeling short of breath, dehydrated and dizzy - don't worry, your body will acclimatise after a few days.
I ignorantly thought that because I was fit and healthy and went to the gym, I wouldn't be affected by the altitude, which in hindsight, was very naive of me. After going to the gym and struggling to run on the treadmill for more than 5 minutes (for context, I did a half marathon 1 week before we came out to Mexico City, so 5 minutes should be a breeze), I was very quickly humbled.
It did take me by surprise, day one in Mexico, we were jet lagged, so I didn't notice, but on day two, I felt dizzy and had to lie down for most of the day. The best tip I can give you is to drink a load of water and stay as hydrated as possible, even if you don't feel thirsty. All corner shops (there are Oxxo's and 7/11s on every street corner) sell electrolyte drinks that can help keep you hydrated and give you all the nutrients your body needs to help you feel better. As a side note, these are also great for hangovers…
Speaking of which, due to the altitude, alcohol tends to hit you a little harder, so go a little slower on the margaritas, tequilas and micheladas whilst you acclimatise.
You might not be affected by this, but it's worth noting that I'd probably recommend taking your first few days in Mexico City slowly; plan the fun stuff where you'll be out all day from day 3 or 4 onwards to be safe if your holiday length allows you to do so.
Mexico City is great for vegans.
Despite Latin Americans' diets consisting mainly of wheat and meat, there are many vegan cafes and restaurants in Mexico City. Roma is definitely the best area to be in if you're vegan, but places are dotted around everywhere.
The best way to get delicious vegan food in Mexico City is to go to a vegan or vegetarian restaurant specifically. Whereas in the UK, you can be pretty sure that most places have a vegan option, that's not the case in Mexico. We have found that it's best to do your research beforehand. You can use apps like Happy Cow or browse Uber Eats and select the vegan filter to see what options are near where you are staying. Plus, if you feel like going out, Uber Eats or Rappi (the Mexican equivalent) deliver to most locations - and remember to tip your delivery person.
It’s worth noting that if you plan on venturing out of the city, it might be worth packing some food to take with you. A lot of the more rural areas outside Mexico City don’t really understand what vegan is and likely won’t have a vegan option - always research the areas you’re going before your travel.
At the end of our trip, we'll pull together a list of our favourite vegan restaurants and cafes in Mexico City, so stay tuned for that!
Don't assume that everyone speaks English.
Please don't be that person who goes to a foreign country and doesn't even learn 'hello', 'please' and 'thank you' in the local language. A few key phrases will go a long way in most countries.
A few people in Mexico know a few basic English phrases; it's always good to come with a little bit of Spanish prepared. If you struggle to learn languages, then make sure you have the Google Translate app downloaded on your phone. If you need internet, there is the option to download the Spanish translation within the app, so you're never stuck in an awkward language stalemate if you need to talk with someone.
Even if your Spanish skills are rusty or non-existent, Mexicans appreciate it when you at least try. So I recommend you give it a try, even if it's for 30 minutes while you're on the plane or picking up some key phrases on Duo Lingo.
If you want to learn Spanish properly, then I’d recommend getting some lessons - Duo Lingo is great, but it doesn’t explain things as well as a teacher will. I took lessons on Preply, which really helped. When we come back to Mexico next year, I’m hoping to be at a more advanced level.
We've pulled together a list of crucial Spanish phrases you should know/learn before you head out (including the phrase, 'sorry for my Spanish' and some of our favourite local slang) which you can read here.
Mexico City is noisy.
Let me preface this by saying that this is not a complaint, in a vibrant city like Mexico, expect noise. Mexicans love to beep their horns, and there are often alarms going off or loud music playing; honestly, it's all part of the city's charm, and it's something that we have now become accustomed to. If you are a light sleeper, consider bringing earplugs or headphones that you can comfortably sleep in.
Beware of Montezuma's revenge - aka travellers' diarrhoea.
The thing that all travellers will experience at least once on their adventure abroad is the dreaded traveller's diarrhoea. There are some basic things you can do to prevent yourself from being sat on the toilet all night; these certainly aren't groundbreaking solutions, but use your best judgement. At the risk of repeating every other travel blog out there:
Only eat street food from places with big queues or lots of people outside; that's generally a good indicator of a safe place to grab street food.
Don't drink tap water - it is not safe to drink tap water in Mexico. Remember to leave a bottle of water by the bathroom sink when brushing your teeth to be extra safe.
Wash your hands before eating. A lot of the delicious Mexican foods are eaten with your hands, think tacos and nachos, so keep some sanitiser in your bag or wash your hands in the bathroom with soap before tucking into tasty Mexican treats.
Having ice in your drinks should be fine, as this will be store-bought ice as no one in Mexico drinks tap water, including the locals.
Try and avoid super spicy food if you're not used to it.
Different bacteria exist in food in different parts of the globe, so sometimes, despite your best efforts and following all the 'rules', you might still be a victim of traveller's tummy. In that case, drink lots of water, stay in and be gentle to yourself. Whilst it really sucks (we had it two or three times in Mexico), it will pass.
If you have serious issues or can't stop being ill, seek professional medical advice, call your insurance or in emergencies, call 911.
Make yourself aware of the earthquake alarm.
Earthquakes are more common than you think in Mexico, as it sits on a tectonic plate; there are often lots of little earthquakes - most of which you won't even feel. However, it's always good to ensure you know what to do in the unlikely event of a large or life-threatening earthquake. Mexico City has a specific alarm if it detects an earthquake coming - you can hear the sound here. It's a low alarm with almost a humming rhythm, with the announcer saying 'seismic event'.
If you can, get out of the building onto the street; if you can't get outside within 50 seconds of hearing the alarm, then get to the roof of the building if you can, or find a safe spot in your house or apartment, under a table, or against a solid wall, away from glass and away from falling objects such as shelves, books or anything that could knock you out. The buildings in Mexico are built to wobble, so most newish buildings tend to be prepared for this, and most buildings have a sign telling you what to do in an emergency. Again, it's unlikely to happen, but best to be aware of this, so you are prepared for worst-case scenarios.
There was one instance of a magnitude six earthquake whilst we were in Mexico; our friends who live in Roma heard the alarm and had to evacuate their apartment; just a few miles down the road in Polanco, where we were staying, there was no alarm, and we didn't feel much - just a little wobble that I could have mistaken for an energetic upstairs neighbour.
For the digital nomads, Mexico City has fast, reliable Wi-Fi.
One of the first things most digital nomads will be googling is whether the Wi-Fi is reliable in a destination. You'll have no problem connecting to the internet in the city. We stayed in an Airbnb, and the Wi-Fi was over 100mbps, meaning we could have glitch-free video calls, build websites, and stream movies without any frustrating buffering.
Mexico City also has 5G, so you should have no issues if you're browsing the internet on your smartphone. I picked up a SIM card from Oxxo for $70 (£3) and topped it up with $250 (£10) and had 6GB of internet to use and unlimited calls and texts, and that lasted me for the whole month, so don't worry if your phone provider wants to charge you loads for using internet out here (cough cough Vodafone) then pick up a SIM card.
Enjoy yourself
Most importantly, enjoy yourself! Immerse yourself in the Latin American culture; the people are friendly, the food is muy ricos (very delicious), and the city is full of life and hidden gems waiting to be explored.
At the end of our trip, we will put together a list of our favourite places and adventures to give you a guide on what to do during your stay in Mexico City.
