Baja California in the northwest is the world's longest peninsular, and the whole country is roughly a quarter the size of the USA. With such varying altitudes, the landscapes vary enormously too. A fifth of the country is still rainforest, although this has been severely depleted, but there are also deserts, scrubland, pine forests, mountain scenery and volcanic craters. A national park surrounds some of the best volcanic scenery near Mexico City, and Mexico City itself lies at quite an altitude of 2,240 metres.

The flat, low Yucatan is a huge, limestone shelf, which extends out to sea for several kilometres, before dropping away. This creates shallow, warm waters just off the coast, which are fabulous for watersports and diving (but not so good for shipping!). The rainy season here runs from mid-August to mid-October, and the average maximum daily temperature ranges from 22ºC to 29ºC. As there are no rivers here, the rainwater that collects in limestone sinkholes or cenotes during the wet season provides drinking water for the rest of the year. Beautiful white sand beaches and tropical vegetation edge the east coast, and this is where the holiday resorts are concentrated.

This is a predominantly catholic, Spanish speaking country, with a population of 93 million. The majority of people are mestizos, which means they are of mixed Spanish and Mexican descent, while the rest are Indians who are directly descended from the pre-Spanish inhabitants. There is a noticeable rich/poor divide, with an estimated 45 million people living in extreme poverty. Perhaps this is why so many are arrested each year trying to cross illegally into the US.

Mexican Holiday Destinations

Looking for holidays in Mexico? Our Mexican holiday destinations include Caribbean Coast