solo female travel in mexico: how to have some safe fun by yourself

alright. mexico and i have BEEF.

mexico is a beautiful, diverse country. you have the beautiful beaches, deserts that go for thousands of miles, rocky terrain, ancient ruins, beautiful cities… there is something for absolutely everyone. from my experience, the people and friendly and the food is *chefs kiss*. it’s a no-brainer stop for a solo female traveler.

but for some reason, mexico and i just do not get along. in both my trip to tulum in june 2021 and my trip to isla holbox new years 2022 (and thus my week quarantine in cancun… more on that later) i have had some large no-fun moments.

i’ll fully admit that part of the problem is me: i head to mexico during particularly hectic parts of my life and expect it to solve my mental health. no place can do the work for you.

but it also seems like mexico has something against me. although i have never felt unsafe in the way that most americans view mexico, i have had a lot of unfortunate things happen in my two solo trips.

falling to scams, nasty hostels, bad seaweed conditions….. aaaaand getting covid. the covid isn’t really mexico’s fault, but i did have to quarantine is cancun for a week, so i’ll always associate them together.

but! we always learn in the face of hardship. through all the trials and tribulations, i have learned how to be an expert solo traveler in some of the more on the beaten path destinations. and i have tips! for you!.

my 5 tips for solo female travel in mexico

1. let go of your preconceived notions of mexico. america has been fed a narrative of mexico that is not completely true. mexico is a very safe solo travel destination. just like any country in the world, there are areas to avoid and precautions to take. i have the exact same mindset about my safety traveling to mexico as i do for italy. be smart, keep your valuables safe, and be aware of your surroundings, don’t wander down dark streets at night. send your itinerary to a friend or family member at home. i love this article by adventurous kate about solo travel safety,.

2. identify what kind of solo traveler you are. are you a natural extrovert who craves connection and to meet people from all over the world? or do you want to solo travel so you can revel in experiencing things all by yourself? knowing yourself is a HUGE part of successfully having a fun solo trip.

   it also depends on what kind of person you are. do you like to drink and party on the beach? do you want to explore ruins? do you want to post up at a chic beach club and relax?

   unless you REALLY do not want to be around people and have a true solo experience, i recommend staying in hostels. if you don’t need alone time, stay in a dorm and meet your bunkmates! if you do end space to yourself, most hostels offer private rooms. in either case, you can take advantage of the common spaces and events that hostels put on to help you meet people.

   here are some of my favorites for someone of the more popular areas in mexico:

   • selina in cancun is right by the ado bus station, which can connect you to the airport and most other areas in quitanaroo. it was clean and quiet when i stayed.

   • i have heard great things about tubotulum but have not personally stayed there- it’s right in between the beach and town, with and easy bike ride to each.

   • che hostel holbox was by FAR my favorite hostel i’ve stayed at. the community is great, the wifi is fast and they have cheap communal dinners. che also has locations in bacalar, tulum and playa del carmen which all look rad.

   • while i haven’t had a pleasure yet, a friend recommends casa kraken in puerto vallarta. it looks pretty close to everything.

3. do your research about what time of year you’re going. the eastern coast has a CRAZY seaweed season from june-september, where the seaweed can cover the whole beach. i saw piles 3 feel high when i went to tulum, and i didn’t step foot in the water the whole time. mexico also gets super busy around december-january.

4. take a tour! i feel like airbnb experiences aren’t talked about enough. as an introvert who likes making friends, i love booking an open group tour. in tulum, i booked a cenote tour and ended up meeting 5 other girls my age- we all took photos for each other and ended up spending the whole day getting lunch and talking about recommendations. it’s an easy way to get over your social anxiety while letting an expert to guide you!

5. rent. a. bike. if you are staying in one of the trendier places like merida, tulum or holbox, RENT A BIKE. transportation is expensive by yourself, and biking is the easiest way around. this is especially true for holbox- there are no cars on the islands, only golf carts and bikes.

mexico is such a beautiful place to visit, and is an amazing place for solo women to relax on the beach, explore cathedrals, or meet people from everywhere. i just hope mexico releases it’s curse on me soon!

if this was helpful to you, let me know below or on instagram!