A land of fiestas and fun, the sun burns brightly over the majestic land of Mexico, which is what has helped pull in a plethora of tourists and expats from all over the planet, looking to have a great time in a nation that has continued to have its arms held open to the world. This reputation has only increased in the last year or so, as Mexico remains one of the only countries to have kept their borders open to travel without any restrictions.
However, with the rise of this incredible Latin American destination comes some obvious pitfalls, including the hype over destinations within Mexico that though once were great, are now heavily overrated, and a massive disappointment to those looking for a great holiday, or even a place to live.
With that in mind, here are the top 5 overrated cities in Mexico to avoid, and ideas of where you should visit instead, that would give you more of the kind of fun in the sun you are so keen to look for!
Overrated: Tulum
The media and travel influencer darling of the past few years, Tulum once was a picturesque but sleepy little town, set against the backdrop of ancient Mayan ruins overlooking the Caribbean Sea. However, once the ‘it’ crowd decided to come here, and make it well and truly known as an Instagram mecca, Tulum has slowly but surely lost its once quaint personality, to become a shadow of its former self.
Just like how certain parts of Bali in Indonesia lost parts of its culture to the swaths of party-goers, Tulum now caters to those looking for smoothie bowls, cheap drugs, and a diffusion of Mexican culture that now only runs skin deep. It is a shallow representation of a town that year after year becomes less entertaining and more seedy, filled to the brim with local and increasingly foreign scammers, hustlers, and shady folks looking to take your cash, credit, and bitcoin off you, straight to their bank.
Even the proverbial reason why people came to Tulum in the first place, the ruins on the beach, would be dispirited to know that the town of Tulum itself is far enough away from the main attraction, that it requires an expensive taxi ride both there and back, in order to peruse the ruins. All in all, though Tulum has its moments of beauty, the crowds of arrogant, pseudo-bourgeois tourists coming in droves in the hopes of making this place into Burning Man on the beach, has only made this place feel like Fyre festival all over again – a total shambles and scam.
And for those not familiar with the millennial lexicon just stated above, just know that the new-wave popularity of Tulum has all but destroyed any feeling of charm this town once had, which is why I cannot stress enough that sadly this place has become one of the most overrated cities in Mexico.
Better Option: Bacalar
For those looking for something of what Tulum used to be, a great chilled out place to relax would be this town a bit further south down the Mayan Riviera, in a beautiful jungle setting with a lovely, multi-colored lake. Small, quaint, and perfectly located for a quick getaway to neighboring Belize, Bacalar still maintains its pedigree as a charming, little Mexican town, set on the banks of a paradisaical lake, and remains a far better option to consider for tourists and expats alike than Tulum.
Overrated: Cancun
Of course the infamous main hub to the Mayan Riviera was always going to find itself on this list, as Cancun will usually be the first taste of Quintana Roo that most visitors and expats get, and it isn’t a particularly inspiring one.
Built a generation ago, akin to a sort of Las Vegas on the beach, this town has all the clubs and all-you-can-eat resorts you could imagine, set onto a admittedly beautiful, white sand beach, overlooking crystal clear blue waters – which happens to be Cancun’s one redeeming feature. However, for those looking for a tropical experience that isn’t of the saccharine, cruise-ship variety, than unfortunately Cancun isn’t going to fit your bill.
As it is in historical terms a very new town, Cancun has no actual Mexican culture – with the high prevalence of Wal-Mart’s and fast food eateries, in fact this city feels more akin to a rip-off of South Florida, than anything authentically Latin American. Though for some this is more of a positive, and they are just looking to have a trashy, spring break at a nightclub on the beach, by morning Cancun reveals itself to lack true personality, charm, or even the friendly people that Mexico is well known for having.
This ultimately results in Cancun being a nice-enough destination for a few days to enjoy the beach, and the quirky American rip-offs, but for most tourists, and especially expats, this city remains one of the most overrated cities in Mexico due to its fatiguing lack of authenticity, where one will always be just another outsider, a walking dollar-bill sign just waiting to be collected.
Better Option: Isla Mujeres
The good news is that for those looking for a lovely, beautiful beach holiday, with some of the most stunning beaches that give Cancun a run for its money, you need to look no further than the close-by island of Isla Mujeres. Though the island does have some of the fake Western quirks that Cancun does, like Senor Frogs for example, Isla Mujeres manages to maintain a sense of authentic, Mexican charm and beauty that it’s counterpart lacks, and ends up providing a far more classy, friendly, and happy experience than almost anywhere else on the Mayan Riviera.
Overrated: Playa del Carmen
The last of the overrated cities in Mexico set in the Mayan Riviera, it would be difficult for me to overlook the unfortunate truth behind Playa del Carmen, which has become as of recent one of the top spots for digital nomads and expats alike, who are moving to this part of Mexico.
I really had high hopes for Playa, as I’d heard many great things about it prior to visiting, and I wondered what all the hype could be about. But reader be forewarned – out of any single town in Quintana Roo, I found Playa del Carmen to be by far the worst for many reasons.
Though like Cancun, the water is very blue, you won’t be able to enjoy it with all the hustlers and scammers on the beach, who will not leave you alone. This kind of treatment continues while walking down any of the major streets, like the well-known Avenida Cinco (5th Avenue), where I repeatedly dealt with some of the worst harassment in all of my travels around the world.
This ultimately leads to this city being one of the least relaxing places I’ve gone in Mexico, and also gives off the impression that it is also one of the least safe – this would not just be my opinion, as the recent spat of rising crime levels in the city, including various shootings in local nightclubs in Playa would begin to demonstrate.
Sadly, I do feel that Playa on paper looks like it could’ve been an awesome place for digital nomads and tourists alike at one point, but with the influx and shift of so many people here in such a small amount of time, this city on the Mexican Riviera has lost any real value that it may have once had, and I cannot recommend you steer clear of Playa del Carmen enough, if you are planning on moving to, or visiting Mexico.
Better Option: Puerto Vallarta
That said, if you are looking for a digital-nomad friendly town, set on a lovely beach, as well as somewhere far safer, cleaner, friendlier, and with far less scammy hustlers running about, than I would recommend looking at Mexico’s opposite coast, and at the town of Puerto Vallarta. Set on a beautiful stretch of land overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Puerto Vallarta gives you all the things like convenience and comfort you could ever need or want, but without all the over-touristy hassle that goes on in Playa – definitely somewhere to consider for the prospective expat or open-minded tourist, looking for a less stressful location to sit back in, relax, and enjoy.
Overrated: Cabo San Lucas
Continuing westward along our journey on the Pacific coast of Mexico, we run smack dab into Cancun’s supposedly classier counterpart in Cabo San Lucas, at the very tip of the state of Baja California Sur. However, despite being lauded as a more ritzy destination for those looking for their own little slice of Mexican paradise, unfortunately I found this place to be anything but.
For starters, the beach on this side is far more dangerous than that of the Riviera, where even the most experienced swimmers and surfers can fall victim to Cabo’s deadly rip-tides. As such, if you’re looking for a place to swim in crystal clear blue waters, just know in advance that Cabo’s waters are best enjoyed at a distance.
Additionally, when in Cabo, you are essentially unto an island of yourself, as just north of the city, and stretching all the way up towards the border city of Tijuana, lies a pretty dangerous area, frequented by the area’s active drug cartels. This means that if you get bored, and want a change of scenery, the only way out without taking chances is by taking a flight to another city in the country, which can quickly become an expensive bill.
In fact, it is perhaps the expensive nature of Cabo itself that I find makes it one of the most overrated cities in Mexico – perhaps because I know how much of a better deal I can get for my money, in so many other places in the country, on everything from groceries, to tourist attractions, to hotel rooms, and more.
Ultimately, though Cabo San Lucas does have it’s perks, and it is on the whole a more classy destination than what you’d probably find in the Mexican Riviera (Isla Mujeres not withstanding), I just find that ultimately the juice is really not worth the squeeze when it comes to this town situated at the tip of Western Mexico, when so many better options exist, that are safer, better connected to other places in the country, and provide far better value for your money as well.
Better Option: Puerto Escondido
For an experience that is perhaps a bit more off the beaten path, but rivals Cabo for its sophisticated atmosphere, look no further than Puerto Escondido, on the Pacific Coast of Oaxaca state. This town offers a much nicer swimming beach, more affordable lifestyle, and plenty of things to do in a safe locale that has become a hotbed for new expats, looking to reconnected with nature, others, and themselves.
Overrated: San Miguel de Allende
Lastly, I couldn’t finish this guide if I left out the center of Mexico, which plays host to the incredible Mexico City, the nations capital, and most populated city in all of Latin America. Not as incredible – the town of San Miguel de Allende, which Forbes recognized as the Best Small City in the world in 2017 and 2018.
Indeed, I am taking an alternative take to that of big money, as I find that San Miguel, despite its charms, has a lot lacking when it comes to offering a beautiful small town experience, with a big Mexican heart attached to it. A growing destination in popularity among many retirees, San Miguel de Allende at first seems the perfect place to sit out ones golden years, but unfortunately the cracks in the facade soon start to appear.
I am talking of course about the lack of authentic culture that is a direct result from the over-tourism of the town, as well as the lack of things to do, once you get over the beautiful central cathedral, built during Spanish colonial times.
In fact, San Miguel de Allende actually suffers from being a smaller town as a result, as the rapid population growth of foreigners have actually seemed that much more profound, and as a result, for those retirees and expats wanting to have a bit more culture and Latin America zest in their lives, San Miguel will leave you always wanting.
It may be safe, clean, and small enough to get to know intimately, but if you are looking for a smaller town in Mexico to retire to, or even work in as a digital nomad, San Miguel de Allende unfortunately only offers more of the same that you could find better versions of back in the states – Santa Fe, New Mexico being only one example of many, that leave this town not really being all it’s cracked up to be.
Better Option: Merida
That said, if you still want the small town life, with all the beautiful colonial architecture you could want to boot, and have it set in a safe, authentic, Mexican setting, then look no further than Merida, back near the Mayan Rivera. The capital of Yucatan state, Merida is a beautiful little town with all the modern conveniences you could want, and is actually quite a sizable city, but still manages to maintain a truly small town feel. Along with a surrounding of many more things to see and do, like the neighboring Chichen Itza and beach-town of Progresso, and Merida becomes that much more attractive to the prospective retiree and expat (I speak from experience, as I’ve lived in Merida myself!).
So there you have it, the top 5 most overrated cities in Mexico, and my advice as to where you should be looking to instead, to give yourself the leg up on the influencers and backpackers, so you can have the Latin American life of your dreams! Have you ever been to, or lived in Mexico? What places did you enjoy, or not enjoy? Let me know in the comments section below!