How should a first-time traveller plan Mexico without overpacking it?
Mexico is not one easy beach-and-city loop. Pick a strong spine — Mexico City and Oaxaca, Yucatán and the Riviera Maya, or Baja and the sea — then let the country be big instead of fighting it.
Answer
Start by choosing the trip’s centre of gravity. Mexico City and Oaxaca suit food, culture, museums and inland rhythm; Yucatán and the Riviera Maya suit ruins, cenotes and beach logistics; Baja is a different sea-and-desert journey again. Trying to stitch all of them into one short trip usually turns Mexico into airports, bus stations and half-felt places. A better first route gives each region enough time to become distinct. Mexico is generous, but it does not reward travellers who treat distance, heat and safety variation as minor details.