BeachCancún & Riviera Maya Beach Week
- 5★ beach hotel on the Riviera Maya
- Flights from London, direct or one stop
- Return airport transfers
From£1,299per person · 2 sharing
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Mexico · Holidays from the UK
Mexico holidays from the UK
Caribbean beaches at Cancún and the Riviera Maya, Mayan pyramids and cenotes in the Yucatán, and the museums and markets of Mexico City. A UK consultant arranges your flights, hotels and transfers as one ATOL protected holiday.
Packages from £899 per person, with return flights, hotel and transfers
Direct from London
Flights from Heathrow to Cancún or Mexico City take approx. 11 to 12 hours, or fly with one stop from other UK airports.
Beaches and ruins
Warm sea, white sand and Mayan sites such as Chichén Itzá and Tulum within reach of the coast.
Seafood and vegetarian food
Fresh fish, beans, corn and vegetable dishes are easy to find, even where halal meat is not.
ATOL protected
Holidays that include a flight are protected under ATOL 10416.
Mexico holiday packages
Mexico holiday packages
Flights, hotel and transfers in one price. Every package can be changed: more nights, a different hotel or another UK airport.
3 packages · guide prices per person
Beach
City breakMexico City Break
- 5★ hotel in Reforma
- Flights from London, direct or one stop
- Transfers and a Teotihuacán day trip
From£899per person · 2 sharing
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Twin-centreYucatán Ruins & Beach
- 5★ hotels in two places
- Flights from London, direct or one stop
- Private road transfers
From£1,649per person · 2 sharing
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Overview
Mexico holiday guide for UK travellers
Mexico holidays from the UK are long-haul, with direct flights from London Heathrow to Cancún taking approx. 11 hours and to Mexico City approx. 12 hours. Most visitors choose a week on the Caribbean coast, a few days in the capital, or a tour of the Yucatán Peninsula. Dry, sunny weather runs from around November to April.
Cancún and the Riviera Maya make up the Caribbean coast, a long strip of white sand and warm, shallow sea that runs south from Cancún through Playa del Carmen towards Tulum. Hotels here range from large beach resorts to smaller properties close to town centres. Inland, the Yucatán Peninsula has Mayan cities such as Chichén Itzá and Cobá, colonial towns such as Valladolid, and cenotes, natural freshwater sinkholes you can swim in.
Mexico City sits high in the central highlands, approx. 2,240 metres above sea level. Its historic centre has the Zócalo, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Palacio de Bellas Artes, and the National Museum of Anthropology is in Chapultepec Park. Teotihuacán, with its pyramids, is a day trip of approx. 1 hour each way.
Where to stay
Where to stay in Mexico
Three bases for a first visit, from the Caribbean coast to the capital. Transfer times are approximate and depend on your hotel.
Cancún
Beach · Families · Resorts
A long beach strip with a calm lagoon on one side and the Caribbean on the other, with large hotels, restaurants and a short ferry to Isla Mujeres.
Nearest airport: Cancún Airport, approx. 20–30 mins
Packages from £1,299 pp
Riviera Maya
Beach · Ruins · Cenotes
Playa del Carmen and the coast south of it, with white sand, snorkelling, cenotes and the Tulum ruins approx. 1 hour away by road.
Nearest airport: Cancún Airport, approx. 50 mins to 1 hr
Packages from £1,299 pp
Mexico City
City break · History · Food
Plazas, museums, markets and parks across a very large city, with Teotihuacán and Xochimilco both within a day trip.
Nearest airport: Mexico City Airport, approx. 30–45 mins
Packages from £899 pp
Things to see
Places to see in Mexico
A few of the sights to plan your trip around. We can suggest hotels close to the ones you most want to see.
Weather
Mexico weather by month
Average daytime highs in Cancún and Mexico City, with the sea temperature at Cancún. The chart runs from July to June, so the dry season sits in one block. Hover over or tap a month for the figures.
View as a table
| Month | Cancún | Sea at Cancún | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul | 32°C | 28°C | 24°C |
| Aug | 33°C | 29°C | 24°C |
| Sep | 32°C | 29°C | 23°C |
| Oct | 30°C | 28°C | 23°C |
| Nov | 29°C | 28°C | 23°C |
| Dec | 28°C | 27°C | 22°C |
| Jan | 28°C | 26°C | 22°C |
| Feb | 28°C | 26°C | 24°C |
| Mar | 30°C | 26°C | 26°C |
| Apr | 32°C | 26°C | 27°C |
| May | 32°C | 27°C | 27°C |
| Jun | 32°C | 28°C | 25°C |
Long-term averages from weather2travel.com. Actual weather varies year to year.
November to April
The driest months on the coast, with daytime highs of around 28–32°C and a sea of around 26–28°C. Mexico City is dry and mild, at around 22–27°C.
May to October
Hotter and more humid on the coast, at around 32–33°C, with more rain, mostly in short heavy showers. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, and storms are most likely in the later months.
Seaweed on the beaches
Sargassum seaweed can wash up on some Caribbean beaches between spring and autumn. Amounts vary by year and by beach, and many hotels clear their own stretch of sand.
A quiet beach on the Caribbean coast
Muslim-friendly travel
Muslim-friendly travel in Mexico
Mexico is not a Muslim-majority country, and halal food is limited. Seafood and vegetarian dishes are widely available, and some resorts can arrange meals on request. We’re honest about what exists, and we confirm each hotel’s facilities before you book.
- Halal food is limitedHalal restaurants are few; Mexico City has some Lebanese and Middle Eastern places, so ask about the meat
- Seafood and vegetarianFish, shrimp, beans, corn dishes and vegetable plates are easy to find, with care over lard and sauces
- Meals on requestSome resorts can sometimes arrange special meals if asked in advance; this varies by hotel
- Halal flight mealsMost airlines offer halal meals on request when you book; we can note this for you
- PrayerBring a prayer mat and a qibla app; hotel rooms are private, and facilities vary by hotel
- Confirmed before bookingWe check what each hotel can offer, and we never describe a hotel as halal unless it is
Mexico holiday FAQs
Questions about Mexico holidays
Quick answers for UK travellers. For anything else, our UK team is happy to help.
020 7871 4545How long is the flight to Mexico from the UK?
Direct flights from London Heathrow to Cancún take approx. 11 hours, and to Mexico City approx. 12 hours. From other UK airports you usually fly with one stop, which makes the journey longer. Cancún is 5 hours behind the UK in winter and 6 hours behind in summer; Mexico City is 6 hours behind in winter and 7 in summer.
Do I need a visa for Mexico?
UK passport holders do not normally need a visa for a holiday in Mexico, but there are entry formalities, and rules and local fees can change. Check the latest entry requirements, including your passport validity, before you travel. We can tell you the general rules, but we can’t apply for entry documents for you.
Is Mexico suitable for Muslim travellers?
Mexico is not a Muslim-majority country, and halal food is limited. Seafood and vegetarian dishes are easy to find, Mexico City has some Middle Eastern restaurants, and some resorts can sometimes arrange meals on request. Facilities vary by hotel, so we confirm them before you book.
When is the best time to visit Mexico?
November to April is the driest and most settled period on the coast, with daytime highs of around 28–32°C. May to October is hotter and wetter, and the hurricane season runs from June to November. Mexico City is mild all year, at around 22–27°C, with most rain from June to September.
Does seaweed affect the beaches?
Sargassum seaweed can wash up on some Caribbean beaches between spring and autumn. It varies by year and beach, and many hotels clear their stretch of sand each day. Ask your consultant about the time of year you plan to travel.
Are Mexico holiday packages ATOL protected?
Yes. Holidays that include a flight are protected under ATOL 10416, and you’ll receive an ATOL Certificate when you pay.
More holiday destinations
You might also like
Other long-haul beach and city holidays with warm weather and direct or one-stop flights.
South East AsiaThailand
Bangkok · Phuket · Krabi
Bangkok’s temples and street food, then Phuket or Krabi for limestone cliffs and island hopping.
Indian OceanMaldives
Malé atolls · island resorts
Water villas, reefs and white sand, including halal-friendly resorts that suit honeymoons.
South East AsiaBali & Indonesia
Nusa Dua · Seminyak · Sanur · Ubud
Rice terraces around Ubud and calm beaches in Nusa Dua, with mostly Muslim Lombok a short flight away.
Planning a Mexico holiday?
Tell us your plans, we’ll price it up
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