Hi Mexico-loving friends! Mexico news is relatively quiet at this time of year.

Hi Mexico-loving friends! Mexico news is relatively quiet at this time of year. Most of us who love Mexico tend to avoid it during these boiling-hot, hurricane-heavy months and opt for summer days spent elsewhere (I'll personally be sweating in Spain instead!). The news that has made the biggest headlines this month is the death of two tourists in a high-end resort located in Pescadero, a few minutes' drive from Todos Santos in Baja California Sur. While the cause of death is still being confirmed, it is likely that it has something to do with a gas leak.  This is not the first time I have heard of this problem around hotels and Airbnb in Mexico. It's a scary thing to deal with and one that has led me to purchase a portable carbon monoxide detector to take with me on my next trip to Mexico later this year.  For those that are living in Mexico or that spend a large portion of their year there, you may have noticed that your dollar isn't stretching quite as far as it used to.  In May, the Mexican Peso hit a 7-year high against the dollar making things more expensive for those that are living from US Dollar to the Peso.

Mexico City Guidebook

The latest update for my Mexico City travel guide was completed in February and I am so happy to share it with you all. After years of avoiding creating maps for the book, I finally had a professional map-maker put together some fantastic images that I think will help make the book even better and more importantly, will help you navigate Mexico City with ease and understanding. You can purchase a digital copy here. If you purchase the digital book, you will receive free updates of the book for life. If you would prefer a paperback copy, you can purchase the latest copy on Amazon here. If you have recently purchased or used the newest version of the Mexico City guidebook, it would mean the absolute world to me if you took a moment to leave a review on Amazon. You can do so here.  Send me a screenshot of your review and I will send you a discount code to purchase any other Mexico Guidebooks at 50% off!

Mexico Content Around the Web

Check out that video here.This month, the Kinetic Kennons posted a fun video about their experiences in Puerto Escondido which you can watch here. Maddie Gold shares her experience on a Spanish immersion retreat with Jim and May of Spanish and Go. I went on their retreat a few years ago in Guanajuato and it was AMAZING. You can watch her video here and check out my experience from a few years ago to learn more here (you can also see that I once had blonde hair ). Tourist to Local made a fantastic video about their experience in the yellow Yucatan town of Izamal. This region doesn't seem to get the attention it deserves, but it is so packed with culture, amazing food, and wonderful people. Check out that video here.

Expats & Locals Around Mexico

As always with Mexico, I highly recommend seeking out people who are currently living in the places that you want to visit. Speak to the locals living in those places and find out how you can better integrate. Ask questions, be curious and kind. For updates about Mexico City, as always I recommend following Ubish Yaren on Instagram. You can also follow Anais of The Curious Mexican for updates on the restaurant and food scene in Mexico City and what is back open. For updates about what's going on in Oaxaca and around Mexico, Susan of Brooklyn Tropicali has been sharing a trip that she is taking around the country, but she also shares off-the-beaten-path Oaxaca content. Trisha of PS I'm On My Way currently lives in Cabo San Lucas and can share some insights into what is happening there with you. Check out her website here. She also has a great Mexico-specific website called Mexico Insider which you can read here. For regular updates about life in Merida and around the Yucatan, check out Mexico Cassie who has also recently written a fantastic guide about Traveling Yucatan with Kids. Shelley of Travel Mexico Solo also shares her experiences in Merida and around the Yucatan. She also has a fantastic blog all about Merida here and all about Oaxaca here.  The Yucatan Times is the local English newspaper in Merida that shares local updates and news reports. To keep up with what's going on in and around Guadalajara, follow Alex of the Backpacking Brunette. Vallarta Daily is the local English news there where you can learn about any changes in the situation in Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding Nayarit beach towns as well. Unfortunately, this has been purchased by Mexico New Daily and all articles now sit behind a paywall, but if you are living in Vallarta, then it may be a subscription you want to consider. Riviera Maya News is the local English newspaper there where you can keep up with changes. I believe this is the region that is changing the most in regards to safety at the minute and if you plan to independently travel here (renting a car and exploring without tours or away from resorts), then I highly recommend speaking to someone who is there right now. As always, a great place to keep up to date with news about what's happening all over Mexico in English is Mexico News Daily. The newspaper is going through some changes, so I'm never 100% sure whether I'll be able to see a bunch of articles or none at all on a given day, but it seems that if you register as a user (for free), you are able to see more articles at the moment.

Visiting Mexico Soon?

If you are planning a trip to Mexico soon, I hope you'll have a browse of the different Mexico guides on my blog or have a search through my YouTube videos to help you plan your trip! I also have FOUR extensive guidebooks available for Baja California Sur, Mexico City (updated February 2023!!), Merida, and Guanajuato! If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to email me by simply hitting reply on this email. Speak soon and safe travels, Laura