Mexico gets its fair share of contradictions. On one hand, Mexico is the number one travel destination for North Americans. On the other hand, the official statement by the U.S. Department of State advises you to reconsider travel altogether if your destinations include 13 out of Mexico’s 31 states. We travelers are inundated with travel warnings, and yet travel in Mexico is still at the top of our list. In some ways, female solo travelers also face the same contradictions in life.
In the era of independence, more and more people who identify as women are turning to solo travel. After a lifetime of being told “you can’t,” solo travel is a way to reinvent themselves, reimagine the possibilities of travel, and rebuild autonomy. However, solo travelers are also faced with the ever-looming assumption that the world isn’t safe.
Every year, travelers are challenging stigmas against certain countries, as well as assumptions about their own capabilities. Solo travel is a way to discover oneself, but it’s also a way to challenge beliefs.
Kay Kingsman fell into solo travel by accident with a weekend trip in Bordeaux. Nowadays, Kay splits her time between working in STEM research and solo travels, including annual trips to a place she’s never been to, and road-tripping through the Yucatan.
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Solo Travel Is Intimidating, Full Stop
Let’s get one thing out in the open: solo travel is intimidating no matter who you are. Heck, solo travel is daunting even for the seasoned traveler.
The mere thought of traveling to a foreign country alone where you’re likely to experience language barriers and potentially embarrassing cultural faux pas is enough to make someone ex out of their flight trackers.
It’s easy to be fearless when you’re surrounded by familiar faces in a known environment. But to be fearless in a place where you don’t know a single person?
For Kay Kingsman, solo travel happened with a little forethought and a lot of love for food. Enough to push her past those initial boundaries of fear.
But Why Solo Travel in Mexico?
As a Southern Californian, Mexico was never too far away growing up. The Mexi-Cali taco shops and Latina influences built some of those foundations of familiarity. Still, it took a significant motivator to move across the border alone.
The motivation? A Caesar salad.
The Beastie Boys famously once sang, You gotta fight for your right to party. During the 1920s, some North Americans felt the urge to rebel against prohibition. Mexico had an influx of North Americans pouring through the border in the 1920s, two of them were Caesar and Alessandro Cardini. The brothers opened Caesar’s Place in Tijuana, and then the infamous Caesar Salad followed suit.
It takes a true foodie to learn the origin story of their favorite dishes, and in an act of defying her fears of solo travel, Kay drove across the border and had an original Caesar Salad. Things changed after that.
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Solo Travel in Mexico
Despite the fact that Mexico is the most popular tourist destination for North Americans, many travelers aren’t familiar with the historical or cultural nuances of the country.
In an interview with Earth To Editorial, Kay explained the reasons why she wanted to explore Mexico. “[As a South Californian], the food, the culture, and even the language all felt so familiar. Mexico is also a huge country, and I love the idea of visiting all of the different states and seeing (and tasting!) their regional differences.”
In regards to her proximity to the Mexican border, once Kay learned about the origin spot of the Caesar Salad, it dawned on her that she could simply just go. No pre-planning. No complicated logistics.
Kay walked from San Diego to Mexico in just about ten minutes. She showed her passport to border control and within a few more minutes she was walking in Baja, the northernmost state of Mexico.
Where to Solo Travel in Mexico
Years passed, and after a few additional solo travels to Mexico, Kay found that her love for Mexican culture and food had only grown. Perhaps that has to do with the fact that she’s constantly finding newness in Mexico.
When asked for her recommendation on the best spot for food and culture in Mexico, Kay suggested Oaxaca. “The culture of family is so strong in Mexico, the ideology of warmth and welcome even to tourists is what made me fall in love with the country, and I feel like you can feel that best in the smaller big cities like Oaxaca. Outside of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations, Oaxaca City feels very approachable and slow-paced, which is comforting for newer solo travelers or new visitors to Mexico.”
And since Oaxaca is considered Mexico’s food capital, it seems fitting for a foodie adventurer. Kay recommends the cafes in Oaxaca that are open late for remote workers, but there are also a lot of unique cultural tours.
Visitors might also consider day trips to the Monte Albán ruins, one of the earliest Mesoamerican cities and now a UNESCO heritage site, or to Hierve el Agua, a petrified waterfall. Beyond the food scene in Oaxaca, Kay also recommends exploring the textile scene in Teotitlán del Valle where you can find some great souvenirs.
How to Make Friends While Solo Traveling Mexico
Mexico is an excellent destination for solo travelers. Whether you prefer to mingle with the locals or want to cast a wide international net, the sunny disposition of locals combined with a thriving expat community make it an easy choice for all personality types.
For Kay, a self-proclaimed introvert, the most overwhelming idea about solo travel had more to do with putting herself out there in a new social setting.
“[With solo travel], You are put into situations that do force you to be a bit more social. If you have to ask for directions or want to talk to someone – you have to approach people you don’t know, and that was the mental barrier for me. However, it came to a point where sometimes you DO have to go it alone – and that’s true for many things in life.”
However, Kay wishes she knew how easy (and stress-free) making friends would be. For other individuals who experience social anxiety, she recommends joining a small walking tour or a guided group trip.
Having someone there to facilitate the group takes the pressure off of connecting with new people. Also, the topic of the tour (for example, a historic tour of Mexico City) expresses common interest and makes for a great icebreaker! Not only will you learn important information about the place you visit, but you may also make a new friend.
Most other travelers are also on the lookout for new connections, so it’s almost always a good idea to simply start a conversation, you never know where it may lead.
Tips for First-Time Solo Travelers
Being a solo traveler means you have to adopt a few different personalities. You have to be the planner, the trip mom or dad, and the type A organizer, just so you can enjoy the occasional passenger princess moments.
“It came to a point where sometimes you DO have to go it alone – and that’s true for many things in life.“
This is to say that when you’re alone, you rely on yourself. Solo travelers should buy a few items helpful for solo travelers, such as AirTags, to keep in their luggage so no personal items get lost. It might be a good idea to share your location in real-time with a trusted friend or family member and to wear comfortable shoes so you can explore without restriction.
Kay’s final tip is to challenge yourself to always shop local, whether that’s a locally-owned bed and breakfast rather than a hotel, a family-run restaurant, or an artisanal souvenir shop.
“Tourism dollars can impact a community way beyond our trip, and so it is always best to try to steer those dollars toward sustainable tourism practices.”
What Should Solo Travelers Know Before Coming to Mexico?
If you book a trip to Mexico, you can expect two things: great food and friendly people. While Mexican food is often replicated in places all around the world, there is nothing quite like that first bite of ceviche or tacos al pastor in the motherland.
Yes, you should eat as much as possible, but just remember that food poisoning is always a possibility no matter where you go. If you go to a reputable restaurant, sanitation standards are usually high, but no matter how safe that particular place is, some unexpected variables can occur.
For example, you won’t be used to the normal bacteria in another country. The most common stomach issue for solo travelers comes from drinking tap water.
If you have a concern, drink only bottled water or bring a water bottle with a built-in purification system. Also, check online reviews or ask around for food recommendations.
Street food is one of the best places to get an authentic dining experience, from food vendors in Chiang Mai, Thailand, to classic hot dogs in New York City. Don’t be afraid to try street food, but look for places with a long queue and high praise from locals.
Also, not every city has strong plumbing infrastructure (Kay cited Oaxaca as one of these places). Bring travel-size wet wipes to ensure you always have access to tissues if you need them.
Kay began her solo travels in Mexico to hunt for authentic and original food experiences, from a classic Caesar Salad to the essential Mexican flavors in Oaxaca.
Some may have false assumptions about solo travelers, but in reality, we are all different kinds of people. Solo travelers are gregarious, wallflowers, foodies, historians, adventurers, resort lovers, city-slickers, hikers, and so much more. If you take a chance on solo travel in Mexico, it can be for any reason and any personality; the important thing is to see what’s waiting there for you.
