aussiedreamer

Wow, thank you so much for you awesome and quick reply. Love all your suggestions, especially re Guadalajara, everything I've been reading suggests we should skip it. Your description of Guanajuato is fantastic and just what we needed to hear. Thank you.

I am about to read your blog and do some bus research.

Have a great day.

D

aussiedreamer

ps. Would it be 'safe/smart' to drive between PV and Guanajuato?

mlgb

I would just fly, personally. But hopefully bald0ne who drives in Mexico will chime in. Or I would just stick the Oaxaca, Puebla and Mexico City.

I would fly to Oaxaca. You can either fly back to Mexico City. Or bus to Puebla, spend 2 nights, then bus Puebla to CDMX. The bus rides that route are quite nice, especially between Puebla and CDMX.

I would probably work on finding lodgings in Oaxaca and Mexico City first and then lay the trip around the dates that are available.

bald0ne

Some random thoughts.
I agree with mlgb that flying from PVR to BJX is probably the way to go, even with transit times to/from the airport. Bjx is about 45 minutes or so from Guanajuato's Centro. Volaris currently has a 1 way fare for $177 USD. About an hour flight.
Renting a car for that leg probably wouldn't be practical, given expensive one-way drop off fees. If even available. And drop off likely would be at BJX. So then you'd still have a taxi ride to guanajuato. But if I were to drive, I'd take the mountain route out of PV and visit some of Jalisco's Pueblo Mágicos. But that would add 3-4 days to your trip.
I've been to all of Mexico's big industrial cities, and while I enjoyed most, Guadalajara was my least favorite.

aussiedreamer

This is so helpful and informative, thankyou so much.

It looks like, if I’m reading / understanding correctly, that a possible itinerary would be:

PV for the week, fly to Oaxaca, then use the bus to get to Mexico City, via Puebla?

thank you again…. I’m off to secure accommodation, I’d love suggestions for nice/ interesting places to stay. Not necessarily 5* hotels.

bald0ne

So, it looks like you'd be eliminating Guanajuato/Guadalajara? Probably would simplify things considerably. Fwiw, flights from PVR to OAX will almost certainly make a stop/transfer at MEX. I guess I'm just thinking out loud, but that could potentially allow you to change your itinerary a bit. As long as you'd be transiting at MEX, do you just stay there for your X number of nights and then move on to Puebla & Oaxaca? And there is a bus to Puebla leaving directly from MEX.

bald0ne

And if you were still keen on renting a car to get away from PV's crowds to a smaller town, perhaps an overnight in San Sebastián del Oeste would work out.

aussiedreamer

Thank you… yeah maybe but we do also depart from Mexico City at the end. I’ll look into it. 🤔

aussiedreamer

BaldOne…. Thanks again, I’ve looked into it a bit more and your advice is spot on re transiting through CDMX. So after canceling the Red Door B&B for different dates, I’ve managed to secure 4 nights after PV. So we will do that and then maybe 1/2 nights again in cDMX before our departure.

Now onto accommodation in Puebla and Oaxaca.
Oh and book some flights ;
PV to CDMX
Oaxaca to CDMX

love it when a trip starts to come together.

Crellston, I can’t find your blog?

bald0ne

Glad you could get Red Door for different dates!
Something I tend to recommend in situations like yours is on the return leg to CDMX is to stay a couple of nights in the centro histórico after Condesa/Roma. Such an itinerary gives you both the 'hip & historic'. The Gran Hotel is iconic, right on the Zócalo but pricey. Maitaitom did a nice report featuring the hotel. We were finally able to stay there about a year ago. But there are tons of options.
In Puebla, we typically stay at the Colonial, mostly because we drive and they have parking. But it also has an excellent location and is priced lower-midrange.
In Oaxaca, we've usually booked Suites La Fe. Not a hotel, but rather a small 5 apartment complex about 3 blocks from the Zócalo. We first stayed there in the pre-air bnb era so similar options are available these days.


Interior of the Gran Hotel

aussiedreamer

So flights booked with Aeromexico PV to CDMX, 4 x nights at Red Tree House.

Will I need to pre book the bus from CDMX to Puebla and onto Oaxaca, or just arrange when we get there ?


Ps. Thoughts on using a driver to get to Puebla/ Oaxaca??

bald0ne

You really shouldn't need to pre-booked your buses unless your dates for Puebla/Oaxaca falls on or around a major holiday and it doesn't look like it will. That said, if you reserve the Oaxaca bus in advance (like a day or 2 before), you can ensure you get seated with a view as the scenery is impressive. Pebla to Oaxaca you'll want the right hand side, return trip, the left. If it were me, I'd stick with a bus and skip a driver. Buses are very comfortable and have bathrooms and no doubt be considerably cheaper than a driver. And most people like to use the Paseo Destino bus station in Puebla, at least when arriving from CDMX. And don't bok an AU bus to Oaxaca, those are 2nd class w/o bathrooms.

aussiedreamer

I've spoken to our host at the Red Tree House and he is more than happy to assist with bus tickets and info on arrival, so I'll leave it till then. I will now checkout hotels etc in Puelba and Oaxaco, thank you again for all your assistance.

crellston

Sounds like it is coming together.

We have somewhere booked for CDMX but I emailed The Red Tree House and they have put us on their wait list 🤞. A very popular place!

In Puebla I just booked L Hotel Perla Boutique and got a great ( and genuine) deal on booking.com looks great and in an ideal location close to the Zocalo. Previously we stayed at Mesón Sacristía de la Compañia which was also very nice and Hotel Boutique Casa de Palma, again, a nice place in good location.

aussiedreamer

Just booked L Hotel Perla for 3 nights after CDMX, thank you , looks perfect. Also Cas de la Luz for our final 3 nights in CDMX, now onto Oaxaca.

crellston

WE shall. be in L hotel Perla in 4 weeks - I will let you know how it goes.

Tdiddy12

Crellston, don't want to hijack aussiedreamer post, but we are in the Yucatan for the month of Jan. 2025. Maybe we can talk about it!

Tdiddy12

Aussiedreamer, can't help jumping in here! We have been to pretty much all of the places you have mentioned in your posts. Have been helped enormously by Baldone and Crellston ( tip of the sombrero, lads). What I feel hasn't been mentioned here is what kind of traveler are you? For instance, I realize that coming from Australia there would be a desire to pack in as much as you can, however, there is something to be said for taking a breath and just enjoying a Mexico experience. You can easily spend a week in Oaxaca, last year we spent two weeks. Also Mexico City is simply amazing, you will be in La Condessa and it is so relaxed to walk around find good restaurants, look at dogs, and Uber to some amazing museums. Bus travel is fantastic in Mexico City, we've done most of the Colonial towns, it's inexpensive, easy, clean and a great way to travel. So just something to think about, do you want to spend a lot of time in an airport or bus to get to a number of destinations, or would you like to really soak in some Mexican culture at a slower pace, If that later is the case, I would consider Oaxaca, and hour flight from CDMX and spending time in CDMX. Just my opinion

claytongonzalez6982

Traveling through certain parts of Mexico can be a bit complex, especially when it comes to driving long distances. Here’s a more refined take on the situation:

Driving Safety Considerations
If you choose to drive, it's generally best to avoid long distances on the western side of Mexico. Opt for a low-profile, two-wheel-drive car rather than a 4x4 SUV or truck. This is because larger vehicles can attract attention, and while cartels aren't specifically targeting tourists or their cars, it's always better to keep a low profile. The region around Puerto Vallarta (PV) is controlled by the CJNG cartel, which is known for being particularly aggressive. While this cartel isn't as extreme as the former Zetas, it's not as focused on community welfare as the Sinaloa cartel, which tends to try to avoid harm to innocent people. (Normally, but right now as a civil war has broken out in Sinaloa)

Safety in Tourist Areas
Tourist areas like PV and Cancun are generally safe for visitors, as cartels have a vested interest in maintaining stability in these regions. While it might seem surprising, their involvement in the tourism industry means that violence is bad for business. As a result, they prioritize keeping these areas safe to encourage tourism and maintain their business interests.

Crime Risks & General Safety Tips
While tourists are generally safe from cartel-related violence, it's still important to use common sense:
- Avoid walking alone in unlit or isolated areas, especially late at night.
- Stick to well-populated and well-known tourist areas where you'll likely only encounter petty crime, similar to any other popular destination.

Understanding Media Perceptions
It’s worth noting that while there may be reports of violence in some regions, most incidents are often tied to internal conflicts within the drug trade. For tourists visiting the major tourist spots, incidents involving visitors are extremely rare, as they would directly impact the local economy and the cartels' profits. A major incident involving international tourists would lead to significant financial losses for these groups.

Interactions on the Road
If you do drive and encounter any roadblocks, the best approach is to remain calm, keep your hands visible, and comply with instructions. These roadblocks are usually not targeting tourists, and showing respect and honesty can go a long way in ensuring a safe experience. Avoid driving through regions like Sinaloa right now, as the area is currently unstable due to cartel infighting. The cartels fully control 35% of Mexico from top to bottom, and they keep this control by knowing everyone that passes in our own. They don't care about people flying in or out, because those are tourist, but they don't want rivals coming into their city and causing harm and harming their tourism, and this is why I would not advise driving if you would not perform well under this kind of stress. Because your natural instincts will be to run, and that is the absolute worst thing you could do for to be able to keep breathing. Whereas if you just stop, roll down your window, and let them see you are a few gringos on vacation you will be let on your way.

Ultimately, while the presence of cartels might sound concerning, their interest in maintaining profitable tourism industries means that visitors in the main tourist areas are generally safer than one might assume. Keeping a low profile and staying informed about the regions you plan to visit can ensure a smoother and safer trip.

inlandocean

Just throwing this out there but you'll have some time in Mexico City to see some of those aztec ruins you mentioned. Definitely visit templo mayor and just outside CDMX you can visit Teotihuacán. Having travelled all around Mexico, haven't found a place I didn't like.