3 Tips for Traveling to Mexico During A Pandemic
As we reach the one year mark of the Pandemic, it’s no surprise that many of us are craving to get away. For many of us it has been months since we have seen the inside of a plane or felt the thrill of exploring a new place. Thankfully, with the combination of the vaccine and the lowering numbers of new cases, we are anticipating that travel will no longer be an impossible wish in 2021.
On our most recent trip to Mexico, we experienced first hand the new travel protocols for both the US and Mexico. While our experience was limited to the Oaxaca region, we wanted to share some tips that we have if you are thinking of taking your own Mexican vacation in the coming months!
Tip 1: Research and schedule your test BEFORE leaving the United States.
A couple of weeks before we left for Mexico, the US CDC created a mandate that any air travelers coming to the US from another country are required to show a negative C-19 test. At first this sent us scrambling but we quickly realized that getting a test while abroad wouldn’t be as difficult as we thought. We sent an email to our hotel and they were able to provide a list of testing facilities, as well as contact and pricing information, within walking distance. While we did not choose to go that route, there was even a facility that would come to your hotel to do the testing.
We recommend that you reach out to your hotel or resort before your trip and request testing information as most will have a list of local resources. We also recommend that you consider the timing of your flights in correlation to the testing. As of the timing of this blog, you are required to have a negative test within three days of flying back to the United States. The facility that we chose had a 48 hour turnaround time so that helped us know that we needed to get tested three days before our flight so that we would have our results. It is important to note the days and hours that your testing facility is open so that you can ensure that you have the perfect window for your flight.
Tip 2: Double check schedules and closures of popular tourism spots
While we did get to explore many of the beautiful sites that Oaxaca had to offer, there were a couple of spots that we knew we would miss since they were closed. As Mexico continues to navigate through the Pandemic, many of the sites we would have liked to visit were closed, despite some misinformation on Google Maps. We discovered that this was due to the fact that many museums and cultural sites are located in small communities so the closures are to protect those who could be more vulnerable. We also heard that some of the popular tours and museums were open, however they were limiting the amount of guests each day. We recommend that you always check out the website for the specific spots you are thinking of visiting and plan accordingly. Also, considering a driver or tour guide may also be a helpful resource as they may have connections not available to the general public. There was one workshop that we wanted to visit but found out that it was currently closed to tours. Our driver Antonio, who owns the family-run tour agency Wanderlust Oaxaca, was able to get us a private tour since he had a connection from his pre-pandemic tours. While this may not always be a possibility, you may just get lucky! Hopefully, as the year goes along, more spots will begin to open.
Tip 3: Bring lots of baby wipes, hand sanitizer, and maks.
We were surprised how well Mexico was handling the Pandemic when it comes to safety precautions. We noticed that everyone was wearing masks, even while walking down the street. Also, almost every restaurant, store, or market we entered required us to get lightly sprayed with a disinfectant, grab a squirt of sanitizer, and sanitize the bottoms of our shoes. Social distancing was also strictly enforced. However, we were still very thankful for the bottles of sanitizer and baby wipes that we brought as we used them multiple times a day while we were sourcing. If possible, find one that is moisturizing so that your hands won’t be completely dried out by the end of your trip.
We also packed several comfortable masks to rotate during our trip. Because you will be wearing a mask the entire day if you are out and about (and all day while traveling), a comfortable mask is key! Also, having multiple options is important too so that you can rotate and have a new mask each day should you need it.
Need some new mask options? Check out the Travel Pattern Mask Collection & Travel Sets here!
This is by no means a comprehensive list, but we do hope that it can be a helpful resource as you begin to plan your trip to Mexico during these unprecedented times. For further information, we always recommend visiting the CDC website and their resources for traveling which can be found here.
Take Heart, Take Flight!
-Travel Patterns Team