Fact: MOST FOREIGNERS HAVE NOT YET DISCOVERED THE MEXICO STATE OF VERACRUZ.
I can make this statement because I have been living there and working from my office near the city of Veracruz for the majority of the months each year for over 10 years. In that time, I have rarely run into foreign travelers.
That being said, because of its beaches along the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, its tropical ambiance, and delicious fresh seafood, there are many Mexican nationals who visit this east coast state on the weekends and during Mexican holidays from the surrounding states.
They know about the beauty of this tropical and mountainous state and so they bring their families to vacation there.
Hint. Hint.
A plus is that it can also be less expensive to vacation in Veracruz than to go to the well-advertised and highly commercialized Mexico sun & sand resort locations.
But as for seeing foreign tourists (pleasure seekers) in Veracruz – there are hardly any.
Seeing foreign travelers (more adventurous folks) – yes, but not all than many.
WHY DON’T MORE FOREIGN TOURISTS & TRAVELERS VISIT VERACRUZ STATE?
One of the reasons is that the likes of Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Ixtapa, Huatulco, and Cabo San Lucas have already been established as THE BEACH DESTINATIONS TO VISIT IN MEXICO.
The big companies that build resort hotels, restaurants, bars, and commercialized tourist attractions have staked their claim on building properties at these resort areas. So it stands to reason that each year millions of dollars of promotional advertising is put into directing foreigners to those resort locations.
Have you ever seen an ad about visiting the state of Veracruz in the newspaper, billboard, or on TV in the US or Canada?
I would venture to say, NOPE.
The state of Veracruz along the Gulf of Mexico has been left out of that group of promoted beach locations.
Yes, the port city of Veracruz and the capital city of the state (Xalapa) do have some chain hotels, but not a lot of them. Most are small locally run hotels with locally run restaurants.
In fact, so few foreigners come to Veracruz that the tourism office for the state pretty much just concentrates on advertising to Mexicans who live in other parts of the country to come and vacation in their state.
THE FRIENDLY LOCAL FOLKS
Because the local people who live in Veracruz don’t see a lot of foreigners, they tend to look at them with curiosity in their eyes more so than just looking at them only with dollar signs in their eyes.
Many times the only real reason for locals to talk with foreigners in the highly touristed resort locations is to “Give me your money by buying my stuff.”
Veracruz is really not like that. They just don’t see many of us foreign people. So in a sense, we are a novelty and not looked at as just a person they can sell stuff to.
They tend to be friendly just because they want to meet you and in many instances, actually thank you for coming to visit them.
WHY SHOULD TRAVELERS BOTHER COMING TO EXPLORE THE STATE OF VERACRUZ?
– Come for the warm tropical laidback ambiance.
– Come for the fresh seafood.
– Come and explore it coffee-growing region located in a fog forest.
– Come and experience the sights and sounds of colorful and very noisy macaws flying overhead.
– Come and mingle with the local folks at their rural markets in the higher altitudes of the state.
– Come and marvel at the 18,500 foot volcano known as Pico de Orizaba with its glacier gleaming on the north face.
– Come and enjoy its many uncrowded beaches alongside the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
– Come and jump into the cool refreshing pools located below numerous tropical waterfalls.
– Come and enjoy the lively music with its Cuban, African, and Caribbean vibes.
– Come and participate in excellent exciting outdoor adventure activities.
– Come and learn about the beginnings of when two cultures clashed – the indigenous peoples and Europeans.
INDEPENDENT TRAVEL – ON YOUR OWN
Not a lot of people in Veracruz speak English. In fact, there are not a lot of tour guides in Veracruz who speak English. So if you decide to visit on your own, it would be very wise to learn some Spanish.
Note:
– Very few restaurants have menus in English.
– Many hotels may or may not have English speaking workers at the front desk to check you in and answer your questions.
– Your home country currency is not accepted there. You just use Mexican pesos for purchases. Your credit card can be used in many but not all places. Ask first (in Spanish).
– There are plenty of taxis for getting around. Currently, Uber is not an option in the bigger cities in Veracruz state. There are nice comfortable buses that can take you around the state.
GUIDED TOURS IN VERACRUZ
Day Tours in Veracruz
There are several Mexican tour companies that provide day tours in the cities and in other regions of the state. However, as I mentioned, most of their guides do not speak English. If you are not a Spanish speaker, then you should definitely check with them first to see if they have any bilingual guides.
Multi-Day Tours in Veracruz
There are local companies that have multi-day tours out of the city of Veracruz and Xalapa but again, check to see if they have guides who speak English.
If your Spanish is not good or its non-existent, and you like the idea of exploring the state of Veracruz with a local bilingual guide, then you are welcome to learn more about our multi-day tours.
Because of the fact that I have traveled all over the state of Veracruz and know it very well, I have been able to find great English speaking local professional guides, nice clean and comfortable hotels, and the best locations to visit.
I believe we have the Best Mexico Tours in Veracruz
Along with the help of my local Veracruz guides, we have created exploration tours for curious and adventurous travelers.
We offer the following guided tours with local professional bilingual guides –
Outdoor Action Adventure Tour – 10 Days
Veracruz state is known as Mexico’s Outdoor Adventure Playground. From tropical jungle hikes to exciting whitewater river rafting to rappelling over waterfalls to snorkeling over coral reefs (and much more), Veracruz is THE place to go for outdoor multi-sport fun.
We have put together a super 10 day/9 night action adventure tour for outdoor enthusiasts.
Want to know more? Click here.
Best of Veracruz – History, Traditions & Ancient Ruins Tour – 7 Days
The state of Veracruz is also known as The Gateway to Mexico.
Because of its deep water port, ever since the Spanish arrived to its shores in the early 1500s, the state of Veracruz has been the arrival location for people and goods coming from Europe, Africa, the US, Canada, and other countries in the Caribbean.
Also, there are ancient city ruins sites to explore, the history of the enslaved Africans who arrived to the port city and their influences on the local culture, and of course, the history of the military occupation of Veracruz by Spain, France, and even the United States.
Want to know more? Click here.
Back Roads of Veracruz – Tropical Rain Forest, Wildlife & Coastal Village Tour – 8 Days
On this guided tour, we explore a taste of rural Mexico in Veracruz. We hike in a rain forest, view tropical wildlife, and explore tiny coastal towns located along the Gulf of Mexico in southern Veracruz. This tour is geared for more adventurous travelers who want to witness up-close life in a beautiful pristine tropical rural area of this country.
Want to know more? Click here.
FYI: We also have a shorter 3 day tour to visit this rural region of Veracruz, Mexico.
Nos vemos pronto en Veracruz! / See you soon in Veracruz!
