Instagram Guide to Mexico

From ancient Mayan ruins and stunning modern architecture to colorful cuisine and bright pink lagoons (yes, you read that correctly!), Mexico is a photographer’s dream.

Mexico City, the country’s vibrant capital, is stuffed to the brim with Instagrammable sites, but camera-ready destinations stretch west from the Baja California peninsula to the eastern tip of the Yucatan, encompassing hotspots like Cancun and Cabo San Lucas along the way. 

This collection of the most photographable spots in the country will make you want to grab your passport and your camera phone.

About an hour northeast of Mexico City sits Teotihuacan, a vast archeological complex and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The complex houses multiple pre-Aztec pyramids, including the Pyramid of the Sun (the third largest pyramid in the world), temples and other ruins, all just begging to be photographed from different angles.

Chukum-Ha is one of countless cenotes (underground sinkholes) on the Yucatan peninsula; what makes this one unique is the plethora of adrenaline-filled activities available nearby. The cenote, named for the chukum trees indigenous to the area, is part of Hacienda Chukum, a new adventure travel destination, offering rappelling and zip-lining for travelers who prefer to sweat a bit before taking a dip in the 65-foot-deep natural pool.

Microorganisms give the water its vibrant pink color in Las Coloradas, a community along the northern coast of the Yucatan peninsula. If you want to see the resident flamingo population and not just the salt factories, it would be wise to hire a local guide to show you around.

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is Mexico’s most famous celebration for good reason. Every November 1-2, families build altars at home and decorate graves in cemeteries, while festivals and parades bring together local communities as they share in a sacred tradition. 

Especially in Mexico City (pictured here), Michoacan and Oaxaca, artists and observers in colorful costumes take to the streets, making for gorgeous photos that capture Mexico’s cultural vibrancy.