Mexico is a land of stark contrasts. Lush tropical forests, snow capped mountains, harsh deserts, huge cosmopolitan cities of the world, quaint little pueblos, and raucous tourist resort towns: Mexico is all that and so much more.

Northern Mexico is rugged mountain ranges, stark desert vistas, and busy business and cultural centers. Monterrey, close to the border with Texas and the Caribbean, is known for its universities, steel industry, and shopping.

	Top Mexico Vacations

Central Mexico is where some of the country's most colorful towns retain their characteristic colonial architecture. Southern Mexico is Caribbean beaches, Mayan ruins, canyons, waterfalls, and jungles. It's also famous cities like San Cristobal de las Casas and Veracruz: Mexico's commercial seaport. The Yucatan Peninsula is Mayan ruins, Caribbean beaches, and the resort town of Cancun. The Great Mayan Reef, the second largest in the world, is just offshore.

The Pacific Coast is all about fishing and surfing, and Mazatlan is here. Mazatlan's Carnival is the third largest in the world. To the south is Jalisco with its jewels Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. Guadalajara is known for its cattle, universities, commerce, and mariachis. Further south in the State of Guerrero, Acapulco is a famous resort town that's also the site of one of the world's most beautiful bays. Oaxaca State is where the fast growing tourist destination, Huatulco, is located.

Then there's the Baja California Peninsula where Los Angelinos go to vacation, fish, and watch gray whales. Tijuana, known as the Gateway to Mexico, is an industrial powerhouse largely because of its maquiladora industry. Little known fact: Tijuana is the birthplace of the Caesar Salad.