What to Pack for Mexico: A Host's Honest Checklist

After more than 12 years in hospitality and hundreds of guests across my homes in Puerto Vallarta, Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen, Cancún and Mérida, I've seen every packing mistake there is. I've lent out more phone chargers than I can count, and I've watched guests buy overpriced sandals on day one because they packed like they were going to a gala. This is the list I'd send a friend.

The things people always forget

Reef-safe sunscreen. The Mexican sun does not negotiate, and regular sunscreen is banned or discouraged in cenotes and many snorkeling spots. Buy it at home, because here it costs double at the tourist shops.

Bug spray. Mosquitoes show up at dusk on the coast, especially in green season. One small bottle saves your ankles.

A dry bag or ziplock for your phone. Boat trips, cenotes, beach days. The number one vacation tragedy I witness is a drowned phone.

Stomach basics. Pepto or your remedy of choice, plus electrolytes. You'll probably be fine, but 2 am is a bad time to find a pharmacy.

A copy of your passport. Photo on your phone plus a paper copy packed separately from the original.

Your medications in original packaging. Pharmacies here are good, but exact equivalents aren't guaranteed.

What to actually wear

Mexico's coast is casual. Truly casual. Here's the real breakdown:

• Daytime: swimsuits (bring two, one is always wet), light shorts, linen or cotton tops, a hat with a real brim. Anything heavy or synthetic will sit in your suitcase judging you.
• Evenings: one or two "nice casual" outfits. In Zona Romántica or on Quinta Avenida, nice means a clean shirt and you're overdressed for half the restaurants. Nobody needs heels on cobblestones, and I say this with love.
• Shoes: comfortable sandals you can walk in, sneakers for day trips and ruins, and flip flops for the pool. That's it. Three pairs.
• A light layer: air-conditioned buses and restaurants run cold, and December to February nights on the Pacific get breezy. One light sweater or overshirt covers you.
• For Mérida and archaeological sites: breathable clothes that cover your shoulders, real walking shoes, and a refillable water bottle. Uxmal in the sun is a workout.

What to leave at home

• Beach towels. My homes have them, and most rentals and hotels do too. They eat half a suitcase.
• A hair dryer. Same story.
• Expensive jewelry. Not mainly for safety, just because you'll never wear it. Salt, sand and sunscreen beat gold every time.
• More than one book. You think you'll read four. You'll read one, slowly, in a hammock, and it will be perfect.

The tech corner

• A power bank. Long beach days plus your phone as camera, map and translator drains batteries fast.
• No plug adapters needed if you're coming from the US or Canada. Same outlets. From Europe, bring type A/B adapters.
• Download offline maps of your destinations before you fly. Coverage is good in the cities and spotty on highways and boats.

One suitcase philosophy

My honest advice: pack for one week even if you're staying two. All my homes have washers or laundry service nearby, and every Mexican neighborhood has a lavandería that washes, dries and folds for a few dollars a load. Half the suitcase, none of the stress, and room for the talavera plate you're going to buy in Mérida. It happens to everyone.

Packing for a split trip?

If you're doing two destinations, like Playa del Carmen plus Cancún or beach days plus Mérida, the same suitcase works: the coast and the city dress the same here, just add the covered-shoulders outfit for ruins and churches.

And if you haven't picked your home base yet, my seven homes all come with the towels, the hair dryer, fast wifi and a host on WhatsApp who can tell you exactly what the weather is doing the week you land. Message me with your dates. Booking direct saves you up to 15% versus Airbnb.