Now that you’ve travelled the world, you’re ready for a new challenge: backpacking in Mexico with a baby. Let’s be honest, there’s no difference between being woken up in the middle of the night by your drunk bunk bed neighbour and your hungry baby screaming for a feed?
Three months of exploring different regions of Mexico with a 7-month-old will remind you that having a baby doesn’t mean your backpacking days are over.
Here are the 7 golden rules of backpacking in Mexico with a baby.
1. Take it easy! Slow travel is the way to go.
Since your baby is still taking 2-3 naps a day, you’ll invariably have to build your schedule around this. Try to plan no more than one big activity a day and make sure to keep a full day every once in a while to R E L A X!
Don’t underestimate the Mexican sun; you’ll come to appreciate siesta time. That being said, plan your visits to ruins, beach hangs, or city strolls in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the blistering heat.
2. Airbnb > Hotel for your accommodation needs.
Hostel dorms might not be an option anymore, but the next best option when backpacking with a baby is Airbnb or other types of vacation rentals. You’ll enjoy the flexibility of cooking in your own kitchen and having an actual living space to chill once your baby is [finally!] down for the night.
Don’t hesitate to ask the hosts for amenities such as access to a microwave, a baby crib, or a high chair.
3. Pack lightly; it’s too hot for clothes anyway.
All you really need is a swimsuit, right? For your baby, just make sure to pack the essentials for the beach, such as sun protection swimwear, mineral sunscreen, a wide brim hat, a light muslin blanket, a few onesies and you’re pretty much set.
Remember to bring a range of sizes if you’re travelling long term, babies grow so fast in that first year!
4. Car rental companies *rarely* have car seats… keep that in mind
Although Mexican public transport and the bus system are very developed and accessible if you’re backpacking with your baby, you might prefer to rent a car. In this case, even if you reserve a car seat ahead of time, the car rental company might not have any available when you pick up your car.
Your options are to either bring your own from home or if you only need a seat for a portion of your trip, you can always check on Marketplace for a used one.
5. You’re only as good as the gear you carry.
The lighter, the smaller, the better when you’re backpacking with a baby! Some items, such as a quality travel stroller, might require a bit of investment (I swear by the Babyzen Yoyo), but you’ll thank yourself when you need to carry it to the top floor of your Airbnb or on and off a Collectivo.
When eating out, most restaurants don’t have high chairs for babies, so pack a portable booster seat, like the Summer Infant Pop ‘N Sit.
6. Baby supplies are widely available
Unless your baby has very specific needs, there is no need to carry a ton of baby supplies in your backpack. There is a huge baby section in all supermarkets and some towns, like Puerto Escondido, even have a specialty baby store with everything you’ll ever need, like diapers, wipes, formula, pacifiers, bottles, etc.
The only thing to point out is that because most products are heavily perfumed, look for “sin perfume or fragrancias” if your mini has sensitive skin.
7. There’s an unspoken solidarity between parents
You know how Harley Davidson riders or Jeep drivers greet each other on the road? When you’re backpacking with a baby, it’s the same, and it’s the easiest way to make new friends. You understand each other’s reality, so any time you meet another parent, don’t be shy to strike up a conversation the same way you’d chat up another backpacker during a pub crawl.
There you have it, tested and proven tips for backpacking with a baby in Mexico! Be the one that goes for it. Give your mini-nomad the gift of backpacking the world with them to continue discovering new cultures, people, landscapes and food.
Thank you for this article!
I’ve just started a three month trip in Mexico with my 8 month old and am already feeling very overwhelmed! Just came across this article. You make it look so easy! Any recommendations for specific places you visited or accomodation? How long did you stay in each place?
Thanks!
Hi Jesse!
Thanks for the kind words. To be honest, the first 2 weeks of the trip, we were travelling with friends and moving around every 3-4 days. At the end, we were completely exhausted and burned out. We then stayed put for 2 weeks at an Airbnb in Valladolid and then 10 days in Playa del Carmen before flying to Puerto Escondido where we stayed for 5 weeks. With a baby, the best is to really slow down the travelling. In terms of accommodation, for us the best was to stay in Airbnbs where we could cook and have a place to hangout other than just the room itself.