Mention this country to someone who’s never been, and you’ll likely get the same response: “But isn’t it dangerous?” It’s a fair question. Mexico’s reputation is unfortunately often shaped by powerful drug cartels, organised crime and high homicide rates in certain areas. It is also known as one of the most dangerous places in the world to work as a journalist. A report by Armed Conflict Location and Event Data from earlier this year has even ranked Mexico among the most violent places on Earth. And yet, not once, as a tourist, did I feel unsafe. I’m not saying you should head to the most dangerous areas or ignore safety advice, but Mexico, in my opinion, is far from and far more than the headlines’ portrayal.

I’ve travelled to quite a few places, but Mexico stood out in a way I wasn’t prepared for. I knew it would be a good trip; I didn’t realise it would be one of the most beautiful, life-affirming experiences of my life. Brimming with culture, colour and some of the warmest, most genuine people I’ve ever met, Mexico felt like a feast for the senses. I left feeling energised, inspired, and honestly, heartbroken to get on the plane back home.

Mexico doesn’t simply have culture; it breathes it. It’s in the riot of colour splashed across hand-painted buildings, in the music that spills into the streets from nowhere in particular, in the faces of people who greet you with a warmth that feels entirely unforced.

And then there is the food, both delicious and that reflects the rich history of the country. In 2010, UNESCO declared traditional Mexican cuisine an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, not just for its dishes but for the rituals, agrarian practices, and ancient techniques behind them.

Corn, beans, cacao, chili: ingredients that trace back millennia. But you don’t need history books to understand Mexican food, you only need a bite.  I ate mole rich enough to quiet a room, tacos so fresh and vibrant they permanently ruin supermarket versions, chapulines (grasshoppers) tossed with chilli and lime, and guacamole so bright and herbaceous it felt like discovering the colour green for the very first time.

I avoided some of the typical tourist hotspots like Cancún or Cabo and with the help of a Mexican friend and plenty of research, I followed a route that led me to places that felt genuine and culturally rich.

I travelled to Mexico City on a direct flight from London, and found a city which seemed much less tourist heavy than I was expecting, then I went to Oaxaca, then to Puerto Escondido, and finally back to Mexico City before flying home. It was the perfect blend of culture, food, nature, and human warmth, a journey stitched together by moments that will stay with me forever.

Mexico City alone could have occupied ten days, but in the short time I had, it left an unforgettable impression. The highlight of the trip was a sunrise hot-air balloon ride over the ancient pyramids of Teotihuacán. Floating above temples built more than a thousand years before the Aztecs arrived in central Mexico felt like witnessing another world entirely, one suspended between history and the heavens.

Back in the city, visiting Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul was so much better than what I had imagined it to be. Her brushes and easel remain exactly as she left them, frozen in time within the blue walls of her former home where she lived with Diego Riviera. Her final painting still hangs with the handwritten words “Viva la vida,” (“Long live life”) added only eight days before her death from a pulmonary embolism.

Her ashes rest in a pre-Columbian ceramic urn shaped like a toad, a tender nod to Diego Rivera’s nickname for her, “el sapo.” It is rare to get such an intimate look into an artist’s private world, and the experience stayed with me long after I left the house’s iconic cobalt walls behind.

Elsewhere in the city, the Palacio de Bellas Artes dazzled with its monumental murals, including Rivera’s politically charged Man at the Crossroads. Walking through the Centro Histórico with its grand cathedral or wandering through the leafy, bohemian neighbourhoods of Roma Norte and Condesa revealed an extraordinary city, chaotic, creative and endlessly alive and filled with colours.

Oaxaca, just a 45-minute flight away, felt like a different universe altogether. Located in a high valley surrounded by villages and ancient ruins, the city is a symphony of colour and craftsmanship filled with colourful flags called papel picado. Everywhere I went, I met artisans who still make their work entirely by hand, carved wood, woven textiles, watercolours, and pottery.

One woman told me about the inspiration behind her designs, and I was struck by the quiet mastery and authenticity that permeate this place. The market is overwhelming with spices, chocolate, mezcal, incredible coffee and fresh ingredients. Even the simplest meal tasted unforgettable. We dined at a Michelin-starred restaurant for the price of a meal in a pub in London, and the flavours were transcendent.

Then came Puerto Escondido, a relaxed Pacific paradise reached by a three-hour bus ride through the mountains. Suddenly, the air grew several degrees hotter, the landscape greener, and the world slowed to a dreamlike pace. Coconut trees lined the coast, waves crashed against breathtaking beaches and hidden coves, and the ocean shimmered with a clarity that is rarely seen. Unlike the more commercialised beach towns on the Caribbean side, Puerto Escondido felt real.

One morning at sea, I witnessed dolphins leaping beside the boat, sea turtles drifting just below the surface, and two whales breaking the horizon, all before breakfast. Later, I released baby sea turtles into the ocean at sunset, one of the most quietly magical experiences of my life. And once again, the food captivated me with fresh shrimp tacos, fresh fruit juices, ceviche, and fish so fresh it tasted like it had arrived on the plate straight from the ocean.

Due to Mexico’s massive coastline and unique geography, Zicatela Beach in Puerto Escondido has become famous for some of the biggest and most challenging surf waves in the world. The beaches where you can enjoy a dip in crystal-clear waters include  Playa Manzanillo, Playa Puerto Angelito, Playa Carrizalillo, and Playa Coral.

Leaving Mexico felt like tearing myself away from a place that had welcomed me completely. The country is far more than the headlines that have often defined it. Yes, it has challenges, but its soul is incredibly vibrant, generous and profoundly human. I went to a place many people call dangerous. What I discovered instead was beauty, creativity, warmth and life in its fullest form.