Natural & Man-Made Wonders In Mexico
Cañón del Sumidero
Located in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, it is both a World Heritage Site and part of a National Park with the same name covering a protected area of 53,840 acres. The Grijalva River runs for over 8 miles through the natural canyon, with impressive vertical walls that reach 3,300 ft. There is a Dam on its north end and several protected fauna species, including the river crocodile.
Until 1960, the canyon was primarily unexplored as different expeditions had tragic endings, which prompted legends and stories about witchcraft in the area and the crocodiles’ particular ferocity. Nowadays, it’s a prominent tourist spot with over 300,000 visitors per year who get on boat trips through the Grijalva waters and marvel at the park’s natural and archaeological wonders.
Barrancas del Cobre
Also known as the Copper Canyon, the Barrancas del Cobre is a group of six canyons in Chihuahua’s northern Mexican state. The canyons are part of the Sierra Tarahumara, home to the same name people. The Barrancas are famous because the canyons are more prominent, higher, and more profound than the Great Canyon. It also has its unique train trip called “El Chepe” that takes visitors through a side of Mexico, mostly unknown to foreigners.
Chichen Itza
Maybe the most famous tourist spot in all of Mexico. Famously named one of the “Seven Modern Wonders of the World” and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Chichen Itza is one of the best-preserved and most extraordinary Mayan archaeological sites. Only in 2017 did it receive over 2.6 million visitors. During the Spring and Autumn equinoxes, the main pyramid offers a remarkable spectacle with the sunlight and the shadows it produces, creating the effect of a serpent, as the building is, in effect, the Temple of Kukulkan, “the feathered serpent.” An impressive feat of architecture, math, and astronomy by the ancient Mayans.
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
Located in the central Mexican states of Michoacan and Estado de Mexico, this World Heritage Site is a spectacular mountainous forest home to millions of overwintering Monarch butterflies that travel from Canada to enjoy the warmer temperatures of Mexico from November to March every year.
Chapultepec Forest & Castle
Recently put in the spotlight by a viral video from a Canadian student, Chapultepec is one of the largest city parks in the Western Hemisphere (famously larger than Central Park). It includes a zoo, a lake with boats, hammocks, plenty of street food, several restaurants, a theme park, seven museums, and one castle.
The castle, also known as “Castillo de Chapultepec,” was the residence of a Mexican Emperor back in the XIX century, and it’s now home to the National History Museum. It also has some of the best views of the city.
