6 Best Sights in Mexico

Ask anyone living in La Paz for their favorite place or top recommendation and they're bound to reply with a passionate sigh, "La Isla." It's no wonder, as Espíritu Santo, an uninhabited island about an hour's boat ride into the ocean, is unbelievably special. It's a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site as well as a national park, and a number of tour operators will take you out for the day to snorkel or scuba dive at Los Islotes, a bustling sea lion colony, kayak across the still waters, or relax on a completely vacant beach. With a few, you can even camp overnight.

At this 27 3/4-square-mile national park, a 20,000-year-old coral reef has been legally protected since 1995 and is home to more than 2,000 different kinds of marine invertebrates—as well as more than 800 species of marine life, from mantas and giant sea turtles to dolphins and sea lions, and most famously, bull sharks, who divers can get face-to-face with year-round. The park comprises both land and sea, and is renowned among diving aficionados for its eight fingers of hard coral reef, plus its immense abundance of colorful tropical fish. The best months to visit are August, September, and October, when visibility is highest. The park isn't difficult to access. Head southwest from La Ribera and it's just 8 km (5 miles) from the end of the paved road; it's bordered by Playa Las Barracas in the north and Bahía Los Frailes to the south. It can also be reached by the dirt road running along the coast from San José del Cabo. It'll take you two hours or more this way, but the coast along this route is unmatched. (Though, if it's raining, stick to the paved route.) Dive centers line Cabo Pulmo's main street, leading to the beach, all of whom offer dive trips and snorkeling tours, full gear rentals, and more.

The air is rare in this stunning alpine preserve, which in 1917 was declared Mexico's first national park. The 4,600-acre oasis of mostly conifer forest (with significant stands of oak trees as well) ranges in elevation between 2,600 meters (8,530 feet) and 3,700 meters (12,140 feet), and when you're scampering along the trails and beside the babbling brooks that lace this verdant wonderland, it's hard to believe that you're still completely within Mexico City limits (albeit close to the border with Estado de México). If the name had you picturing a vast arid plain of savage wild cats, note that "Desierto" is a reference to the distance from civilization, and while "leones" reportedly does relate to the one-time prevalence of wild critters living in the area, there were never any true lions out here, of course. The area was settled in 1606 by the Spaniards, who constructed a Carmelite convent nestled amid the pines. Now the focal point of the park and a must for any visitor, the current Ex-Convento del Desierto de los Leones—with its curving domes, high walls, and cloistered courtyards—was constructed in 1814, long after its predecessor had deteriorated through gradual weathering and wear. After exploring the ex-convent and the huge forest sanctuary behind it, stroll around the immediate grounds, where you'll find a number of crafts and food vendors as well as a colorful little restaurant with table service, El Leon Dorado. The park lies 20 km (12 miles) southwest of the city center, and just 10 km (6 miles) beyond the modern commercial district of Santa Fe, at the junction of the 134 and 57 federal highways.

Protected area Los Arcos is an offshore group of giant rocks rising some 65 feet above the water, making the area great for snorkeling and diving. Its waters are among the deepest in the area, getting to around 1,600 feet. For reasonable fees, local men along the road to Mismaloya Beach run diving, snorkeling, fishing, and boat trips here and as far north as Punta Mita and Las Marietas or the beach villages of Cabo Corrientes.

Although part of the country's national park system, this hilly, arid 623-acre expanse of oak scrubland south of the city—just 3 km (2 miles) west of Tlalpan Centro—feels a bit more like a city park, given that its completely surrounded by residential neighborhoods. It's also a highly popular destination for running and walking, with its paved central pathways easily accessible from the bustling neighborhood at the park's main entrance, where you'll also find the stately Casa de la Cultura Tlalpan cultural center as well as a good-size parking area and a playground. Once you venture deeper into the park, along the gravel and dirt paths, it starts to feel a bit more like you're actually in a wilderness (signs with park maps are placed strategically throughout the park, making it easy to navigate). Jagged lava outcroppings are evidence of the eruption some 2,000 years ago of nearby Xitle volcano, and the park contains more than 200 kinds of flora, from wild orchids to towering palms, and around 135 types of birds, snakes, and mammals. If you make a complete circuit around the park and venture out to its northwestern border, you'll also spy some strange, curving towers in the mid-distance, at which point the gleeful screams of passengers will clue you in that you're viewing the back side of Six Flags México amusement park.

Mexico City is flanked by huge mountains, including the cloud-scraping peaks of 5,230-meter (17,160-foot) Iztaccíhuatl and its neighbor Popocatépetl, an extremely active volcano that's also the country's second-highest peak, at 5,426 meters (17,802 feet). Visible on clear days from the city center, Popocatépetl is more than 3,300 feet taller than the highest peak in the Lower 48, California's Mount Whitney. But Izzi and Popo, as these twins are affectionately known, aren't actually within city limits (they're about 56 to 72 km [35 to 45 miles] south of El Centro). The highest peak within city limits is Mount Ajusco, which is the centerpiece of Parque Nacional Cumbres del Ajusco, the third oldest national park in Mexico. Located in the southwestern corner of CDMX, it's a highly popular destination for hikers. Summiting its 3,930-meter (12,894-foot) peak is no easy feat, however. You'll want to allow at least seven hours to make it up and back, and as trails aren't always well-marked and crime isn't unheard of in this minimally patrolled wilderness, it's best to attempt a hike here with a guide or locals who've done the climb before. At the very least, go with a friend and research online for good trail maps and directions—under no circumstances should you go it alone. The elevation gain from any of the hike's starting points is around 2,500 to 3,000 feet, and it is a steep 10-km (6-mile) round-trip or loop hike (depending on the route), beginning in lush coniferous meadows and rising well above the tree line. You should also be in good shape to make it all the way. But it's a wonderfully rewarding adventure, and the views from the summit of neighboring mountains as well as the entirety of Mexico City to the north are spectacular. An excellent starting point is the trail that leads up from beside the casual Mexican restaurant, Cabaña Mireles La Polea, which is on the north side of the mountain, on the road that encircles it. Uber drivers shouldn't have trouble finding it, and if you drive yourself, you can park at the restaurant (or others near it) if you dine here before or after (the food is quite tasty)—just ask permission first.