“Beaches? Ancient ruins? Mountains? Cultural diversity? Awesome food? Mexico’s got it all.” —The Huffington Post

A plethora of videos and photos have been showcasing Mexico’s breathtaking places to visit, almost all of them include one or a few areas in the Southeast. But as wonderful as some of them are, they still seem to fall short at capturing the essence of this region.

Due to its geographic location, features and sheer area extension, there is a genuine show of unique sights in all of Mexico, both historical and natural. It is one of those countries that has something to offer to every taste and personality out there: from less-is-more hippies to picky resort dwellers. For practical purposes, we will proceed to divide and describe Mexico in its 4 main regions: the North, West, Central and Southeast.

Starting off with what we think is the most fascinating part of Mexico, out of its utter biodiversity and natural beauty, we have the Southeast.

The Southeast is characterized by a very strong indigenous influence from one of the region’s richest cultures, it also features the country’s main tourist attraction: The Mayan Riviera. This is no surprise, since this place can truly be called Paradise. Its combination of ancient Mayan heritage, calm and alluring turquoise beaches, water-holes, and surrounding jungle ecosystems make it a hard-to-resist temptation for first-time tourists in Mexico.

The Mayans were one of the richest civilizations in Mexico, they’re particularly noted because they had the only fully developed written language of the pre-Columbia period and for the early discovery of the number zero. They inhabited , and they left a lot of what made them great behind cities like Tikal and Quiriguá (both of them were the first to be declared World Heritage by UNESCO). They were an empire that built huge pyramids, palaces and religious centers, lots of which still stand. A little known fact is that this culture was so embedded in the jungle that a lot of their wealth remained untouched, even after the conquest and subsequent wars.

But even with all of its wonders, the Mayan Riviera is hardly the only gem of the Southeast. Moreover, its heavy hotel infrastructure and density of tourists, especially in high seasons, make it more an international “resorty” site than a true place with a palpable Mexican essence.

A strong contender in terms of richness and variety in biodiversity and cultural sights is Chiapas, its neighbor to the south which borders with Guatemala. Chiapas is one of the poorest, yet also one of the most enchanting states in all of Mexico. It is home to Mayan archeological treasures, such as the ancient city of Palenque; to the massive Cañón del Sumidero, which at its highest point towers at above 1,000 meters over the Grijalva River; to San Cristobal de las Casas, perhaps the most magical Pueblo in the country, with its charming colonial alleys, mysterious mountainous scenes and the scent of freshly roasted coffee, all pleasantly overpowering your senses. The list continues: Chiapas is known for its massive waterfalls, for the colorful indigenous people producing beautiful crafts and works of art, for its underground cave systems, for its bewitching lagoons, and many others.

The Southeast doesn’t end there. There’s stunning Oaxaca, where mezcal and some of the most delicious Mexican dishes hail from, and where any group of surfers will find a Mecca of smooth beaches and perfect waves. There’s also Yucatán, where we can find the majestic Chichén Itzá and which is also known for some of Mexico’s most exquisite dishes. It is also the safest state in all of Mexico, comparable to Finland in that sense.

There are also other places that are less mainstream as popular tourist destinations, but that are increasingly making their way into travel conversations. One of them is Campeche, Yucatan’s neighbor located on the west coast of the peninsula. Campeche features a nice state capital with a beautiful colonial centre, along with numerous Mayan archaeological sites, such as Calakmul. Also neighboring to the west of Campeche lies Tabasco, which also home to Olmec (Mexico’s oldest known mesoamerican civilization, known as the “mother civilization”) ancient cities, like the archeological site of Comalcalco which includes La Venta, San Lorenzo and Tres Zapotes. All of these mentioned places contain gems waiting to be uncovered by bold travelers searching for unique and original travel experiences.

Apart from the places one can visit in Southeastern Mexico, the food can’t be left out of the equation, Mexico’s known for its culinary richness and the variety offered in this particular region is unprecedented, evidently each area has its own delicious typical dishes; but what can be found throughout is a wide variety of local herbs, fruits, vegetables and plants, as well as animals (some dishes include tortoise and large freshwater gar). The indigenous influence is also present in this element of that region’s culture, so the way food is made sometimes comes from a very long line of traditional ways of preparation (some, like tamales, dating to the pre-Columbia era).

In all the Southeast is a must for travelers, a magical region filled with history and adventure that cannot be left out when talking about Mexico’s awesomeness.