One of the common misconceptions about taking a vacation to Mexico is that you are sure to get sick. In many cases, just the sheer act of traveling in and of itself can upset your stomach. People with sensitive constitutions can get an upset tummy just by traveling to another state! Keeping yourself safe from Montezuma’s revenge on vacation to Mexico is actually much easier than you might think. Take a look at the following tips to keep you healthy on vacation to Mexico.

Staying healthy on vacation to Mexico

Water

The topic of water is important on many levels for staying healthy in Mexico, not just making sure that you only drink bottled water and avoid drinking the tap water. Remember that the tap water in Mexico may be “safe” according to health and safety standards, but your stomach is not used to the Mexican water, so it is better to drink the bottled water. Also, make sure you drink enough water to compensate for the heat, as heat exhaustion and dehydration are often causes of sickness on vacation to Mexico, which have nothing to do with how clean the water is.

Alcohol and Overeating

Many people blame the water in Mexico for some bouts of sickness when in fact what they are suffering from is over indulgence. Drinking alcohol in hot climates can be dangerous if you do not drink enough water to compensate. It is also a good idea to avoid creamy or overly sweet drinks, which can cause an upset stomach, and the tequila shooter girl who comes over to you and offers a shot in the local bar – they often never have time to clean those shot glasses believing that alcohol will kill any bugs.

Ice

Ice cubes can be tricky; check to see that the restaurant or bar uses purified water ice cubes (which are usually sold in large plastic bags) to prepare your drinks, otherwise avoid ice and opt for something straight from the refrigerator like a bottle beer or canned non-alcoholic drinks.

Restaurants

Stick to the restaurants in your hotel or visit those that have good ratings on TripAdvisor or recommended by the concierge at the hotel.

Eating on the streets

Unless you have a stomach of steel (and even then), avoid the taco stands on the streets. Not only can you not be sure of the cleanliness of the water they are using, they tend not to have refrigeration and sauces can be out in the open air for hours on end. If you really must have the real Mexican experience, ask the locals to recommend the best places and squeeze lemon over your tacos.

Chilis

Always ask the waiter before pouring what you think is avocado sauce on your dinner how hot the sauces are. The green sauces are often the hottest!

Meat

Opt for well done over rare when ordering meat just to be on the safe side.