To a great extent, the physical terrain in Mexico determines the climate - certainly far more than the expected indicators of latitude and longitude. You can drive down the coast all day without conditions changing noticeably, but turn inland to the mountains and the contrast is immediate: in temperature, scenery, vegetation, even the mood and mould of the people around you. Generalizations, therefore, are difficult.

 

Summer , from June to October, is in theory the rainy season, but just how wet it is varies wildly from place to place. In the heart of the country you can expect a heavy but shortlived downpour virtually every afternoon; in the north hardly any rain falls, ever. Chiapas is the wettest state, with many minor roads washed out in the autumn, and in the south and low-lying coastal areas summer is stickily humid too, with occasional spectacular tropical storms. Winter is the traditional tourist season, and in the big beach resorts like Acapulco and Cancún, December is the busiest month of the year. Mountain areas, though, can get very cold then: indeed nights in the mountains can be extremely cold at any time of year, so carry a sweater.

In effect there are now tourists all year round - sticking on the whole to the highlands in summer and the coasts in winter. Given a totally free choice, November is probably the ideal time to visit, with the rains over, the land still fresh, and the peak season not yet begun. Overall, though, the climate is so benign that any time of year will do, so long as you're prepared for some rain in the summer, some cold in winter, and for sudden changes which go with the altitude at any time.