In 1965, a handful of college students in Austin, Texas, asked their geology professor a simple question: Where would you look if you wanted to find the deepest cave in North America?

On April 7, 2026, a 42-year-old miner named Francisco Zapata was discovered alive after being trapped for 14 days at the far end of a three-kilometer-long tunnel full of sludge and water, 300 meters below the surface.

For over 400 years, English sailor David Ingram’s account of his trek from Mexico to Canada was considered either fanciful or phony by historians.

Matteo Volpi is a project leader for Senderos y Caminos de México A.C., which was founded in Ajijic in 2014 to help people find their way along Mexico’s vast network of rural trails, and also to rescue, rehabilitate and preserve these ancient footpaths, some of which were in use long before the arrival of the Conquistadores.

Colima is one of Mexico’s smallest states. In size, it falls between the U.S. states of Rhode Island and Delaware, but harbors enough delightful outdoor sites “to fill a book,” according to local guide Sergi Gómez.

If you love nature and outdoor adventure, you’ll find the state of Nayarit irresistible. Along the Pacific Coast, you have the popular Riviera Nayarit, a budget-friendly stretch of relaxed fishing villages and laid-back beaches. Just to the north, there is Playa Novillero, Mexico’s longest beach, where you can stretch your legs over 90 kilometers of shimmering sand. At the same time, to the south of the Riviera lies Mexico’s biggest bay, La Bahia de Banderas, one of the best places in the world for whale watching.