When planning our first trip to Mexico City, Xochimilco was one of those places on the list that I was really on the fence about. I had seen so many pictures online, and it looked amazing, but could it really be all that? Was it worth the 45-minute drive out of the city? It seemed like a long way away, and I was worried we’d get there and it would be this big tourist trap. There is nothing worse than wasting hours of your precious time when you’re on vacation!
I asked the locals, trying to get their honest opinion. I was surprised to hear how positively even the locals, not just the tourists, spoke about it! With so many resounding responses, we decided to make our way down to Xochimilco. To see what all the fuss was about. And let me just say right off the bat, it was my favourite thing we did while in Mexico City! When I went back in 2026, I was anxious to see if Xochimilco still felt like the magical place I first knew it to be. And although it was undoubtedly busier, with more tourists, the canals are still that jewel-of-a-day trip from Mexico City!
Xochimilco is often called the Venice of Mexico, a sprawling network of waterways that winds through the southern edge of Mexico City. More than 170 kilometres of canals branch out in every direction. Long before the Spanish arrived, the region’s Indigenous communities built this remarkable system both for transportation and to maintain a steady supply of water across the valley.
The name Xochimilco translates to “place of the floating gardens.” The Aztecs transformed the landscape with thousands of flowers and crops grown on chinampas, artificial agricultural islands enriched with mineral-rich soil. After the Spanish conquest, many central canals were drained to make way for new roads, but the waterways in Xochimilco survived. Today, the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for preserving this ingenious agricultural and engineering tradition.
The easiest way, by far, is to take an Uber or Didi directly to Embarcadero Nuevo Nativitas or Embarcadero Las Flores Nativitas. From central areas like Roma, Condesa, or Centro Histórico, the drive usually takes between 45 minutes and an hour, depending on traffic. Traffic can be unpredictable, especially during peak hours, which may increase both travel time and cost. My best advice is to go either before or after rush hour. A one-way ride usually runs between 15 and 20 USD, though it can climb to around 25 USD in heavy traffic. Still a good price for a trip of that length, but worth keeping in mind.
Be sure to head to Embarcadero Nuevo Nativitas or Embarcadero Las Flores Nativitas. There are many embarcaderos, or piers, scattered throughout Xochimilco, but these two are the main official ones where you’ll find fair pricing, plenty of boats, food stalls, shops and clean restrooms. They’re also the easiest for rideshare drop-off and the most reliable for first-time visitors.
If you’re taking an Uber, be aware of a common scam. As you get close, people on bikes sometimes try to stop your car and insist that Nuevo Nativitas is closed, directing you instead to a “different” pier. This is completely false. Their goal is to reroute you to an unofficial dock where the boats are fewer, prices are higher and the experience is far less regulated.
We once asked a local if he had ever followed their detour just to see what happened. He told us he had been taken to a rundown entrance with only a few aging boats. He quickly declined and continued on to Embarcadero Nuevo Nativitas, which, unsurprisingly, was open and fully operational.
If you want to save some money, public transport is absolutely an option, but the metro and light rail combination is the easiest. Take Metro Line 2 (Blue Line) to Tasqueña, then transfer to the Tren Ligero (Light Rail), which takes you straight into Xochimilco. The trip takes about an hour, depending on connections, and costs under 10 pesos in total. From the final station, you can walk or take a quick rideshare to the main embarkation points.
A trajinera is the brightly coloured, flat-bottomed boat that glides along Xochimilco’s canals. Each one is pushed by a long wooden pole and steered by a rower, much like a gondolier. In the centre of the boat, you’ll find a long table with seating for about a dozen people, which makes it perfect for groups. There’s a covered roof for shade on hot days, but the open front of the boat is ideal if you want to sit in the sun.
The boats are painted in vivid colours meant to echo the flowers that once grew along the canals. Every trajinera has its own name, and spotting all the different designs is part of the fun. If you know someone local who can help, you can even arrange to have a name painted on your boat ahead of time, which is especially popular for birthdays, bachelorette parties and quinceañeras.
One of the biggest changes in recent years is the standardization of pricing. Trajineras are rented by the hour, per boat, not per person. The official government rate in 2026 is roughly 750 pesos per hour. That means if you are a group, the cost gets divided and becomes very reasonable. If you are only two people, it is still worth it, just a bit more of a splurge. At Nuevo Nativitas, you pay at a ticket booth and are assigned a boat. This avoids haggling and overcharging, which can still happen at smaller or less regulated piers. Be sure to tip your boatman at the end of your ride. Most of the upfront fee goes to the owner of the boat, not the person actually guiding you through the canals. A good tip makes a real difference.
Most trajineras require a minimum of two hours, since it takes time for the rower to get the boat away from the docks and into the quieter parts of the canals. I recommend booking two or three hours. The first time we went, we only chose two hours, and by the time we reached the best parts of the route, I genuinely wished we’d stayed out longer. Food, drinks, and music are extra. Vendors float up to your boat, selling everything from quesadillas to micheladas to full mariachi performances. None of them takes cards. Cash is essential.
If you prefer to have a different and far more entertaining experience in the canals, I cannot recommend a tour with Mezcalicious. Mezcalicious was created to show visitors a more authentic side of Xochimilco, one that blends fun, culture and a real connection to Mexico. The team focuses on helping travellers experience the canals through flavour, music and storytelling rather than just the usual party atmosphere.
Their tours are shaped by a genuine love of Mexican traditions and a desire to create meaningful, memorable experiences. The aim is simple: to offer one of the best Xochimilco tours for younger travellers who want something beyond a standard boat ride, something that engages all the senses. They offer unique experiences that combine history, tradition, unlimited drinks, and lots of fun.
They offer both private tours and group experiences. Joining a larger group is great if you want to meet new people and enjoy a more lively, social day on the canals. For my birthday, we chose the private tour option and ended up having the best day imaginable. They even arranged a custom-painted trajinera with “Feliz Cumpleaños” and my name across the front. Onboard, they surprised us with birthday-themed gifts and games, which made the whole ride feel thoughtful and personal.
You’re welcome to bring any food and drinks you like onto the trajinera. And I would highly recommend doing this, especially if you’ve rented the boat for a three-hour journey, as it’s nice to have some snacks to enjoy. There are also plenty of vendors floating through the canals selling roasted corn, candied apples, tacos, cold beer and freshly made micheladas. Prices are super reasonable, and honestly, buying from the boats is part of the experience!
La Isla de las Muñecas is one of the most talked-about sites in Xochimilco. You’ve probably seen it featured on Anthony Bourdain or Buzzfeed Unsolved. Many boatmen will promise to take you there, but the truth is the real island is much farther out, usually around five hours from the main pier. Along the central canal routes, you’ll see several replicas, which look just as spooky but aren’t the original site. A five-hour trajinera journey is a lot for most visitors, which is why people who genuinely want to reach the real island often hire a motorboat instead. The upside of going that far is that you start to see the quieter, untouched parts of Xochimilco: long stretches of canal with no crowds, just water, trees and open sky.
The island itself is famous for its eerie atmosphere. According to local legend, the caretaker’s young daughter drowned in the canal after losing her favourite doll. To honour her spirit, he began placing dolls around the island, first near a small altar, then all over the trees as the collection grew. Over time, the dolls weathered in the sun and rain, giving them a haunting, decayed look that only adds to the island’s dark reputation. Even if you don’t make the long journey to the real island, the replicas you’ll pass along the main canals still make for an intriguing (and slightly unsettling) sight as you float by.
As soon as we pushed off into the canals, we could hear music drifting across the water. Mariachi bands travel on their own boats, moving from trajinera to trajinera. As they pass, they’ll offer to hop aboard and play a song or two, or as many as you’d like. Songs usually cost around 300 pesos each, with a discount if you request several songs. We spent a while just listening to bands playing for other boats around us, and it looked like so much fun that when one finally pulled up beside us, we absolutely couldn’t say no. And when we visited on my birthday, we were able to get the band to sing us a special birthday serenade!
Beyond the mariachis, you’ll also see smaller boats with two or three musicians playing xylophones as they drift along the water. There’s music everywhere, and it gives the canals a festive, almost electric atmosphere, even on a weekday, which our guide insisted was considered “quiet.” It’s easy to imagine how lively the canals become on weekends when the place is packed to the edges.
As you float along the canals, you’ll also come across vendors paddling up to your boat with all kinds of souvenirs and handmade crafts. Some sell embroidered blankets, others offer flower crowns inspired by the ancient chinampa gardens. You’ll find wooden toys, traditional Mexican dolls, flower crowns, and miniature trajineras as well. It’s not the cheapest place to shop, but buying something directly from a boat on the water is such a unique experience that it almost feels like part of the ride.
We ate and drank as we drifted deeper into the canals, and the farther we went, the quieter everything became. About an hour from the docks, the crowds disappeared almost completely. It was just our boat, the occasional vendor selling corn or drinks and long stretches of calm water framed by lush trees and bright blue sky.
And yes, with all that eating and drinking, the question eventually comes up: what about the bathroom? It feels silly to ask, but it is important. Luckily, many of the homes along the canals have built small public restrooms at the edge of their property. Your boatman will pull up, you hop off, and you are all set. Most cost around 20 pesos, and when you need them, you will be very happy they exist. They are usually reasonably clean, but I always suggest using hand sanitizer afterward since the water is not potable.
Other things you will see along the canals include floating florists and small independent zoos where you can catch a glimpse of the wildlife that lives in these waters. Many of these spots are touristy, and we did not feel the need to stop, but it was interesting to pass by and see how many different worlds exist along the edges of the canals.
I often hear people say that Xochimilco has become too touristy, but that was not my experience at all. On my visit, I saw just as many locals as tourists. Families were celebrating birthdays, groups of friends were sharing meals, and couples were out for a quiet afternoon on the water. The canals near the docks can feel busy, but once you move past the initial cluster of boats, everything opens up. The noise fades, the scenery becomes more natural, and you suddenly understand why this place has been loved for generations. It still feels like a beautiful stretch of water to explore, full of colour and life, and drifting along remains one of the most peaceful ways to spend a day in Mexico City.
When I first visited Mexico City in 2019, it felt like it was right on…
This past summer, I spent one of the most magical weeks of my life in…
Padua, or Padova as the locals call it, is perhaps one of the most festive…
As someone who takes real joy in a good cup of coffee, one of my…
Venice is a city unlike any other, with its own rhythm and a distinct set…
Venice tends to get a bad food rap, which is odd for a place that…
This website uses cookies.