Mexico's Secular Easter Holiday Tradition

Steeped in tradition, Mexico, the world’s second largest Catholic country, for a two week period commemorates the last days of Christ during Semana Santa/Holy Week/Easter Week followed by Semana de Pascua/Resurrection week; this two week period is the most observed and important religious holiday period of the year and is highlighted by numerous masses, processions, and celebrations. During approximately the same time frame, a very significant segment of the country’s population participates in another longstanding tradition, Mexico’s secular Easter time internal migration.

With the weather at its hottest and driest in many areas of the country, upwards of 25% of the country’s 111,000,000 plus population, with even a far greater percentage from its largest cities like Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, pack up and head off to not only Mexico’s coastal areas/beaches (the primary destination for the vast majority) but also to popular highland vacation spots while others return back to their villages and towns of origin. Oftentimes this means perhaps as many as three generations of family members loading up their vehicles to overflowing to go to their traditional, year after year, Easter getaway locale. It is no hyperbole to say that at this time of year all of Mexico’s beaches are full beyond imagination while its cities are relatively deserted.

From the Friday before Palm Sunday until the day after the conclusion of Semana de Pascua, this exodus occurs. The schools are closed for two weeks, some workers may receive bonuses at this time, the Thursday and Friday before Easter are paid holidays for many, and, thus, this is when a very high percentage of employees and their families take their annual two week vacation. During this period Mexico is definitely on the move, safely or, unfortunately in many cases, otherwise!

Approximately 90% of this movement is done by private vehicle, many not in particularly good condition. Consequently, the roads and highways in impacted areas become extremely congested and are frequently backed up for up to hours at a time. Hence, this is also when the highest percentage of vehicular accidents and fatalities occur, many alcohol related. Those not taking their own vehicles use the airports and bus stations which become excessively jammed and hectic; air travel and deluxe and first class bus transportation in most instances requiring advanced reservations.

Also on the “move” are the prices many of which, of course, are on the rise- the only exception that I can think of are metered taxi fares which may be significantly lower due to far less than normal traffic in major urban areas, particularly in Mexico City. Gas prices invariably go up. Lodging rates (with reservations a must!) at the beaches and highland vacation towns often rise 20% or more. Moreover, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs tend to jack up their prices too. Crime in the touristed areas also historically is on the move upward, particularly pick pocketing and purse snatching. Alcohol consumption and drunkenness obnoxiously and at times, dangerously, also escalate.

However, once at their destinations, what might not move so well are the tourists themselves as their vacations spots become beyond overcrowded. For example, when I was in the small beach/port town of San Blas, Nayarit in January, this town with no traffic lights had very few local or foreign tourists, the hotels and RV parks were pretty empty, and its many fine beaches were literally deserted. Come this two week Easter vacation time all of that changes except for the no traffic lights.

The hotels in pretty-quiet-the-rest-of-the-year (except for the Christmas season) are all booked up as are the RV parks. Traffic is unbearable and parking difficult to locate. The proverbial “sardines in a can” is perhaps the best way to describe the beach scene albeit with nonstop music blaring amidst much familial merriment, eating, and “soft” and “hard” drinking,; the sanitation standards (?) are dubious at best with toilet facilities and garbage containers stretched well beyond their capacities; exasperating the conditions, many families will camp out on the beaches overnight during their stay there. Obviously, not being a masochist, I have not visited much-to-offer the-rest-of-the-year San Blas (or anyplace else for that matter in the country) during Mexico’s traditional secular Easter holiday migration.

For many of the above reasons (safety, less than desirable traveling conditions, higher prices, overcrowding), I suggest that you consider doing likewise and visit Mexico at a more “untraditional” time. The major exception to that, and once again keeping in mind particularly the traveling conditions, is that the major cities then, especially the parks and other usually crowded open spaces, are less crowded, less frenetic, and that there is less air and noise pollution. Yet, some sights of interest may be closed on certain days due to the holidays. Thus, that pretty much depends on what "city experience" meets your tastes and requirements.

Rather I have started my own “tradition” and head for the hills. During any other non-rainy season time of the year, excluding Christmas, those hills would perhaps be in the lovely Jaliscan mountain towns of Tapalpa and Mazamitla; definitely not during Easter, though, as those quaint, pleasant, peaceful, and rustically forested locales swell to uncomfortable levels primarily with middle class and affluent residents of Guadalajara vacationing there. No, the hills that I invariably and contentedly head for to birdwatch and to appreciate other sentient and non-sentient nature are in my own little town located in the foothills of Northeastern Michoacan. Maybe I will come down from the hills on Viernes Santo/Good Friday to watch the procession and recreation of the crucifixion of Jesus. Even my town gets quite crowded on that day. So, just maybe!