Rickshaw Travel

ABTAATOL Protected

  • Destinations
  • Family holidays
  • Travel guides
  • About us
  • Blog
My Travel Plan
Loading...

Your travel plan is empty!

Add your favourite trips or an itinerary to your travel plan. Click on 'My Travel Plan' to see what you've added and send it to us. Our travel specialists will piece your holiday together (including transport & accommodation) and send you a quote within one working day.

Get started!

Added so far...

We'll create your dream holiday

    Next, review & send us your travel plan for your quote

    Request your quote

    Or view/email a copy of your travel plan

    View your travel plan
     Your next steps

    1. Add your favourite trips or an itinerary to your travel plan
    2. Click the Request your quote button to send it over to us
    3. Our travel specialists will piece your holiday together (including transport & accommodation) and send you a quote within one working day

     Your next steps

    1. Add your favourite trips or an itinerary to your travel plan
    2. Click the Request your quote button to send it over to us
    3. Our travel specialists will piece your holiday together (including transport & accommodation) and send you a quote within one working day

    • Destinations
      • Asia
        • Bhutan
        • China
        • India
        • Japan
        • Nepal
        • Sri Lanka
        • Tibet
      • South East Asia
        • Borneo
        • Cambodia
        • Indonesia
        • Laos
        • Malaysia
        • Myanmar
        • Thailand
        • Vietnam
      • North America
        • Canada
        • USA
      • Central America
        • Belize
        • Costa Rica
        • Cuba
        • Guatemala
        • Mexico
        • Nicaragua
        • Panama
      • South America
        • Argentina & Antarctica
        • Bolivia
        • Brazil
        • Chile
        • Colombia
        • Ecuador & Galapagos
        • Peru
      • Europe
        • Greece
        • Iceland
        • Italy
        • Lapland
        • Portugal
      • View all destinations
    • Family holidays
      • Asia
        • India
        • Sri Lanka
      • South East Asia
        • Borneo
        • Cambodia
        • Indonesia
        • Thailand
        • Vietnam
      • North America
        • Canada
        • USA
      • Central America
        • Costa Rica
        • Cuba
      • South America
        • Peru
      • Europe
        • Iceland
        • Italy
        • Lapland
        • Portugal
    • Travel guides
      • Travel guides by destination
        • Borneo
        • Canada
        • Costa Rica
        • Cuba
        • Ecuador
        • Galapagos
        • India
        • Indonesia
        • Japan
        • Peru
        • Sri Lanka
        • Vietnam
      • Family Holiday Guides
        • Borneo
        • Canada
        • Costa Rica
        • Cuba
        • India
        • Indonesia
        • Malaysia
        • Peru
        • Sri Lanka
        • Thailand
        • USA
        • Vietnam
      • Inspiration
        • Beaches
        • City stopovers
        • Diving and snorkelling
        • Food & drink
        • Honeymoons
        • Self drive
        • Trekking
        • Unique experiences
        • Wildlife & safari
      • Where to Go When
        • January
        • February
        • March
        • April
        • May
        • June
        • July
        • August
        • September
        • October
        • November
        • December
    • About us
      • Discover more
        • Our values
        • Meet the team
        • How we work
        • Work with us
        • Customer reviews
        • In the news
        • Contact us
      • Responsible travel
        • Responsible travel
        • Animal welfare
        • Population Matters
        • Our Meaningful Travel Policy
        • How to be a responsible traveller
      • Travel Advice
        • Accommodation
        • Covid-19
        • Flexible booking
        • Flights
        • LGBTQ+ travellers
        • Refer a Friend
        • Travel insurance
        • Visas & passports
    • Blog
    AsiaSouth East AsiaNorth AmericaCentral AmericaSouth AmericaEuropeView all destinations
    BhutanChinaIndiaJapanNepalSri LankaTibet
    BorneoCambodiaIndonesiaLaosMalaysiaMyanmarThailandVietnam
    CanadaUSA
    BelizeCosta RicaCubaGuatemalaMexicoNicaraguaPanama
    Argentina & AntarcticaBoliviaBrazilChileColombiaEcuador & GalapagosPeru
    GreeceIcelandItalyLaplandPortugal
     
     
    AsiaSouth East AsiaNorth AmericaCentral AmericaSouth AmericaEurope
    IndiaSri Lanka
     
    BorneoCambodiaIndonesiaThailandVietnam
     
    CanadaUSA
     
    Costa RicaCuba
     
    Peru
     
    IcelandItalyLaplandPortugal
     
    Travel guides by destinationFamily Holiday GuidesInspirationWhere to Go When
    • Borneo
    • Canada
    • Costa Rica
    • Cuba
    • Ecuador
    • Galapagos
    • India
    • Indonesia
    • Japan
    • Peru
    • Sri Lanka
    • Vietnam
    • Borneo
    • Canada
    • Costa Rica
    • Cuba
    • India
    • Indonesia
    • Malaysia
    • Peru
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • Vietnam
    • USA
    BeachesCity stopoversDiving and snorkellingFood & drinkHoneymoonsSelf driveTrekkingUnique experiencesWildlife & safari
    • January
    • February
    • March
    • April
    • May
    • June
    • July
    • August
    • September
    • October
    • November
    • December
    Discover moreResponsible travelTravel Advice
    Our valuesMeet the teamHow we workWork with usCustomer reviewsIn the newsContact us
    Responsible travelAnimal welfarePopulation MattersOur Meaningful Travel PolicyHow to be a responsible traveller
    AccommodationCovid-19Flexible bookingFlightsLGBTQ+ travellersRefer a FriendTravel insuranceVisas & passports

    Rickshaw Ramblings

    • Browse by Destination
    • Argentina & Antarctica
    • Bhutan
    • Bolivia
    • Borneo
    • Borneo for Families
    • Brazil
    • Brighton
    • Cambodia
    • Cambodia for Families
    • Canada
    • Canada for Families
    • Chile
    • China
    • Colombia
    • Costa Rica
    • Costa Rica for Families
    • Cuba
    • Ecuador & Galapagos
    • Family
    • Greece
    • Iceland
    • India
    • Indochina
    • Indonesia
    • Indonesia for Families
    • Italy
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Lapland
    • Malaysia
    • Mexico
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Nicaragua
    • Panama
    • Peru
    • Portugal
    • Sri Lanka
    • Sri Lanka for Families
    • Thailand
    • Thailand for Families
    • Tibet
    • USA
    • USA for families
    • Vietnam
    • Vietnam for Families
    • Browse by Theme
    • 24 hours in...
    • Competition
    • Cultural
    • Customers stories
    • Family travel
    • Food and drink
    • Friends of Rickshaw
    • History
    • Responsible travel
    • Top tips
    • Wellness
    • Wildlife

    24th October 2019 by Hannah • 5 min read

    What is Mexico's Dia de los Muertos?

    clock History pin Mexico

    Share:

    Rob standing by tree

    Speak to our Mexico specialist

    Enquire now

    Every year, just after Halloween, a special celebration takes place in Mexico. It’s called Dia de Los Muertos, or – as we know it –  ‘Day of the Dead’. But these festivities are far from spooky. Read on to find out more about the true meaning behind Mexico’s Day of the Dead festival…

    On the 1st and 2nd of November, towns and cities across Mexico come alive with spectacular parades and unique rituals to honour the dead and welcome them into the mortal world for one night. In many cultures, death is seen as a pretty sombre topic, but in Mexico, it’s quite the opposite. Here, death isn’t seen as the end but, instead, a new beginning.

    la carina costume at the day of the dead festival

    The origins of Dia de los Muertos

    The history of Dia de Los Muertos stretches back thousands of years to Mesoamerican culture – way before the Spanish arrived in Latin America. At this time, the Aztec, Toltec and Nahua people believed that death was just a natural part of life’s cycle. And even mourning was considered disrespectful, as the dead were seen as very much part of the community.

    Many believed that the souls of the dead wouldn’t actually die, but instead, they’d live in a place of rest. It was thought that, when a person died, they would begin their journey to the Land of the Dead (known as Chicuntamictlan) – but not before overcoming a series of challenges first.

    To help the dead overcome these challenges on their travels, many rituals would be made; including the offering of food and tools. These customs inspired some of the modern-day rituals that are practiced as part of the Day of the Dead celebrations today.

    Ofrenda Altar Day of the Dead Mexico

    When is the Day of the Dead celebrated?

    Before the Spanish arrived, these celebrations took place during the summer months. But with the introduction of pagan beliefs, Dia de los Muertos was shifted back in the year to align with the Catholic festivals, All Saints Day and All Hallows Eve, which take place on the first two days of November. 

    skeletons at mexicos day of the dead festival

    Today, some celebrations in Mexico kick off from the 31st October. But the real party begins on the 1st of November, when the souls of children are honoured, and the 2nd of November, when the souls of adults are commemorated.

    orange marigold flowers lining the street

    Inspired to see Day of the Dead yourself?

    The Day of the Dead is a fiesta for the senses, you just have to know where to go to see the best of it.

    Top places to see Day of the Dead

    Like this? Sign up to our newsletter!

    If you enjoyed this then why not sign up to our newsletter for more travel inspiration, tips, and advice from our travel specialists.

    !

    By signing up, you’ve opted in to receive our newsletters – don’t worry, you can unsubscribe at any time, via the link at the bottom of our emails. We genuinely care about you and treat your data securely and with respect. We tell you all about it in our Privacy Policy.

    Something hasn't quite worked, please try again shortly!

    Thanks for signing up

    You're now signed up to our newsletter. It won't be long until you get your first dose of inspiration, so keep an eye on your inbox.

    Day of the deadDia de los muertosFestivalLa catrina
    Image of Hannah

    Written by Hannah

    View Profile

    With a love for wildlife, plane food and river rapids, Hannah is always on the look out for her next adventure. Find out about her travels here...

    Comments

    Next Article

    6 holidays to help you beat the winter blues

    Previous Article

    5 amazing places to experience Mexico's Day of the Dead

    Other articles you may like

    6 things you might not know about Mexico's Day of the Dead

    24th October 2019 by Hannah

    Dia de los Muertos is a time of celebration and joy in Mexico. But what's it all about? Here are 6 things you might not know about Day of the Dead.

    10 min read

    Read More - 6 things you might not know about Mexico's Day of the Dead

    Top tips

    5 amazing places to experience Mexico's Day of the Dead

    24th October 2019 by Hannah

    The Day of the Dead is a fiesta for the senses, you just have to know where to go to see the best of it. Here are our top 5 destinations...

    10 min read

    Read More - 5 amazing places to experience Mexico's Day of the Dead

    Top tips

    5 things we love about India (plus a few cautionary tales...)

    6th March 2013 by Friends of Rickshaw

    India is a land of extremes, which is what makes it so fascinating! Here are things we love about India, as well as some things to be aware of while there.

    10 min read

    Read More - 5 things we love about India (plus a few cautionary tales...)
    Back up

    As featured in

    • the guardian logo
    • wanderlust logo red
    • Lonely Planet
    • National Geographic Traveler
    • Psychologies
    • The Daily Telegraph

    Information

    • Contact us
    • Booking conditions
    • Financial protection
    • Health and safety
    • Your Package Holiday
    • FCDO travel advice
    • Blog
    • Coronavirus travel advice

    Get in touch

    We're a friendly bunch and always ready for a chat so feel free to get in touch.

    Call us: 01273 322 398

    Email us: hello@rickshawtravel.co.uk

    Contact us

    Connect with us

    FacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubePinterest
    ATOL Protected ABTA Travelife

    © 2008 - 2022 | Rickshaw Travel

    Privacy Policy  |  Cookie Policy  |  Sitemap

    Call us Phone us

    Please give us your consent to use cookies

    We use cookies to ensure our website works, to give you an enhanced experience while browsing, and to enable us to use 3rd party tools that are connected to us. Read our Cookie Policy for more information.

    What are your holiday plans?

    • Our travel specialists know everything there is to know about your chosen destination. Please tell us what you're looking for below and we’ll get back to you very soon (usually within 24 hours).

    • Hidden
      This field is only shown to Rickshaw Admins, and is used for routing the form to the correct destination inbox
    • Hidden
      This field is only shown to Rickshaw Admins, and is used for routing the form to the correct destination inbox
    • If you'd prefer us to call you, please enter your phone number here
    • If you can, please share with us how many people are travelling, when you’d like to go, what you’d really like to experience, what you love doing on holidays, your rough budget, and when's best to contact you.
    • Hidden
      By signing up to the email newsletter you consent to receive promotional emails from us. You can unsubscribe at any time. We genuinely care about you and treat your data securely and respectfully. We tell you all about it in our Privacy Policy.
    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.