Mexico - Travel Safety in Mexico - Interesting Perspective

Yes, there are some dangerous areas in Mexico, but there are dangerous areas in Atlanta (my home), New York, Los Angeles and so on. Mexico is a huge country, and really diverse. Adventure, rafting, beaches, museums, archeology, wonderful cuisine and even wineries. And absolutely fabulous hotels and resorts!!

There's not a day that goes by when someone doesn't say to me, "What? Mexico? But it's not safe!"

Some identified areas are not. So don't go to those, and those dangerous areas are a one or two days drive from some of the greatest destinations. Do consider visiting the hundreds of other amazing places in Mexico. IMHO you'll be delighted with what you find.

Here's an interesting perspective on how Mexico compares to US cities in terms of safety.

http://www.journeymexico.com/blog/travel-safety-in-perspective-usa-vs-mexico/

I have nothing against Fon du Lac. Wisconsin, but for a vacation I think I'll head south of the border.

+1

Just returned from the Yucatan area of Mexico and never felt unsafe in the areas we visited. Actually felt safer than in the big cities that my travels take me..

The piece you link has, I believe, been widely denounced as "not accurate" information planted by the Mexican tourism authorities. It appears, ver batim, on several or more websites.

If you think the war and level of terrorism taking place in Mexico, in many parts of Mexico, in parts wherer many tourists are destined, is no different than you find at home then you must live in Afghanistan or Baghdad.

I understand and respect varying viewpoints on "safety" but there is absolutely no comparison between the violence and carnage taking place in Mexico with any other place on our planet. Mexico is far worse.

The factual information is easily found on the internet. People interested in the topic should "google" or otherwise search for those things and inform themselves.

Thanks.

Was reading the paper of another mishap that has happened to a former US citizen today living just outside of Puerto Vallarta..

But, who in their right mind would keep 13K cash in a safe onsite in the house?

I believe the incident you're speaking of involved a Canadian who lives in the PV area and that this was a crime for which the victim may have known his attacker(s) and it may have been the result of a personal dispute of some sort. Not the type of crime many tourists, short-term visitors would encounter.

I believe the incident you're speaking of involved a Canadian who lives in the PV area and that this was a crime for which the victim may have known his attacker(s) and it may have been the result of a personal dispute of some sort. Not the type of crime many tourists, short-term visitors would encounter.

Yes, I think you're correct..

I didn't remember if he was Canadian.. The individual was a stalwart of Mexico living and his wife left for an hour and came back to find her husband on the floor and the safe open..

We just posted the below on another thread but when signing out, we noticed this related subject. Mexico is a beautiful place but with all the military weaponry in a good part of the country and even traveling through the areas that have not been as effected by the violence, it is really a roll of the dice visiting there.

99% of the time you can go down, have a great time and and return with a memorable trip under your belt. But remember this, nobody woke up in the morning and said to themselves "I think I am going to get kidnapped today". Many never "felt unsafe" right up to the time they were attacked. It human nature, unless we see third-world conditions or rockets whizzing by, we feel safe.

For my family, who used to be avid Mexico travelers, I ask that they travel someplace where the vehicle next to them doesn't have a trunk full of AK 47s or an anti-tank rocket in the back seat.

Just a Mexico security guy's view.

Sean

Secfor International


***Monterrey Safety thread***
Local staff in Monterrey (and other hotspots in Mexico) will generally downplay the violence and kidnap threat. They quite often will not have effective strategies for their own security other than some local information regarding what areas are considered "bad".

Monterrey is a beautiful city, but it is a city in denial of a threat that is not just restricted to bad-guys and locals. Get consultation from a US security consulting firm to at least get and idea of the actual real threat you will not be hearing from US news sources or the local associates. Most consulting firms will give you a good idea of what is going on for free.

Sean Jarvis
Secfor International
www.secforinternational.com

We just posted the below on another thread but when signing out, we noticed this related subject. Mexico is a beautiful place but with all the military weaponry in a good part of the country and even traveling through the areas that have not been as effected by the violence, it is really a roll of the dice visiting there.

99% of the time you can go down, have a great time and and return with a memorable trip under your belt. But remember this, nobody woke up in the morning and said to themselves "I think I am going to get kidnapped today". Many never "felt unsafe" right up to the time they were attacked. It human nature, unless we see third-world conditions or rockets whizzing by, we feel safe.

For my family, who used to be avid Mexico travelers, I ask that they travel someplace where the vehicle next to them doesn't have a trunk full of AK 47s or an anti-tank rocket in the back seat.

Just a Mexico security guy's view.

Sean

Secfor International


***Monterrey Safety thread***
Local staff in Monterrey (and other hotspots in Mexico) will generally downplay the violence and kidnap threat. They quite often will not have effective strategies for their own security other than some local information regarding what areas are considered "bad".

Monterrey is a beautiful city, but it is a city in denial of a threat that is not just restricted to bad-guys and locals. Get consultation from a US security consulting firm to at least get and idea of the actual real threat you will not be hearing from US news sources or the local associates. Most consulting firms will give you a good idea of what is going on for free.

Sean Jarvis
Secfor International
www.secforinternational.com

Thanks for the insight Sean..

I think we're pretty much committed going next month to Mexico.. I've decided not to rent a vehicle, rather get shuttled around and sticking with the tourist places along Mayan Riviera and Cancun.

Are these areas relatively safe in your eyes?

Sorry for the delay, this is not a regular forum for me.

Hope your trips went well. Tourist areas, buses vs taxis. Its all still a roll of the dice. You just never know. The best thing to do if you travel to risk areas, is learn how to determine the specific threat against you. Get proper training on safety planning, detecting problems before they develop, and dealing with a serious problem if you missed the development stages. Anyone can do this, it just seems that most anti-kidnap schools want to turn travelers into commandos instead of thinkers. You can avoid most problems if you know what to look for in the early stages and have a contingency already in place BEFORE you are under the stress of an attack.

Sean Jarvis
Secfor International
www.secforinternational.com

Sorry for the delay, this is not a regular forum for me.

Hope your trips went well. Tourist areas, buses vs taxis. Its all still a roll of the dice. You just never know. The best thing to do if you travel to risk areas, is learn how to determine the specific threat against you. Get proper training on safety planning, detecting problems before they develop, and dealing with a serious problem if you missed the development stages. Anyone can do this, it just seems that most anti-kidnap schools want to turn travelers into commandos instead of thinkers. You can avoid most problems if you know what to look for in the early stages and have a contingency already in place BEFORE you are under the stress of an attack.

Sean Jarvis
Secfor International
www.secforinternational.com

Hi Sean,

The trip went really well.. as I heeded your advice and others..

I didn't rent a vehicle, which saved me probably $800.. plus I did the moon palace time share presentation and received 6 trips on top of my visit to moon palace.. Tours picked us up every second day from Fairmont Mayakoba, and we had more than enough excursions than we wanted.. The best part was we only paid $50 per adult for 2 adults, and $35 for one kid and walked away with $1,500 plus worth of tourse..

Very efficient and money saving vacation.. all in all, very eventful and safe..

Thank you to and thanks to the FlyerTalk forum for assistance

Not to be alarmist, but thought this is an indication of a power struggle between the cartels and local police in PDC . . .

http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2011/09/chief-of-tourist-police-executed-in.html

I'm still planning x-mas in Cancun.

Not to be alarmist, but thought this is an indication of a power struggle between the cartels and local police in PDC . . .

http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2011/09/chief-of-tourist-police-executed-in.html

I'm still planning x-mas in Cancun.

One of the reasons why we were considering not to go to Riviera Maya..

But we stayed on the tour buses, and stayed within tourist zones.. but this execution in Playa Del Carmen definitely hits home.. I will probably reconsider revisiting on a regular basis, unless the crime acts get cleaned up..

We could have been caught in a crossfire..:eek:

"We could have been caught in a crossfire..."

Seriously?! Like the ones in Tuscon, Michigan, Texas, or Ohio this year? More tourists have gotten killed in Yosemite National Park than in all of Mexico so far in 2011.

The Yucatan has a crime rate on par with Belgium. More stats here on U.S. cities vs. tourist zones in Mexico:

http://travel.booklocker.com/2011/05/18/travel-safety-in-perspective-usa-vs-mexico/

Yes, parts of Mexico should be avoided, included Monterrey and most any other city near the U.S. border (where all the firearms are coming from). But it's a huge country, just like the U.S. and Canada.

"We could have been caught in a crossfire..."

Seriously?! Like the ones in Tuscon, Michigan, Texas, or Ohio this year? More tourists have gotten killed in Yosemite National Park than in all of Mexico so far in 2011.

The Yucatan has a crime rate on par with Belgium. More stats here on U.S. cities vs. tourist zones in Mexico:

http://travel.booklocker.com/2011/05/18/travel-safety-in-perspective-usa-vs-mexico/

Yes, parts of Mexico should be avoided, included Monterrey and most any other city near the U.S. border (where all the firearms are coming from). But it's a huge country, just like the U.S. and Canada.

Thanks for the article.. keeps everything in perspective..

We trekked down to Maya Riviera in July, and felt pretty safe when staying at the resorts and mainstream tours..

"We could have been caught in a crossfire..."

Seriously?! Like the ones in Tuscon, Michigan, Texas, or Ohio this year? More tourists have gotten killed in Yosemite National Park than in all of Mexico so far in 2011.

The Yucatan has a crime rate on par with Belgium. More stats here on U.S. cities vs. tourist zones in Mexico:

http://travel.booklocker.com/2011/05/18/travel-safety-in-perspective-usa-vs-mexico/

Yes, parts of Mexico should be avoided, included Monterrey and most any other city near the U.S. border (where all the firearms are coming from). But it's a huge country, just like the U.S. and Canada.

I'd like to read the article but keep getting:

Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage

so is there another way to link it?

FWIW I was in Mayan in Aug. and did a few trip off-resort and didn't feel unsafe but that's my impression.

Regarding Mexico safety.. I read this article today..

http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/Readers+speak+Mexico+travel+safety/5459548/story.html?cid=megadrop_story

I might go to San Jose del Cabo later this month.
My impression is that area is reasonably OK,
but haven't seen much press.

I am thinking to rent a car for day trip(s) up towards LPZ.
Have driven thru most parts of Mexico over last 30 years.

But those days are not today.
Anybody care to comment?

I might go to San Jose del Cabo later this month.
My impression is that area is reasonably OK,
maybe safer than PVR etc.
but haven't seen much press.

I am thinking to rent a car for day trip(s) up towards LPZ.
Have driven thru most parts of Mexico over last 30 years.

But those days are not today.
Anybody care to comment?

Do you mean that you would not drive around Mexico like you would normally?

I think generally, the tourist areas are pretty safe.. Its' if you start travelling in long car trips into the interior they say, its a bit on the risky side..

Do you mean that you would not drive around Mexico like you would normally?
....the interior they say, its a bit on the risky side..yes, I think I approach it differently now.
But I am older, if not wiser !

For example, I thought to drive from AUS to PVR last December,
wanting to fill in some gaps like Durango and around there.

I flew, partly because toll road cost = airline ticket.
Later, news from Durango area made me think
the drive might not have been smart, had I done so.

yes, I think I approach it differently now.
But I am older, if not wiser !

For example, I thought to drive from AUS to PVR last December,
wanting to fill in some gaps like Durango and around there.

I flew, partly because toll road cost = airline ticket.
Later, news from Durango area made me think
the drive might not have been smart, had I done so.

I think the article I read today has a lot to do about safety around the tourist heavy areas to be ok..

But driving around the interior freely, is where it may get a bit unsafe.. not saying that it is completely unsafe.. Your experience, supports the trend of travellers, driving around in a vehicle in the interior Mexico to be unsafe..

Some of the most important tourist areas are seeing terrorist activites which have greatly affected safety: Mazatlan, Acapulco, Veracruz ... to name just three. The war has expanded to many areas of the country and independent safety consultants/experts estimate that 50% of the country is no longer controlled, totally, by the government. Not all of the country is dangerous to visit, of course, but it's important to recognize the increasing risks and to keep informed as to current events ... which change constantly.

Some of the most important tourist areas are seeing terrorist activites which have greatly affected safety: Mazatlan, Acapulco, Veracruz ... to name just three. The war has expanded to many areas of the country and independent safety consultants/experts estimate that 50% of the country is no longer controlled, totally, by the government. Not all of the country is dangerous to visit, of course, but it's important to recognize the increasing risks and to keep informed as to current events ... which change constantly.

Thanks for the update.. the increased danger is real..

but an educated tourist, will remain safe.. Just have to be up to speed..

You don't have a clue. Not even one.

You don't have a clue. Not even one.

Maybe the safety of those areas are being affected.. Certainly I don't have experience with the areas that you mention..

So yes, I don't have a clue, not even one.. ime, we visited the tourist areas around Cancun and Mayan Riviera in July.. Things may have changed since..

Check out this story in the L.A. Times. Hooded gunmen stop bus and rob Carnival Cruise tourists.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/02/hooded-gunmen-robbed-carnival-splendor-cruise-guests-on-bus-in-mexico.html

Mexico is like many other places we travel - some areas are unsafe, and one should do some research before traveling in those areas. Others are as "violence free" as the US or other developed nations, which does not mean those areas are violence free - read about the shootings in the workplace, in schools or drug deals gone bad and drive-bys in the USA and you will understand more about this.

The state of Guerrero, including Acapulco, has been in the "Hatfield-McCoy" and drugs traffic position for many decades, and today is merely more unsafe than it was before.

Some of the border areas are unsafe - but perhaps surprisingly for some, Tijuana has become much safer and is thriving. There are places I'd go, places I'd not - or if I went certain places I'd avoid, and certain times of day (night) I'd not venture forth. Some of them I have visited in the past, and would avoid now.

This is also true in Brazil, Guatemala, Belize, Jamaica, Laos, Cambodia... and many other places.

Rather than paint with a broad brush, where everything comes out the same color, it's best to use perspective. E.g. The U S State Department said, this year, "Of the 107 American deaths [in 2011], Weisz said he believes many of them were Mexican-Americans involved in the drug trade. He ranked Mexico as a medium security risk, mainly the border areas."

For another perspective of traveling and driving in Mexico, I recommend Mike "Mexico" Nelson's site here (www.mexicomike.com). I've known Mike as a correspondent friend for many years; he used to write all the road logs for Sanborn's Insurance's Mexico insurance services (SoCal, AZ, NM and TX, hundreds of thousands of customers using his logs.) and has driven practically everywhere in Mexico one can drive - including quite recently. (I have driven throughout Mexico for over five decades in my own vehicles, 4WDs, VW campers, rental cars, you name it - but Mike has me beat by a gigamile!) Read his pages "Is Mexico safe?" He recently returned from a long drive... in Mexico.

Assault hits close to home, as one of our fellow Calgarians got assaulted..

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2012/01/23/mexico-woman-attack.html

I understand that these attacks are isolated, but theres been a few incidents that has caused our family to raise some eyebrows. Nonetheless, we had a fantastic stay at Fairmont Mayakoba Riviera Maya this past summer. I would like to visit the hotel again, but my wife says not for at least another 4 or 5 years.

I wouldn't give greater weight to Mike Nelson's opinons than I would to those of others. All viewpoints are important to read. That's something I can agree with. The facts are the facts and no amount of interpretion by others changes them. We should each view them and form our own opinions. Just because one person travels safely doesn't mean the risks don't exist. We're not talking about travel or living in other countries. Mexico is the discussion.

But Mexico does not exist in a vacuum, and Mike Nelson happens to travel more knowledgeably, "close to the ground" and farther afield than most in this forum. His insights and awareness have much more validity than someone who is merely reading the news.

Perceptions can hinder objectivity and factuality when they are incorrectly gained. Neither fearmongering nor ignoring the realities of dangerous areas are useful to those who wish to travel using actual facts.

Flying is safer than driving - but my friend and cousin who was killed by LANSA pilot error and unsafe practices in Perú, and my colleague and friend killed in the San Diego PSSA crash, might disagree, for their specific instances. Given factual information, the former would have had information on which to choose to avoid LANSA; it was not available. My colleague was flying a safe US airline. No travel is risk free.

I'd still visit Mexico - and in fact will in the near future. I would not go some places I have visited, camped and enjoyed previously or even to visit and stay with relatives in some areas of Tamaulipas as I used to previously. In Cozumel, Cancún and Isla Mujeres, I always have some risk, but in Cd. Mante and Cd. Victoria, it's considerably higher. I can manage the risk, not eliminate it.


I wouldn't give greater weight to Mike Nelson's opinons than I would to those of others. All viewpoints are important to read. That's something I can agree with. The facts are the facts and no amount of interpretion by others changes them. We should each view them and form our own opinions. Just because one person travels safely doesn't mean the risks don't exist. We're not talking about travel or living in other countries. Mexico is the discussion.

Twice my comments have been blocked, so here goes a third and final time:

Nelson's comments are those of a Mexico 'road rat,' and often irrelevant to tourists unfamiliar with Mexico. Comments one often reads from expats with a deep connection to Mexico and who gloss-over facts out of a sense that they have to defend their lover. That's my opinion.

Blocked? Not sure what that is about. Your opinion is always welcome and should be considered in context.

But tourists unfamiliar with Mexico should study a bit and go places where "newbie" Mexico tourists are more comfortable and less at risk of the many things that could happen to a tourist, or perhaps consider visiting with a tour.

OTOH the last two places people attempted to rob me were not in Mexico; they were in Istanbul and Athens.

Twice my comments have been blocked, so here goes a third and final time:

Nelson's comments are those of a Mexico 'road rat,' and often irrelevant to tourists unfamiliar with Mexico. Comments one often reads from expats with a deep connection to Mexico and who gloss-over facts out of a sense that they have to defend their lover. That's my opinion.

I don't dispute that there are some dangerous places in Mexico, but I felt very safe in Cancun every time I went, including last month. This is despite the killing of the Chief of Tourism Police in Playa del Carmen last year, which is some 20 miles south of Cancun. But I also have lived in cities large and small across the USA, and currently often hear gunfire at night. Every day our small town newspaper has stories about bank robberies, knifings, domestic robbery, auto theft, muggings, thugs robbing pedestrians at all times of day, and more. I did not experience any of that in Mexico. But I've been robbed in rural New York, witnessed multiple arson and theft events in the UK, been robbed in California, found myself in the middle of SWAT team action in rural Illinois, and must regularly submit to degrading searches and inspections by the TSA at USA airports. My Mexican excursions, in contrast, leave me relaxed and rejuvenated. I highly recommend it. :)

I don't dispute that there are some dangerous places in Mexico, but I felt very safe in Cancun every time I went, including last month. This is despite the killing of the Chief of Tourism Police in Playa del Carmen last year, which is some 20 miles south of Cancun. But I also have lived in cities large and small across the USA, and currently often hear gunfire at night. Every day our small town newspaper has stories about bank robberies, knifings, domestic robbery, auto theft, muggings, thugs robbing pedestrians at all times of day, and more. I did not experience any of that in Mexico. But I've been robbed in rural New York, witnessed multiple arson and theft events in the UK, been robbed in California, found myself in the middle of SWAT team action in rural Illinois, and must regularly submit to degrading searches and inspections by the TSA at USA airports. My Mexican excursions, in contrast, leave me relaxed and rejuvenated. I highly recommend it. :)

We felt quite safe travelling in the summer as well.. a very good experience. But we probably won't return in the forseeable future. Lots of other places to discover and travel. Safety outlook is a factor.

Just to mention one place, Queretaro, Qro. is a lovely colonial city two hours northwest from Mexico City. The homicide rate is about the same as Wisconsin*. From Mexico City (Aeropuerto Benito Juarez) a couple of hours or so by Primera Plus bus (we do not have anything as comfortable as these buses in the USA) for about USD $22.

*3.2 per 100,000 residents per year; Sacramento, CA, near where I reside, has over twice that rate at 7.0. Cancún (and the state of Quintana Roo in which it's situated) have a lower homicide rate than Arizona.

For more perspective:

Miami's homicide rate is 19 per 100,000 inhabitants; Washington DC homicide rate is 31 per 100,000 inhabitants; New Orleans' is 74 per 100,000 (source: FBI & Brookings Institute). USA traffic death rate is 11 per 100,000 (USDOT).

Dominican Republic, Panama and Costa Rica homicide rates are respectively 21, 19 and 11 per 100,000. Jamaica, over 60 per 100,000. (source: Brookings Institute Washington D.C.)

The homicide rate in all of Mexico, (INCLUDING the drugs related murders in the north) is 14 per 100,000 habitants; sans drugs related murders the figure is around 11 per 100,000 habitants. (source: Milenio) (That's just over the suicide rate in California!)

That being said, there are definitely places I would avoid in Mexico and manage my risks well. Oh, in the US and elsewhere as well.

Just to mention one place, Queretaro, Qro. is a lovely colonial city two hours northwest from Mexico City. The homicide rate is about the same as Wisconsin*. From Mexico City (Aeropuerto Benito Juarez) a couple of hours or so by Primera Plus bus (we do not have anything as comfortable as these buses in the USA) for about USD $22.

*3.2 per 100,000 residents per year; Sacramento, CA, near where I reside, has over twice that rate at 7.0. Cancún (and the state of Quintana Roo in which it's situated) have a lower homicide rate than Arizona.

For more perspective:

Miami's homicide rate is 19 per 100,000 inhabitants; Washington DC homicide rate is 31 per 100,000 inhabitants; New Orleans' is 74 per 100,000 (source: FBI & Brookings Institute). USA traffic death rate is 11 per 100,000 (USDOT).

Dominican Republic, Panama and Costa Rica homicide rates are respectively 21, 19 and 11 per 100,000. Jamaica, over 60 per 100,000. (source: Brookings Institute Washington D.C.)

The homicide rate in all of Mexico, (INCLUDING the drugs related murders in the north) is 14 per 100,000 habitants; sans drugs related murders the figure is around 11 per 100,000 habitants. (source: Milenio) (That's just over the suicide rate in California!)

That being said, there are definitely places I would avoid in Mexico and manage my risks well. Oh, in the US and elsewhere as well.

How many beheadings a year do you have in Sacramento?

I'm not sure how the form of death affects it - dead is dead, even if you call it muerto.

Fortunately, beheadings are clear indicators of inter-gang rivalry (and I am not sure that's entirely a bad thing). There were six beheadings on one day last year in my original home town - but hundreds of thousands of Mexico City folk go there every weekend anyway, and it hasn't much affected the legitimate citizenry or tourists, or even the many students who live locally a while to attend colleges and universities - only the members of the other gang who were killed and brought into town to put on display as a "keep out" warning.

We just had a five man shoot out (at least one dead) at an upscale shopping center in a gang-related meth sale two miles from where I live in California now.


How many beheadings a year do you have in Sacramento?

Attempt to compare crime statistics in Mexico with many other developed nations (i.e. the USA) results in apples to oranges comparisons. Mexico doesn't maintain a reliable, inclusive database of crimes. And it sometimes classifies crimes it does count/report differently.

Regions and specific destinations are better to compare, when possible, than nations as a whole. The best guide I've seen that'll help us steer clear of the most serious of the terrorist, warfare and criminal activities is this map read together with the warnings issued by the U.S. Department of State:

http://www.travelweekly.com/uploadedFiles/MEXICOMAP4.pdf

Most of what's happening in Mexico that'll be scary never sees print in the USA. One has to read Spanish and scan the Mexican newspapers to learn these things.

I'm not sure how the form of death affects it - dead is dead, even if you call it muerto.

.

Couldn't agree more.. once the bucket is kicked, its kicked.@:-)

Most of what's happening in Mexico that'll be scary never sees print in the USA. One has to read Spanish and scan the Mexican newspapers to learn these things.I recommend El Alarma... :p :D

Seriously though, La Cochinita's family who lives in the State of Mexico just north of El D.F. has been victimized several times over the years including carjacking, armed robbery, home-invasion robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and rape. In the latter the rapist was a member of the city police force. Which reinforces the overall perception held by many Mexicans that their own police are just as bad as the criminals and can't be trusted. So a lot of crimes go unreported.

On September 10 in the demonstration he called in Mexico City's Zócalo, "AMLO" proclaimed he quit his PRD party, that he will not recognize the winning PRI candidate and is starting another party, the National Regeneration Movement; he will dedicate himself to non-violent protest. BBC video (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-19543232). Demonstrations by PRD and their supporters will not be the issue it was six years ago, but one never knows how a crowd will grow and what it will do if there are agents provocateurs, and there are not infrequently these in Mexican demonstrations. Avoid crowds.