Violent crime at beach resort areas in Mexico
We are considering a trip to Ixtapa in March. We have traveled to Mexico many times, visiting Cancun, Ixtapa and Puerto Vallarta and never experienced any violent crime.
However over the years I have read many news stories about extremely violent crimes in Mexico, including carjackings, kidnappings, beheadings, and murders.
In the past I always felt safe in the tourist areas. Most of the crimes I have read about seem to have occurred in Mexico City or other places away from the main tourist areas.
However there have been more recent news reports that make me wonder about the safety of tourists in the beach resorts. A couple of Canadians murdered in the Cancun/Costa Maya area. An entire police station full of police officers massacred in Acapulco. Hotel managers in tourist areas kidnapped.
I know that statistically someone will say it is more dangerous to visit the U.S.A. than to visit Mexico. Still the brutality and scale of the violence is hard for a Canadian to come to grips with.
The bottom line is, we are assessing whether or not to visit this beautiful country again. We'd like to make a decision based on facts and not sensationalism. Any opinions on this would be appreciated.