Realistic opinions on safe travel to Mexico
July 30, 2024 11:27 PM
I love Mexico, but I haven’t been for many years. My experience is mostly the pacific coast; spent a bunch of time in Nayarit. Some visits to Baja as well.
Shit seems fucked. I am an experienced world traveler with ok Spanish and I feel timid about traveling to Mexico. I’m kind of scared, which is foreign (ha ha) to me. I want to take in my family to Mexico City and Guadalajara.
To reiterate, I’m very comfortable traveling, and this question is just about safety. If I travel to Mexico, will I need to be constantly on the pivot?
Shit seems fucked. I am an experienced world traveler with ok Spanish and I feel timid about traveling to Mexico. I’m kind of scared, which is foreign (ha ha) to me. I want to take in my family to Mexico City and Guadalajara.
To reiterate, I’m very comfortable traveling, and this question is just about safety. If I travel to Mexico, will I need to be constantly on the pivot?
Mexico City is super safe, especially if you stick to tourist and expat areas. I went there last year and had no issues at all. Though I was with my boyfriend, I relied heavily on recommendations from Where Goes Rose?, a blogger from the UK who focuses on solo female travel - her notes might help relieve some of the anxiety.
I really can't recommend CDMX enough. I had a blast there and would go back in a heartbeat. It's such a gorgeous city with so much to do.
(Fun anecdote: while there, we met up with some family friends who are Mexico City residents and natives, and we swapped stories about living in so-called "dangerous" cities. Them in Mexico City, us in Washington, DC. None of us has experienced any violence or theft in our hometowns. One of the family friends said the only time she was robbed was in London, UK.)
posted by capricorn at 5:47 AM on July 31
I really can't recommend CDMX enough. I had a blast there and would go back in a heartbeat. It's such a gorgeous city with so much to do.
(Fun anecdote: while there, we met up with some family friends who are Mexico City residents and natives, and we swapped stories about living in so-called "dangerous" cities. Them in Mexico City, us in Washington, DC. None of us has experienced any violence or theft in our hometowns. One of the family friends said the only time she was robbed was in London, UK.)
posted by capricorn at 5:47 AM on July 31
Mexico is huge. Like, the size of Western Europe huge. And like Western Europe there are lots of parts where you could hop on a plane and casually go visit, and other parts where you would want to put a lot of thinking in.
Mexico City and Guadalajara are places you can casually visit in the same way that you would casually visit New York or Paris. There are good neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods. Stick to the tourist track and you’ll be fine.
If you rent a car and drive outside the cities that is your best chance to encounter corrupt cops, mainly in the sense that they will accept a spot payment for an infraction you may or may not have committed. These cities aren’t Bogota, you’re not going to get hit up by police officers just walking around.
Mexico has some serious problems, including a few states that are effectively out of federal control. It also has massive high level corruption and a wealth gap that would make even the U.S. blush. So A) don’t visit the cartel states, B) do not attempt any large scale business ventures without expecting to pay a lot of bribes, and C) try not to be poor (make less than USD $10,000/yr).
If you can avoid those three pitfalls, you’re good to go.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:10 AM on July 31
Mexico City and Guadalajara are places you can casually visit in the same way that you would casually visit New York or Paris. There are good neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods. Stick to the tourist track and you’ll be fine.
If you rent a car and drive outside the cities that is your best chance to encounter corrupt cops, mainly in the sense that they will accept a spot payment for an infraction you may or may not have committed. These cities aren’t Bogota, you’re not going to get hit up by police officers just walking around.
Mexico has some serious problems, including a few states that are effectively out of federal control. It also has massive high level corruption and a wealth gap that would make even the U.S. blush. So A) don’t visit the cartel states, B) do not attempt any large scale business ventures without expecting to pay a lot of bribes, and C) try not to be poor (make less than USD $10,000/yr).
If you can avoid those three pitfalls, you’re good to go.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:10 AM on July 31
(Doh. I meant La Paz, Bolivia for rampant police corruption. Bogotá is actually lovely.)
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:19 AM on July 31
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:19 AM on July 31
Another +1 for Mexico City. I started having to visit an automotive plant north of the city a couple years ago, and have really enjoyed exploring the city in my downtime. Except for the airport, where they're forbidden, I take Ubers everywhere. Feels just as safe as anywhere walking around the trendy neighborhoods -- La Condesa and Roma Norte and Coyoacán and all that. My 22-year-old daughter visited me on a trip once and went out on her own during the days while I was working. We both speak baby Spanish and like walking around cities, so if that's you, definitely check it out.
posted by peachfiber at 8:12 AM on July 31
posted by peachfiber at 8:12 AM on July 31
I can also vouch for Mexico City feeling very safe. We walked and biked everywhere from our home base in Zona Rosa on our two visits, daytime or nighttime, took the subway no problem. It was great. I can't wait to go back.
The unsafest part is the same as the unsafest part in other North American cities: crossing the street as a pedestrian.
Okay and be careful with the street food and take a street food tour rather than just diving in because you will likely get food poisoning. It will be worth it because the food is delicious, but yeah. Take some Dukerol or something before you leave.
posted by urbanlenny at 8:14 AM on July 31
The unsafest part is the same as the unsafest part in other North American cities: crossing the street as a pedestrian.
Okay and be careful with the street food and take a street food tour rather than just diving in because you will likely get food poisoning. It will be worth it because the food is delicious, but yeah. Take some Dukerol or something before you leave.
posted by urbanlenny at 8:14 AM on July 31
I'm living part-time in Mexico now.
Currently in Playa Del Carmen and just spent a week in Mexico City, and I've dropped into parts of Baja California like Tijuana.
Is all of Mexico safe? I couldn't tell you.
I can tell you that between exploring cities, going on roadtrips, jumping on busses and metros... I've never had a problem.
Like anywhere, people are mostly kind. I'm around foreigners that are even choosing ot raise their children in Mexico.
As always, be present, be aware, know that some people want to take advantage of you. But mostly good.
posted by jander03 at 9:16 AM on July 31
Currently in Playa Del Carmen and just spent a week in Mexico City, and I've dropped into parts of Baja California like Tijuana.
Is all of Mexico safe? I couldn't tell you.
I can tell you that between exploring cities, going on roadtrips, jumping on busses and metros... I've never had a problem.
Like anywhere, people are mostly kind. I'm around foreigners that are even choosing ot raise their children in Mexico.
As always, be present, be aware, know that some people want to take advantage of you. But mostly good.
posted by jander03 at 9:16 AM on July 31
Nthing Mexico City. The last time I went to DF friends and I got a rental which shit the bed on the way back from Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, we were maybe an hour outside of the city. Got stranded for like eight hours because no tow would come get us outside the city. They said the area we were in was too dangerous and they wouldn't come. The perception there is often reverse of assumptions coming from the US, in other words city=safe, rural=unsafe.
Even in supposedly rougher DF neighborhoods at night, I would turn a corner and instead of finding a pickpocket or something, would just be a couple in their 60s making out or walking the dog. People live a lot of their lives in public there which makes it feel very safe. Just watch your pockets on the subway and in markets.
But also FWIW Nayarit is becoming a tourist mecca so maybe check some stats, I don't think you have to assume it's unsafe for travel. Maybe check out a Nayarit-specific subreddit but I imagine you'd be fine there as long as you don't plan on getting mixed up in the drug trade.
posted by kensington314 at 9:37 AM on July 31
Even in supposedly rougher DF neighborhoods at night, I would turn a corner and instead of finding a pickpocket or something, would just be a couple in their 60s making out or walking the dog. People live a lot of their lives in public there which makes it feel very safe. Just watch your pockets on the subway and in markets.
But also FWIW Nayarit is becoming a tourist mecca so maybe check some stats, I don't think you have to assume it's unsafe for travel. Maybe check out a Nayarit-specific subreddit but I imagine you'd be fine there as long as you don't plan on getting mixed up in the drug trade.
posted by kensington314 at 9:37 AM on July 31
Now with that said my friend was in a restaurant in Mexico City during a shooting a couple years ago, but this can happen anywhere. My sister was in a Target during a shooting in California in 1993, shootings happen in places with guns. I have never known anyone else to travel in Mexico City who has a similar story. Its basically been entirely colonized by American and European tourists and airbnb owners at this point, which is a bummer dynamic but not relevant to your question.
posted by kensington314 at 9:39 AM on July 31
posted by kensington314 at 9:39 AM on July 31
I lived in Mexico City for a couple months last summer and felt very safe. Like the huge city that it is, there are nice neighborhoods and there are neighborhoods to avoid at night and during the day. In general the touristy areas felt very safe (polanco, condessa, roma norte), and the outer areas like coyoacan and xoximilco too. I stuck to uber in the city rather than metro because my wife and kids felt more comfortable that way - and our local nanny recommended avoiding the metro for young women - so i have no experience with the metro. Uber is cheap though.
We rented a car and drove and stayed weekends at san miguel de allende and topoztlan and felt safe the whole time exploring those areas.
message me directly if you'd like more info on mexico city
posted by escher at 9:51 AM on August 1
We rented a car and drove and stayed weekends at san miguel de allende and topoztlan and felt safe the whole time exploring those areas.
message me directly if you'd like more info on mexico city
posted by escher at 9:51 AM on August 1
I spent a week in CDMX with my daughter last year, another week with her in Puerto Vallarta over spring break this year, and just got back from a solo trip visiting Ajijic and Guadalajara. I have minimal Spanish knowledge.
At no time did I feel any more threatened than in Chicago or New York (ie, minimally). Follow sensible precautions and you should be fine.
I’m hoping to get to San Miguel de Allende later this year, and already thinking of dragging a friend down to CDMX to show them how cool it is.
posted by Calibandage at 2:11 PM on August 5
At no time did I feel any more threatened than in Chicago or New York (ie, minimally). Follow sensible precautions and you should be fine.
I’m hoping to get to San Miguel de Allende later this year, and already thinking of dragging a friend down to CDMX to show them how cool it is.
posted by Calibandage at 2:11 PM on August 5
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According to another Mexican friend I spoke with, the safest states are Baja and Yucatan, which are furthest from the center of the country where cartel activity is concentrated. So I'd look at Baja Sur or Mérida for family vacationing.
The corrupt cops are a fact of life all over the country. If you can avoid renting your own vehicle, do so. Buses and metro (CDMX) are the way to go.
All of that being said, since you speak some Spanish, Mexico City and Guadalajara might be ok for you. Don't stay out late, find out which neighborhoods aren't great and avoid them, carry some cash but not a lot in case you run into corrupt cops. Being with family reduces the shakedown risk, methinks.
posted by rabia.elizabeth at 4:17 AM on July 31