You can still be safe in Mexico; but heed a note of warning!

A few days ago I wrote an article about the safety of tourist spots in Mexico. Sadly, I must add a codicil to my last article about traveling to Mexico. While I spent all of last winter traveling through Baja California, Mazatlan, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and more and never heard of a negative incident, I’m afraid we must add Mazatlan to the Precautionary Area. A January 18, 2011 article in the Montreal Gazette (www.MontrealGazette.com) reports that a Canadian tourist was caught in the crossfire of gun-related violence after stepping out from a Mazatlan farmacia. According to our fellow-cruiser Tom who lives onboard his Catalina 470, they spent some time there earlier in the season and had no adverse experiences. He and his wife spent one week in the Old Harbor, though, and remarked they found it a little creepy.

“During our stay at Marina Mazatlan, Total Yacht Works was burglarized the night they received my boat parts, which were stolen in the break-in,” Tom comments.

“The point is Mazatlan is about to be hit hard by the economic loss of three different cruise lines discontinuing service to that port (Princess, Holland America and Disney). This means more lost jobs for the working Mexicans. According to the US State Department, the murder rate for the first quarter in Mazatlan,exceeded all the murders from the previous years and are mostly drug related.

“We will be returning to Mazatlan, but not staying in the Old Harbor (personal safety preference).

“To the rest of you, just pay attention and be safe... Mazatlan is a big City with Big City problems... I was a cop for thirty years and learned long ago, paying attention to your surroundings and listening to your little voice goes a long way.”

Also, Googling your destination in advance before you depart might be a good idea. We, in the sailing community, also signed onto a cruising chat group. In addition to discussing where to get extra parts and what restaurants were the best, these cruisers were quick to report any security issues, usually within the same day they occurred.

This writer will be cautious but not thwarted. My goal is to get back down to Cancun in April and perhaps to Baja California in the fall, but I will do a little homework, first. Plus, I'll take Tom's advice and behave just as I would if I were in Los Angeles or Washington, DC: In other words, stay out of the 'bad' sections, don't wave money around, be situationly aware and move with confidence that says "I'm not a victim." So, see you in Mexico this year!
A few days ago I wrote an article about the safety of tourist spots in Mexico. Sadly, I must add a codicil to my last article about traveling to Mexico. While I spent all of last winter traveling through Baja California, Mazatlan, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and more and never heard of a negative incident, I’m afraid we must add Mazatlan to the Precautionary Area. A January 18, 2011 article in the Montreal Gazette (www.MontrealGazette.com) reports that a Canadian tourist was caught in the crossfire of gun-related violence after stepping out from a Mazatlan farmacia. According to our fellow-cruiser Tom who lives onboard his Catalina 470, they spent some time there earlier in the season and had no adverse experiences. He and his wife spent one week in the Old Harbor, though, and remarked they found it a little creepy.

“During our stay at Marina Mazatlan, Total Yacht Works was burglarized the night they received my boat parts, which were stolen in the break-in,” Tom comments.

“The point is Mazatlan is about to be hit hard by the economic loss of three different cruise lines discontinuing service to that port (Princess, Holland America and Disney). This means more lost jobs for the working Mexicans. According to the US State Department, the murder rate for the first quarter in Mazatlan,exceeded all the murders from the previous years and are mostly drug related.

“We will be returning to Mazatlan, but not staying in the Old Harbor (personal safety preference).

“To the rest of you, just pay attention and be safe... Mazatlan is a big City with Big City problems... I was a cop for thirty years and learned long ago, paying attention to your surroundings and listening to your little voice goes a long way.”

Also, Googling your destination in advance before you depart might be a good idea. We, in the sailing community, also signed onto a cruising chat group. In addition to discussing where to get extra parts and what restaurants were the best, these cruisers were quick to report any security issues, usually within the same day they occurred.

This writer will be cautious but not thwarted. My goal is to get back down to Cancun in April and perhaps to Baja California in the fall, but I will do a little homework, first. Plus, I'll take Tom's advice and behave just as I would if I were in Los Angeles or Washington, DC: In other words, stay out of the 'bad' sections, don't wave money around, be situationly aware and move with confidence that says "I'm not a victim." So, see you in Mexico this year!