TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums Cancun - Isla Mujeres - Mexico New travel warnings for Cancun

My wife and I recently returned from a trip to Hidden Beach Resort in Mexico. It's about an hour's drive from Cancun Airport. We had no concerns about our safety at any time during our trip. We're primarily going for the sunshine, and don't have much interest in sightseeing, visiting ruins, etc. I'd never rent a car there, as the local drivers are rather erratic, and the roads are somewhat unpredictable. But the people generally seem friendly and OK. We're going back in November!

Many sunny holiday destinations have high crime rates, and high murder rates. Tourist crime is largely avoidable; if you wander around covered in jewels and expensive watches, don't be surprised if someone relieves you of the burden. Murders tend to be of locals, by locals, and are usually gang-related or drug-related. It's interesting to look at murder rates (ie the number of murders per 100,000 population). Mexico has an almost gentle figure of 19.26 which is much lower than Trinidad & Tobago (30.88) or Jamaica (47.01 - more than double the rate in Mexico!). Yet most of us are quite happy to visit Jamaica. My wife & I visited Tobago a few years ago, hired a car, had a wander around, drank in local bars, no problems at all.

In contrast, Dominican Republic has a murder rate of only 15.18 yet this is one of the few places we'd never ever return to! The resort we stayed in had armed guards at night. We were ambushed in our taxi on the way back to the airport by an armed gang of renegade cops and soldiers, who extracted money from the cab driver. So murders aren't necessarily the real indicator of risk.

Well just read on the internet that 7 people (tourists?) were killed in a nightclub in PLAYA DEL CARMEN. last night. Anyone care to comment???

News article you refer to. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...ican-resort-playa-del-carmen/2508372002/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...shooting-bar-la-virginias-mexican-resort

Unfortunately That stuff happens everywhere these days.

Absolutely not tourists.
That is not a nightclub.
It’s a low income neighborhood miles from the beach and completely off the commercial area.
Still, any loss of life is a horrible thing.

“Well”...Glad you were again able to find something to cite incorrectly. Just unfortunate some folks thrive on sharing only negative news...

Sorry to read of this, certainly a horrible thing to happen, whatever the cause...

It is quite painful to know this type of news, however, tourists are not at risk because the vast majority of crimes occur around the city and not in the tourist area.

Get ready.

A recent shooting on Constituentes and Fifth will probably be in the news soon. Yes, right in the heart of the tourist zone.
Apparently the police were trying to apprehend a suspect when he began shooting at the officers. Rumor has it one Dutch bystander was struck by two stray bullets.

More to come.

When a country averages almost 3000 murders a month (reported, how many unreported?), I would guess one would probably make the news once in a while.

The incident I referenced above was not a murder. The story has it, the tourist's arm was grazed and took one in the shoulder.

My mistake. Still shocking considering Mexico's strict anti gun laws

If this is the same incident reported this week, the suspect was meeting an acquaintance who owed $$ (both locals), as the payee arrived he saw the suspect was holding and called the police. The suspect fled and police located his vehicle at Juarez y 30th (several blocks away from the tourist area). Shots were fired, he fled and was subsequently apprehended on Constituyentes y 20th. No bystanders were harmed according to the report.

Is this the same incident? Or has more information been published about this one?

Laws...

That's the one! Same. I heard it differently. Hope you are right!

Well I don't rely on many of the sources these reports are generated by because the preliminary info is often based on misinformation...so not sure...
I'm now hearing about another incident away from the tourist zone but details are fuzzy...

EJECUTAN A DUEÑO DE TAQUERÍA "RIBON" EN LA NUEVA CREACIÓN.

Un hombre, dueño de una taquería, fue asesinado a tiros esta noche en la colonia Nueva Creación de esta ciudad.

Rafael R. C., de 27 años de edad recibió disparos en la cabeza y tórax, al interior de su local, Tacos Ribón, en la avenida Misión del Carmen con Othón P. Blanco, quedando gravemente herido. Quienes estaban con él optaron por trasladarlo en su propio automóvil al Hospital General de la ciudad, dónde falleció, aunque no se descarta que el móvil pudiera ser el famoso "derecho de piso".

Autoridades policiacas acordonaron la escena del crimen, hallando tres cartuchos de bala.

Sorry, here is my attempt at translation

THE OWNER OF "RIBON" TACO STAND IN THE NEW CREATION NEIGHBORHOOD EXECUTED.

A man, owner of a Taco Stand, was shot and killed tonight in the New Creation area of Playa del Carmen

Rafael R. C., 27 years old, was shot in inside his store Tacos Ribon. He was hit it in the head and chest, near the intersection of Mission del Carmen Street and Othon P. Blanco Avenue , Because he was so seriously wounded, bystanders chose to move him in his own car to the General Hospital of the city, where he died. Investigators suspect that his cell phone could be the famous "right floor". ("LIteral translation", i think it means "motive" of the robbery)

Police authorities blocked off the crime scene and found three bullet casings.

And the beat goes on...……………………………………………..

LOL...that was a mistake bugambilias - he/she thinks this gives even more credence to the misinformation posted here...

I spent a bunch of time in Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta 20 years ago. They were the places to go in Mexico. Very safe and wonderful people. Things changed and tourism is dead there. It’s changing even faster now on the East coast of Mexico. Unless there are major changes that occur soon things will end up exactly like Acapulco if not worse. It’s safe now, in five years who knows.
G

Friend is going to Acapulco from here in Playa tomorrow. He is going for a Crypto Currency Convention. This is his third visit in 12 months. According to him, the beach area looks brand new and he says the hotels are filled with tourists.

There is the geographic factor. No real sense driving a tractor trailer full of cocaine onto a peninsula with only one real seaport. Quintana Roo is primarily a retail outlet not a major route.

We love Puerto Vallarta!