I go down to Baja del sur area of Mexico every year. I rent a car, rent a house from a local and fish and dive areas along the coast away from the tourists. Absolutely beautiful areas with great fishing and diving. I feel safe food shopping at local markets. Am careful what I buy and drink down there.
Safe if you know some Spanish, use common sense and have some situational awareness. I ve travelled all over the world and Mexico for the most part is not that bad if you avoid certain areas and use common sense. I avoid the tourist areas. Most of Mexico is Certainly much safer than Baltimore philly and Chicago . I don't want to go through being a scared little poosy
but I enjoy traveling to countries that something different to offer. Been
Is Mexico a violent [bleep] up country? Yep but still a lot of very beautiful unspoiled areas to experience before they're gone.
Our Department of State is. Joke when it comes to American citizens who are victims of crimes when traveling abroad.
ribka, I hear ya. If I didn't leave the country every time I heard someone who has never been anywhere say "Oh, it's dangerous there", I'd have never been to many of the fantastic places I've been. I just nod and say nothing. There's nothing I can say to them to change their mind. I've been going to Mexico for almost 30 years. I've been down there 36 times, almost always fishing at least some of the time there.
As you say, situational awareness is a big factor. I don't stay in heavily touristed areas anymore.That's not the experience I want, anyway. Watching people get falling down drunk at the pool bar is not my idea of a good time. I'm more of the get back to nature mindset these days when I go down there and I look for places right on the edge of that.
My favorite spot right now is Tulum. I rent a condo on the south edge of town, right on the edge of the jungle wilderness. New construction. The town is growing. Past that is jungle wilderness until you get to either Costa Maya or Chetumal, on the border with Belize. To fish, I always rent a small car and drive out to Tulum Beach and then south to S'ian Kaan, a World Wildlife Preserve. I buy their daily wristband and then drive 10-40 miles down a dirt road to park and DIY wade fish somewhere between S'ian Kaan entrance and Punta Allen (furthest point south on the dirt road). The places I go are incredible. No noise but nature noise. Many days I don't see another human all day. All this work gets me encounters with big permit, bonefish, snook and tarpon that may have never seen an artificial lure or fly. Getcha some of that and see how you like it. It's what keeps me going back.
