Travel Warning for Baja Mexico?

[Bfson]

Because there are so many they don't get reported in the papers. Crime in Baja is a hot topic. It's like after a plane crash every little incident gets front page coverage. In normal times they wouldn't even be mentioned. It's like the year they covered every shark attack in Florida. Made it sound horrible. Turned out that that year there were fewer attacks than average. You wouldn't know if from the press.

[JoKen1]

Yes there is a lot of crime in the USA but the big difference between the USA and Mexico is the laws. You can report the crime to the police without fear in CA. Most of the time the person will get caught and punished but if you go to Mexico and a crime happens then you are pretty much out of luck.

 

That being said, I was always scared to go to Mexico because a good friend of mine went there a few years back. He was a young strong man and went with with three other guys. They were forced off the road, killed and everything stolen from their dead bodies. Even their clothes. My friends dad had to go down there and drive his son home in his car.

 

I had another friend who is a girl go there to shop and the clerks at the shop seemed nice. She bought several things and as she was walking out they reported her to the police saying she stole from them. The police threatened to take her to jail and said she wouldn't ever get out if she didn't turn over all her money and leave without saying a word. So of course she did.

 

So with those two close to home stories I would say it is pretty scary. However, I have been to Mexico on a cruise once and then to drive over to TJ several times. I've never had anything bad happen to me. I do go with people who speak Spanish and know the area well.

 

I would NOT go alone or with just another girl. I would only go in a group. If I were to go on a cruise I would only get off if I took a cruise sponsored tour.

 

I think people have a right to worry about what could happen and has happened in other countries. Not to is foolish.

 

For the people living there I'm sure it is different then when one goes to visit and doesn't know the safe places and the not so safe places.

 

If I felt to scared I would stay on the ship that day. To be honest I don't think you would miss out on much if you didn't get off there anyway.

[lais]

I have lived in Baja off and on for many years, in Cabo and in another Baja location and the only thing that scares me is some of the crazy drivers with cars that have wheels going in different directions and cracked windshields that the driver can't see through. I am a woman and have driven to Mexico alone many times and with others, the entire Baja peninsula several times without ever having any problems. The Mexican people are good people as a whole and of course there are some not so good just like anywhere else. When I am on vacation in Mexico (hotels or in cruise ports) I do take care to keep my money out of sight and keep passports and credit card ect. in safes or in zippered pockets.

[lais]

Oh, and one more thing, Tijuana scares me and I don't go there. There are corrupt police and being a border town there are all kinds of scarey people out on the take.

[cruznon]

We have cruised the Mexican Riviera several times and never once had a problem or felt uncomfortable. Having said that, I will admit there are probably sections of the towns I would't visit--the same as some towns/cities in the US.

Go enjoy your cruise! If you use common sense (as any traveller should) you'll be safe!

We used to used to go a few times a year to Tijuana--no more. Crossing the border now takes HOURS and not worth it PLUS there has been lots of crime, and I choose not to go there. HAving said that, as has been stated already, TJ is a border town. Border towns aren't like the port towns/cities you'll visit. Cabo, Puerto Vallerta and Mazatlan are very safe ports.

[JoKen1]

Why would a boarder town be worse then one that is not? I don't believe San Diego is a bad town. I don't think the boarder towns in Mexico is a bad town. The only ones I know of is the Mexico boarders.

 

I live in Orange County in a city that is mostly Mexicans and they are very nice people.

 

I believe that most Mexicans are wonderful people but that doesn't change the fact that there are those in Mexico that use the laws to their advantage. They take advantage of tourist who do not live there and therefore are not protected as well as the people that do.

 

I believe the main scary fact in any out of the country place is the laws don't protect us like our owns.

 

But that doesn't mean we should not travel there. I think in general most people are nice and helpful. But if you ever travel anywhere that you don't feel safe then just get on the ship and enjoy your time there. You don't have to get off at every port. Enjoy the nicer ones. Stay on the ship for the not so nice ones. But by all means don't let them keep you from cruising.

[hammybee]

Next time you're in the L.A. area, come ride with me for a shift and I'll show you crime in Los Angeles

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Kind of like a pre-cruise, shore excursion to see a slice of local life.......:)

[hammybee]

That being said, I was always scared to go to Mexico because a good friend of mine went there a few years back. He was a young strong man and went with with three other guys. They were forced off the road, killed and everything stolen from their dead bodies. Even their clothes. My friends dad had to go down there and drive his son home in his car. quote]

 

I mean no disrespect when I say I am having a challenging time understanding how one transports the remains into the U.S., via personal car.:confused:

[JoKen1]

They were not going to release the body at all to him but he paid a large sum of money and they turned the body over. He wasn't going to risk anything so he put his sons body in his car and drove to the boarder. Once there he met up with the police on the USA side and then the proper people transported the body to the morgue.

 

Crossing the boarder back into the USA most white people don't get stopped. When asked if he had any of the items they question you about he said no.

 

There wasn't anything our people here could do to get the body back. He had called the police and they were the ones who advised him what to do to get his son back. They were aware and like I said they met him at the boarder and then properly took his son the rest of the way.

 

We need to understand that all our laws end at our boarders and we could be faced with laws that do not protect us once we leave USA.

 

Now of course things like this don't happen all the time. But it does happen enough to make one leery of travel in different places of the world.

 

It's a risk. Just because some travel places and nothing happens does not mean we should ignore the reports that things are going on to tourists and say there is no problems going there. Everyone needs to be aware and weigh the risks then decide if they should get off the ship.

[hammybee]

Thank you. I am sorry for you loss, Joken1.