Mexican Vacation??

[Kkruetzer]

I have a family member who is dead set on traveling to Cancun for a week in June of this year. We have all heard the stories and seen the videos about cartel violence, but can anyone point me to a source that correlates this to tourist specifically in resorts?
Personally, I have very limited international travel experience so I truly don't know how much of an issue it is. Articles I have found indicate that if you aren't putting yourself in sketch situations {leaving the resort, looking for drugs, ect.) it is reasonably safe. Is this valid?
I'm asking here because I trust the opinions I receive will have merit. Thanks all

 

[Diz]

After living in San Diego for 20 years, I heard all the horror stories down there, and the majority were just shake-downs for money. So the prudent tourist would have a couple of hundred extra bucks for the local police or other banditos down there. But occasionally you'd hear of someone who ended up in one of their jails which is very bad. So the moral of that story is to take any shit thrown your way and do not harm any of them, even if justified. In any sketchy situation, take the Nike defense and just get out of there. If you have thin skin or insist on muy rights, you could get in trouble down there. IN THE PAST, if you stayed in the touristy areas, and didn't get too far off the beaten path, you were generally considered to be safe. But these days, dunno. The drug cartels essentially run the country right now. I would not venture down there. I don't have hard evidence, other than to say, when they tell you you'll probably be ok, if you stay in the resort, don't look for drugs, etc, is probably a clue to stay the fuck away from there. You could also check the latest travel bulletins from the state dept. By the time they actually say something, you know it's pretty legit. So if there are warnings up about Mexico, I damn-sure wouldn't go. I know this sounds like a bunch of rumor and innuendo, but sometimes there's a reason for all that. I think the threat level down there is equivalent to Iraq or Afghanistan; it's just not PC to say so.

The only exceptions are the ex-pats who retire down there. But they always have a "sponsor" so to speak, usually a spouse who is native and makes everything ok with the locals. So if they insist on going, I would highly encourage them to employ a local guide for any move they make. That will USUALLY keep you out of trouble. Do not wonder around by yourselves. If this sounds a bit paranoid, that's because I'm older and stay away from stupid places, stupid people, and doing stupid things. When I was a bit younger, these things were like magnets to me. So I mean I get it, it's a bit edgy going down there and all, I just don't do that sort of thing anymore.

 

[Chris Sizelove]

I lived in Mexico from 2017-2019 and regularly traveled to Cancun for work (I worked for the US.gov) and our assessment was that Cancun was heating up due to two rival cartels fighting over the AO. The local military and police elements were equally split on their loyalties. The place was pretty bad in in late 17, early 18 with multiple high visibility, hyper violent events in the tourist areas (mass shootings and bombings of nightclubs, inside the really high end mall on the tourist strip, on the ferry boats, etc.) however seemed to calm down some after that.

The biggest issue when traveling to Mexico, Cancun included, is not so much the potential to be a victim of violent crime - but the reality that there is little to no support for you if you get entangled in anything(fender bender, personal injury, mishap at the resort, etc.) , and that the state and local authorities view you as a walking paycheck and have getting that paycheck out of you down to a science. The US government is NOT going to help you out either, besides telling you to just do what they want and GTFO of the country as fast as you can.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans travel to Mexico every year with no problems, but I have hundreds of horror stories about the issues I had to deal with down there when the select few do have problems. So it's a numbers game not unlike traveling anywhere.

Bottom line - get an all inclusive resort, stay in the resort unless you're going on a resort affiliated tour (they do a good job of "coordinating" with the local authorities, both legit and not legit to ensure their tours and people don't get troubled) and pre load the phone number to the local consulates US Citizens Service Branch in your phone. The consulate that covers Cancun is in Merida, so their pysical response time is measured in hours although I think they have a small satellite office now in Cancun - whatever, google that and have the info handy at all times.

Other than that, have fun.

 

[Diz]

That there is what I'd call a clue. Yeah, other than that, have a good'n!

 

[soniamann]

Cancun is a nice place, there are nice resorts there.

 

[shoobe01]

I am not a resort or cruise type, but plenty of current/former mil and LEO friends are, and have totally done Cancun and similar on a regular basis, without the slightest concern. The federal and local government know that Mexico City and the resorts MUST be 100% safe so go out of their way to make sure that happens above essentially all else. People with a badge who make preparations to drive to the wrong side of their own town happily bring their whole family to Cancun.

This seems a solid overview for the layman: https://www.travelsafe-abroad.com/mexico/cancun/
TL;DR: Stay in the tourist areas. Avoid stuff that looks like a scam, because it is.

US Department of State page which is annoying as it is so regionally variable:

Mexico Travel Advisory

travel.state.gov

Sate updates travel advisories every 2 weeks or so, with rapid updates for emergent situations, from storms to COVID to terrorism. Check regularly before you go.
Note they are a little paranoid, so always give the highest risk. In this case:

Quintana Roo state – Exercise Increased Caution

Exercise increased caution due to crime.

Criminal activity and violence may occur throughout the state.

But that's immediately followed with:

There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Quintana Roo state, which include tourist areas in: Cancun, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and the Riviera Maya.

FWIW, I took the wife with me to a speaking gig in CDMX in '17 and it is so safe there that you can go on your own way out of town to e.g. the pyramids, use a gypsy cab, etc and be totally safe. Large region where there are trucks with guys with machine guns, cops with rifles on every corner, the local mall has a security guard with an SMG, and zero tolerance for any buffoonery at all.

 

[ggammell]

Stay on a resort. You’ll be fine.

 

[soniamann]

Still, if there are concerns about this resort, then it is better not to visit it.

 

[soniamann]

Still, if there are concerns about this resort, then it is better not to visit it.

There are a vast number of other excellent alternatives that you can go to. This will eliminate the risk that you may be attacked and robbed. On the website bluehouseskis.com, you can find an excellent list of beautiful ski resorts that you can go to at any time. I have visited the recommended ski resorts from this site many times and have never regretted it. You can try to go to one of them and have a great time. For the festive period this year, I plan to do just that.

 

[marcusa]

Recent experience is that resorts and tours through them are pretty safe (at least where I was).

I was however fleeced by the state police in Ciudad MX not long ago on a business trip so tuck away some extra cash and be careful, especially around the airport.

 

[IronsForward]

My best friend went to Cancun a couple years ago and my gf went last year with her family (she's Mexican, but there's still resentment towards people "from the north" when it comes to the shady types you're worried about).

They were all fine. You'll be fine. Just like here in the states, don't do stupid things in stupid places with stupid people.