Yucatan, Mexico

Photo: MuCi (Flickr)

I’ve developed my own sense of safety after some fairly remote traveling. And after spending a few months in the jungles between Venezuela and Colombia, you can’t help but learn a thing or two about danger.

With that in mind, plus a few other clues I picked up while driving in the Brazilian Amazon, I set out through the back roads of the Yucatan Peninsula earlier this year.

Izamal, Yucatan

Photo:  isogood (Flickr)

What does this have to do with Cancun, you might ask? And the answer is everything, because nothing will tell you more about the safety of a city than its surrounding countryside.

Granted, this has been one of the worse years of the Mexican drug wars, and of course it’s something I kept in mind when planning the trip. But my research told me that the entire Yucatan peninsula all the way down to Guatemala, was very quiet. So off I went.

Having crossed the Peninsula from east to west and back again, Cancun is always my point of arrival and departure and I can honestly say that I’ve felt safe during every visit.

Cancun, Mexico

Photo: BlazerMan (Flickr)

When I did encounter checkpoints I was always politely waved through and whenever I got lost, the locals were there to help me get back on track. Interacting with the local community and experiencing their eagerness to give me directions is one of my favorite travel memories.

And that’s pretty much what this video is about: an amazing family, sheep tacos, delicious cerveza, and a lot of laughs very much off the beaten track.

About the author
Sonia Gil hosts a weekly original web travel series called Sonia’s Travels with episodes shot in Mexico, Italy, Berlin and Paris. Each trip turns into a series of shows in which Sonia offers a small idea or tip about a place and the people who live there. New Episodes Premiere Every Thursday at 12 noon (9:00 am Pacific).

Michelle Obama recently visited Mexico City , where she declared in an ABC interview that she felt perfectly safe during her time in Mexico with her daughters.

From the interview:

-Q: Do you think that this is a safe country for Americans to visit?

-A: Yes. And our embassys are not discouraging American visitors, I think that they are encouraging people to be aware and to be smart as they travel. I think that’s good advice anywhere in the world, that you have to be a smart, conscientious traveler; particularly young people … if you’re going to be traveling around the world it’s important to just be smart and use common sense. This is a beautiful city, this is my first visit to Mexico city and my hope is to bring the girls back here, it’s just a matter of finding the time to make it happen. The architecture here is beautiful, the people here are incredibly warm, the food is good; so this is a wonderful city to visit, the cultural wealth here is tremendous and I would encourage any american to spend time here.

Even though Mrs. Obama was talking about Mexico City, we believe her words apply to most of the beach resort areas, including Cancun and the Riviera Maya of course. We encourage you to take your time to explore this site and read all the content that we’ve carefully prepared and selected. Ask other tourists as well as “ex-pats” living and working in the area; get informed: Cancun and the Riviera Maya are safe places to visit, don’t let fear and misinformation prevent you from enjoying these beautiful spots.

Cancun, Mexico

Photo: Ryan Stahle

Cancun, Mexico

Photo: Guillermo Cerpa

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We regularly publish news and updates about safety in Cancun, Riviera Maya and México; as well as videos,photos, tourist testimonials and more. Would you like to get an email in your inbox every time we publish something new? It’s free and easy, just click here to subscribe to Cancun is Safe email updates.

As a frequent vacation-goer and swimwear industry insider, I definitely do my fair share of traveling. I’ve been to a number of different beach towns around the world but Cancun, Mexico is definitely one of my favorites. Over the years, Cancun has formed a somewhat questionable reputation in terms of safety, but if you’re smart and travel wisely, you’ll have nothing to worry about except sun, sand, swimwear and what drink to order next!

Cancun, Mexico

 Photo by CERPA

Since my trip to Cancun was a short 4-day getaway, the beach was my number one priority. Our resort was right on the beach so my swimwear was definitely put to good use! Cancun gives new meaning to the term “white sandy beaches” and the turquoise-colored water was perfectly crystal clear. The water was warmed by sun’s rays and because the sun is so strong, even those who “rarely get sunburned” (like myself) will definitely feel its power. Don’t forget to apply and reapply the sunscreen, even under your swimwear! The water was so calm that you could even bring your drink in with you. Swimwear is typical daytime attire in Cancun so make sure to bring plenty of fashionable swimwear, cover-ups and sandals! Let me just warn you—Cancun’s beach is what turned me into a beach snob so be prepared to experience a beach that others often can’t live up to!

Cancun, Mexico: White sand & turquoise waters

Photo by Clausinea

The beaches of Cancun, Mexico

Photo by CERPA

When night falls, it’s time to put away the swimwear and get ready to have the time of your life! Cancun really comes alive at night. The clubs are so much fun and definitely nothing like I’ve seen in the states! If you like to dance like I do, then you’ll feel right at home. Check with your resort to see if they have any excursion packages; our resort let us sign up for a “booze cruise,” which turned out to be one of our favorite nights in Cancun!

Cancun at night: Cancun's Hotel Zone

Photo by choheisel

Cancun Nightlife: The City club

Photo by Amstar-dmc

In terms of the people and safety, I felt right at home in Cancun, as everyone we met was friendly and accommodating. I felt completely safe walking around during the day and night because there are literally people everywhere. My biggest regret was going for just 4 days, as I did not get a chance to do much sightseeing. But after the amazing trip, I vowed to go back so I can really explore Cancun!

Coco Bongo Club, Cancun

Photo by cayman simon

Madonna show at Coco Bongo Club, Cancun

Photo by cvander

If you’re looking to plan your next beach getaway, somewhere to show off your swimwear or simply a place to kick back and relax, Cancun, Mexico is definitely the place to be.

Cancun: The place to be

Photo by Alessandro Scetta

Colors of the Mexican Caribbean

Photo by javierfp

About the author
This post was written by Susan Bodack, a swimwear expert, freelance blogger and the Director of Social Media Marketing at InStyleSwimwear.com. To read more of Susan’s work, check out the Beauty and the Beach swimwear blog!

Would you like to write a a guest post describing your Cancun experience? Contact us.

We have been tirelessly reporting about safety in Cancun for tourists, but we understand that nothing makes a better impact than to hear it from your own people. People from all over the world that have trusted Cancun enough to move here to start a new life living and working in the Mexican Caribbean.

Cancun, Mexico

Photo by Tongho58 

In this ocassion, we’d like to show you the video testimonials of Kelly McLaughlin (Canada) and Laura Winfree (USA), two great ladies that we have the pleasure of knowing. They have been here for quite a while and have much to say about the area for other tourists that might still have some doubts about safety and other issues.

So, without further ado, let’s hear it from them:

We encourage you to take your time to explore this site and read all the content that we’ve carefully prepared and selected. Ask other tourists as well as “ex-pats” living and working in the area; get informed, Cancun and the Riviera Maya are safe places to visit, don’t let fear and misinformation prevent you from enjoying these beautiful spots.

Cancun,Mexico

Photo by Cristina Bruseghini

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We regularly publish news and updates about safety in Cancun, Riviera Maya and México; as well as videos, photos, tourist testimonials and more. Would you like to get an email in your inbox every time we publish something new? It’s free and easy, just click here to subscribe to Cancun is Safe email updates.

We recently blogged about the current sate of safety in Playa del Carmen for tourists; now its time to talk about safety for tourists planning to visit Cancun. Todd Babiak, a Canadian journalist, recently wrote an article for the Edmonton Journal describing the real state of safety for tourists in Cancun, the Riviera Maya and other beautiful parts of Mexico.

Photo by Darilov – Flickr

Todd’s article echoes what we have been writing about for a while now: Yes, there is currently a serious drug-gang related wave of violence in Mexico, but tourists in resort cities such as Cancun and Playa del Carmen haven’t been affected, as the violence is between rival drug cartels and Mexican authorities.

From the article:

Most Canadians escaping to Mexico this winter will visit overwhelmingly safe areas such as Puerto Vallarta, Cancun and the Mayan Riviera, Huatulco and Los Cabos. We might visit the cultural treasures of Guadalajara, Mexico City or Guanajuato. Few of us would consider visiting the northern half of border states, where most of the violence has occurred.

Just like the article says, most of the violence is happening on northern states, far away from tourist resort zones. You can take a look at our Mexico Travel Warning Map, showing exactly the violent areas in Mexico. We have also prepared a nice infographic on violence in Mexico, with distances from the violent areas in Mexico to tourist spots such as Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

Photo by Nicolas Karim – Flickr

It is a shame that the hard working majority of Mexicans has to suffer the consequences of a violent minority, just like Todd’s article clearly states:

Ultimately, the people we’re hurting, if we choose not to go to Mexico – apart from our chiles en nogada and Mariachi-loving selves – are the 99.9 per cent of Mexicans who have nothing to do with the narcotics or defence industries.

We encourage you to take your time to explore this site and read all the content that we’ve carefully prepared. Ask other tourists as well as “ex-pats” living and working in Cancun; get informed, Cancun and the Riviera Maya are safe places to visit, don’t let fear and misinformation prevent you from enjoying these beautiful spots.

Photo by dtroyka – Flickr

Link to the full original article:

Tourists shouldn’t give up on travel to Mexico – Edmonton Journal

Featured photo credits: HawkeyePilot – Flickr

Get new updates delivered to your inbox, subscribe to Cancun is Safe!

We regularly publish news and updates about safety in Cancun, Riviera Maya and México; as well as videos, photos, tourist testimonials and more. Would you like to get an email in your inbox every time we publish something new? It’s free and easy, just click here to subscribe to Cancun is Safe email updates.

]]> http://www.cancunissafe.com/featured/tourists-shouldnt-give-up-on-travel-to-mexico/feed/ 2 http://www.cancunissafe.com/featured/safety-crime-in-playa-del-carmen-2011/ http://www.cancunissafe.com/featured/safety-crime-in-playa-del-carmen-2011/#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2011 01:12:33 +0000 admin http://www.cancunissafe.com/?p=1357 Dear friends,

Tony & Cheri are a couple of friendly American ex-pats living and working in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Given the recent violent incidents in Playa del Carmen, they have taken their time to write a very informative and objective post about the true situation regarding safety for tourists visiting Playa del Carmen.

Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Mexico

“We think it is time to again talk truthfully about safety and crime in Playa del Carmen.

The two acts of violence which took place over the last month in Playa del Carmen raised questions in many people’s minds about safety in this area. Unfortunately many of the people answering those questions have no real information and simply offer their own negative opinions about Playa. So it is time to do several things: talk about the sad events of the last month, discuss the use of the internet by ignorant people to fan anti-Mexico fears, and offer sources where truthful and factual information can be found.“

Owners of the Luna Blue Hotel in Playa del Carmen, Tony & Cheri have been living and working in the area for years; they are well known and trusted not only by other Americans and tourists from all over the world, but by the locals as well. We have the pleasure of knowing them for a while now, and we appreciate the effort they made to put some perspective into the situation.

“In the last few weeks we have experienced two very tragic events here in Playa. First was the killing of a man from central Mexico whose business was involved with drug gangs.

The second and even more tragic incident was the murder of the Chief of the Tourist Police. This branch of the city police is charged with patrolling the tourist/resort zone.

Those of us who live here in Playa have been shocked and saddened by these events. No one likes to hear of such violent acts happening in their home town. The government, the local community and the expats who are guests here have all strongly condemned these crimes.

However these events touch more than the local community. The thousands of tourists who visit here each year want to know what this means for them. In truth, it has very little effect on visitors.

These were not random acts of violence involving innocent tourists. No attempt was made to target tourists or the resort area. There is no evidence that these crimes are related to or represent some sort of burgeoning crime wave. These victims were specifically chosen for reasons which we do not fully know. What we do know is that these crimes did not target, involve or touch tourists, and we know that there has been no subsequent outbreak of violence around the city. In short, these are isolated incidents that do not represent a continued threat.”

Playa del Carmen: Safe for tourists.

Just like Tony & Cheri say, even though Mexico is undeniably going through tough times, resort areas such as Cancun and Playa del Carmen are safe for tourists and beautiful as always; we invite you to come and discover them. Take your time to explore this site, take a look at our infographics on safety in Cancun and the Riviera Maya and our Mexico Travel Warning Map.

Tony & Cheri end up their testimonial with some important reminders:

“Mexico isn’t for everyone. And those who are interested in coming here often have legitimate reasonable concerns. We neither ignore nor condemn those concerns. We only ask that people seek out responsible factual information when looking for answers to their questions.

We will end on a personal note. We have been living here in Mexico for over six years. Before that we were regular visitors to this area for another seven years. In that time we have never been the victims of a violent crime. We have never witnessed a violent crime. The worst thing that happened to us was the theft of a backpack left unattended on the beach six years ago.

We realize there is crime here, just as there was in San Francisco when we lived there. Crime is sadly a part of life everywhere. But to us, Playa del Carmen is still a safe wonderful place where the pace of life is slower and the Caribbean beckons with warm blue water. It is our home and we feel safe here. If that ever changes, our readers will be among the first to know.“

To read the full, original article, please go to:

Safety & Crime in Playa del Carmen Mexico 2011: The Truth – Luna Blue’s PlayaZone

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Until next time, take care and stay safe! Warm regards from Cancun.

Get new updates delivered to your inbox, subscribe to Cancun is Safe!

We regularly publish news and updates about safety in Cancun, Riviera Maya and México; as well as videos, photos, tourist testimonials and more. Would you like to get an email in your inbox every time we publish something new? It’s free and easy, just click here to subscribe to Cancun is Safe email updates.

We recently stumbled into a great article about traveling to Mexico by Frank Basile, a writer for the Indianapolis Business Journal. The article, titled “Heading south of the border again and again” describes “the other Mexico”, whose beauty and magic are still unknown to many. Places such as San Miguel de Allende, Oaxaca, and many other places in Mexico which seem to have stopped in time.

“You are probably aware of the tourist attractions in the country, such as Mexico City, Acapulco, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta. In those locations, you see gorgeous beaches and world-class hotels and resorts and modern high-rise buildings, along with many of the well-known brands of hotels and restaurants.

Cancun, Mexico

 Photo by ericac718

But there’s another Mexico… There, donkeys walk on dusty roads and markets feature live chickens, hand-woven baskets and piles of dried chiles. It’s a country of gorgeous mountains, steep valleys, dripping jungles, rainforests, modern metropolises, old mission towns, Indian villages and vast coastlines. And its colorful history intersects with ours, including such famous events as the Mexican raid on the Alamo in San Antonio. Remember the Alamo? Sure you do. At least, a version of it.”

Oaxaca, magical place in Mexico

Photo by jpcunningham

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Photo by davecurry8

Frank also speaks of more known spots in Mexico, favorite to travelers from all over the world:

“Mexico has wonderful archeological sites, including Chichen Itza, Tulum, Monte Alban and Teotihuacan. In fact, Mexico has 31 World Heritage Sites, ranking sixth in the world in that important category behind only China (47), Italy (45), Spain (42), France (35) and Germany (32).”

Tulum, Mexico

Photo by jabarvizu

Chichen Itza, Mexico

Photo by Grey Noell

And of course, he also offers his point of view on the current drug violence in Mexico:

“Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico generally do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the border region and in areas along major trafficking routes. Nevertheless, crime and violence are serious problems and can occur anywhere. While most victims of violence are Mexican citizens associated with criminal activity, the security situation poses serious risks for U.S. citizens as well. It is imperative that you understand the risks involved in travel to Mexico and how best to avoid dangerous situations. Common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas during daylight hours, and avoiding areas where criminal activity might occur, can help ensure that travel to Mexico is safe and enjoyable.

Despite the violence, the Mexicans are some of the friendliest people we have encountered in our travels. For your next vacation, consider going south of the border, down Mexico way. Katrina and I might see you there.”

Frank Basile is an author, professional speaker, philanthropist, community volunteer and retired executive of the Gene B. Glick Co.

Link to the original article:

Travel: Heading south of the border again and again | Indianapolis Business Journal 

Thanks to Frank Basile for spreading the message: Mexico is an extremely big country, and while there currently is a very serious drug violence issue, not all of the country is engulfed by the violence. Resort areas such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and more, are safe and beautiful as always, and we invite you to come and discover them.

Take your time to explore this site, take a look at our infographics on safety in Cancun and the Riviera Maya and our Mexico Travel Warning Map. We are sure your most important question will be answered:

Is Cancun safe to travel? Yes, it is. Come and discover it!

Cancun, safe and beautiful!

Photo by wowitsstephen

Until next time, warm regards from Cancun. Stay safe!

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We regularly publish news and updates about safety in Cancun, Riviera Maya and México; as well as videos, photos, tourist testimonials and more. Would you like to get an email in your inbox every time we publish something new? It’s free and easy, just click here to subscribe to Cancun is Safe email updates.

En conjunto con nuestros amigos Bella e Ivan de esturisti.co, hemos desarrollado una infografía mostrando las distancias que existen entre Cancún, la Riviera Maya y los lugares incluídos en la última advertencia a viajeros (Travel Warning) del departamento de estado de Estados Unidos. La infografía también incluye datos sobre violencia en Quintana Roo, estado hogar de Cancún y la Riviera Maya en México, contra el resto del país.

Es importante dejar bien claro que no estamos tratando de hacer quedar mal a nadie, simplemente estamos dando forma visual a datos obtenidos de fuentes como el departamento de estado de Estados Unidos y el Instituto Ciudadano de Estudios Sobre la Inseguridad en México (ICESI). La intención de esta infografía es más bien dar perspectiva a todos aquellos turistas que estén considerando venir a este hermoso destino y tengan sus dudas debido a las olas de violencia actuales.

Nos comprometemos a mantener este documento actualizado; apenas tengamos datos recientes, modificaremos la infografía para que los refleje.

Esperamos que sea de su gusto y utilidad. Por favor siéntanse libres de descargar y compartir esta infografía, gracias.

Acerca de esturisti.co

esturisti.co es una compañía que ofrece un conjunto de herramientas que la gente involucrada en el turismo como los hoteles, posadas, call centers, y otros operadores pueden usar para generar mas ventas. Tenemos el placer de conocerlos personalmente y recomendamos ampliamente sus productos y servicios en base a su calidad, seriedad y profesionalismo.

With the assistance of our friends Bella & Ivan from esturisti.co, we developed a nice infographic showing distances from Cancun & Riviera Maya to the spots mentioned in the last USA Travel Warnings, along with statistics about violence in Cancun & Riviera Maya vs the rest of Mexico.

We will keep this document updated.; as soon as we get new data, we’ll modify the infographic to reflect the latest numbers and stats.

We hope its useful. Feel free to download and share it!

esturisti.co is a company that offers a set of tools that people involved in tourism such as hotels, lodges, call centers, and others can use to generate more sales.  We have the pleasure of knowing them personally and highly recommend their products and services.

Get new updates delivered to your inbox, subscribe to Cancun is Safe!

We regularly publish news and updates about safety in Cancun, Riviera Maya and México; as well as videos, photos, tourist testimonials and more. Would you like to get an email in your inbox every time we publish something new? It’s free and easy, just click here to subscribe to Cancun is Safe email updates.

Mexico: Safe and beautiful place to visit

We found this recent article on CNN Travel mentioning that amidst the current drug violence we as a country are experiencing, International tourism to Mexico has actually increased 2.1% in the first half of 2011 as compared to 2010. Mexico remains the top destination for Americans traveling abroad.

From the original article:

“Statistics from the U.S. Department of Commerce show that fewer Americans are traveling abroad, but a bigger percentage of those who do are going to Mexico. Mexico also reported double-digit increases in the percentage of visitors from Russia, Brazil and China, among others.”

This is excellent news, and we’re very glad to see that more and more people are taking the time to do some research about safety in Mexico as well as answering their doubts about safety in Cancun by themselves and not relying on information provided by others.

Quoting another part of the article:

“The unrelenting battles between rival drug cartels and police and cartels have provided nearly unlimited fodder for those who write off Mexico as a dangerous destination.

The truth, Anaya said, is that the violence is limited to certain geographic areas that can be avoided by tourists.

The border area, for example, where much violence has been recorded, is 1,200 miles from the resort town of Cancun — that’s like avoiding travel to Houston because of problems in New York, he said.

According to surveys by Mexican tourism authorities, 98% of those who do visit Mexico say they will come back, and 99% recommend it to others.“

We’re glad to see that there are official efforts being made to dispel the misguided belief that all of Mexico is unsafe for tourists. Please take a moment to check out our Map of Mexico showing distances from Cancun to spots mentioned in USA Travel Warnings.  Also, feel free to explore this site thoroughly as we have put in considerable time and effort curating and generating quality content with truthful information about safety in Cancun and Mexico.

Link to the original post in CNN Travel:

Despite violence, Mexico tourism remains strong – CNN Travel

Until next time, take care and warm regards from Cancun!

Get new updates delivered to your inbox, subscribe to Cancun is Safe!

We regularly publish news and updates about safety in Cancun, Riviera Maya and México; as well as videos, photos, tourist testimonials and more. Would you like to get an email in your inbox every time we publish something new? It’s free and easy, just click here to subscribe to Cancun is Safe email updates.