Disclaimer: My experience dates to the spring of 2011 and it reflects what I saw then. – Sonia Gil
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).
18 Comments
Thanks for the feature!
My pleasure Sonia! Gracias a tí, sigamos colaborando! 🙂
Thanks for the feature!
My pleasure Sonia! Gracias a tí, sigamos colaborando! 🙂
I think it is so amazing how you just met up with locals and were able to have a real traditional myan meal, its so great that you never take the easy way out in your travels, im so bored of staying in american hotels and only doing things that are included in tourist pamphlets. im going to start doing everything your way~!
Agree with Madison! 🙂
I think it is so amazing how you just met up with locals and were able to have a real traditional myan meal, its so great that you never take the easy way out in your travels, im so bored of staying in american hotels and only doing things that are included in tourist pamphlets. im going to start doing everything your way~!
Agree with Madison! 🙂
Getting out of the tourist traps and doing your own thing- thats what I call traveling. Getting lost is part of the adventure. Specially because this is the moment you find the most remarkable places. I thought the video was super cool.
Getting out of the tourist traps and doing your own thing- thats what I call traveling. Getting lost is part of the adventure. Specially because this is the moment you find the most remarkable places. I thought the video was super cool.
I found Cancun to be very safe and friendly. Locals seem to take care of tourists. I found myself walking at night with my wife on the main Road and it was nice. I wouldn't think of going to other parts though.
I found Cancun to be very safe and friendly. Locals seem to take care of tourists. I found myself walking at night with my wife on the main Road and it was nice. I wouldn't think of going to other parts though.
Cancun is a great place for vacationing, especially because its very tourist oriented. I never did a road trip outside of Cancun, so I cannot talk for other places. I don't know if I would feel safe enough to rent a car and go explore.
Cancun is a great place for vacationing, especially because its very tourist oriented. I never did a road trip outside of Cancun, so I cannot talk for other places. I don't know if I would feel safe enough to rent a car and go explore.
I went with my girlfriends a couple of months ago and we felt super safe at all times. We didn't explore any places outside of main cancun but locals were very friendly and taxis were safe as well.
I went with my girlfriends a couple of months ago and we felt super safe at all times. We didn't explore any places outside of main cancun but locals were very friendly and taxis were safe as well.
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