Mexico?

[maxwell_smart007]

A while back, I was asking about Varadero...

well, the prices have risen a bit, and it isn't really economical for us to go there anymore...

We'd like to take our honeymoon somewhere warm, though, (even though we're a year late) so we've been looking into Mexico..

It's cheaper, and more in line with what we might be able to scrape together - but how safe is it?

Andrew

 

[randywa]

My brother just came back from (Cozamel?), Yucatan penisula anyway. He tried, but they wouldn't kidnap him. As long as you stay to the main tourist areas, it should be pretty safe. Disclaimer: I won't swear to anything.

 

[Monty]

If you stay along the coast at the resorts and stay away from the interior, you may be alright. Me? I wouldn't chance it.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Andrew, as Mannie said why chance it! For somewhere warm with beaches that's not to expensive Florida or Southern California.

 

[ed4copies]

Well, Andrew, it depends on what you listen to.

I watched a report on Discovery that claimed 6000 people have been killed in the past year in their little "drug wars". That would be more than the number of American troops who have lost their lives in Iraq, since it's inception.

So, Mexico would be only about 5-6 times more dangerous than Iraq.

I don't really BELIEVE this, so don't everyone jump on it to explain how the analogy fails. But, I am amazed how little publicity the Mexican situation is getting---if what I saw was accurate.

Try Texas---but bring a gun if you visit Curtis---he's always "packing" :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[Rick_G]

We did Mexico about 5 years ago for my son's wedding. We were at one of the Iberostar resorts a little south of Cancun. 2 years later we did an 11 night Panama cruise with MSC an Italian cruise line (mostly people over 45 and very few kids) The 11 nights on the cruise with a balcony room was cheaper than the all inclusive week in Mexico. Enjoyed the cruise more as well. The extras like booze and side excursions can add up but the excursions can add up at a resort as well. If you don't drink much and stay on the ship most of the time you can keep costs down. One of the things about the cruise I liked was getting to sample a lot of food that I probably would never buy at home not being sure if I liked it or not. Don't like it tell the waiter and he would bring something else no extra charge. I looked every night for things I'd never had before.

 

[arioux]

What kind of vacation are you looking for ?.

If you stay inside the touristic limits, you are ok. Went to Grand Sirenis last year. Beautiful place. Many tour are organized by your tourist agency and are with a guide so no problem there. I would no go by myself shopping around at night for sure. If you go don't miss the Xcaret park, beautifull place and great show. Check the Xcaret hotel, it's in the park and admission is free with your stay.
I was there 4 years ago.
Went 5 times to Cuba, for me it's the best place around. You can walk into villages and talk with the locals, they are great peoples. If you go there don't miss the all day dolphin and snorkeling trip. Swim with dolphin, dive with the fish, lobster dinner on the beach. Great day for about $100.

 

[PR_Princess]

Both the Canadian and the US State Depts have travel warnings for Mexico...

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/report_rapport-eng.asp?id=184000

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_4755.html

 

[ericw95]

I say take a cruise.

 

[David Keller]

We went to Cancun a few years back... I hated it. The resort was nice(ME by amelia cancun), but the beaches sucked and the downtown was awful. Maybe Mexico is just not my cup of tea.

Two years ago, we rented a house on the beach on Fort Morgan, Alabama, and we had a blast. The beach was much nicer, and safety was never a concern.

Best wishes on wherever you decide to travel.

 

[Spats139]

Went to the Mayan Riviera (Cancun - Tulum) last year; had a great time; going again in May for a couple weeks. Personally, I think you run more of a risk just driving to work every day than you would encounter going to that area of Mexico.

There were approx 5,000,000 tourists that visited the area in the first nine months of 2010; that's almost half of all the visits that were made to the Caribbean. Find yourself a good deal at an all-inclusive resort, and sit back and enjoy!

 

[LeeR]

I'd go to the Gulf Coast -- help those communities and spend the dollars in the USA.

 

[zig613]

Andrew

We have been to Mexico to the Mayan Riviera (Playa del Carmen) 4 or 5 times over the past seven years. In fact we are headed there in about a weeks time. We have never found it to be unsafe. It is no different than traveling in any other county, or even when traveling in Canada, you have to use some common sense about avoiding those areas of a city/region that may present a problem.

Wade

 

[jimm1]

We went to Cancun a few years back... I hated it. The resort was nice(ME by amelia cancun), but the beaches sucked and the downtown was awful. Maybe Mexico is just not my cup of tea.

Two years ago, we rented a house on the beach on Fort Morgan, Alabama, and we had a blast. The beach was much nicer, and safety was never a concern.

Best wishes on wherever you decide to travel.

+1 on this opinion. We went last March. Nothing special. Beggars all over the place. The sail boat excersion was the best part along with scuba diving.
Check out BVI, British Virgin Isles. I did that a few years back and I absolutely loved it. Also check out the Islands off the Carolina Coasts. Can't go wrong with the Outer Banks.

 

[phillywood]

Andrew, right now with all these going on and with all the horrible news we hear down in s. TX I wouldn't risk it, of course, I am in no place to tell you what you should do, right now there are too many drug cartels and them are ticked at Americans and whoever that resembles us. I'd say either come to TX or Florida or for that matter anywhere in S. US and enjoy it while you are safe. then again, what ever you decide good luck to you.

 

[dogcatcher]

The news reported this weekend there were 25 murders in Juarez, that was including some police officers. Nothing in Mexico could make me want to even go close to a border city on the US side.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Forget Mexico and forget the thought that the tourist areas are safe. Acapulco (major tourist area) had 8 murders last week. 6 of them were thrown off a 300' bridge.

Since 2005 there have been over 30,000 murders in Mexico. You may be safe, but then again, you may not. Why risk it? Remember the man and wife on a tourist lake that spans the Texas and Mexico border riding their jet skis. They thought they were safe since they were on the border and the wife got to come home without her dead husband.

 

[thetalbott4]

We go south of Cancun (Playa Del Carmen to Tulum) several times a year and go out on our own a bit and we have never felt uneasy. Plus you cant beat the value of the all-inclusive resorts. It pays for everything from airfare and transport to the resort, to all your food and drink, and the hotel stay, plus the return transport and airfare. The only money you need is for trnkets and excursions you want to do. If you pick a decent resort, you will wonder why you dont do it every year.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Right now on Fox News...

8 Taxi cab drivers and 4 passengers killed in Acapulco (the nice tourist area) since Friday. One of the cabbies was beheaded. Forget Mexico!

 

[lazyguy]

Andrew, as Mannie said why chance it! For somewhere warm with beaches that's not to expensive Florida or Southern California.

+1 on Florida. Pensacola is my destination of choice for beach. Mexico is not and option even for my wife and she is Mexican.

 

[MesquiteMan]

I have quite a few folks that work for me that were originally from Mexico (yes, they are all legal!). They still have family back there and my painter even has a house in Mexico. None of them will even back for a visit. Of course most of them are not from resort areas.

 

[IPD_Mrs]

Linda and I love the Florida Keys. Personal favorite place to stay is the Hyatt Beach House Resort in Key West. It is on the quiet side of the island. Also if you are pricing things through Expedia, we have found that prices change when you browse at different times. We have gotten some great deals as 3am when booking.

 

[PenMan1]

My family has a condo in Cabo. They just returned from there on Friday and said everything was great. In Cabo, the tourist industry is the WHOLE economy, so they do an excellent job of keeping the problem makers outside of the gated resorts.

 

[BKelley]

I hope you decide to stay away from Mexico. Why run the risk, there are too many nice places to go without worrying about your safty.

 

[TomW]

I travel to Mexico routinely on business (5 times so far in 2011). I go to Mexico City, Villahermosa and Poza Rica. I would advise against any vacation travel to Mexico. The places that are safe (e.g. Poza Rica) are ugly (e.g. Poza Rica)...Me, I'm on my way to a safe ugly place tomorrow morning...

Tom

 

[sgimbel]

Support the US if you can.

 

[islandturner]

Hi Andrew,

I sure wouldn't take a chance in mainland Mexico. One of our guys goes there quite often on business and our clients hire a personal bodyguard for him. Even then, he doesn't feel safe all the time...

Looking at Expedia, some prices from Toronto (per person) ...

Orlando Feb 28 - Mar 4 C$297
Fort Lauderdale Feb 28 - Mar 4 C$329
Tampa Mar 7 - Mar 11 C$339

It's hard to beat Florida at this time of year. Rental cars are cheap, too.

The cheapest flights to Honolulu from Toronto are approx $650 per person.

Last spring, my wife and I flew to Long Beach, CA from Vancouver (on travel points) and took a Royal Caribean cruise down the coast of Mexico. We went ashore for 3 or 4 hours in three different ports, and felt safe. Approx $700 @ for 7 days, for a cabin with sundeck. Highly recommended -- one of the most restful holidays you'll ever have, with the best food and service out there...

Cuba is quite safe, too (or so I'm told...)...

Steve

 

[arioux]

Andrew. I don't know what your budget is but you can get 41/2 stars hotel in Cuba all inclusive for about $1,100 all taxes included, + shuttle from airport to hotel (Holguin Playa Pesquero, and a a little warmer than Varadero. Look at Sunwing site.

Samething with the Melia Las Dunas in Santa Clara and the Iberostar Daiquiri in Caya Guillermo.

Nice hotel, and like i say, no problem in Cuba. Nice people, always smiling. You can go walk in any village and you will never have problems there.

And unless you are very but very fussy, the food is not that bad in Cuba. Fresh fish everyday, lobster supper, nice buffet. We are always able to find something different to eat every day.

Search google "trip advisor iberostar Daiquiri for an idea of what people think of these hotel. Good review and hard to miss with Iberostar.

Hope this will help you make your choice.

Florida is ok too but you will find out that after adding flight, hotel, food and booze it will cost you a lot more unless you are ready to cook your meal everyday.

The all inclusive formula is very hard to beat.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Andrew,
If you're looking for warm, look into the Caribbean area...it's been a few years and don't know the costs now, but I did my first honey moon in Jamaica.. I stayed in the Ocho Rios area, but Montego Bay is also pretty nice... just don't know about the costs now...

Also Trinidad/Tobago is nice... Tobago is the resort area, never been there, but made a few trips to Trinidad on business way back when... I liked the island and the people.

American Virgin islands are pretty nice too - I hear... never been there either. If you are into diving, I've heard that Aruba is a great place for diving...

 

[bitshird]

Andrew have you considered a refreshing week in Ciudad Juarez??

 

[beck3906]

I just returned today from a cruise to Cozumel. Left Thursday afternoon, cruised all day Friday, spent the day Saturday in Cozumel, left Saturday late, cruised all day Sunday and arrived in Fort Lauderdale this morning.

We walked 4 miles from the pier to downtown Cozumel and had no problems. There were a total of 4 cruise ships in port that day, so lots of people running around.

The information given us was that the crime had not reached Cozumel yet as it is actually on an island. An American couple we spoke to along the walk was there for a 3 month stay. They said they had not heard of any problems. Supposedly a lot of the locals wanted to move to Cozumel because of the calm.

There were a lot of folks that took excursions to the nearby mainland.

Still, use your best judgement. We were concerned about safety until we got on the ship and listened to the briefings.