Many people travelling to Mexico are concerned wether they should visit Mexico and if it is safe to travel there. If you are not sure then read till the end to find out which places you can visit and which to avoid.
But don’t let your fear of traveling to Mexico pull you down. Mexico is a beautiful country and you don’t want to miss out on exploring beautiful places like Isla Mujeres, Akumal, Tulum, or temples like Chichen Itza.
TRAVELLING TO MEXICO?
IS MEXICO SAFE?
Mexico is a huge country so it depends on where you go. There are some parts which are very safe for tourists and some are unfortunately not safe at all.
CHECK YOUR COUNTRY’S FOREIGN AFFAIRS WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SAFETY.
So the question is: WHERE SHALL YOU TRAVEL IN MEXICO?
The east coast of Mexico is absolutely safe for tourists, especially the coast strip Riviera Maya. It can be compared to any holiday destination in Europe. Also, Quintana Roo state is one of the safest in Mexico. So, once you are in Quintana Roo, don’t worry. We didn’t see any shootings or people running around with drugs like some movies show us.
RECCOMNENDED PLACES TO GO: RIVIERA MAYA, TULUM, CANCUN, COZUMEL AND MAZALTAN.
Avoid travelling to the Northern parts, in-land and to cities which are not known to tourists.
MEXICO TRAVEL TIPS
There are a couple of travel tips we would like to mention, once you are travelling to Mexico. As in every country, we highly recommend to be cautious and follow common sense. Don’t do things you wouldn’t do in your home country.
RENTING A CAR
If you are travelling around Mexico by car there are few precautions for you to know.
Always be careful when going on trips and renting cars. We were told in our resort called Bluebay Grand Esmeralda that we shouldn’t rent a car and not to drive to Chichen Itza on our own as it’s around 3 hours drive but rather book a tour. They told us that the Mexican police is dangerous and the safest way for us is to book a tour. The tour was very expensive (100 USD). Of course, if you are there for the first time, how can you know? They tell you that so you will book an overpriced tour.
DRIVE TO TULUM AND CHICHEN ITZA
So, we started first with a shorter trip to test the waters. We rented a car and drove to Tulum which is only a 1 – hour drive to see for ourselves. If you are in Tulum, make sure to check Mayan ruins of Tulum, it’s one of the biggest highlights in Tulum for sure.
Honestly, I didn’t see any difference between driving in Europe and in Mexico. Of course, sometimes it is a bit chaotic, but the roads are good and there is no way you can get lost.
Altogether we had rented cars for 5 days and explored Quintana Roo. We had no problems and no one stopped or harmed us ever. Just watch out when getting gas as some of the pump attendants who fill up your car might try to get the best of you and won’t reset the price to $0.00.
We like to be flexible, spontaneous and stop whenever we like so renting a car in Mexico was the best choice for us.
READ MORE: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TULUM RUINS
BOOK YOUR TRANSFER IN ADVANCE
In order NOT to get scammed or just prevent any confusion, we highly recommend booking any trip you are planning in advance. Whether you are traveling around Tulum or visiting nearby islands like Isla De Mujeres, make sure to use companies that are reliable and have great reviews.
We really like using an online booking company focusing on transportation called Bookaway.
BOOK YOUR CAR, FLIGHT, MINIVAN, OR FERRY IN MEXICO HERE.
OTHER TRAVEL TIPS FOR MEXICO
PETTY THEFT
Petty theft can occur anywhere in this world. That’s is why one of your top travel tips for Mexico is to always be aware of your surroundings, especially in crowded places like buses, train stations or airports. There have been a couple of thefts by pickpockets in Mexico. That is why try to keep your valuables in a safe place or in the actual safe in your hotel.
READ MORE: BEST THINGS TO DO IN TULUM
MEXICO TRAVEL TIPS: SCAMMING
You need to be careful when booking tours or in general in stores. Make sure you are aware of the exact currency rate and always count your change. Overcharging tourists is very common and can happen when you are travelling in Mexico. Sometimes locals will ask for more money from tourists than they should. If you are offered a drink by a stranger, politely decline. Make sure to set prices in advance, sometimes people might distract you and try and steal from you.
AVOID POOR NEIGHBOURHOODS
We highly advise you to travel to Mexico with someone. One of our top tips for Mexico is to avoid poor neighborhoods and try to stay in the touristy and populated areas. Similar to South America, don’t walk around alone at night.
TAXIS
It is not recommended to hail a taxis in Mexico. Make sure to only call a reliable taxi company or Uber. If you like to call a taxi, ask the restaurant or the hotel to call you a taxi.
IS MEXICO SAFE FOR WOMEN?
Until now, there haven’t been many negative reports from women who travelled in Mexico. However, sexual comments, whistles from men on the streets are common.
LEARN SOME SPANISH
You don’t need to be fluent of course when you travel to Mexico. Many people in the region of Riviera Maya speak English, but it will make your life much easier if you know some basic words, like a few phrases and numbers. If you can count in Spanish, it will be easier for you to negotiate prices or you might understand the locals (if they try to speak to someone else to make sure you don’t understand).
PEOPLE OF MEXICO
The most valuable tip for travelling in Mexico is not to be scared. People are very friendly, hard-working, helpful and customer-oriented.
OUR STORY: We had such a nice experience when we visited Playa Paraiso. We were just lying on the beach, me feeling sick after throwing up on the boat. Then, I turned around and saw a cute little girl running around with a tortilla in her hand and wearing big diapers. As my Spanish is horrible, we were just waving at each other. After some time, we decided to leave. Suddenly, I turned around and her grandma waved at us a few times and invited us to join them for some food. We didn’t hesitate even for a second. We were communicating with our broken Spanish and hand gestures but it was really sweet. And homemade tortillas are the best.
We hope that these Mexico travel tips help you to stay safe. Have fun travelling around Mexico, and again, don’t be scared, just follow common sense.
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