Trifter

Before You Leave Home

Check your destination. Most governments have their own websites giving current warnings and public announcements regarding safety problems that tourists might face.

Your valuables are better left at home. Without your valuables, you are less of a target for potential thieves and make your luggage lighter which gives you greater ease of movement.

If you scan your passport and travel documents and email them to yourself you will be able to get copies easily if your documents are lost or stolen. Your bank or credit card company will have an international telephone number. Make sure you have it with you so that you can cancel your cards quickly if they are lost or stolen.

It is a good idea to give someone at home a copy of your itinerary but don’t tell your travel plans with people you meet while you are travelling.

A money belt is a good investment for carrying your money and passport as it can be hidden beneath your clothes. The most convenient way to get at your money while travelling is to use your credit or debit cards. However, if these get lost or stolen or swallowed by a cash machine you need a back-up, some traveller’s cheques or a little cash.

Whilst in Mexico

When you need to get money out of cash machines, use ones in stores or shopping malls and avoid using them at night. Once the machine has given you your money, put it away as quickly as possible. Only carry the cash you need in your pocket or purse. It is much better to leave your passport, credit card and extra money in the hotel safe or carry them in a money belt under your clothes. You should avoid changing money at the airport if possible or change only small amounts to avoid attracting attention. Use a private place when you want to get something out of your money belt.

Try to be discreet, carrying a guidebook and going about with your camera round your neck show that you are a tourist and make you a mark for thieves, so blend in as much as possible. Beware of pickpockets in crowded areas such as market or on public transport. They are very crafty and sometimes work in pairs, one of them will distract you while the other takes your wallet. Stay alert and watch the people round you, see who is doing what and who is watching you. In Mexican culture, a woman looking at a man indicates attraction, so don’t stare but be aware. Find out if there are areas of the city you shouldn’t go to. Check with the hotel staff or find another knowledgeable person.

Timeshare scams are rife in Mexico. You may be approached when on the beach and be asked to attend a timeshare presentation. Although some of these are legitimate, the sales tactics are very high-pressure. So unless, you are really interested in a timeshare the free meal or excursion, don’t get involved.

Being drunk makes you an easy target. If you are going out drinking don’t drink enough to impair your judgement, don’t go alone and stay in well lit areas. If the way back to your hotel is dark or deserted, find an open business and get them to call you a taxi. Women have to be extra careful outside the main tourist zones. Don’t go into a bar without a male escort or you will be in serious trouble. Drink and food ’spiking’ occurs in bars and restaurants. There have been reports of sexual assault and other serious crimes, including assault and robbery, committed by individuals presenting themselves as police officers.

Taxis

You shouldn’t hail taxis in the street in Mexico City. If you need a taxi, get the hotel to call one for you as they will take a note of the driver’s name and the number of the taxi. In Mexico City and other major cities there are official taxis (Taxis Autorizados) at the airport and bus stations. These are yellow/white with an aircraft symbol on the door of the vehicle and you pay for these in the airport before you travel.  Always use one of these. Thieves often work in cooperation with or pose as taxi drivers. Travellers have been robbed when using taxis hailed from the street.

Crime

Violent crime, including sexual assault, armed robbery and kidnapping do happen in popular beach resorts. Avoid being in places where there aren’t many people as thieves prefer isolated areas.

The number of ‘express kidnappings’, where individuals are forced to withdraw funds from cash machines to secure their release, continues to increase, particularly in urban areas.

Travelling

Crime levels on inter-city buses and when travelling on highways are high. Avoid unnecessary travel at night and use only first-class bus services. Use toll (cuota) roads rather than free (libre) roads wherever possible to reduce the risk of crime.

Driving on rural roads in Mexico is dangerous due to poor road conditions, the presence of livestock and pedestrians on roads, and inadequate street lighting and signage.

Luxury buses, such as the one tourists take to go from Mexico City to Acapulco, are frequently robbed. Highway 15 and Express Highway 1 in the state of Sinaloa are particularly dangerous, where criminal assaults and murders have occurred day and night. 

Final Word

The destinations in Mexico that most people visit are relatively safe. Tourists who go to Cancun and other popular beach resorts are not often the victims of crime but those who leave the beaten tourist track even a little bit can find themselves in extreme danger.

As long as you remember that Mexico can be dangerous, take the necessary precautions and don’t take risks you should have a wonderful holiday in the beautiful and interesting country.