Safety of Mexico

[haha]

...to keep all those deported druggies from sneaking back in and taking the jobs of the hardworking illegals we traded for.

The prospect of spending (a short) life in some Mexican prison might just cure a lot of addicts.

Ha

 

[kcowan]

Try to convince anyone to live in Juarez? The drugs are enroute from Colombia and need to be snared just before they get to the US. They are not as readily available throughout the country as they are in the US.

 

[packrat44]

...to keep all those deported druggies from sneaking back in and taking the jobs of the hardworking illegals we traded for.

Prostitution and burglary appears to be the "job" of chose by hard core druggies. Druggies are adverse to hard work.

 

[harley]

Prostitution and burglary appears to be the "job" of chose by hard core druggies. Druggies are adverse to hard work.

I guess that's why I worked all those long days for all those years so I could retire early. Lazy worthless bastid. Sort of like all those holier than thou types who are averse to independent thought.

Look, even Pat Robertson gets it.

Pat Robertson Wants to Decriminalize Pot - Hit & Run : Reason Magazine

 

[Onward]

Here's a recent NYT article on the safety of visiting Mexico.

The Mexico Quandary - Safety or Savings? - NYTimes.com

 

[BTravlin]

Just returned from another wonderful trip to Cozumel. Had several days of great diving and evenings of wonderful restaurants and delicious food. Can't wait to go back in March.

 

[BigNick]

159 convicts escape Mexican prison on U.S. border

Meh. Just think how many unconvicted criminals are there running around in that area already. 159 more won't make a lot of difference. Most of these guys will just be getting drunk and hooking up with their girlfriends for a few weeks.

 

[CoolChange]

Just returned from another wonderful trip to Cozumel. Had several days of great diving and evenings of wonderful restaurants and delicious food. Can't wait to go back in March.

I would love to hear more about your most recent trip since I am considering an extended stay on the island early in the new year. I am hoping to head down late in January and stay through most of February if I can find a cheap rental, schedule w*r& travel accordingly, etc.

 

[BTravlin]

I would love to hear more about your most recent trip since I am considering an extended stay on the island early in the new year. I am hoping to head down late in January and stay through most of February if I can find a cheap rental, schedule w*r& travel accordingly, etc.

Our family bought a condo there May 1st this year after falling in love with the place over the past 4 1/2 years after taking up scuba diving. We had traveled all over the Caribbean and found the people of Cozumel to be the nicest by far of anywhere we've traveled. Cozumel is also a great value with many great low cost lodging options and good, inexpensive restaurants.

Almost all lodging is along the west coast of the island in three separate areas: in town - San Miguel, north of town or south of town. North of town has many condos and several large hotel/resorts. Within walking distance to town but on the far end of walking distance. South of town can be several miles and a $20 one way taxi trip away. Our condo is on the southern edge of town and we can walk to the central plaza in 10 minutes at a leisurely pace. We chose this area because we did not want to have a car and wanted a variety of entertainment and services within an easy walk. We walk all over town until 10-11 pm and have never had the slightest issue.

We dive everyday and the boat picks us up at the pier around 8 am and we get back around 1:30 pm after two tanks. Usually eat some lunch and then spend the afternoon at the pool or exploring town prior to dinner. Go to different restaurants around town for dinner and that back home to relax. Also, we sometimes take the ferry to Playa del Carmen for excursions on the mainland. Costs about $12 pp one way and takes 30-40 for the 12 mile crossing.

Tourism is way off due to the poor economy combined with the nightly news and newspapers repeatedly blaring how dangerous Mexico is. Not true of Cozumel because the island offers limited access by one ferry pier and one airport. Anyway, you should be able to find a decent place to stay at a reasonable price. My condo is already rented for most of Feb or I'd quote you a price.

I would check with this realty company that offers longer term rentals.

LONGTERMRENTALSHP

Luxury condos for sale, commercial properties for lease in Cozumel * Cozumel Capital* luxury residential homes

You can fly direct into Cozumel or sometimes save $200+ by flying into Cancun instead. Adds 3-4 hours travel time and can include nice bus ride, ferry and taxi. Probably costs around $50 pp round trip so be sure to deduct that cost from potential airfare savings.

Also, you can browse the discussion forum here for rentals or post a request describing the ideal rental situation you are looking for.

Cozumel My Cozumel Discussion Forums -> Cozumel Accommodations

or

My Cozumel Community - Index

These discussion forums are also offer a wealth of info on all aspects of the island. Let me know if you have any questions but be advised I'm having surgery tomorrow and probably won't be back online again until Friday or Saturday.

You can often call some of the smaller hotels in town and negotiate a monthly rate. You can try

Welcome to Cozumel, at Suites Bahia in Cozumel México

or

Hotels in Cozumel,Hotel Reservation,hotel booking Cozumel|Vista del Mar

Hope you find what you're looking for. I'm extremely jealous and would love to go back for a month.

 

[kevink]

more numbers

We live full-time at Lake Chapala, and as you might expect the local expat community is keenly interested in crime news local and regional as well as the consistently negative reporting about Mexico we see on U.S. television.

A good friend who lives here shares this information:

According to the US State Dept. website, approximately 1 million Americans live in Mexico. Over 22 million tourists visit Mexico each year. Of those approximately 80% (17.6 million) are Americans, according to a Canadian language school website I visited. Out of all of those many millions, 137 have died and of those 48 were murdered or "executed"? With those odds, I'll take my chances in Mexico over almost any American city of even modest size. No wonder I feel so much safer here than there. Even if you doubled or tripled the reported numbers of murders, I'd still feel safer.

Bottom line, IMHO: stay away from the border towns, don't do anything in Mexico you wouldn't go at home and the chances of anything bad happening here pale vs. where you live back home, in all likelihood.

 

[REWahoo]

With those odds, I'll take my chances in Mexico over almost any American city of even modest size. No wonder I feel so much safer here than there. Even if you doubled or tripled the reported numbers of murders, I'd still feel safer.

It appears you have found somewhere you can feel secure which I agree is a basic necessity for happiness. Financial independence means little if you fear for your life.

I'm hoping I can someday reach the same comfort level here in the US and I am very encouraged when I read things like this: Homicides fall in large American cities

I understand much of the credit for the drop is attributed to city police departments hiring a number of Mexican cops who recently decided to move north and become consultants...

 

[haha]

I'm hoping I can someday reach the same comfort level here in the US and I am very encouraged when I read things like this: Homicides fall in large American cities

I understand much of the credit for the drop is attributed to city police departments hiring a number of Mexican cops who recently decided to move north and become consultants...

This may not be because they are concerned for their safety in Mexico, but rather because they are concerned for the safety of their gringo brothers up here in the still dangerous estados unidos.

Once they have pacified the US, likely they will return to sleepy, peaceful, Old Mexico.

Ha

 

[kevink]

tongue-in-cheek stuff aside, my only reason for posting those numbers is that the media in the U.S. do such an outstanding job of scaring people about Mexico. The dangers here are real, but what's invariably left out it "compared to what," and the U.S. is a pretty darn violent place with (unlike Mexico) very easy access to guns.

There's plenty of property crime in Mexico and the drug wars continue to make their effects felt. What I notice on our visits back to the U.S. is how similar the problems of the two countries are, with high levels of unemployment and obscene wealth inequality driving much of the increase in crime.

It seems to me there are a lot of baby boomers who unlike the savvy folks who post on this board haven't saved much for retirement, can't afford (or don't have) health insurance, have lost the house equity they'd hoped to parlay into a retirement nest egg, etc. for whom Mexico might be a valuable Plan B, as it has for us. I'd hate to think that fear and misinformation would keep them from looking at what could be a very viable option.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Mexico is still on my list for Plan B. My bruddah and I are trying to get our wives to try out Chapala.

 

[CoolChange]

Mexico, Cozumel, etc.

BTravlin,

Thanks for your trip report and links. I had missed most of these in my most recent Google search. While I was assuming Cozumel was still safe, it is definitely reassuring to have a recent first hand report.

No, I am not one of those who is generally scared of Mexico; but, there are places (most, but definitely not all, along the US boarder) that I would avoid.
​

kevink,

I think you are pointing out a basic problem that most people have with math and basic risk assessment. The folks with PhD's in finance among other fields have written a lot on this subject in the past few years. I assume that many of the folks who think Mexico is a dangerous country also think flying is a dangerous form of transportation.
​

Ed,

Mexico is quickly becoming my Plan A with a few other Central American and Caribbean countries vying for my Plan B.
​

All,

I am seriously considering snow-birding in Mexico on a FM3 visa for a bit to see if I really like living there. And, Cozumel seems like a good place to ease into this lifestyle. I have been there several times but have not returned for the last few years. So, I have been following the development of this thread with great interest.
​

 

[kcowan]

I am seriously considering snow-birding in Mexico on a FM3 visa for a bit to see if I really like living there.

Unless you plan on staying more than 6 months, you should get an FMM. It is quick and easy and does not need to be renewed.

 

[kevink]

A level-headed recent article

Violence impacts Mexico tourism | PRI's The World

 

[RonBoyd]

From "The Adventures of Tioga and George" yesterday:

The first time that I crossed the International Border was in 2003. I went into Baja California, Mexico. You are probably guessing that I was plenty concerned. You are right! I had read all that stuff about the dangers in Mexico. The criminals and all. But I re-assured myself with the thought that, if I turned back from Mexico because of being scared, those imaginary bandits would get me every single day of my life! Even though I had not ever met even one of those bandits!

I never did meet a bandit either! Maybe all we need in order to do whatever we want to do, is have a little bit of Courage and a ton of Imagination!

 

[BTravlin]

Violence impacts Mexico tourism | PRI's The World

It's exactly because of the fall off in tourism that real estate prices in Cozumel fell enough such that my wife and I could afford to buy a waterfront property there. We closed on May 1st and my only regret is I may have moved too soon and may have gotten a better deal had I been more patient. My wife says not to worry because we got the place we wanted and that is what is most important, not possibly saving another $10-20k. And she's probably right, who knows what would have happened if we had not acted when we did. Anyway, we have our place in the rental pool and competition for renters there is fierce right now. Even so, it looks like we will break even on a cash flow basis for the first year so that's not too shabby.

 

[haha]

From "The Adventures of Tioga and George" yesterday:

Well, no doubt George is an expert on the Mexican border. He is certainly an expert on platitudes.

For another outlook: Unrest takes toll on physicians in Mexican border town - USATODAY.com

Of course these doctors were likely just looking for an excuse to ER in Texas.

Ha

 

[kcowan]

Even so, it looks like we will break even on a cash flow basis for the first year so that's not too shabby.

Plus you are getting on with your life. We bought in 2007 and had we waited we could have saved $20K, but we have been spending winters here in 2008-2011. There has to be some value in that.

 

[Onward]

We bought in 2007 and had we waited we could have saved $20K

kcowan, what is that, a 5-10% drop? Have property values really fallen so little in P.V. since 2007? I know the U.S. real-estate crash has spread to some parts of Central America. Sounds like not P.V. though?

 

[kcowan]

kcowan, what is that, a 5-10% drop? Have property values really fallen so little in P.V. since 2007? I know the U.S. real-estate crash has spread to some parts of Central America. Sounds like not P.V. though?

No you are right. Our place was priced to sell in 2007. The more expensive gringo places have dropped by 30% (e.g. from $585k to $399k for a new 2200 sq.ft. condo).

 

[REWahoo]

The headless bodies of 15 people were found dumped near a shopping center in the tourist city of Acapulco, Mexico, the Guerrero State Public Security office said in a statement Saturday.

15 headless bodies found in Acapulco - CNN.com

Since Acapulco is 600 miles south of the US border, does this indicate the drug wars are spreading?

 

[haha]

15 headless bodies found in Acapulco - CNN.com

Since Acapulco is 600 miles south of the US border, does this indicate the drug wars are spreading?

No, just senseless alarmism. Only fraidy cats would let this deter their fun in the sun.

Ha