Opinions regarding Mexico?

[Sauer Grapes]

What is your perception of Mexico?
A country in chaos with the drug cartels winning the war. Not safe to visit.

If you were to plan a vacation would Mexico be on your list of potential destinations? No. Why go to Mexico when I could just go to the Caribbean and be safer.

If not, why?
Safety, and, frankly, I would rather go back to the Caribbean, Hawaii or another country.

Would you feel safe in Mexico?
No, unless you stay in one of those vacation "compounds" I've heard about.

What is the biggest plus and biggest minus that Mexico offers you as a tourist destination?
Plus: Many that have vacationed there loved it. Minus:safety and the chaos one hears about. Also the fact that water is unpotable.

[Cigarcop]

I've been to Mexico at least a dozen times fishing and relaxing...Best time I had and nicest location by far was Riviera Maya...I also enjoyed visiting Playa and walking thru the streets.

[gettysburgfreak]

No chance in hell would I ever go there.

[AD720]

We are planning on Riviera Maya for the winter holidays for a belated honeymoon, have to do some serious number crunching though. Can't wait.

Perception: No preconceptions, going open minded.

Vacation: Absolutely, see above.

Safety: As long as we are in the places we are supposed to be in no worries at all.

Pluses: Money goes further, shorter flights, less weather worries - hurricanes, etc.

Minuses: Ask we when we get back.

[Ahbroody]

Originally Posted by Sauer Grapes

What is your perception of Muexico?
A country in chaos with the drug cartels winning the war. Not safe to visit.

If you were to plan a vacation would Mexico be on your list of potential destinations? No. Why go to Mexico when I could just go to the Caribbean and be safer.

If not, why?
Safety, and, frankly, I would rather go back to the Caribbean, Hawaii or another country.

Would you feel safe in Mexico?
No, unless you stay in one of those vacation "compounds" I've heard about.

What is the biggest plus and biggest minus that Mexico offers you as a tourist destination?
Plus: Many that have vacationed there loved it. Minus:safety and the chaos one hears about. Also the fact that water is unpotable.

Pretty much this. As perspective I work with mexicans. Some born in Mexico all with family in Mexico. None are going to Mexico. Their own family members are telling them not to come.

I have family who have timeshares there and I could go for free. They are not using it. They are scared.I would not go. I dont want to worry on vacation thats not a vacation. Who wants to worry about being killed or kidnapped ransomed and killed in the end on vacation. As someone in law enforcement who has a fair amount of info on the situation. HELL NO! If I was going to vacation in Mexico it will be after the gov wins the war. Lets be honest that wont happen and if it does it will be 5 plus years.

[gettysburgfreak]

Originally Posted by Ahbroody

Pretty much this. As perspective I work with mexicans. Some born in Mexico all with family in Mexico. None are going to Mexico. Their own family members are telling them not to come.

I have family who have timeshares there and I could go for free. They are not using it. They are scared.I would not go. I dont want to worry on vacation thats not a vacation. Who wants to worry about being killed or kidnapped ransomed and killed in the end on vacation. As someone in law enforcement who has a fair amount of info on the situation. HELL NO! If I was going to vacation in Mexico it will be after the gov wins the war. Lets be honest that wont happen and if it does it will be 5 plus years.

I share the same view as you on this. I see pictures almost every day it seems from drug cartel shootouts that the general public doesn't have access to and the scope of the violence is absolutely ridiculous and sick. I have no need to cross the border into that country.

[neoflex]

I took a cruise with the wife this summer that two of the five destinations were in Mexico. (Cozumel and Costa Maya) Both my wife and I were excited to finally visit Mexico. After visiting both locations we both agreed that Mexico would be one of the last destinations we ever plan for a vacation in the future. Don't get me wrong there were beautiful spots at both places but at both we were actually excited to head back to the ship. For us the most annoying part was the fact that we could not walk down the street without being practically harassed to buy what most would consider junk. Even passing people for the fourth time and saying No thank you the first three you would think they would get the hint when they clearly recognize you since they say things like Are you ready now? I know most people we spoke to on the boat had the same feeling as us and most headed back to the ship early those days. We were at the one shopping mall that the ship recommends in Cozumel and while walking around some guy was following us around. It was when he followed us into the third store that I asked him if I could help him with something and if there wasn't anything I could help him with than he needs to stop following us. The two Mexico destinations were the only two places that my wife didn't feel safe. We both agreed that if we never went back to Mexico(at least the two locations that we visited) it would be too soon. The best part of Cozumel was LCDH and Chankanaab. Had I been able to find LCDH right of way and went straight to Chankanaab right after we may not have had the experiences we had there but we walked around downtown Cozumel for three hours too many and it gave us a bad taste.

[SvilleKid]

Originally Posted by neoflex

I took a cruise with the wife this summer that two of the five destinations were in Mexico. (Cozumel and Costa Maya) Both my wife and I were excited to finally visit Mexico. After visiting both locations we both agreed that Mexico would be one of the last destinations we ever plan for a vacation in the future. Don't get me wrong there were beautiful spots at both places but at both we were actually excited to head back to the ship. For us the most annoying part was the fact that we could not walk down the street without being practically harassed to buy what most would consider junk. Even passing people for the fourth time and saying No thank you the first three you would think they would get the hint when they clearly recognize you since they say things like Are you ready now? I know most people we spoke to on the boat had the same feeling as us and most headed back to the ship early those days. We were at the one shopping mall that the ship recommends in Cozumel and while walking around some guy was following us around. It was when he followed us into the third store that I asked him if I could help him with something and if there wasn't anything I could help him with than he needs to stop following us. The two Mexico destinations were the only two places that my wife didn't feel safe. We both agreed that if we never went back to Mexico(at least the two locations that we visited) it would be too soon. The best part of Cozumel was LCDH and Chankanaab. Had I been able to find LCDH right of way and went straight to Chankanaab right after we may not have had the experiences we had there but we walked around downtown Cozumel for three hours too many and it gave us a bad taste.

I guess it just depends on the place and the time! My wife and I were at both those locations in the spring from a cruise, and didn't have a single "hawker" approach us on the streets. Had half a dozen trying to sell me glass-top cuban cigars within the malls, but after disclosing (loudly) to my co-shoppers why these were fakes, They stopped approaching me totally!!! Also, we made excursion plans outside of the normal cruise ship channels, and left the ship after the crush of the main crowd. Wonder if the "hawkers" had already been siphoned off? Don't know if that's a plausible reason for the difference or not. Maybe we looked too muck like the rednecks we are!!!

[neoflex]

Originally Posted by SvilleKid

I guess it just depends on the place and the time! My wife and I were at both those locations in the spring from a cruise, and didn't have a single "hawker" approach us on the streets. Had half a dozen trying to sell me glass-top cuban cigars within the malls, but after disclosing (loudly) to my co-shoppers why these were fakes, They stopped approaching me totally!!! Also, we made excursion plans outside of the normal cruise ship channels, and left the ship after the crush of the main crowd. Wonder if the "hawkers" had already been siphoned off? Don't know if that's a plausible reason for the difference or not. Maybe we looked too muck like the rednecks we are!!!

That's crazy. When we were there we could not walk more than 2 ft before the next person came started to badger us and it was constant up until we got into the can to go to Chakanaab and even there we would have the occasional person come along trying to sell us authentic glass tops. Like you they started to by pass me when I called them out on being fakes.

[SvilleKid]

Originally Posted by neoflex

even there we would have the occasional person come along trying to sell us authentic glass tops. Like you they started to by pass me when I called them out on being fakes.

LOL!!! That was the funniest part of the whole trip. IMO!! I was with a cruise group of 30 people, with ten friends around me when I called them out; ten friends who were just about to buy some of the glass-tops!!!

[floydpink]

I'm a little odd and spent a great deal of my single years rambling through places like Nicaragua in the early 90's and Medellin Colombia up until the time I got married with several trips to Brazil sprinkled in between.

There's always been something about "dangerous" places and the lack of American tourists that makes it more fun.

I've since changed that attitude since I now travel with a 5 year old.

I'd go to Mexico in a heartbeat.