Staying safe south of the border

A church in the town of Charco, Mexico A church in the town of Charco, Mexico Photo: John Storey, Chronicle Photo: John Storey, Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Staying safe south of the border 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A large percentage of the comments that the Mexico Mix has gotten over the past year have nothing to do with grand colonial cities or handmade crafts or exotic wildlife or learning Spanish — or any other topic we've covered — but with whether a latent death wish is a requirement for venturing south of the border. A disturbing number of these remarks are undisguised screeds from those who cherish their prejudices and are as likely to spend a vacation in Somalia as in Mexico. But others are from travelers who genuinely want to visit one of the friendliest and most diverse countries on the planet but wonder whether they, and their belongings, will make it home again in one piece.

So, is Mexico safe for travelers in these days of kidnappings and drug-gang shootouts? That's a fair question, and one that deserves an interjection of logic. It is a fact, trumpeted almost daily by banner headlines and blogs, that violent crime has soared in Mexico over the past 10 years; Baja California alone reported a 43.4 percent hike in homicides in the period from November 2007 to April 2008 over the same period a year earlier. Kidnappings were up 360 percent (from 8 to 36) and violent robberies 80.5 percent. But it is also a fact that millions of foreign travelers visit Mexico every year without a blip in their vacation bliss. Based on having spent almost three out of the past 12 months in Mexico, most of it traveling alone, I would say yes, you can travel safely, if you are armed with information and common sense.

Some perspective:

Everything is relative. A report from Mexico's congress noted a rate of 624 violent crimes per 100,000 residents for the first six months of 2007, the latest period for which statistics are available. The projected yearly rate of 1,248 violent crimes per 100,000 residents is more than twice the 2006 rate. That's high — the average U.S. rate was 467 per 100,000. But parts of the United States are just as bad or worse; Washington, D.C.'s 2007 rate was 1,413, for example. In Tijuana, 352 people were murdered that year, a rate of 17.5 murders per 100,000 residents. Among U.S. cities of about the same size, Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas and Las Vegas all had higher murder rates; New Orleans had three times as many murders per 100,000 people as Tijuana.

Mexico is a big country. Reports of drug-related violence in Ciudad Juarez don't mean you're at risk in Puebla or Playa del Carmen, nor should crime in northern Baja keep you away from Loreto, Todos Santos or Los Cabos. Would knowing that Miami has the highest violent crime rate in the United States keep you from going to the Grand Canyon, or even Disney World, in the same state? In the vast majority of Mexican destinations, you can expect a tranquil vacation with warm and hospitable hosts.

They aren't after you. The surge in crime has been fueled almost entirely by a turf war for control over the increasingly lucrative drug trade channel that funnels contraband from South America into the seemingly insatiable United States (Mexico itself isn't a major producer). The targets are rival drug dealers, police and other authorities, and wealthy businessmen and their families. Foreign victims of crime are usually caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Self-fulfilling prophecies. If you spend your entire vacation worrying that you are going to be assaulted or ripped off, you won't have a very good time, and the tinge of suspicion will dampen the natural exuberance of Mexicans you encounter. So if you just can't relax after doing your homework and taking reasonable precautions, you're better off choosing a different vacation spot.

Some precautions:

Do your research. The U.S. State Department issues current warnings and announcements about safety issues for travelers. The U.K. Foreign Office Travel Advisory for Mexico is another good source. World Travel Watch also issues regular reports, and the travel pages and forums at Surfline are a wealth of information even for landlubbers, especially helpful on northern Baja.

This is no time to go shopping for sleazy trinkets in Tijuana, wine tasting outside of Ensenada or partying in Rosarito. Most border cities are dicey; if you must drive through one, aim for early morning and get through as quickly as possible. Drug-related violence has also occurred in parts of Sinaloa, Nayarit and Michoacán states on the Pacific coast, as well as Chihuahua.

Pack smart. Leave your baubles at home, and don't take anything you couldn't bear to part with, unless you plan to keep it with you at all times. (A bonus: Lighter bags make a nimbler traveler). Carry your money and passport in a money belt (not a fanny pack), and scan your passport and travel documents and e-mail them to yourself in case they are stolen. Take your bank and credit cards' international phone numbers with you, and leave a copy of your itinerary with someone at home.

Keep your own counsel. Don't divulge your travel plans to strangers, and be wary of people offering help with your luggage or shopping packages. Carry only the cash you need for the day in your pocket or purse; leave your passport, credit card and extra money in a money belt under your clothing or in the hotel safe. Find a private place if you need to get something out of your money belt. If a person or situation doesn't feel right, trust your judgment and make yourself scarce.

Blend in. Take your sartorial clues from the locals, and don't walk around with a camera around your neck and a guidebook in your hand. Study your map and take notes before you leave your room. Clothing, cars and bling that seem modest by U.S. standards can easily appear ostentatious in Mexico. The less you look (and act) like a rich gringo tourist, the less tempting you are as a target. Be especially vigilant in crowds, at markets and on public transportation; don't fall for ruses to distract you so an accomplice can snatch your wallet.

Get the lay of the land. Even outside the risky zones, all cities have areas you should avoid, just as U.S. cities do. Ask your hotel manager, taxi driver (either government-authorized or called by your hotel) or another accommodating local where the no-go zones are. Established tourist areas are usually the safest, but there are also interesting neighborhoods to explore where average Mexicans and expats live removed from the headline-grabbing crime.

Keep your head screwed on straight. You wouldn't stumble around drunk on a dark, unfamiliar street in the United States, would you? Vacation or not, you shouldn't do that in Mexico, either. (Spring breakers, take note.) If you are at a disco or party, don't go out for fresh air or a night walk with someone you just met. If drugs are in evidence, leave immediately. When leaving a restaurant, bar or disco late at night, always take a cab. Never walk on a beach late at night.

Basically, use the same common sense you would in a strange U.S. city, and you should be just fine in Mexico.