Traveling Safer in Mexico
By Logan Marshall, 07/28/2011
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Cancun |
In recent years Mexico has garnered a certain stigma. Media depictions have done little to dispel the idea that Mexico is no longer safe for American tourists. So, according to the US Department of State, much of the violence stems from the transnational criminal organizations fighting to control drug trafficking routes. However, many of the tourist destinations that draw American tourists sit in the central region of the country in the Mexican Riviera on the Pacific coast and Cancun, Riviera Maya, and Cozumel along the Gulf of Mexico, don't attract the kind of criminal elements that the border region does. However, the US Department of State does have some advice for American's traveling to Mexico:
- "Common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas during daylight hours, and avoiding areas where criminal activity might occur, can help ensure that travel to Mexico is safe and enjoyable."
- "If you make frequent visits to border cities, you should vary your route and park in well-lighted, guarded and paid parking lots. Exercise caution when entering or exiting vehicles."
- "You are encouraged to visit Mazatlan during daylight hours and limit the time you spend outside tourist centers. Exercise caution during late night and early morning hours when most violent crimes occur."
- For more info from the US Department of State click here
Take Cancun, for example, Mexico's top destination and living proof of paradise. With world class hotels, white sandy beaches, and a spectacular nightlife here are some of the top attractions:
- Cancun's Underwater Museum is located near Isla Mujerees and contains some 400 life-size statues made of Ph-neutral concrete which is intended to serve as an artificial reef and home to increasingly threatened aquatic life.
- Chichen Itza and the Pyramid of Kukulcan sits about 117 miles west of Cancun. The iconic step pyramid is a testament to the Mayan's astronomical and engineering skill. During the spring and autumnal equinox the corner of the pyramid casts a shadow of the serpent Kukulcan, the Mayan name of Quetzacoatl as well as the Temple's namesake, slithers down the side of the pyramid to fertilize the earth. Besides the pyramid there's the Great Ball Court, the Temple of the Warriors, El Cenote Sagrado—all of which are excellent examples of Mayan art and architecture.
- Xel-Ha, one of the world's largest natural aquariums, offers a plethora of outdoor and water activities, Mayan ruins, and Jungle trails.
Other top destinations in the region include:
For more information:
New Riveiera Resorts
Mexico's Hidden Maya Ruins
Filed Under: Where We Want to Go