Travel Warnings-Mexico
 

Spring Breakers Fear Mexico Border Town


Some Students Avoid South Padre Island This Year


http://www.abcnews.go.com/Travel/Bus...4421202&page=1

From US, England and Australia governments:
USA: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p...a/pa_3028.html
UK: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?...=1013618386217

Australia: http://www.smarttraveller.gov.au/zw-.../Advice/Mexico

Haha that's not Mike from the Real World... that's David. Right? I know it's not Mike.

And that's some scary shit!

That is David from (i believe) the Seattle season.


That article is interesting...and maybe that is what is happening in southern TX, but I haven't heard too much about it happening over here (and we are the supposed Capital of the Border)

It is a lot harder to get to and from Mexico though, and I know it is keeping a lot of people from going over to Mexico in their daily lives, but the whole mandatory-needing-a-passport thing isn't enforced too strongly (at least here where i'm at, i can't speak for the rest of the border towns).

I don't find that very surprising. I live about 1hr away from Juarez Mexico and there has already been about 6 or more murders (all law enforcement) just this year. There was also a hit list of officers left at a monument there. At first it wasn't taken serious but now it is. If that is happening in a major border town like Juarez I would expect it to be happening in the smaller towns too where the cartels are trying to keep their power.

There have been a few Canadians murdered in Mexico over the past couple of years too. I don't know if it's a conincidence or not, but many of them were of Italian descent. Does Mexico have something against Italians?

Interesting. I went to South Padre for SB in undergrad, it was interesting. Stayed at the Bahia Mar too. It was pretty sketchy, but a good time was had by all.

Frankly, other than it being crazy, I don't get the appeal. The island is not especially nice, nor is the beach very impressive if you're someone used to the other side of the gulf coast. Matamoros is fun, although certainly not much of a cultural experience. It does seem more authentic than Tijuana, but I'm not really sure that is a good thing.

My husband does a lot of business in the Maquilladoras (along the Tex-Mex border) and has salesmen that travel into the area all the time. It has gotten more and more dangerous, where in years past, they would stay on the Mexican side of the border for convenience, now, NO WAY! They also only go during the day, and if they have to stay for a night time dinner, they hire a Mexican driver who knows how to navigate the streets safely (or as safely as possible). Also, they never take their own cars, it is better to fly into McAllen, Laredo, El Paso, etc. and rent a car - because if its going to get jacked, much better to not be your own.

It is no joke that it has gotten incredibly dangerous.

I can remember how many years ago, my mom and her friends would take day trips into the northern Mexican towns, with us kids tagging along, to buy pottery and neat furniture and fixings. It was a completely different time - I feel really sorry for those poor people, the crime has gotten totally out of control.

Yeah...haven't heard about that.

I live 10 minutes from the Juarez border, anything I hear about law enforcement isn't surprising and many I don't believe. The law enforcement in Mexico is sooo corrupt that you are better off killing the cops instead of anyone else.

A girl from my dance group (who i've known for 10+ years) has an older step brother who was shot and killed by Juarez police. Why? Because he had a new truck and they wanted it.

BUT that isn't unusual for Juarez.

I'm :confused: over this comment...

this has been going on for some time -- I vaguely recall posting something similar a year or so ago.... it was the same story --- people getting caught in the middle of the drug wars.

personally i've never gone to Mexico for Spring Break. I hear it's beautiful and fun, but I am really just too scared that I'm gonna say the wrong thing in my broken Spanish or something and I'll come back with a missing kidney or not at all

Mexico's not a safe place to be right now. A few weeks ago, rebels in Tijuana stormed the police chief's house, killing him and his family. My mom and some of her friends cancelled their trip they were going to take to further south in Mexico this spring.

Mexico has for a long time been fairly unsafe, but in recent years it has gotten out of control. Even in the late 1990s things were starting to get ugly. Now it is not safe on either side of the border.

Makes you wonder how Bush can hope to bring peace and stability to the world when he couldn't even be bothered to take care of US citizens in his home state.

What about? Tijuana is a tourist hellhole. I mean, it's fun, but it is hard to cut through the crap to get to the culture. Same for Matamoros, though it seems a little less touristy, and a little more seedy. I'm not sure which is worse.

Honestly I think its the same way every where along the border. In Juarez if you don't speak Spanish the vendor will take advantage of you. The problem with border towns is that a lot of tourist are just in one area of town. I honestly will not go to Mexico by myself. I go with my dad since he grew up there and knows the area.

There are a lot of nice places to visit. But most of the tourist spots are not that great. If I do go to Mexico I am just glad that I have family in most major cities that can show me around and not just get stuck in the tourist area.

This is kind of scary. My husband and I will be going to Tijuana the first week in April. I will keep checking the travel advisories before we leave.

Why are you and your husband going to TJ? It's where college kids go to party, or where other tourists just pass through on their way to other places. It's really dirty and skeezy, just warning you.