Mexico: Too dangerous?

Just as my Budget Travel piece on Mexico was released, news from Mexico came pouring in that shed unfavorable light on the travel situation south of the border. Within this week alone, Mexico’s been getting some important attention for being one of the most dangerous and travel-unfriendly places in the world to visit right now. Therefore, it seems necessary for us here at Gadling to catalog the recent headlines and stories as an extra precaution for those of you considering travel to Mexico in the coming months.

According to AZFamily.com, a local news station in Phoenix, university kids anticipating spring break in Mexico have been warned of the potential dangers of excessive partying in such hot spots as Puerto Vallarta: “The State Department says violence, especially on the U.S. Mexico border, has reached alarming levels with shoot-outs and kidnappings taking place in broad daylight.”

Some students who had been eagerly awaiting their spring break festivities on a Mexican beach have already cancelled their trips and have decided to wait until the situation gets better, which may be a long time coming. According to the Associate Press, the drug crisis in Mexico continues to escalate, and The Week reports that even Obama is trying to turn the tide by actively taking part in the clamp-down of drug-related crime at the border.

All of the major newspapers, including the Washington Post, which typically focuses on business and political news and tends not to report on travel-related topics, are suggesting heavy caution for travelers to Mexico. This leads me to believe that it might be best to avoid travel in Mexico at this time. This isn’t to say that you can’t or shouldn’t travel anywhere in Mexico. I imagine there are indeed places that are perfectly safe. However, getting to these destinations while avoiding the dangerous ones could prove difficult even for the most savvy of travelers.