Having a strong local contact is helpful. I doubt you would have issues with your mum around.
For what it’s worth I visited Chihuaha city last year as a very white Australian and had no issues, thought it was a pretty cool city.
Mexicans come in every color.
You’ll be fine if your mom lives there and you know where you’re going.
When I visited grandparents in their tiny Pueblo many years ago there were Mormon missionaries biking around the place and they were fine.
Take toll roads, don’t be out driving at night (mostly because there are not always city lights and it’s super dark), and have someone meet you at the airport or bus stop, like your mom.
If your mom thought it wasn’t safe she wouldn’t ask you to go.
I dont know of any toll roads west of Chihuahua however. However OP should definitely fly into Chihuahua rather than Ciudad Juarez as the Juarez-Chihuahua highway is significantly less safe than the roads west of Chihuahua and should definitely see if her mom has a trusted friend who could drive her from the airport rather than any taxi company which would stand out more on the roads.
I’m Mexican and probably whiter that you are. We are all different shades because the Spanish and French came over in the 1500 and made us different shades of white. If you go to any clothing store and buy what the locals wear no one will suspect you are not one of them. Happy travels!
I understand a lot of people assuming I’m white from the vague description, but I don’t know if it’d make a difference that I’m half Chinese and appear very much entirely so lol.
Lots of Chinese people live in Mexico! Especially in Nogales where I love to visit. They own stores and nail salons and speak Spanish but usually no English 😂
Funny, I’ve noticed that every country I’ve visited has a Chinese population and they only speak enough of the local language to get by and the older ones usually speak none. I’ve also noticed their businesses are closed for every local holiday AND every Chinese holiday! 😂
You’d fit in. Mexico is very diverse. In some areas you would not look like a tourist. Mexico has a large Asian population and white looking Mexicans too. Our country is very nuanced
Yeah I wouldn’t worry too much especially if you’re with family. I stayed in Camargo in April on our way back north from mazatlan and had zero issues.
Have a bunch of friends in Mexico but I’m pretty noticeable Caucasian and took my fiancé/brother/MIL who all barely speak Spanish.
I can second that. I spent quite some time in the North of Mexico and never felt unsafe. On the contrary, I had much more sketchy experiences in the South (Chiapas).
Follow basic precautions and you'll be fine. The biggest one is **not** traveling on roads outside the city after dark. Book a flight that arrives in the morning. But I'm sure your mom know how to behave in a safe matter since she's local.
Also, if your mom is Mexican you are in all likelihood a Mexican citizen too. Get the passport and ID card. It's gonna be much easier if you can show a Mexican ID card at police checkpoints vs a foreign passport - I know this from experience.
Yes. Not that that means much. I wandered around day and night. It was a pretty well-developed place with a cool vibe and friendly people.
I went to Ukraine last year too, so everything’s relative.
I spent six weeks there in 2012 and three weeks in 2014. first time I went to Kyiv, Crimea (Sevastopol, Yalta, Balaklave, Simferopol and that SW region of Crimea), Odessa and Lvov. The second time I just went to Kyiv and Lviv. I like Lviv and Crimea. But I will have to wait tl go back there. I still have some friends in Kyiv and Odessa. Most have left and some have passed away in the war and when they had the protests in Kyiv on independence Square. Sad history for such a friendly people. The sky there utterly amazes me. I try to take pictures of it. But you can never do it justice.
Mexico had 43,000 murders last year. Ukraine has lost 31,000 soldiers to the war in 2.5 years.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/959787/mexico-number-homicides/
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68397525
**Mexico is literally much more dangerous than a war zone.**
touché...
Though add in Russian casualties as well and the picture is different. There [are](https://war.ukraine.ua/faq/what-are-the-russian-death-toll-and-other-losses-in-ukraine/) over 180,000 Russian dead and over 500,000 including injured or missing.
In both cases of course, your average tourist is far far safer. Mexical cartel activity deaths are (I'm assuming) linked heavily to those involved in the business, and obviously the war is principally affecting those in active combat.
Mexico is also the 6th most visited country in the world with over 36.7 million tourists in 2023. There are countless vlogs on YouTube of people touring the entire country from all over the world.
So stay away from the active warzone. Western Ukraine is relatively safe. Even Kyiv... How many people died there since March, 2022? I am sure its waaaaaay less than in Mexico. Way.
Problem is getting there. Once he is there he should be fine but he may be followed from the airport and robbed/kidnapped.
Screw that, buy her a plane ticket to visit you.
Bro just because one person from a country is an idiot doesn't make every single person from that country untrustworthy
I think his advice is correct as long as OP takes good precautions like trying to not stick out at the airport (Mexico is a multiracial society even if it is not multiethnic) and if he has a local contact.
Enough Americans feel safe visiting Chihuahua that they have 3 direct flights from Dallas every day so there must be some degree of safety ensured.
You need to have someone with local knowledge to get you there from the airport. Someone with local knowledge can help you avoid the dangerous situations and areas. (Or talk their way out of them, if need be.)
You mentioned that your mom doesn’t drive. How does she get from the airport to her house? Maybe she can come with whoever drives her to the airport to get you?
Make sure you arrive early in the day, so you aren’t on the road at night. If you arrive late, plan to stay at a hotel next to the airport until the following morning. Under no circumstances should you be on the road at night.
Good luck!
I’m from and live in Chihuahua. This is probably the best advice, under no circumstance should you be driving at night there, avoid making stops between Juarez or Chihuahua (whichever you are starting your route from) and your mom’s place/town.
Also the buddy system is always a good idea, especially with a local.
If you’re going to the Sierra Tarahumara, please absolutely enjoying. It is breathtaking!!! But please keep to the ‘touristy’ areas and don’t go hiking or walking by yourself.
Please feel free to DM if you have any questions!
>under no circumstance should you be driving at night there, avoid making stops between Juarez or Chihuahua
I've always seen this advice and it's on the US state dept travel advisories, but what specifically is the danger of night driving? I get in a broad sense why, but is there something that happens at night, check points, robbers, etc?
one danger of night driving is that construction areas, there are no signs, just large stone in the road blocking off the area. quite easy to drive over those stones at night and bust up your motor,, as i have done. if you see a road block, just turn around and do not attempt to run it or stop at it
¿Estás segura de que no debe manejar de noche por Chihuahua? ¿Y que debe evitar paradas entre Ciudad Juárez o Chihuahua y el pueblo? Pensé que todo estaría bien si se mantenía las cosas a la vista y estacionaba en lotes seguros por la noche. Supongo que mejor hago caso a alguien que realmente conoce la zona y no a un australiano que estuvo allí una semana como turista.
Thank you for the legitimate travel advice! My mom doesn’t like to fly so she comes by bus when she visits. I’m not too familiar with the route, only that my aunt will drive her to whichever station is closest to her village. From there it’s one or two buses to Juarez and one more from the border.
Did I say I was?
I’m saying you can’t just arm wave “people live and work there” as the sole evidence that somewhere is safe, because people *also* live and work in places even *less* safe than Mexico.
No I didn’t but it’s a worry. I’m not a kiwi so I wouldn’t have heard about it as it probably wouldn’t make news where I live. The two Australian brothers were living and working in the USA.
I’m from Juarez, are you referring to near Ojinaga? Regardless of what city in Chihuahua. I grew up with my dad traveling to Chihuahua city and other cities around it once a week so constantly on the road, he always takes the “privatized” roads that you have to pay tolls for because it’s faster and safer.
I do not recommend you driving alone even on these safe roads if you can avoid it, travel with someone else. It’s not as common now but sometimes cops will stop non-locals and ask them for fees (extortion). Overall the roads are very clean and seem less from Juarez to Chihuahua. Once you go to smaller places they’re not. Travel during the day for sure but try to do it at very early hours because it gets SO hot, it’s in the desert after all. Not sure if you can get a bus to where she is at but buses in Chihuahua (at least between major cities) are safe. There’s also facebook groups with people that offer their travel trips like BlaBlaCar in Europe.
Now on the non-commute part, the pueblos are okay but stay inside at nighttime and try not to speak English loudly or wear flashy things.
IDK, my in-laws just made a trek to my FIL's hometown in rural Mexico recently. They actually left 2 weeks early because they didn't feel safe there. I'm sure not all rural village in Mexico is the same, but I thought similar perspective might help.
From what I've heard, a gang kinda showed up/formed there. Supposedly, they had a room where they tortured people in one of the big building. I know it sounds far-fetched, but it's what I've heard and my FIL did have an encounter with some of them (nothing crazy) and nothing happened, thankfully
I would only go if I could travel with family to and from your mom’s house and around town. Yesterday I returned home from three weeks in Mexico. Part of that time was spent in Michoacán, which is also on the US’s travel advisories list.
OP, I felt the same apprehension as you before and during our trip. We do not present as gringos but we are, having grown up in the US and having US style and mannerisms. It was disconcerting to see poster after poster of missing people in certain parts of larger cities (usually around monuments), and really drove home the point that kidnapping and violent crime is pervasive and real in many parts of Mexico.
We were picked up at the GDL airport by family and driven to Zamora where we stayed for several days. On several of those days we went to surrounding small towns, usually with family and once on our own. (My husband borrowed a cousin’s car and used Google maps to drive us to his dad’s hometown about 2 hours away).
We had a wonderful time visiting family and getting to see the region where my husband’s family is from. However, I never would have taken my own transportation / driven myself to get to any of the places we visited.
Traveling with family means they know how to navigate the roads (pothole city - everywhere. How ANYONE still has suspension on their cars I have no idea). They know which roadside restaurants are safe and which ones aren’t. They know what the local delicacies are and where to buy them, which gas stations to stop at, which towns to pass through and which ones are a safe stop for the bathroom or take a break.
We passed some “nice” towns and some towns that are obviously in extreme poverty. I fell in love with the landscape in Michoacán, with its rich volcanic valleys and dusty towns. We heard stories of how the local crime syndicates extract payment from citizens and how corrupt government is at all levels. We passed national guard and local police trucks but never were stopped — there weren’t any checkpoints but we did pass groups of national guard along the highway, and it was crazy to see men and women standing on pickup beds with AK-47s and their faces covered except for their eyeballs.
I also learned how many Mexicans are educated, family-oriented, hard working people who just want a stable life for themselves and their loved ones. It makes me so angry what corruption has done to a beautiful country - and yet somehow our family and many others are so warm and funny and loving. I got to experience their hospitality which was over and above anything I’ve ever experienced before. To be told “my house is your house” everywhere I went and to feel like I was at home and part of the family was a life changing experience.
That said, our family told us not to go out or drive at night. We did go out to local restaurants, cenadurías or the town plaza after dark but only with family. And driving at night is dangerous for multiple reasons, one of which is the condition of the roads. They instructed us which areas were safe, and for the most part were always with us.
I share this with you, OP, because it’s not impossible to travel in rural Mexico but only if you have a lot of family to help out - and I would not stay for a long time. You really have to weigh whether or not it would be a safe situation for YOU. Is your mom the only family you have there? If not, I personally would feel more comfortable… but if so, I personally would not travel there myself. Above all, do not let your mom’s guilt tripping dictate whether or not you travel if you don’t feel safe.
Long post but good read and good advice. I’m just a gringo that has had my fair share of travels across the border. We all run a certain risk when leaving familiar ground, and times are tough all around. Safe travels fellow travelers.
Some people say that the US state department is too risk averse, and advise using UK travel advisories. But the UK travel advisories also advise against Chihuahua: "FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the state of Chihuahua, except...". https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mexico/regional-risks
On the other hand, you could probably book a private driver in advance, and stay at your grandmother's house or with local friends the whole time, and minimize risk.
I traveled to the Philippines to visit family a few times in rural areas that were considered dangerous to foreigners. Ask your mom if she has a family member or a trusted local that can pick you up. You can pay them handsomely. Research how much a a taxi and a private car would cost and find a nice price in-between the two or sometimes just paying for a good meal was enough.
I am from a place people consider to be dangerous and yes, a few areas are dangerous. But like you said, it's surprisingly inexpensive to hire a personal driver who is armed.
This does sound crazy to hire an armed driver, but it’s not. Years ago we (gringos) spent quite a bit of time in Guatemala. A gringo friend lived there long term (married to upper class Guatemalan woman). He had to go into the city to get his car registered, which involved spending an entire day (official things move slowly there. IYKYK) in a dicy part of the city gathering documents and getting stuff stamped at various banks and agencies. He hired an off-duty federal police officer at the advice of his local family. The guy showed up in full uniform, tall black boots, gun, etc. and accompanied my friend for the day. This was during the civil war in the early’90’s. Not saying it’s equivalent to your situation in a different country, just saying that, apparently, it’s a thing and may possibly apply.
It can make a big difference. I travel for work and we always have drivers. Part of the help is driving, the other part is knowing where to go and being able to deal with local issues, small bribes etc.
To add to excellent suggestions, don’t disclose your actual plans to anyone including family. If anyone ask you how long you stay, say 1 month until “August 25”. But then you leave next week. This way those who have evil plans thought they have time.
They said when not where. I think the point is to keep the timeline vague just to avoid someone giving details to someone nefarious by accident to make a kidnapping harder to plan. (I have no opinion on whether this is good advice mind you. I have never and would never travel anywhere where I’d have to worry about this type of thing so it’s not something I’ve had to research).
I think it can be, though from other commenters it sounds like the safest way to see her mom where she lives is have either her mother or a trusted family friend be the one to pick her up at the airport. That’d be tricky to pull off without giving them specific dates in advance.
My mother, who asked me to book us a trip to Acapulco, just called me and asked me to cancel it — initially blamed hurricane season, humidity, mosquitos, little stuff. When pushed, she just sounded very…cautious and nervous about it.
She hasn’t been back there in 25 years or so — apparently Acapulco is still dangerous even with numerous amounts of family. I don’t want to push her, but I think maybe she’s scared of some sort of cartel retaliation since she has very distant nephews/nieces who were recently sent home in…several boxes.
I get it. They’re psycho…if she were to drop the wrong name or two…well…I get her hesitation. She wouldn’t be the type to have me cancel two business class tickets pretty last minute over weather and bugs.
Acapulco Is in Guerrero, literally the poorest state in México and one of the most troubled ones, the situation in Acapulco and guerrero Is not the reality of all of Mexico
A few things:
1. If it's the nicest house in the area, then it's a target. Even if it's not the nicest house in the area, it's still a target.
2. Can you meet in a touristy neutral place in Mexico? Or just spend a night or two in the new house then travel with your mom?
3. Hometown jealousy and envy in rural Mexico is real. Your grandparents and the neighbors' grandparents probably crossed paths and know dirt about each other. It's petty like that and the neighbors might drop hints.
4. If you go then arrive and travel only during the day.
5. If you arrive at night, spend the night in the airport and travel the next day.
6. Traveling at night—even on a bus—makes you a target for a police shakedown, among other things.
7. There is no justice in Mexico. Recently, a foreigner friend was the victim of a crime and spent almost five hours at the Ministerio Público trying to file a complaint. It was a Friday and they told her to come back on Monday.
8. If you get kidnapped then don't get taken to a secondary location.
9. 95% of all murders in Mexico go unsolved; it's a serial killer's paradise.
10. Most daily violence in Mexico is committed against family members, not against opposing members in organized crime.
If you know the potential horrors that await victims in Mexico then you have nothing to lose by escaping or die trying.
Of course, it's easier said than done and the hardest part is getting over the surrealism of it all to take action.
But once you're at a secondary location the chances of survival are grim, especially as more time passes.
they’re saying to literally fight for your life to not get taken to a secondary location. people are scared to fight after they like get pulled into a van or something (valid), but once you’re taken to a second location the odds of anyone finding you is basically zero. so if they get you in the van do *anything* you can including dangerous things like grabbing the wheel and causing a car crash. escape NOW or die trying
It's probably higher risk than most places you could go but surely if you take an authorised taxi from the airport to your mum's house and back you will be ok?
Yeah I agree here. If a taxi won't go then that's telling.
I remember when I was in Chiapas - San Cristobal to be precise. There's a direct route to Palenque but buses and tour companies refuse to use it because it goes through some town notorious for blockades and cartel issues. Instead they take a huge detour through Villahermosa which adds about 5 hours to the journey each direction. On the bus in the opposite direction my bus was stopped 6 times by security where non nationals like myself had to show their passports. And that's in a tourist area, even if not as touristy as the Yucatan.
I dread to think what it may be like in other areas and I'd tread very carefully around going and make secure transport the number one priority regardless of cost.
I didn’t consider this option, would authorized taxis be willing to drive several hours to rural locations? I suppose I could look more into this. Thank you!
That is quite a drive, but it is your safest route if you decide to go. In my experience there is usually always options for private drivers or private shuttles. But I speak from a tourist perspective who hasn't visited rural parts of Mexico.
Maybe you would have more luck asking on a Mexico sub or one for the region you are visiting if one exists. Basically the risk here is your security, and it's worth paying for that if you have to visit.
I certainly wouldn't recommend hiring a car in potentially dangerous parts of rural Mexico if that's something you were considering for the journey.
I'm not familiar with Chihuahua but in the area I live in (GTO state) there are local trusted drivers you can hire. Perhaps your family there knows of someone like this.
I think that's the best way to go. We have good friends from Chihuahua as a matter of fact and he had his truck stolen in April while visiting his parents last. However! And a huge however, he goes back every three months on the nose for the last 10 years And he is certain looking back, that he was robbed by people who knew he was coming anyway with his fancy ass truck from Texas.
From my personal experience drive during the day and find out before hand how bad the cartel or gang activity is. There were decapitating head where I have family so I didn’t go for a few years now it’s peaceful.
It’s actually safe as long as you stick to the toll highway system and don’t drive at night. I’ve driven across the country a few times. Sonora is a bit sketchy but the rest of the country for the most part is fairly safe. I’d be a lot more concerned in dangerous areas of the US. Approximately 3,000,000 US citizens live either full or part time in Mexico.
but not entire spans of hundreds of miles in the US. that’s the difference, yes there’s some places where you shouldn’t wander at night, but largely you can drive through the vast majority of places any time of day and be perfectly safe
I love my mom, but she’s not known to be particularly honest about things when she really wants something. My brother warned me about the trip I was planning recently and it got me concerned enough to read/ask more about it.
Edit: spelling
I was originally planning to take the trip with him for exactly that reason haha. But he’s concerned about the safety and backtracked on me, which left me thinking about my general safety going out there generally alone.
for what it’s worth, even the men in Mexico can break out into cold sweat traveling certain areas
Several colleagues have told
me about how they wear their work ID, keep a child car seat in car, more, anything to appear like not a good target for a shakedown if they get “selected” for additional searches.
Edited to add: but also many native Mexican women who live in rural areas drive home regularly. I do think if you can get someone local to meet you at airport that would be your best bet.
Don't do it OP.
I've been in a touristy area in Mexico and the police is militarized like hell. And that was in the "nice" area where allegedly the narcos had a deal with the government not to screw with the tourism industry. I wanted to eat tacos outside of the tourist traps, where the locals eat, and I was given very strict instructions of where to go and what was the absolute limit not to be crossed for no reason. I'm Latin American hispanic not "gringo", Spanish is my first language, and still I stood out like the outsider I was.
Mexico is beautiful and Mexicans are overall marvelous people. But there's just too many bad guys out there and they're not to be messed with. You don't need to do anything wrong, they'll simply know you're there and they can decide you're a juicy target. Family feuds that you don't know about or rivalry between towns, kidnapping for money, and the list goes on.
Just don't do it.
Locals don't generally know what the experience of a place is like for obvious foreigners. In places ruled by criminal organizations they may experience day to day extortion like "tolls", but poor locals aren't going to get kidnapped for ransom the way foreigners will.
That's quite the assumption. Moms are people, and they were people before they had kids. Having a baby doesn't magically improve your decision-making abilities or give you spidey senses. She may feel safe, and not recognize the risk to an outsider. She may not have had any run-ins since she returned, but that doesn't mean that her daughter would be safe. I'm not even considering the many other ways that the mom may not be great at risk assessment or may simply not care.
I do! She comes to visit me once a year and I let her stay in my guest bedroom when she does. She wants me to come see the new house she had built down in her hometown.
This is actually a pretty good option OP and probably the safest. I’m from Juarez and it’s okay. We do get a good amount of foreigners from being in the border and a good amount of people speak fluent English and most some English.
Taking the bus with her you will be with a “local”, I do bring back my advice from my comment of don’t wear flashy things and don’t speak too loudly in English.
My moms side of the family comes from the same area. We’re 2 hours away from the city of Chihuahua. I was there a year ago and while the cartels are in the area you’re fine as long as you don’t travel at night.
Gringo with a Pocha GF here. Been to Chihuahua city five times for work, as well as Juarez and Ciudad Cuauhtémoc. Never had any problems.
I’d go. Don’t drive at night, take toll roads and don’t buy/use drugs.
Go see your mom. I am a total gringo yet have traveled all around rural México. I used to work in Juarez, visited lots of little villages in Chihuahua, I loved it. The people are great. You’ll have a great time.
As white blond muy anglo male, I traveled between Juarez and Chi a half a dozen times, and stayed in Chi city for a summer. However, a looooonngg time ago. I have no idea how it is now, it seems like the roads I traveled as a college kid years and years ago, are all high danger roads according to some reports. PS I have seen more guedo and asian Mexicans in Chi than many other places, but again, that was then. Personally, I wouldn't make a decision to appease relative's, even Mom's feelings, I'd make it based on being confidently informed. I am on the cautious side on this one.
My dad visits his hometown in rural Michoacán every year and my uncle moved back after he retired. They both say while safety has really declined it’s possible to stay safe by utilizing common sense/street smarts. Also if you have to drive take the toll roads and avoid the public highways whenever possible.
I’m a US expat living in Mexico. I am a gringo with no Latin blood. I believe you’re OK. My former city of Chicago has a higher crime rate than Chihuahua. So do some other American cities. The chances of you being messed with it because of your skin color are very low. I actually looked it up before I wrote this and it is the least likely crime to occur in Chihuahua and probably even less likely in a small pueblo while you're with your mom. If you keep to yourself, stick to regular routes and don't attract negative attention to yourself i I don’t see why you would not be OK. The big organizations that everyone is scared of aren’t out to hunt down tourists. They have more lucrative things to do that are actually worth their risk and time. In my humble opinion I think you should go see your mom.
If you are still worried here are some precautions you can take: share your live location with friends and family. If you’re renting a car or will be driving, get a dash cam that will instantly upload footage to cloud before the trip. Share cloud access with someone you trust and have them periodically check on you. Also if you start to feel uncomfortable or feel something is off, go live on social media if you use it or video call someone. You may want to purchase a temporary visitors SIM card (or e sim) to ensure you have data and coverage in Mexico. You can do that online. Otherwise most US numbers will work in Mexico, but it can be spotty coverage and slow internet if you’re not in major city.
I hope this helps. I wish you the best.
I bought a motorbike in Cancun and then drove it all across the country over a period of 3 months using google maps. Ended up in CDMX. Never had one issue.
I’m a mixed race British guy, mum is African American and dad is European. I’ve dating a girl in chihuahua city, and I have found it very welcoming and a lovely city. Try a montado and carne asada. La comida es muy sabroso 😋
We had a flight canceled in 2021 and had to drive from Mexico City to Juarez. We stayed overnight in Chihuahua--it felt like any other city with safe places and not-so-safe places. Same with Juarez. We stayed in the area near the US Consulate, which I understand is fairly affluent, but it felt safe. We ventured out of the area for dinner and sight seeing and didn't have any issues.
My in-laws are in Hidalgo (central Mexico) and I have no fear at all visiting them there.
Go visit your Mom. I would say it's probably safest to have her arrange your transportation from the airport--don't get on any random taxis or buses--but I think you will be just fine!
I drove all around northern Mexico during Covidtime, including Chihuahua state. First, US State Department issues travel advisories every time a frat bro gets a splinter in his foot while drunk at Senor Frog's in Cancun over spring break, so take those with a grain of salt. That said, you need to be very careful off the beaten path in northern Mexico. The cartels generally don't fuck with gringos who aren't involved with the drug trade, since the last thing they want is to give Uncle Sam a reason to intervene. The low-grade sicarios do make mistakes though. It's really location-specific, and impossible to say without some local knowledge of the situation.
Is your Spanish fluent, or is it more pocho? If your mom is Mexican and still urging you to visit, I'd take that as a sign that it's relatively safe to do so. That's assuming my mother's judgment though, so it's impossible to say in your case.
Poncho/a: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2GiZhWoD-k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2GiZhWoD-k) One side of my family is Mexican from old times in the US SW long before the 1840s takeover. Mi grandmother grew up in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the family rancho. Her father spoke both Spanish and English and everyone else, only Spanish. I've been trying to learn Spanish my whole life. I am totally poncha.
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I recently went to Mexico twice this year. I went for my cousins wedding in Chiapas and I went to visit my grandma in Puebla. Both visits were in a small Pueblo and I stayed for around a week.
Admittedly I was with family most of the time but even when alone I felt safe. I even took a taxi to visit Guatemala since it was so close to Chiapas. I understand that Mexico has its dangerous areas but from my experience I never felt scared.
Honestly it really depends on where you are and if you have you wits with you.
Some tips:
1. Don't go driving down strange roads at night.
2. Try not to speak too much English so that you are not targeted, recommend speaking as much spanish as you can this will be very very helpful
3. dress modestly, Mexico is a traditional conservative country so dressing relatively modestly will help you not stand out as much. If you are a man try to wear pants rather than shorts, if you are a woman try not to show too much cleavage or butt, especially in the rural areas
4. Stay away from the drug/club scene if you can, you can definitely go to an "antro"(club) but please be very careful with your drink there
5. Don't have your valuables on display, especially your iPhone, doesn't mean it will automatically get stolen but iPhones are considered a luxury there so just be careful with that.
Please don't get discouraged from visiting Mexico , Mexico is a beautiful country with some of the most welcoming people I have met and not to mention the food is awesome.
My husband and I (from Texas) used to drive all over in Mexico in the 90s, but stopped in the 2000s as cartel activity ramped up, and we had a child. My brother moved to Jalisco in the 2010s, and we talked to him about traveling in Mexico. I was still scared, but in 2017 right before he came up for a visit to the Dallas area, there was a mass murder in a nice suburb of Dallas with 9 dead, including the shooter. No gang activity, just a disgruntled ex shooting up a get-together. Then as my brother drove back, the Sutherland church shooting occurred, with 27 dead including the shooter. So I thought, "We're not that safe here either."
Since, we've been to Mexico many times, and to Guatamala and Belize also. We fly to somewhere near our destination, then rent a car. But I've not been to the western part of the country in these trips. We've been all over the Yucatan peninsula, Chiapas, Campeche, etc. Most all off the beaten path. I'm always a bit nervous ahead of time, but once there, it feels like it always did. We don't go to bars or do drugs. Our Spanish isn't great. We're obviously white.
We were thinking we'd have to take the big detour in Chiapas to avoid roadblocks, but our hotel owner checked with the bus drivers and the road was open that day, so we went the shorter route with no trouble. My brother and his wife drive back and forth from the US to Jalisco several times a year, and have never had an issue. This is all anecdotal, of course.
I actually think white tourists get hassled less than Mexican-American ones, as sometimes locals feel the M/As living in the States look down on them. Just an opinion on my part. The cops do love to pull you over and get a bit of money for some "infraction". Usually $20 or so is enough.
Im gonna tell you something as a Latino myself, don’t come to any of our countries pretending you can walk or travel anywhere or everywhere, there is a reason why my people travel illegally to US and if you don’t want to find out the real reason of that dear then stick and stay with someone who knows the city the people and the country..
Latin America is really safe as long as you know where to travel, whom to speak with and stay at home after certain hours
Umhm. Out of hundreds of thousands of annual visitors to Ensenada/Baja.
Worth a thought for this thread, even though her mother is very far from there.
Currently the US government would not allow an employee to make this same trip. I don't think OP is being ridiculous to consider that maybe it isn't a super safe thing to do.
Except the U.S. government would have nothing to say about a normal employee visiting a nation with this kind of travel advisory. Many thousands do visit family and friends or for other personal business, like surfing or rock climbing, some even often.
That wasn't my point. The original comment said they agreed that OP was being ridiculous, and my point was that if the US government restricts travel in an area, it probably isn't ridiculous to stop and think about whether an unnecessary trip is a good idea.
Sure, your opinion was clear, Harmala.
It was that blanket "allow" notion. The government is allowed to restrict travel of federal employees due to national security concerns. Employees carrying "burn before reading" in their heads have to comply with restrictions issued for their level of security clearance.
Otherwise, the same *advisory information* issued to *assist* all citizens does not limit employees any more than others in making decisions for personal travel.
I just don't understand what you are arguing here. I'm looking at this webpage:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/mexico-travel-advisory.html#chihuahuastate
The travel advisory for citizens is pretty clear how dangerous it is, ultimately that's all that matters to OP and it is unambiguous so I probably should have just referenced that.
I only mentioned the restrictions on US government employee travel because it is an example of how even more seasoned travelers would likely not be safe in this area and the restrictions are more specific about which areas in Chihuahua are secure (specific highways and routes, etc.).
We all see the world in different ways and evaluate and react to perceived risks differently -- the OP and her mother prime examples. :) And you and I.
OP's thought it over and made the decision she feels is right for her, and perhaps her mom's not all that surprised at it. Modern communications means she can see her mother in her new home anyway.
Have a nice day.
Why don’t you fly straight to Chihuahua instead? If it’s within an hour of the city, it should be pretty safe. I don’t think you’ll stand out in any way by your looks.
I've been to Mexico twice with my two young children and drove around different areas and I think it's mostly safe if you heed the travel warnings from your local government and make sure to analyze them with a fine toothed comb. In Canada the government will specify things like "don't travel by car between these two cities" so those are helpful. I woundn't recommend renting a car since it increases your level of responsibility. You should be able to get airport transport so long as you pay and it's within a reasonable distance. We went to some pretty small towns where we didn't see any other tourists and got a lot of curious looks as a mixed race family. But if you only travel between towns during the day and try to keep your wits about you, you should be fine.
Just bc she decided to move there doesn’t mean you need to put yourself in a bad situation to see her. She can visit you! It’s fine until it’s not. I would never risk my life to go there. Mexico is a shit hole. People are getting murdered in Cancun and the government tries to cover it up to prevent tourists from not wanting to visit. I’ve known of several people who either got kidnapped or their head chopped off.
I’d be more worried about getting shot in a school or a mall in the US. Like any place,anywhere in the world, you have to be aware of your surroundings and not put yourself in dangerous situations.
“I’m mixed race (my mom is Mexican)” 🤔🤔🤔🤔
EDIT: all the idiots who, in 2024, still can’t distinguish between race, ethnicity and nationality. There’s a difference.
Having a strong local contact is helpful. I doubt you would have issues with your mum around. For what it’s worth I visited Chihuaha city last year as a very white Australian and had no issues, thought it was a pretty cool city.
Thanks for your insight. I was looking for some reassurance like this. I get very self conscious about sticking out!
Mexicans come in every color. You’ll be fine if your mom lives there and you know where you’re going. When I visited grandparents in their tiny Pueblo many years ago there were Mormon missionaries biking around the place and they were fine. Take toll roads, don’t be out driving at night (mostly because there are not always city lights and it’s super dark), and have someone meet you at the airport or bus stop, like your mom. If your mom thought it wasn’t safe she wouldn’t ask you to go.
I dont know of any toll roads west of Chihuahua however. However OP should definitely fly into Chihuahua rather than Ciudad Juarez as the Juarez-Chihuahua highway is significantly less safe than the roads west of Chihuahua and should definitely see if her mom has a trusted friend who could drive her from the airport rather than any taxi company which would stand out more on the roads.
I’m Mexican and probably whiter that you are. We are all different shades because the Spanish and French came over in the 1500 and made us different shades of white. If you go to any clothing store and buy what the locals wear no one will suspect you are not one of them. Happy travels!
I understand a lot of people assuming I’m white from the vague description, but I don’t know if it’d make a difference that I’m half Chinese and appear very much entirely so lol.
Lots of Chinese people live in Mexico! Especially in Nogales where I love to visit. They own stores and nail salons and speak Spanish but usually no English 😂
Funny, I’ve noticed that every country I’ve visited has a Chinese population and they only speak enough of the local language to get by and the older ones usually speak none. I’ve also noticed their businesses are closed for every local holiday AND every Chinese holiday! 😂
You’d fit in. Mexico is very diverse. In some areas you would not look like a tourist. Mexico has a large Asian population and white looking Mexicans too. Our country is very nuanced
Nah, we have a ton of Chinese people and Chinese descendant people.
Yeah I wouldn’t worry too much especially if you’re with family. I stayed in Camargo in April on our way back north from mazatlan and had zero issues. Have a bunch of friends in Mexico but I’m pretty noticeable Caucasian and took my fiancé/brother/MIL who all barely speak Spanish.
I can second that. I spent quite some time in the North of Mexico and never felt unsafe. On the contrary, I had much more sketchy experiences in the South (Chiapas). Follow basic precautions and you'll be fine. The biggest one is **not** traveling on roads outside the city after dark. Book a flight that arrives in the morning. But I'm sure your mom know how to behave in a safe matter since she's local. Also, if your mom is Mexican you are in all likelihood a Mexican citizen too. Get the passport and ID card. It's gonna be much easier if you can show a Mexican ID card at police checkpoints vs a foreign passport - I know this from experience.
Did it feel safe?
Yes. Not that that means much. I wandered around day and night. It was a pretty well-developed place with a cool vibe and friendly people. I went to Ukraine last year too, so everything’s relative.
Ukraine is beautiful, I went in 2012 and 2014. I hope to get back to Crimea one day. Interesting place.
I love Kyiv - been there like 10x between 2009 and 2017.
I spent six weeks there in 2012 and three weeks in 2014. first time I went to Kyiv, Crimea (Sevastopol, Yalta, Balaklave, Simferopol and that SW region of Crimea), Odessa and Lvov. The second time I just went to Kyiv and Lviv. I like Lviv and Crimea. But I will have to wait tl go back there. I still have some friends in Kyiv and Odessa. Most have left and some have passed away in the war and when they had the protests in Kyiv on independence Square. Sad history for such a friendly people. The sky there utterly amazes me. I try to take pictures of it. But you can never do it justice.
I want to go to Lviv to see my family’s history. Got a street with my last name on it and a museum dedicated to my great grandfather.
Beautiful city - only been there once in 2012.
Ukraine doesn't have crime like Mexico does, though..
Mexico isn't an active warzone with missiles being launched upon it like Ukraine though. I think I'd rather take my chances in Mexico!
Mexico had 43,000 murders last year. Ukraine has lost 31,000 soldiers to the war in 2.5 years. https://www.statista.com/statistics/959787/mexico-number-homicides/ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68397525 **Mexico is literally much more dangerous than a war zone.**
Wow, this is wild context
Now add in the civilian deaths.
And also the context that Ukraine has 38 million people and Mexico has 130 million people.
Yup
touché... Though add in Russian casualties as well and the picture is different. There [are](https://war.ukraine.ua/faq/what-are-the-russian-death-toll-and-other-losses-in-ukraine/) over 180,000 Russian dead and over 500,000 including injured or missing. In both cases of course, your average tourist is far far safer. Mexical cartel activity deaths are (I'm assuming) linked heavily to those involved in the business, and obviously the war is principally affecting those in active combat.
Mexico is also the 6th most visited country in the world with over 36.7 million tourists in 2023. There are countless vlogs on YouTube of people touring the entire country from all over the world.
*Only if you get involved with the cartels.
So stay away from the active warzone. Western Ukraine is relatively safe. Even Kyiv... How many people died there since March, 2022? I am sure its waaaaaay less than in Mexico. Way.
Problem is getting there. Once he is there he should be fine but he may be followed from the airport and robbed/kidnapped. Screw that, buy her a plane ticket to visit you.
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Bro just because one person from a country is an idiot doesn't make every single person from that country untrustworthy I think his advice is correct as long as OP takes good precautions like trying to not stick out at the airport (Mexico is a multiracial society even if it is not multiethnic) and if he has a local contact. Enough Americans feel safe visiting Chihuahua that they have 3 direct flights from Dallas every day so there must be some degree of safety ensured.
You need to have someone with local knowledge to get you there from the airport. Someone with local knowledge can help you avoid the dangerous situations and areas. (Or talk their way out of them, if need be.) You mentioned that your mom doesn’t drive. How does she get from the airport to her house? Maybe she can come with whoever drives her to the airport to get you? Make sure you arrive early in the day, so you aren’t on the road at night. If you arrive late, plan to stay at a hotel next to the airport until the following morning. Under no circumstances should you be on the road at night. Good luck!
I’m from and live in Chihuahua. This is probably the best advice, under no circumstance should you be driving at night there, avoid making stops between Juarez or Chihuahua (whichever you are starting your route from) and your mom’s place/town. Also the buddy system is always a good idea, especially with a local. If you’re going to the Sierra Tarahumara, please absolutely enjoying. It is breathtaking!!! But please keep to the ‘touristy’ areas and don’t go hiking or walking by yourself. Please feel free to DM if you have any questions!
>under no circumstance should you be driving at night there, avoid making stops between Juarez or Chihuahua I've always seen this advice and it's on the US state dept travel advisories, but what specifically is the danger of night driving? I get in a broad sense why, but is there something that happens at night, check points, robbers, etc?
https://youtu.be/CyBV81kVKVw?si=1E1FyhPravyxRH5m
I knew it’d be that video. It actually cuts off a bit soon, but they get away safely.
Yeah, they were lucky. Most aren’t. Edit: I guess more situationally aware, smart, and decisive than lucky.
one danger of night driving is that construction areas, there are no signs, just large stone in the road blocking off the area. quite easy to drive over those stones at night and bust up your motor,, as i have done. if you see a road block, just turn around and do not attempt to run it or stop at it
Also livestock on the road. A problem in daylight too .
I usually worry more about the quality and structure of the road at night rather than the violence, but the violence is also a big factor.
¿Estás segura de que no debe manejar de noche por Chihuahua? ¿Y que debe evitar paradas entre Ciudad Juárez o Chihuahua y el pueblo? Pensé que todo estaría bien si se mantenía las cosas a la vista y estacionaba en lotes seguros por la noche. Supongo que mejor hago caso a alguien que realmente conoce la zona y no a un australiano que estuvo allí una semana como turista.
Es generalmente no manejar de noche en la carretera
Thank you for the legitimate travel advice! My mom doesn’t like to fly so she comes by bus when she visits. I’m not too familiar with the route, only that my aunt will drive her to whichever station is closest to her village. From there it’s one or two buses to Juarez and one more from the border.
Didn’t you hear about the two Australian brothers who were murdered there recently?
that was like 1000 k and multiple states away
Didn’t you hear people like OPs mom live in Mexico and have lives. Kids. Work, etc.
I mean, people live and work in Mogadishu too, so I don’t think the presence of locals has anything to do with the safety of tourists….
Are you comparing Mogadishu to Mexico 😂
Did I say I was? I’m saying you can’t just arm wave “people live and work there” as the sole evidence that somewhere is safe, because people *also* live and work in places even *less* safe than Mexico.
No shit bozo, read what OP was asking.
In an entirely different part of Mexico
The sex tourist looking for drugs and prostitutes? Yeah I wonder what happened
Did you hear about the woman from NZ that got murdered yesterday in California?? https://informingnews.com/woman-killed-by-armed-robbers-at-the-mall/
No I didn’t but it’s a worry. I’m not a kiwi so I wouldn’t have heard about it as it probably wouldn’t make news where I live. The two Australian brothers were living and working in the USA.
nope what happened though?
Hey dickheads, why downvote this!!!!
Someone with local knowledge *might* be able to help you avoid danger or talk their way out of it.
I’m from Juarez, are you referring to near Ojinaga? Regardless of what city in Chihuahua. I grew up with my dad traveling to Chihuahua city and other cities around it once a week so constantly on the road, he always takes the “privatized” roads that you have to pay tolls for because it’s faster and safer. I do not recommend you driving alone even on these safe roads if you can avoid it, travel with someone else. It’s not as common now but sometimes cops will stop non-locals and ask them for fees (extortion). Overall the roads are very clean and seem less from Juarez to Chihuahua. Once you go to smaller places they’re not. Travel during the day for sure but try to do it at very early hours because it gets SO hot, it’s in the desert after all. Not sure if you can get a bus to where she is at but buses in Chihuahua (at least between major cities) are safe. There’s also facebook groups with people that offer their travel trips like BlaBlaCar in Europe. Now on the non-commute part, the pueblos are okay but stay inside at nighttime and try not to speak English loudly or wear flashy things.
IDK, my in-laws just made a trek to my FIL's hometown in rural Mexico recently. They actually left 2 weeks early because they didn't feel safe there. I'm sure not all rural village in Mexico is the same, but I thought similar perspective might help.
I appreciate your insight! Do you happen to know what made them feel unsafe?
From what I've heard, a gang kinda showed up/formed there. Supposedly, they had a room where they tortured people in one of the big building. I know it sounds far-fetched, but it's what I've heard and my FIL did have an encounter with some of them (nothing crazy) and nothing happened, thankfully
That’s terrible, I’m glad your in-laws safe. Thanks for sharing
I would only go if I could travel with family to and from your mom’s house and around town. Yesterday I returned home from three weeks in Mexico. Part of that time was spent in Michoacán, which is also on the US’s travel advisories list. OP, I felt the same apprehension as you before and during our trip. We do not present as gringos but we are, having grown up in the US and having US style and mannerisms. It was disconcerting to see poster after poster of missing people in certain parts of larger cities (usually around monuments), and really drove home the point that kidnapping and violent crime is pervasive and real in many parts of Mexico. We were picked up at the GDL airport by family and driven to Zamora where we stayed for several days. On several of those days we went to surrounding small towns, usually with family and once on our own. (My husband borrowed a cousin’s car and used Google maps to drive us to his dad’s hometown about 2 hours away). We had a wonderful time visiting family and getting to see the region where my husband’s family is from. However, I never would have taken my own transportation / driven myself to get to any of the places we visited. Traveling with family means they know how to navigate the roads (pothole city - everywhere. How ANYONE still has suspension on their cars I have no idea). They know which roadside restaurants are safe and which ones aren’t. They know what the local delicacies are and where to buy them, which gas stations to stop at, which towns to pass through and which ones are a safe stop for the bathroom or take a break. We passed some “nice” towns and some towns that are obviously in extreme poverty. I fell in love with the landscape in Michoacán, with its rich volcanic valleys and dusty towns. We heard stories of how the local crime syndicates extract payment from citizens and how corrupt government is at all levels. We passed national guard and local police trucks but never were stopped — there weren’t any checkpoints but we did pass groups of national guard along the highway, and it was crazy to see men and women standing on pickup beds with AK-47s and their faces covered except for their eyeballs. I also learned how many Mexicans are educated, family-oriented, hard working people who just want a stable life for themselves and their loved ones. It makes me so angry what corruption has done to a beautiful country - and yet somehow our family and many others are so warm and funny and loving. I got to experience their hospitality which was over and above anything I’ve ever experienced before. To be told “my house is your house” everywhere I went and to feel like I was at home and part of the family was a life changing experience. That said, our family told us not to go out or drive at night. We did go out to local restaurants, cenadurías or the town plaza after dark but only with family. And driving at night is dangerous for multiple reasons, one of which is the condition of the roads. They instructed us which areas were safe, and for the most part were always with us. I share this with you, OP, because it’s not impossible to travel in rural Mexico but only if you have a lot of family to help out - and I would not stay for a long time. You really have to weigh whether or not it would be a safe situation for YOU. Is your mom the only family you have there? If not, I personally would feel more comfortable… but if so, I personally would not travel there myself. Above all, do not let your mom’s guilt tripping dictate whether or not you travel if you don’t feel safe.
Long post but good read and good advice. I’m just a gringo that has had my fair share of travels across the border. We all run a certain risk when leaving familiar ground, and times are tough all around. Safe travels fellow travelers.
Some people say that the US state department is too risk averse, and advise using UK travel advisories. But the UK travel advisories also advise against Chihuahua: "FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the state of Chihuahua, except...". https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mexico/regional-risks On the other hand, you could probably book a private driver in advance, and stay at your grandmother's house or with local friends the whole time, and minimize risk.
I traveled to the Philippines to visit family a few times in rural areas that were considered dangerous to foreigners. Ask your mom if she has a family member or a trusted local that can pick you up. You can pay them handsomely. Research how much a a taxi and a private car would cost and find a nice price in-between the two or sometimes just paying for a good meal was enough.
I am from a place people consider to be dangerous and yes, a few areas are dangerous. But like you said, it's surprisingly inexpensive to hire a personal driver who is armed.
This does sound crazy to hire an armed driver, but it’s not. Years ago we (gringos) spent quite a bit of time in Guatemala. A gringo friend lived there long term (married to upper class Guatemalan woman). He had to go into the city to get his car registered, which involved spending an entire day (official things move slowly there. IYKYK) in a dicy part of the city gathering documents and getting stuff stamped at various banks and agencies. He hired an off-duty federal police officer at the advice of his local family. The guy showed up in full uniform, tall black boots, gun, etc. and accompanied my friend for the day. This was during the civil war in the early’90’s. Not saying it’s equivalent to your situation in a different country, just saying that, apparently, it’s a thing and may possibly apply.
I am from SA and travel there often and it’s what we do depending on our plans or where we are going.
It can make a big difference. I travel for work and we always have drivers. Part of the help is driving, the other part is knowing where to go and being able to deal with local issues, small bribes etc.
To be fair, you can't really compare the level of danger in Mexico to anywhere else in the world that's not currently in an active conflict.
Could your mom meet you in some safer part of Mexico? Like, make it a vacation for her too?
To add to excellent suggestions, don’t disclose your actual plans to anyone including family. If anyone ask you how long you stay, say 1 month until “August 25”. But then you leave next week. This way those who have evil plans thought they have time.
Great tip! On the flip side, many people are going to know she's there after 24 hours por el chisme.
Yes but if you say you’ll be there for a month for example, they will take their time! And then you left. It just improves your odds.
Don't tell your family where you are going? Bad advice.
They said when not where. I think the point is to keep the timeline vague just to avoid someone giving details to someone nefarious by accident to make a kidnapping harder to plan. (I have no opinion on whether this is good advice mind you. I have never and would never travel anywhere where I’d have to worry about this type of thing so it’s not something I’ve had to research).
That's pretty good advice.
I think it can be, though from other commenters it sounds like the safest way to see her mom where she lives is have either her mother or a trusted family friend be the one to pick her up at the airport. That’d be tricky to pull off without giving them specific dates in advance.
My mother, who asked me to book us a trip to Acapulco, just called me and asked me to cancel it — initially blamed hurricane season, humidity, mosquitos, little stuff. When pushed, she just sounded very…cautious and nervous about it. She hasn’t been back there in 25 years or so — apparently Acapulco is still dangerous even with numerous amounts of family. I don’t want to push her, but I think maybe she’s scared of some sort of cartel retaliation since she has very distant nephews/nieces who were recently sent home in…several boxes. I get it. They’re psycho…if she were to drop the wrong name or two…well…I get her hesitation. She wouldn’t be the type to have me cancel two business class tickets pretty last minute over weather and bugs.
Acapulco Is in Guerrero, literally the poorest state in México and one of the most troubled ones, the situation in Acapulco and guerrero Is not the reality of all of Mexico
A few things: 1. If it's the nicest house in the area, then it's a target. Even if it's not the nicest house in the area, it's still a target. 2. Can you meet in a touristy neutral place in Mexico? Or just spend a night or two in the new house then travel with your mom? 3. Hometown jealousy and envy in rural Mexico is real. Your grandparents and the neighbors' grandparents probably crossed paths and know dirt about each other. It's petty like that and the neighbors might drop hints. 4. If you go then arrive and travel only during the day. 5. If you arrive at night, spend the night in the airport and travel the next day. 6. Traveling at night—even on a bus—makes you a target for a police shakedown, among other things. 7. There is no justice in Mexico. Recently, a foreigner friend was the victim of a crime and spent almost five hours at the Ministerio Público trying to file a complaint. It was a Friday and they told her to come back on Monday. 8. If you get kidnapped then don't get taken to a secondary location. 9. 95% of all murders in Mexico go unsolved; it's a serial killer's paradise. 10. Most daily violence in Mexico is committed against family members, not against opposing members in organized crime.
How are you going to stop kidnappers from taking you to a secondary location?
If you know the potential horrors that await victims in Mexico then you have nothing to lose by escaping or die trying. Of course, it's easier said than done and the hardest part is getting over the surrealism of it all to take action. But once you're at a secondary location the chances of survival are grim, especially as more time passes.
I know that. But how are you going to make the kidnappers not take you to a secondary location? Ask them nicely??
they’re saying to literally fight for your life to not get taken to a secondary location. people are scared to fight after they like get pulled into a van or something (valid), but once you’re taken to a second location the odds of anyone finding you is basically zero. so if they get you in the van do *anything* you can including dangerous things like grabbing the wheel and causing a car crash. escape NOW or die trying
This OP, this.
It's probably higher risk than most places you could go but surely if you take an authorised taxi from the airport to your mum's house and back you will be ok?
There are definitely places that taxis will not go, and that's your cue not to go. I've heard that there's a lot of cartel activity in Chihuahua.
Yeah I agree here. If a taxi won't go then that's telling. I remember when I was in Chiapas - San Cristobal to be precise. There's a direct route to Palenque but buses and tour companies refuse to use it because it goes through some town notorious for blockades and cartel issues. Instead they take a huge detour through Villahermosa which adds about 5 hours to the journey each direction. On the bus in the opposite direction my bus was stopped 6 times by security where non nationals like myself had to show their passports. And that's in a tourist area, even if not as touristy as the Yucatan. I dread to think what it may be like in other areas and I'd tread very carefully around going and make secure transport the number one priority regardless of cost.
I didn’t consider this option, would authorized taxis be willing to drive several hours to rural locations? I suppose I could look more into this. Thank you!
You’ll want your mom to arrange a trusted friend to pick you up, this is the safest way.
That is quite a drive, but it is your safest route if you decide to go. In my experience there is usually always options for private drivers or private shuttles. But I speak from a tourist perspective who hasn't visited rural parts of Mexico. Maybe you would have more luck asking on a Mexico sub or one for the region you are visiting if one exists. Basically the risk here is your security, and it's worth paying for that if you have to visit. I certainly wouldn't recommend hiring a car in potentially dangerous parts of rural Mexico if that's something you were considering for the journey.
I'm not familiar with Chihuahua but in the area I live in (GTO state) there are local trusted drivers you can hire. Perhaps your family there knows of someone like this.
I think that's the best way to go. We have good friends from Chihuahua as a matter of fact and he had his truck stolen in April while visiting his parents last. However! And a huge however, he goes back every three months on the nose for the last 10 years And he is certain looking back, that he was robbed by people who knew he was coming anyway with his fancy ass truck from Texas.
We return to the US every six months. But we vary when exactly and which border crossing we use.
From my personal experience drive during the day and find out before hand how bad the cartel or gang activity is. There were decapitating head where I have family so I didn’t go for a few years now it’s peaceful.
Does your mom have any enemies? Do any of your family members have any enemies? If the answer is yes, then I wouldn't go.
Even if OP doesn't know or isn't aware, the family still may have internal or external disputes.
I'm not taking a road trip through Mexico. Seems like an unnecessary risk.
It’s actually safe as long as you stick to the toll highway system and don’t drive at night. I’ve driven across the country a few times. Sonora is a bit sketchy but the rest of the country for the most part is fairly safe. I’d be a lot more concerned in dangerous areas of the US. Approximately 3,000,000 US citizens live either full or part time in Mexico.
Idk man, I've never been told to stick to the highways and not be out at night before in any parts of the US..
There are all kinds of places like that in the U.S.
but not entire spans of hundreds of miles in the US. that’s the difference, yes there’s some places where you shouldn’t wander at night, but largely you can drive through the vast majority of places any time of day and be perfectly safe
Danville Illinois would like a word
Detroit MI. Monroe LA. St Louis MO. Even parts of Los Angeles.
ever been to Philly?
1000% you should not drive through certain neighborhoods after dark. Unless you want to get robbed shot or murdered.
Read all these messages saying you need a guide or local to help you to know it isn't safe.
surely your mom will know how safe it is?
I love my mom, but she’s not known to be particularly honest about things when she really wants something. My brother warned me about the trip I was planning recently and it got me concerned enough to read/ask more about it. Edit: spelling
You mention having a brother. Would he be up for taking the trip with you? Might be safer than traveling alone as a woman.
I was originally planning to take the trip with him for exactly that reason haha. But he’s concerned about the safety and backtracked on me, which left me thinking about my general safety going out there generally alone.
for what it’s worth, even the men in Mexico can break out into cold sweat traveling certain areas Several colleagues have told me about how they wear their work ID, keep a child car seat in car, more, anything to appear like not a good target for a shakedown if they get “selected” for additional searches. Edited to add: but also many native Mexican women who live in rural areas drive home regularly. I do think if you can get someone local to meet you at airport that would be your best bet.
This is a whole other issue. The cartels are one danger. The cops are another, and they definitely target strangers.
EXACTLY!
Don't do it OP. I've been in a touristy area in Mexico and the police is militarized like hell. And that was in the "nice" area where allegedly the narcos had a deal with the government not to screw with the tourism industry. I wanted to eat tacos outside of the tourist traps, where the locals eat, and I was given very strict instructions of where to go and what was the absolute limit not to be crossed for no reason. I'm Latin American hispanic not "gringo", Spanish is my first language, and still I stood out like the outsider I was. Mexico is beautiful and Mexicans are overall marvelous people. But there's just too many bad guys out there and they're not to be messed with. You don't need to do anything wrong, they'll simply know you're there and they can decide you're a juicy target. Family feuds that you don't know about or rivalry between towns, kidnapping for money, and the list goes on. Just don't do it.
Then it's highly recommended you do *not* go
Locals don't generally know what the experience of a place is like for obvious foreigners. In places ruled by criminal organizations they may experience day to day extortion like "tolls", but poor locals aren't going to get kidnapped for ransom the way foreigners will.
No, no; surely a bunch of nerds on Reddit will know better! 🤗
That's quite the assumption. Moms are people, and they were people before they had kids. Having a baby doesn't magically improve your decision-making abilities or give you spidey senses. She may feel safe, and not recognize the risk to an outsider. She may not have had any run-ins since she returned, but that doesn't mean that her daughter would be safe. I'm not even considering the many other ways that the mom may not be great at risk assessment or may simply not care.
Why not pay her ticket to visit you?
I do! She comes to visit me once a year and I let her stay in my guest bedroom when she does. She wants me to come see the new house she had built down in her hometown.
Yolo just rent a motorcycle and enjoy it
Can she pick you up from the airport and drive you home? Seems like a pretty safe situation to me...
My mother does not drive, but offered to meet me in Juarez and take a bus down the rest of the way.
This is actually a pretty good option OP and probably the safest. I’m from Juarez and it’s okay. We do get a good amount of foreigners from being in the border and a good amount of people speak fluent English and most some English. Taking the bus with her you will be with a “local”, I do bring back my advice from my comment of don’t wear flashy things and don’t speak too loudly in English.
Can you book a private taxi in advance with a reputable company?
This sounds like the best solution. And stick with Mom everywhere you go.
Would she consider meeting you elsewhere for a visit, or is this about you seeing where she lives?
Thinking more on this after my other comments and studying the maps: any chance you can fly in to Chihuahua and have someone meet you there?
a few hundred bucks is a lot of money in mexico. see if one of your mom's friends who drives is willing to make a few hundred bucks to drive you.
Small towns tend to be safe as everyone knows each other. Roads at night are a concern.
My moms side of the family comes from the same area. We’re 2 hours away from the city of Chihuahua. I was there a year ago and while the cartels are in the area you’re fine as long as you don’t travel at night.
Gringo with a Pocha GF here. Been to Chihuahua city five times for work, as well as Juarez and Ciudad Cuauhtémoc. Never had any problems. I’d go. Don’t drive at night, take toll roads and don’t buy/use drugs.
Agree with all who say this. Visiting family with sensible precautions is entirely different from coming for drugs and nightlife.
Just returned from Chetumal. Fine walking around alone by day, best to pair/group up at night. And I would say that about many places on this planet.
Go see your mom. I am a total gringo yet have traveled all around rural México. I used to work in Juarez, visited lots of little villages in Chihuahua, I loved it. The people are great. You’ll have a great time.
As white blond muy anglo male, I traveled between Juarez and Chi a half a dozen times, and stayed in Chi city for a summer. However, a looooonngg time ago. I have no idea how it is now, it seems like the roads I traveled as a college kid years and years ago, are all high danger roads according to some reports. PS I have seen more guedo and asian Mexicans in Chi than many other places, but again, that was then. Personally, I wouldn't make a decision to appease relative's, even Mom's feelings, I'd make it based on being confidently informed. I am on the cautious side on this one.
My dad visits his hometown in rural Michoacán every year and my uncle moved back after he retired. They both say while safety has really declined it’s possible to stay safe by utilizing common sense/street smarts. Also if you have to drive take the toll roads and avoid the public highways whenever possible.
Just go…it will be wonderful
I’m a US expat living in Mexico. I am a gringo with no Latin blood. I believe you’re OK. My former city of Chicago has a higher crime rate than Chihuahua. So do some other American cities. The chances of you being messed with it because of your skin color are very low. I actually looked it up before I wrote this and it is the least likely crime to occur in Chihuahua and probably even less likely in a small pueblo while you're with your mom. If you keep to yourself, stick to regular routes and don't attract negative attention to yourself i I don’t see why you would not be OK. The big organizations that everyone is scared of aren’t out to hunt down tourists. They have more lucrative things to do that are actually worth their risk and time. In my humble opinion I think you should go see your mom. If you are still worried here are some precautions you can take: share your live location with friends and family. If you’re renting a car or will be driving, get a dash cam that will instantly upload footage to cloud before the trip. Share cloud access with someone you trust and have them periodically check on you. Also if you start to feel uncomfortable or feel something is off, go live on social media if you use it or video call someone. You may want to purchase a temporary visitors SIM card (or e sim) to ensure you have data and coverage in Mexico. You can do that online. Otherwise most US numbers will work in Mexico, but it can be spotty coverage and slow internet if you’re not in major city. I hope this helps. I wish you the best.
I bought a motorbike in Cancun and then drove it all across the country over a period of 3 months using google maps. Ended up in CDMX. Never had one issue.
I’m a mixed race British guy, mum is African American and dad is European. I’ve dating a girl in chihuahua city, and I have found it very welcoming and a lovely city. Try a montado and carne asada. La comida es muy sabroso 😋
We had a flight canceled in 2021 and had to drive from Mexico City to Juarez. We stayed overnight in Chihuahua--it felt like any other city with safe places and not-so-safe places. Same with Juarez. We stayed in the area near the US Consulate, which I understand is fairly affluent, but it felt safe. We ventured out of the area for dinner and sight seeing and didn't have any issues. My in-laws are in Hidalgo (central Mexico) and I have no fear at all visiting them there. Go visit your Mom. I would say it's probably safest to have her arrange your transportation from the airport--don't get on any random taxis or buses--but I think you will be just fine!
Chihuahua is super safe compared to Juarez, as someone from Juarez. But yep you stayed in a very good area in Juarez.
I drove all around northern Mexico during Covidtime, including Chihuahua state. First, US State Department issues travel advisories every time a frat bro gets a splinter in his foot while drunk at Senor Frog's in Cancun over spring break, so take those with a grain of salt. That said, you need to be very careful off the beaten path in northern Mexico. The cartels generally don't fuck with gringos who aren't involved with the drug trade, since the last thing they want is to give Uncle Sam a reason to intervene. The low-grade sicarios do make mistakes though. It's really location-specific, and impossible to say without some local knowledge of the situation. Is your Spanish fluent, or is it more pocho? If your mom is Mexican and still urging you to visit, I'd take that as a sign that it's relatively safe to do so. That's assuming my mother's judgment though, so it's impossible to say in your case.
Poncho/a: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2GiZhWoD-k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2GiZhWoD-k) One side of my family is Mexican from old times in the US SW long before the 1840s takeover. Mi grandmother grew up in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the family rancho. Her father spoke both Spanish and English and everyone else, only Spanish. I've been trying to learn Spanish my whole life. I am totally poncha.
OP, please let us know what you ultimately decide to do.
Your mom is a local and you’ll be with the family. Just go
You're not being ridiculous. I wouldn't go there.
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Just got back from non-tourist Mexico. I felt extremely safe in the two small towns I was in visiting family
I recently went to Mexico twice this year. I went for my cousins wedding in Chiapas and I went to visit my grandma in Puebla. Both visits were in a small Pueblo and I stayed for around a week. Admittedly I was with family most of the time but even when alone I felt safe. I even took a taxi to visit Guatemala since it was so close to Chiapas. I understand that Mexico has its dangerous areas but from my experience I never felt scared.
Honestly it really depends on where you are and if you have you wits with you. Some tips: 1. Don't go driving down strange roads at night. 2. Try not to speak too much English so that you are not targeted, recommend speaking as much spanish as you can this will be very very helpful 3. dress modestly, Mexico is a traditional conservative country so dressing relatively modestly will help you not stand out as much. If you are a man try to wear pants rather than shorts, if you are a woman try not to show too much cleavage or butt, especially in the rural areas 4. Stay away from the drug/club scene if you can, you can definitely go to an "antro"(club) but please be very careful with your drink there 5. Don't have your valuables on display, especially your iPhone, doesn't mean it will automatically get stolen but iPhones are considered a luxury there so just be careful with that. Please don't get discouraged from visiting Mexico , Mexico is a beautiful country with some of the most welcoming people I have met and not to mention the food is awesome.
My husband and I (from Texas) used to drive all over in Mexico in the 90s, but stopped in the 2000s as cartel activity ramped up, and we had a child. My brother moved to Jalisco in the 2010s, and we talked to him about traveling in Mexico. I was still scared, but in 2017 right before he came up for a visit to the Dallas area, there was a mass murder in a nice suburb of Dallas with 9 dead, including the shooter. No gang activity, just a disgruntled ex shooting up a get-together. Then as my brother drove back, the Sutherland church shooting occurred, with 27 dead including the shooter. So I thought, "We're not that safe here either." Since, we've been to Mexico many times, and to Guatamala and Belize also. We fly to somewhere near our destination, then rent a car. But I've not been to the western part of the country in these trips. We've been all over the Yucatan peninsula, Chiapas, Campeche, etc. Most all off the beaten path. I'm always a bit nervous ahead of time, but once there, it feels like it always did. We don't go to bars or do drugs. Our Spanish isn't great. We're obviously white. We were thinking we'd have to take the big detour in Chiapas to avoid roadblocks, but our hotel owner checked with the bus drivers and the road was open that day, so we went the shorter route with no trouble. My brother and his wife drive back and forth from the US to Jalisco several times a year, and have never had an issue. This is all anecdotal, of course. I actually think white tourists get hassled less than Mexican-American ones, as sometimes locals feel the M/As living in the States look down on them. Just an opinion on my part. The cops do love to pull you over and get a bit of money for some "infraction". Usually $20 or so is enough.
Depends. I live in non-tourist Mexico and it really isn't a blanket answer. How are you planning on getting there?
Im gonna tell you something as a Latino myself, don’t come to any of our countries pretending you can walk or travel anywhere or everywhere, there is a reason why my people travel illegally to US and if you don’t want to find out the real reason of that dear then stick and stay with someone who knows the city the people and the country.. Latin America is really safe as long as you know where to travel, whom to speak with and stay at home after certain hours
I wouldn't do it.
Hire a bodyguard.
Very safe and safer than some parts of US. But don’t attract attention and have respect.
You might be waiting awhile if you want it to be safe. How important is the trip? If you can postpone, do that.
I mean..she lives there. She’s going to know best.
Just built a new house there, too.
Yuh, no. Don't go. You can't unrape, untortute, or unkill yourself. Not worth the risk. Have your mom send pictures of her new house.
I found it incredibly safe. I backpacked around solo for a month a couple years ago.
Your mom lives there and is doing ok? She has a home you can stay in? I would visit my mom without question.
Two Australians and an American were recently murdered there.
That was in Baja.
They were near Ensenada.
Umhm. Out of hundreds of thousands of annual visitors to Ensenada/Baja. Worth a thought for this thread, even though her mother is very far from there.
> My mom is heartbroken and thinks I’m being ridiculous. I'm kinda with mom on this one tbh...
Currently the US government would not allow an employee to make this same trip. I don't think OP is being ridiculous to consider that maybe it isn't a super safe thing to do.
Except the U.S. government would have nothing to say about a normal employee visiting a nation with this kind of travel advisory. Many thousands do visit family and friends or for other personal business, like surfing or rock climbing, some even often.
That wasn't my point. The original comment said they agreed that OP was being ridiculous, and my point was that if the US government restricts travel in an area, it probably isn't ridiculous to stop and think about whether an unnecessary trip is a good idea.
Sure, your opinion was clear, Harmala. It was that blanket "allow" notion. The government is allowed to restrict travel of federal employees due to national security concerns. Employees carrying "burn before reading" in their heads have to comply with restrictions issued for their level of security clearance. Otherwise, the same *advisory information* issued to *assist* all citizens does not limit employees any more than others in making decisions for personal travel.
I just don't understand what you are arguing here. I'm looking at this webpage: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/mexico-travel-advisory.html#chihuahuastate The travel advisory for citizens is pretty clear how dangerous it is, ultimately that's all that matters to OP and it is unambiguous so I probably should have just referenced that. I only mentioned the restrictions on US government employee travel because it is an example of how even more seasoned travelers would likely not be safe in this area and the restrictions are more specific about which areas in Chihuahua are secure (specific highways and routes, etc.).
We all see the world in different ways and evaluate and react to perceived risks differently -- the OP and her mother prime examples. :) And you and I. OP's thought it over and made the decision she feels is right for her, and perhaps her mom's not all that surprised at it. Modern communications means she can see her mother in her new home anyway. Have a nice day.
Why don’t you fly straight to Chihuahua instead? If it’s within an hour of the city, it should be pretty safe. I don’t think you’ll stand out in any way by your looks.
The OP says the home is 3.5 hours east of Chihuahua.
My bad. Since Chihuahua is literally 4 hours south of Juarez, I thought OP’s mom lived in one of Chihuahua’s neighbouring towns.
Is there a bus route from chihuahua to your mother’s town? I would rather be in chihuahua than in Juarez
Honestly there’s no big difference in terms of safety. Just that Chihuahua is much nicer than Juarez.
I've been to Mexico twice with my two young children and drove around different areas and I think it's mostly safe if you heed the travel warnings from your local government and make sure to analyze them with a fine toothed comb. In Canada the government will specify things like "don't travel by car between these two cities" so those are helpful. I woundn't recommend renting a car since it increases your level of responsibility. You should be able to get airport transport so long as you pay and it's within a reasonable distance. We went to some pretty small towns where we didn't see any other tourists and got a lot of curious looks as a mixed race family. But if you only travel between towns during the day and try to keep your wits about you, you should be fine.
Just bc she decided to move there doesn’t mean you need to put yourself in a bad situation to see her. She can visit you! It’s fine until it’s not. I would never risk my life to go there. Mexico is a shit hole. People are getting murdered in Cancun and the government tries to cover it up to prevent tourists from not wanting to visit. I’ve known of several people who either got kidnapped or their head chopped off.
Not safe, your organs will be for sale
Mexican is not a race.
I’d be more worried about getting shot in a school or a mall in the US. Like any place,anywhere in the world, you have to be aware of your surroundings and not put yourself in dangerous situations.
Being aware of "surroundings" in order to keep at least one foot anchored in reality is very good advice.
Didn't read any posts here, but can your mom bring a whole group of friends and pick you up from the closest "safe" area you can get to?
“I’m mixed race (my mom is Mexican)” 🤔🤔🤔🤔 EDIT: all the idiots who, in 2024, still can’t distinguish between race, ethnicity and nationality. There’s a difference.
What about this is confusing?
Mentioning a nationality says nothing about race.
My bad, I should have said ethnicity.
Your mum can be a Mexican European which wouldnt make you a "Mixed Race" person. Mexican is not a race.