Granted, this is a topic that has been written about (almost) to death, but here comes another bout of blogging. This time, the information is coming from a Canadian who permanently resides in Cancun. I am not a tourist or of the snowbird generation. I am an under 40, single female who eats, sleeps and breathes Cancun.
Let’s get a few misconceptions out of the way first:
1) You do not need vaccinations
2) The local water is safe to consume
3) The people are very friendly
4) Cancun is safe
There, now that this has been taken care of, let’s move on to a more detailed discussion.
I live here alone. Well, sort of. I have dogs now for the first time in ten years, but other than that, I live alone. I do not have a husband, boyfriend or any form of visual intimidation, and I have never experienced any people problems since moving here. When I first arrived in my neighborhood, the locals were curious and thought I was a lost tourist who missed Hotel Zone bus.
I live el centro; mere feet off one of the busiest party streets in central Cancun. It’s comparable to the Hotel Zone in that it offers some of the most popular dance clubs, karaoke bars, pubs, live bands and of course, restaurants. The difference is that 99% of the clientele are locals. I feel much safer here in this area of the city than I ever did in the Hotel Zone. Here, the locals are with friends and family and are calm and under control. The Hotel Zone on the other hand, is a sea of people covering the streets and sidewalks in utter chaos. There are a few clubs in the zone that can easily host between 3,000 to 8,000 people at one time. In my neighborhood, restaurants and quaint Mexican pubs line the streets. The chaos is kept to a minimum.
Even though I may physically stand out here, I blend in by living local. My house is no larger or smaller than any other house on my block. It is not more decorated, established or important than anyone else’s. I live like everyone else and therefore, I am no more a target than anyone else. The residential streets are lined with massive old trees that provide scenic shade during the day. At night the streets offer the same typical quiet walk that one would find in any safe neighborhood. I feel much safer than say if I lived in an area of the city where there is a constant turnover of people. Being around such tourist areas as the Hotel Zone provides a feeling of unease. One must also take into consideration that some of the richest people in Cancun live in the Hotel Zone, amplifying the crime rate and illegal activity in the area.
There are many dangerous, crime-ridden, drug and gang infested cities throughout North America. The Mexican drug and gang wars that are reported in the newspapers and on television are localized along the American border towns. The news media is just as sensationalized in Mexico as it is in the rest of North America. Often times the facts they use for reporting are very inaccurate on things such as names, dates, ages and even nationalities. The last few fatal tourist incidences that were reported out of Cancun were not as innocent as one may think. Most times, tourists will come to indulge and participate in activities that generally lead to trouble, or even death. Rarely, if ever, are these fatalities caused from being an innocent bystander. A good rule of thumb when it comes to the media: Believe none of what you hear, some of what you read and half of what you see.
Visitors who involve themselves in illegal activities here, generally do so in their home towns as well. They seek activities that, more times than not, get them into a world of trouble. It’s important to point out, regardless of how obvious, that Cancun is nowhere near the gang and drug infested American border towns. Yes, periodically the unwanted activity spills over into Cancun as it does into all 32 of the Mexican states. Cancun is a major ‘people’ destination, so it would be completely unrealistic to assume the only activates going on here include the sun and beaches.
If common sense eludes you here, it most likely eludes you in other places as well. One simply cannot claim Cancun is a bad city because of another person’s mishap. The unpleasant occurrences you do hear about are generally confined to the Hotel Zone. The participants of such activities are the same ones who come here to blow off steam for Spring Break. This would also be the same category of people who beer bong and participate in funneling from their college dorms on keg night.
The leading cause of foreign tourist deaths in Cancun is heart attacks, car accidents and accidental drowning. People here die from the same things they die from at home. Most Cancun expats feel that the crime rate is the same, if not less, than it was in their home towns. The key to success when traveling or living abroad is exercising common sense.
More than 22.6 million international tourists visited Mexico in 2008 (2009 stats not yet available). 18.3 million of those international tourists were Americans. That’s up almost 6% from the previous year. Border tourism has increased 11% in 2008. Mexico ranks tenth as an international travel destination in the world and is the number one destination for North Americans. Most are repeat tourists.
A few things to keep in mind when visiting Mexico:
1) Even though the flight may only last a few hours, Mexico is still a foreign country. You may not feel far from home, but you are bound to Mexican rules and laws.
2) When you go out, go with a friend or a group and mind your manners. Not only is minding your manners polite, it will keep you out of trouble. Partying and being drunk is not an excuse to act foolish and be rude. Locals won’t hesitate to call the police here any more than a local would do so in your own city.
3) Do not drink and drive in Mexico. Once again being drunk is not an excuse for acting foolish. It is illegal here just like it is where you live. You will be arrested. You will go to jail.
4) Open liquor and consuming alcohol in public is frowned upon here as well. Yes, many people do it. Locals as well as tourists indulge, but just know it is not legal to walk down the street with open liquor. The police generally tolerate it from tourists, but keep in mind they can fine you and take you to jail. It has happened.
5) When you’re visiting, please don’t act surprised when you realize most locals do not speak English. This is not an English-speaking country. It is up to you to learn a few basic words which you can find for free in almost any tourist brochure. They appreciate when you try to speak Spanish just as you would if they were attempting to speak the native language of your country.
There is not any place in the world that is perfectly safe. There are only places that are more or less safe than others in comparison. Your common sense should dictate what is right and wrong. As with any vacation, your Cancun holiday can be as safe and pleasant as you make it.
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