Is Mexico safe to travel?

The beliefs

Mexico is one of those countries we all think we’ve heard enough about, predominantly because the media has been forever telling us about the ugly and dangerous occurrences that took place here. When we first told our parents we were flying to Mexico, their fear and ‘their’ beliefs kicked right in. We were presented with the summary of all the terrifying things they ‘knew’ about this country. I’m not even going to mention my grandmother’s reaction …

I’d be lying if I said we didn’t get moments when we felt a little stress rushing through our bodies. Especially after I decided to pack a bag of white powder aka pancake mix into my suitcase, but that’s a story for another time. Ultimately, we knew challenging these beliefs was necessary in order for us to truly see this country from our own perspective.

So, we traveled around Mexico – by bus, by minivan, by taxi, by plane, by metro, by campervan, by boat, by motorbike, on the back of a jeep, on bicycles and on foot. We traveled through jungles, deserts, skies, open waters, beaches, canyons, mountains, city streets, outskirt roads, dirt roads and some more super remote and ‘straight-out-of-a-murder-scene’ backroads.

The truth

In reality, if you don’t look for trouble and mind your own business, you’ll be pretty safe. Yes, the gangland scene here is real, and yes, occurrences of public violence do happen, but they’re not actually aimed at tourists or vacationers.

There are also indigenous people who are constantly fighting for their rights in society, but you won’t see any media outlet talk about that. In all honesty, there isn’t anything different between here and many other places in the world. I bet you can think of some scary and terrifying events that took place in your home country at some point in the past.

So yes, the government is corrupt, and many people don’t have it easy making ends meet here. Bad things have happened because of this, but none of it should stand in your way of visiting this country. Things happen all around the world.

We have met so many incredible, talented, warm-hearted and genuine people in Mexico and have been greeted with nothing but love, kindness and trust on numerous occasions. People in Mexico really make the most out of what they have, appreciate life in so many beautiful ways and hold strongly onto their traditions and culture, so that you can come and experience it all for yourself – they’re the real gifts of Mexico.

What not to do in Mexico – Police Edition

Have you watched the Mexican part of the famous Narcos series on Netflix? Or followed the rise of Teresa in Queen of the South? If you did, you might have wondered – does this really happen in Mexico, is the corruption real, where’s the police at?

Now, if you expected a thrill-filled drug gang story right here, I’ll have to disappoint you – we did not have any encounters like that (the closest we got to drugs was a teenager offering us to buy some in Playa Del Carmen). But we did experience some police confrontations and learned some valuable lessons that I do want to share with you.

⋅ Do not argue with police here ⋅

This one should go without saying, but you’d be surprised how many people decide to stand up to the local police, thinking they can smart talk their way out of a situation, because they think they know what the police can and cannot do.

Unfortunately, there is little that the police in Mexico think they cannot do – including taking massive bribes and shoving you into a cell for a night. Being polite and apologetic can go a long way here, as it gives them a sense of importance and hierarchical position – it’s psychology and in most cases, it does the trick.

⋅ Do not ride a bike with a beer in your hand ⋅

This one is a story from a friend, who was cycling on a dirt road, through the jungle, back to our villa after buying one beer at a local store. This one was definitely a ‘wrong place wrong time’ situation, as she was trying to swerve and tilted off her bike just as a police patrol car drove by.

She was told cycling drunk is illegal, cycling with alcohol in sight is also illegal and tried to scare her by saying they would have to bring her to a police station – unless she had something better in mind (they usually don’t ask for bribes directly, but it’s always what they mean). This one sway and one beer cost her over $100 USD – oh yeah, did I not mention how they always expect payment in US dollars?

⋅ If you pay once, run! ⋅

The wages of Mexican police are not the greatest – these guys pretty much live off bribing foreigners and businesses. So, if you get stopped or pulled over and they find a fault for which they can make you pay, be sure that the minute they finish dealing with you, they are on the phone to their colleagues in the area, letting them know where to catch the big fish (you!).

If you’re driving, you need to leave the area or park up out of sight. If you’re cycling and wearing a neon orange jacket, you need to shove that jacket into your backpack asap. If you’re on the beach, change your spot. Just be aware of your recognizable features and how to camouflage them, when needed.

We’ve also heard that if you get caught with something that you shouldn’t have and it’s not taken off you when collecting the bribe, it should be your indication that the other police officers are already on their way – get rid of it asap!

⋅ Expect police to ‘do their job’ ⋅

What you consider a standard basic procedure back home might be very different to what you experience in Mexico. I don’t think anyone could truly and accurately tell you what the police in Mexico ‘should do’ and ‘shouldn’t do’. Most people will tell you that each officer has its own laws and beliefs, and most don’t do what you’d expect of them to. Primal example here being noise complaints.

I hear issues with this over and over again, experienced them first hand too – if you complain to your hotel about the noise out on the street, sure, they can ring the police to report it – but more than likely they won’t even get through to anyone.

If they do, they’ll be told someone will be sent out – that someone will either not arrive at all, show up expecting to be very well paid for his disturbance or drive by the next morning when the noise it gone, just so he can tick it off his to-do list.

⋅ Overstaying your visa ⋅

Many countries, including the EU and the US, are exempt from obtaining an ‘official visa’ for their travels in Mexico. However, everyone still needs to fill out an official Entry Immigration Form (FMM). You need to print this form out and present it at the immigration desk once you land.

You will get a section of it back and need to keep it safe throughout your stay in Mexico (and present it at the airport upon departure). The officer at the airport will stamp it and decide how many days to give you.

Previously, everyone got 180 days for their stay in Mexico and theoretically, this is what everyone is entitled to, but since the pandemic, the officers have been giving random durations and many travellers got caught out, unintentionally overstaying their time in Mexico.

While we’ve heard stories of people having to pay a fine at the airport and leaving the country with no fuss. We also heard of people being dragged off buses and put in Mexican prisons for over a week. So do make sure you check that form to see how many days you’ve been granted to stay.

Filling out the form online ensures a quicker immigration process 🙂 Go to Mexico Tourist Card for more information and to complete your form.

I realize all of this might sound a bit scary, but in reality, having a police encounter in Mexico is very unlikely. We were the ‘lucky’ ones who got to experience them. I believe it all happened so that I could share the stories with you here 😉 Remember that at the end of the day, everyone is just trying to make a living and being respectful always goes a long way 🙂

Ready for your trip to Mexico? Check out Things To Know Before Visiting Mexico and look at 9 bucket list places in Mexico when planning your itinerary.

Happy traveling!

Vicky