"But is it safe to go there?"
It is a fairly common and worthwhile question for people when preparing to travel outside the United States. Let's take a bit of time to delve into the topic and since I'm enjoying my last night in Playa del Carmen, Mexico I wanted to focus on this area of that country. A quick search of the internet will offer up dozens of horrible stories about murders in and around Cancun. WHAT? DOZENS! I'll just go to Miami then.
Hold on a minute, before you abort your dream vacation, let's look more closely. For starters, many of these stories are covering the same couple of deaths. If you read closely, you'll see these were actually just "near" the resort, not at a resort. Further, if you follow the story past the headline, you'll discover the victims were not tourists but, if you can believe it, members of drug gangs engaged in illegal activities. With that said, what can you expect when you visit this cuello de los bosques …that's "neck of the woods" for you gueros. There are military and police in Mexico. They are here to keep you safe. This photo was taken of some Navy soldiers standing outside the ferry terminal to Cozumel. Here are a few suggestions to keep you safe while on and off of the resort property.
While on property, the most likely crime you might become a victim of is theft. While resorts do their best to hire honest employees, no screening is fool-proof. Utilizing the safe in your room is the best recommendation. Don't leave valuables laying in public places. If you do leave things at the pool, at least cover them up. Out of sight is out of mind. Leaving things on the beach is a different beast. Most beaches in the Caribbean are public so you might have locals mingling with tourists and in my opinion, more prone to sticky fingers. Each resort is unique so you must evaluate your situation.
While I have never experienced having anything stolen from my room, last year I did leave a pair of Old Navy flip flips laying outside my resort room door one evening. These things were busted, nearly two decades old, and probably cost me $15 brand new. But, they did fit my feet remarkable well. The next morning they were no where to be found. Is it possible they were stolen? Quite. Is it possible some 13 year old jack-wagon heathen wandering around the resort tossed them into a trash can or over a fence? Just as likely. A full-scale search failed to yield any clues and since continuing the investigation would unnecessarily prolong the trip, it was suspended pending leads. The worst parts were 1). I had to shop for more flip flops at the resort and 2). The ones I found were sort of fancy and cost too much and 3). didn't fit my feet.
You can get t-shirts and magnets at the resort but you can't get $5 t-shirts or $2 magnets there. In order to find this cheap…ok, sometimes it's decent stuff, you'll have to leave the comforts of all-you-can drink cerveza and head to town. Should we don our flashiest jewelry and stagger alone from the resort at 11:30 pm after a day filled with consuming copious amounts of liquor? Ah, hell naw! Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. Ask at the resort desk if there are places they recommend you do or don't visit. Travel with a companion, check out the place during the day, leave your designer bags in the room, don't have wads of cash, stay off of your phones and be aware of your surroundings. Is someone following you? Are those people lingering in a shadowy spot up to no good? Trust that sixth-sense. Think "What do I do if..." and answer that question in your head. In the unlikely event of a situation, you've formulated a plan on what to do and will act.
Here's what you'll likely experience - a gauntlet of salesmen standing on the sidewalk trying to convince you to buy from them. Hard to believe they can all have the best deal. These guys will try to hand you something. Don't take it. They will pretend they know you from your resort or that you dropped something. They don't and you didn't. People in costume or with animals will try to get you to take a photo with them. Expect to pay a small fee. Everyone has a hustle and while super annoying and maybe a bit nerve-wracking, they aren't up to no good, just trying to a make a few bucks. The best stateside comparison I can make is to imagine walking down the midway at your local county fair. You've probably had a beer or two, it's hotter than asphalt on the sun, and people with accents are trying to coax you to pick their booth. "Hey boss, win your lady a prize."
Earlier today, Michelle and I were approached by a fella selling waterproof phone cases. "They good price, " he told me. I answered with a phrase you should learn, "No thank you." I kept walking but he countered, "Something stronger? Smoke, blow?" I explained in my perfect Spanish, "Soy policia." I believe he misunderstood me because he circled around to ask again. After making it perfectly clear I was actually in the business of making sure no one purchased his illicit goods, he let me know, "I hate police." Good one, like I've never heard that one before. Guess I'll have a beer to drown my sorrows once I get back to the resort. With that said, drugs including marijuana, are illegal in all Caribbean countries. If you go looking for them, you run a chance you'll get robbed or worse.
While I focused on the Mexican Caribbean, this is easily applied to locales across the Caribbean and cruise ports, too. You can visit the US State Department's travel advisory page which has info about the goings-on in each country. I do view the warnings but take them with a grain of salt based on where and what they say is happening. If I was concerned these places were unsafe, I wouldn't travel with my family here. With some self-awareness and common sense, you'll have a great AND safe vacation.~Joe
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