Mexico. If you've been watching the news at all lately, you're probably under the impression, along with most of my family, that the place is run by narco leaders, ravaged by drug wars and a trap for unsuspecting American tourists to be kidnapped for ransom. Though it's true people visiting Mexico should be careful to avoid over-priced, dilapidated hostels and cheesy pick-up lines shouted by feisty locals, if you head to any of the country's hundreds of tourist locations, you'll be fine. Sure you may bump into some violence and drugs, but isn't that what you look for on vacation any way? I'm kidding, sort of. The real dangerous areas are in the border cities and the targets of most violence are members of drug cartels or local police authorities. My friend Gloria and I stayed in Playa del Carmen, about an hour south of Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula. The town is filled with tourists from all over the world, co-existing harmoniously with locals and Mexicans from other parts who have settled in the beautiful beach area, making for a fun and relaxing and much classier alternative to the Cancun scene. We went out to bars and clubs at night but like most Playa del Carmen-goers, our days were spent traveling to historical sites- the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza and Tulum, the city of Valladolid, snorkeling in Akumal, etc. We even spent our last night in Cancun, where there were no drug lords to be found, but enough wild and crazy spring-breakers to make us fear for our lives. There was always a police patrol car to be found, and plenty of security- we even got delivered safe and sound to our hostel by some helpful Cancun police officers. The moral of the story is that my friend and I had an amazing time in Mexico- we met wonderful people, ate fabulous food, relaxed on gorgeous beaches and slept on average 2 hours per night. When I got back to the States, everyone kept saying "thank goodness you made it back safe," which is true, thankfully we were not struck by Montezuma's Revenge or robbed by our hostel's cleaning lady or drugged by organ harvesters. But all of those things can happen in any developing country, or any country for that matter. People get attacked or killed in the U.S. every day. There is always some degree of danger any where you go. But that's no reason not to travel and experience all of the amazing places and cultures this scary yet beautiful world has to offer. The news is a great thing, but don't let what you read or see or hear prevent you from living your life. If there's any bit of advice I can give on Mexico, it's to steer clear of Cancun. I like to have a good time- as I said, we were only sleeping 2 hours a night- but Cancun is disgusting. Instead of an advisory for Americans going to Mexico, there should be a warning for Mexicans to watch out for incoming Spring-breakers. But for people who travel to appreciate the country they've chosen to visit, Cancun does us all a favor by attracting the bad eggs, and leaving the rest of the country to be enjoyed. Tulum is relatively untouched and has a string of nearly private, white-sand beaches, beautiful Mayan ruins and lots of nearby natural sites. Playa del Carmen has more of a center city and great night life. Try to take public transportation as much as possible and avoid trips with groups or guides- even though we did meet some great friends on our frustrating yet bond-inducing colectivo ride to Chichen Itza. And when it comes to deciding where to stay, reserve a place for the first night, then get there and pick the best place for you. We got stuck at our "picturesque Cabana hostel" that turned out to be less than we were hoping for, I mean, I happen to be a fan of hot water and a separation between bathroom and bedroom, but maybe I'm just picky. In conclusion, go to Mexico, or wherever you're looking to travel, with an open mind. Don't plan things out too much. Being up for spontaneity will take you to some amazing adventures.
Mexico lindo, guey!
