Puerto Rico is nonstop. Would pick that over the cesspool of Mexico any day.

Also, Grand Cayman, St Thomas, Aruba, Bahamas, DR, Bermuda...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Plus there were two ICE agents shot up there (one killed) about 18 months ago. Brutal. No thanks. No similar issues in Barbados, Bermuda, St. John USVI, BVI, etc etc etc. The problem with Mexico is that it isn't one nut job running around killing the people; it is systematic and widespread and you don't know when and where and who the good guys are. They had a big shootout at one of their major airports recently and it was the Police (corrupt) shooting the Police (good guys)....

All beautiful options, but not nearly as easy to get to as Cancun. Ease of travel is among the many things I factor into family vacation planning (plus price, safety, etc etc) and I'll continue to head to the Riveria Maya.

But I would hope that safety trumps all.

Aruba has direct flight from BWI and Dulles

As I said, I don't know about the private hospitals. The public ones we get patients from: infected, poor care and unsafe.

Anonymous wrote:Plus there were two ICE agents shot up there (one killed) about 18 months ago. Brutal. No thanks. No similar issues in Barbados, Bermuda, St. John USVI, BVI, etc etc etc. The problem with Mexico is that it isn't one nut job running around killing the people; it is systematic and widespread and you don't know when and where and who the good guys are. They had a big shootout at one of their major airports recently and it was the Police (corrupt) shooting the Police (good guys)....

All beautiful options, but not nearly as easy to get to as Cancun. Ease of travel is among the many things I factor into family vacation planning (plus price, safety, etc etc) and I'll continue to head to the Riveria Maya.

Anonymous wrote:The problem for me isn't the current climate of crime, but he fact that even if you are in a simple accident, the "medical" care is so bad it is likely to kill you. The hospitals have no freaking idea of sterile technique or infection control.

I had an amazing health care experience there a few months ago. Then again, we went to a private doctor practice vs a public hospital. Dr. was a Godsend and I will forever be grateful to him for giving me such high quality of care during a time when I was so scared, in an unfamiliar place etc. My dr. here confirmed everything he did including the med he had to put me on was exactly right.

Plus there were two ICE agents shot up there (one killed) about 18 months ago. Brutal. No thanks. No similar issues in Barbados, Bermuda, St. John USVI, BVI, etc etc etc. The problem with Mexico is that it isn't one nut job running around killing the people; it is systematic and widespread and you don't know when and where and who the good guys are. They had a big shootout at one of their major airports recently and it was the Police (corrupt) shooting the Police (good guys)....

Anonymous wrote:Are the "HELL NO Mexico City" and "don't go to the border town" posts really relevant to the original question? What are the chances of a DCUMer taking a FAMILY vacation to these places? They're probably really asking about Cancun to Playa del Carmen and Cabo. No?

ICE agents wife here. Then go! But with criminals trying to make a "statement" by killing groups of people and decapitating them just to send a message, no thanks. There are other places to spend my money.

Why take a chance with children when there are objectively safer places to go instead?

Bummer. We had a trip planned to Mayakoba. Now I want to cancel.

Every time I go to Mexico I understand completely why people flee there in numbers- even before the drug wars have escalated. Everyone I have ever know from other Central American countries that paid a coyote to get here said that Mexico was the place where they witnessed the most corruption, rapes, violent deaths, police brutality, etc. etc. I hate that the money I spend there doesn't ever seem to affect the local economy. When you leave the $600 a night hotel and visit the neighboring community you still see people without basic sanitation or clean water. Such a waste of beautiful land....

Anonymous wrote:Why not just take the kids sailing off the coast of Somalia to go pirate hunting.....

Excellente!

There are so many other options then Mexico. Why put money into their economy anyways when a good portion goes directly to the narco-terrorists?

I've never seen anything pretty come out of a Mexican hospital. Maybe the private ones are ok, but why take chances?

So go; it's a calculated risk just like skydiving or swimming with sharks. If you like the danger factor, enjoy. If there are reasonable alternatives, take a look. Just wouldnt want to be the kidnapping or decapitation du jour.....