Vacation on Mexico

[humjogo]

Has anyone been to Mexico lately? I have got some questions.

[Tōtōchtin]

What questions are you pondering?
Tōtō

[zach]

I have friends and co workers that were born in Mexico, and at times in the last few years they have refrained from travel home to visit family.

There are number of places I would like to see, but would not feel safe enough to enjoy a vacation .

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel ... isory.html

I lived on the US side of border for two years. I was told I needed to alter my appearance if I were to visit to avoid being a victim . ( think, pale skin, blue eyes, red or blonde hair ) Gun fights were on the local TV news nightly, mostly on the southern side of border.

Some places the cartels have an agreement for no violence to avoid a loss of income from merchants. If you go, maybe someone can direct to you to these locations.

[Tōtōchtin]

It's horrible down here, stay away.
Tōtō
Edit: Jokingly said, somewhat.

[Bushman]

I have a condo booked for next August in Cabo.

[Dougmatt]

I’ve been many times, both before and after the pandemic. Mexico is a large place (as is the US). Depends on where you go, what your plans are, and how comfortable you are with that kind of travel. I would advise against the “do not travel” areas on the list given you are asking this question… From there on down the list, it’s really about the above questions as to what to do. Mexico is a wonderful country, with mostly amazing people, but like anywhere there are bad people too and a lot of people dealing with some really tough situations (ex: abject poverty).

[seamusm53]

Just returned a month ago from another trip to Cozumel. We have never felt threatened there and have stayed traveled all over the island. That said, five years ago a local businessman tried to create his own ferry to the mainland. The non-fatal message sent his way was two bombs under two of his ferries one of which exploded. His effort at unwelcome competition was immediately abandoned. But Cozumel doesn't generally attract the young and hip, drug-hungry, crowd so the violence elsewhere frequent in Mexico hasn't been much of a problem.

[Tōtōchtin]

Tourist don't really know what's going on around them. Yucatan has some major infighting down there. Stay in town, don't take taxis late at night, and you'll more then likely have a good time. Read before you go. I live in Jalisco and there are villages I don't go to anytime. Then there is my place where I would feel comfortable to pass out on the beach. Although we just had a woman killed by a shark attack a little south of me, I've surfed here for 40 years and have never been bumped. You never know what awaits you till it happens.
Tōtō

[humjogo]

I’ve been many times, both before and after the pandemic. Mexico is a large place (as is the US). Depends on where you go, what your plans are, and how comfortable you are with that kind of travel. I would advise against the “do not travel” areas on the list given you are asking this question… From there on down the list, it’s really about the above questions as to what to do. Mexico is a wonderful country, with mostly amazing people, but like anywhere there are bad people too and a lot of people dealing with some really tough situations (ex: abject poverty).

What are your recommend places to visit?

[humjogo]

I have friends and co workers that were born in Mexico, and at times in the last few years they have refrained from travel home to visit family.

There are number of places I would like to see, but would not feel safe enough to enjoy a vacation .

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel ... isory.html

I lived on the US side of border for two years. I was told I needed to alter my appearance if I were to visit to avoid being a victim . ( think, pale skin, blue eyes, red or blonde hair ) Gun fights were on the local TV news nightly, mostly on the southern side of border.

Some places the cartels have an agreement for no violence to avoid a loss of income from merchants. If you go, maybe someone can direct to you to these locations.

Yes, this was the exact article I read and got worried about safety. Then I looked for other information online and found out like 4.6m US peeps visit there in dec last year https://gowithguide.com/blog/tourism-in ... -know-5248 So I was about to ask which places I should avoid from you guys personal experience. I don't want to take any risks. Those places in Mexico look really too good to miss out.

[Dougmatt]

I’ve been many times, both before and after the pandemic. Mexico is a large place (as is the US). Depends on where you go, what your plans are, and how comfortable you are with that kind of travel. I would advise against the “do not travel” areas on the list given you are asking this question… From there on down the list, it’s really about the above questions as to what to do. Mexico is a wonderful country, with mostly amazing people, but like anywhere there are bad people too and a lot of people dealing with some really tough situations (ex: abject poverty).

What are your recommend places to visit?

Complex question…. What are you looking to do? What’s your budget? What’s your risk tolerance?

Personally Cancun and Cabo are my preferred beach locations on either side, but both are well discovered and have become rather expensive (for Mexico). There is a well defined tourist zone that if you stay in it, you minimize your risk. For cities, Mexico City is massive and can be a great place, but to minimize risk need to do your research on the tourist trail and stick to it as much as possible. It’s like a lot of big cities in the third world and has good and bad.

I’ve been to almost all of the places on this list over the years: https://travel.usnews.com/rankings/best ... vacations/

Probably a good list to start discovering what you would want to do.

Edit: If it fits your interests, swimming with the whale sharks in Cabo is an amazing experience. It’s one of the few places in the world you can do it consistently.

[Tōtōchtin]

If it's you and your woman Huatulco in Oax. is a beautiful little place. Not a disco party town. It has over 20 clam shaped coves where you could be dropped off and picked up in the afternoon. Great for snorkeling etc. Vallarta is ok if you have never been. Great food,music, and Stiller's in the hills making great Raicilla.
Small beach communities in Jalisco are nice, a few without tourist. Cancun has had it's murder rate going up from 3 groups fighting for control,most tourist would not realize it though. Tourist have been safe in the past because they were the golden egg. Not now as punks on speed are what the cartels hire now. As in most areas it's hard to find good reliable help. If you're adventurist and hang your balls down low. I would rent a car and check out Palenque, Bonambok, and aqua Azul and diffinatly San Cristobal de Las Casas in Chiapas Mexico.
Tōtō

[Tōtōchtin]

Curious if anyone here would want to add stilling to their vacation. My mentor and I have been discussing setting up a working vacation of sorts. He has a wood still he uses and we were thinking about adding a few keg based stills. One could come up in the Mts. near Vallarta, stay in a nice hotel or cabins, we could pick you up in the morning for a couple days then you could go home with some excellent Raicilla.
Tōtō

[Dougmatt]

Curious if anyone here would want to add stilling to their vacation. My mentor and I have been discussing setting up a working vacation of sorts. He has a wood still he uses and we were thinking about adding a few keg based stills. One could come up in the Mts. near Vallarta, stay in a nice hotel or cabins, we could pick you up in the morning for a couple days then you could go home with some excellent Raicilla.
Tōtō

I often add cooking classes or other local experiences to my travel plans so I would be open to the idea.

My initial impression is that I am not sure about it as a “destination” event. 2-3 days feels like too much time for distilling and cuts, and not enough time for start to still….

Feels like 1 day process overview, distillation and cuts OR 1 week start to still process.

Unless you’re doing things in a legal distillery, I’m not sure how “safe” that would be for your guests.

[Tōtōchtin]

I figure most here know how to distill so this would be something to round off their experience. Plus the chance to make something you cant make outside of this small area. No coming this far to just to distill would be a bit much especially since most dont have a clue what raicilla is. As far as safety is concerned its something we do here in plain sight. You wouldn't be hiding in some arroyo. Vallarta is an hour away so they would have all the traps tourist spots have to offer.
T.

[Dougmatt]

I figure most here know how to distill so this would be something to round off their experience. Plus the chance to make something you cant make outside of this small area. No coming this far to just to distill would be a bit much especially since most dont have a clue what raicilla is. As far as safety is concerned its something we do here in plain sight. You wouldn't be hiding in some arroyo. Vallarta is an hour away so they would have all the traps tourist spots have to offer.
T.

The proximity to Vallarta is appealing. Given that the experience sounds like it has a lot of unique potential. Might even be an interesting destination for a hosted member meetup….

My safety comment was a bit based on the frequent just “odd” experiences I’ve had in Mexico where you think everything is fine, but then someone has a problem with something that may or may not be “legal”. For example, an experience with a large wrench armed “taxi mafia” type in Cancun a few months ago while trying to get in an Uber was what came to mind regard safety. . Probably just overthinking it… this will be my last post given we are getting off topic.

[subbrew]

Curious if anyone here would want to add stilling to their vacation. My mentor and I have been discussing setting up a working vacation of sorts. He has a wood still he uses and we were thinking about adding a few keg based stills. One could come up in the Mts. near Vallarta, stay in a nice hotel or cabins, we could pick you up in the morning for a couple days then you could go home with some excellent Raicilla.
Tōtō

I would definitely be up form something like that. But my risk tolerance is well above average. I used to do a lot of ice climbing and mountaineering. I have slowed down a bit with age. But look up dream weaver on Mt Meeker, one of my favorite climbs which I plan on doing solo this spring to celebrate 60 trips around the sun.

My wife's family is from Mexico so I have been down there several times as well as working in Mexico City and outside Veracruz. And no I don't speak Spanish worth a damn, but my wife does. We both like to get off the tourist path and experience the local cuisine and culture. My suggestion is to combine food with the distilling, keeping the distilling to no more than a 2 or 3 hrs per day and then add in day trips to any local sites, churches, natural areas, farms and horses, things gringos like. We did a trip to Italy like that. Tours of wineries, great food each night, trips to Pompey and other historical places which are so abundant in Italy.

[Bushman]

I figure most here know how to distill so this would be something to round off their experience. Plus the chance to make something you cant make outside of this small area. No coming this far to just to distill would be a bit much especially since most dont have a clue what raicilla is. As far as safety is concerned its something we do here in plain sight. You wouldn't be hiding in some arroyo. Vallarta is an hour away so they would have all the traps tourist spots have to offer.
T.

Too bad sounds great but we are flying into Cabo, a bit too far.

[Tōtōchtin]

Cabo area is nice. I lived in Pescadero for a bit,until I sold a lot there because to many gringos were showing up. I remember Cabo when it was less than 3k people and 1 bar. Bought 20 hectares on the beach in Jalisco with money from that 20x40mt lot. Now my neighbor is installing a 1 billion dollar resort next to me only for the rich. Too old to move again.
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[Tōtōchtin]

For others coming down with family/women I would stay away from Qro.,Zac.,Mich,Gro., and Col. . All beautiful places but I would not drive there with loved ones. I still drive down to Mich. to surf with a friend but I go alone.
Tōtō