U.S. Warns Tourists To Be Cautious After Dark In Cancun, Playa Del Carmen And Tulum

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Last Updated 2 years ago

Safety in Mexico is always a top concern for many tourists and during the past few weeks, with the rise of travel, authorities have been more alert. A few days ago, the US State Department issued a warning for US citizens regarding touristic destinations in Mexico. 

The government made an update to their page on Mexico Travel Advisory due to the risk of crime and kidnapping in the popular region Quintana Roo which includes Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. 

According to the information provided, travelers should stay alert, especially at night even on touristic and busy streets downtown. US citizens should also avoid dangerous areas, risky situations, and stay informed. 

The report states that American travelers have not been attacked directly, but have been victims: “While not directed at tourists, shootings between rival gangs have killed or injured innocent bystanders. Additionally, U.S. citizens have been the victims of both non-violent and violent crimes in tourist and non-tourist areas.”

It’s not the first time the US Government issues safety warnings for these locations, a month ago it made major updates to the Mexico travel advisory page and included state-specific information with more details of the risks US citizens might face depending on the city and state. 

US authorities in the United States know that Mexico is the favorite destination for US travelers and are constantly making updates and warning citizens to avoid dangerous situations. Those visiting should take extra precautions, especially during the busy summer season.

Travel Advisories For Cancun

The US State Department’s main advisory for the Quintana Roo state —which includes Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Cancun— is “exercise increased caution”. The information shared explains that criminal activity is common in the area and hard to predict. 

Recent local police reports confirm that robbery and other types of crime are on the rise and more investigation cases have been opened in the past few days. During May, there were 8.6% more robbery cases than in April, according to the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (Sesnsp, by its Spanish acronym).

Travelers are recommended to maintain “a high level of situational awareness” while they visit the region, to avoid locations where illicit activities occur, and also to leave soon whenever there is an alert or a dangerous situation. U.S. government employees do not have travel restrictions in Quintana Roo, but are advised as well to be cautious and remain in tourist zones and well-lit streets. 

The Mexican government has also recently warned about travelers consuming drugs in Cancun or contacting dangerous people and even launched a frightening campaign targeted at US travelers. The US Embassy also shared related information and other travel advisories for US citizens visiting the country in 2022.

Other Warnings In Mexico

Quintana Roo is in the same category of risk as other states in Mexico such as Aguascalientes, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz, and also Mexico City. Normal precautions are only advised for two states: Campeche and Yucatan. Other states have higher risk alerts. 

The US State Department has a “Do Not Travel” warning for Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas; and a “Reconsider Travel” warning for other states like Baja California, Chihuahua, Jalisco, Durango, Nayarit, and Mexico State.

When visiting Mexico, US authorities recommend travelers to read the Department of State’s COVID-19 page, and the Embassy COVID-19 page, and follow these institutions on social media channels as well.

As general advice, they also encourage tourists to keep family and traveling companions informed of travel plans back home, and even send GPS locations when separating from travel groups. Taking a photo of the taxi number and license plate and sending it to a friend is also recommended.

Travelers should exercise caution in bars, nightclubs, and casinos, and avoid dark and lonely roads, especially during nighttime.

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