Thailand is what you want. Maybe Japan too.Originally Posted by Warped Mindless
Mexico? There's nothing good in Mexico that isn't better in Thailand, Hawaii, Caribbean, Keys, Virgin Islands, etc - and there's a hell of a lot more that's MUCH worse.
Thailand is what you want. Maybe Japan too.
Mexico? There's nothing good in Mexico that isn't better in Thailand, Hawaii, Caribbean, Keys, Virgin Islands, etc - and there's a hell of a lot more that's MUCH worse.
Wife and I thought about Mexico last year. It’d kinda be nice to see my family on that side of the border, but it is just too dangerous.
We flew to the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana, specifically, and had a great time. So much better than anywhere south of the border. Unless you just want to go to TJ for the wildlife...(I need a puke emoji).
My next big trip will be Kenya next year. I was supposed to go to Prague and Brisbane this year, but it’s just not in the cards for me.
I took my parents to Mexico last October which, if you knew my dad, was an unbelievable occurrence. He was shocked by how much he liked it, and my mom can’t wait to go back.
Mexico is culture of corruption, and it’s not in the same realm safety wise as where I live. However, with a little bit of common sense and planning, you can have a good and safe time.
Of course I used to storm chase, enjoy remote solo travel and love adventure. Maybe my view is svrewed up. Lol
Last edited by TheNewbie; 02-19-2019 at 12:17 AM.
I travel to Cancun frequently for work, and have never felt threatened in the tourist area. The customer service at the restaurants and hotels have exceeded my expectations, and the service blows away most stateside hotels.
The Marriott and JW Marriott would be my picks for a Cancun vacation. All Inclusive hotels are convenient, but I find the food at those resorts to be hit or miss. The Food at the Marriott and JW is fantastic, and I have not had a bad meal there. You are a quick cab ride from the hotel zone bars, and Aquaworld across the street can handle any excursions you desire. There are several good restaurants near the hotels if you want to escape the hotel.
If you want something more exotic on the Gulf side of Mexico, then Cozumel would be my pick.
Good luck in your search!
Last edited by Guinnessman; 02-19-2019 at 09:30 AM.
I’d think twice or three times about Cancun - https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&sour...50674456040679
Just two days ago, five killed in a bar about 4-miles from the hotel zone. I do not view Cancun as safe at all. And my contacts nearby indicate that violence is at an all time high in the area. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them stopping and robbing tourist buses soon, like they do in El Salvador.
If one wishes to visit the Carribbean, stick to the islands that have stable political regimes and minimal drug trafficking associated with them.
I really wish Mexico was stable enough to be the North American Spain. It's a bummer that'd require finding all the drug users in the US and putting a bullet through them to erase the customer base keeping the chaos afloat.
Semper Gumby, Always Flexible
While I'd love that solution with the addendum of getting to put down the suppliers too...
The reality is, Mexico is already the North American Spain, nice beaches and a relatively laid back culture, surrounded by a core of corruption and economic mismanagement.
The problem is, like many places, what does Mexico have to offer, resource wise, besides cheap labor? The most lucrative industry is drug dealing, because it's one of the easiest to maintain. This is the problem that Mexico has had for 150 years. Once the silver was extracted from the mountains and more fertile growing lands were found elsewhere, it became a critical shipping port, until some jackass built the Panama Canal. And that's it.
Today it's: Tequila, Donkey Shows, and Drugs - that's Mexico.
I love Mexico, I really do. There is a vibrant and stabby culture hidden in there, with a depth and beauty uniquely its own. But Mexico as a country is kind of fucked from several perspectives. First, roughly 2/3rds of its largest geographic area lies in the desert. No water = nada. Farther south you go, it becomes crowded, infrastructurally unsound, and politically corrupt to the core. A country founded on exploitation can only go so far, before it has to reinvent itself and unfortunately, Mexico has not had the ability to do so.
In order to bring Mexico up to 21st century standards, it needs something to offer the world besides cocaine and tequila. I really hate to say it, but what Mexico needs more so than just about anything is an injection of foreign investment capital that doesn't go through the state. That's difficult, because Mexico's biggest offering (oil and gas) goes through state-owned PEMEX. But if the Chinese invest like they are threatening to (i.e., build manufacturing facilities in Mexico to target North American markets) it could be precisely what they need.
Dealing with the cartels is a problem, that is, frankly, not going to be resolved by a government. I'm hardly an advocate for private companies hiring mercenaries and being granted freedom to run through the countryside executing those who interfere with legitimate businesses, but what the fuck else are they going to do? The government is too slow to adapt and PMCs can adapt to insurgencies much more rapidly than any government can. The Mexican government cannot really afford the manpower to resolve their cartel problems, but Chinese, American, and Russian billionaires can...All it takes is some tax cuts and a handshake agreement. Of course the human rights people won't like it, but they don't like anything and I'd like to go visit my family someday, before they or I, am dead.
Read the Ellefritz link for when things go right, and Ed's Manifesto for when they don't.
"Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA
Beware of my temper, and the dog that I've found...
We did Playa del Carmen last September and had a good time. We rented a house just off the beach in a nice neighborhood. There were 8 of us and we pretty much stayed together, didn’t drink much in public and stayed out of clubs and bars. We walked all over the city during the day and never felt in danger.
We get the same feedback from my wife's family down there.
Reply With Quote
