Travel safety
Is Mexico safe to visit?
The places most UK visitors go, including Cancún, Tulum, Mexico City, Oaxaca and the Yucatán, are outside every FCDO warning zone. The warnings cover cartel country in the north and west. The real risks in the resorts are theft, spiked drinks and some areas after dark.
- Safe
- Avoid
- Essential only
- Never travel
Mexico's reputation comes from its cartel violence, and the numbers behind it are grim. But that violence is concentrated. It clusters along trafficking routes in states like Guerrero, Michoacán and Tamaulipas, which most holidaymakers never pass through.
The FCDO currently lists no Mexican state under 'advise against all travel'. Instead it marks specific states and parts of states as 'all but essential travel', and carves out exceptions for cities like Mazatlán and Morelia.
Mexico region by region
The FCDO draws its lines at state or town level. Here are the areas UK travellers most often ask about.
- Cancún, Tulum & Riviera MayaSafe
No FCDO warning. Gangs have clashed in Cancún, and the FCDO asks visitors to be very cautious after dark in downtown Cancún, Tulum and Playa del Carmen. Stay on well-lit streets and in the hotel zones.
- Mexico CitySafe
No regional warning. Petty theft and phone snatching are the main issues. Use app taxis rather than hailing one on the street.
- Yucatán, Oaxaca & Chiapas highlandsSafe
No warning for Mérida, Oaxaca city or San Cristóbal. Chiapas has a warning only within 40km of the Guatemalan border and on Highway 199 near Palenque.
- Los Cabos (Baja California Sur)Avoid
No formal warning, but the FCDO notes drug-related crime in the state. The resort strip itself is busy and well policed.
- Tijuana & TecateEssential only
Essential travel only, except for airport transit and the Cross Border Xpress bridge.
- Guerrero, including AcapulcoEssential only
The whole state is essential travel only, except Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa if you fly in.
- Michoacán, Colima, Zacatecas, TamaulipasEssential only
Essential travel only across most of each state, with listed exceptions such as Morelia, Pátzcuaro and Manzanillo.
- Sinaloa & ChihuahuaEssential only
Essential travel only, except listed places including Mazatlán, Los Mochis, Chihuahua city and the Copper Canyon railway.
What actually goes wrong for visitors
The FCDO's list of problems in the resorts is more mundane than cartel violence, and more likely to affect you:
- Drink spiking and tainted alcohol, sometimes followed by robbery or assault.
- Express kidnapping. You are driven between ATMs and forced to withdraw cash, usually after getting into an unlicensed taxi.
- Fake police, especially targeting hire cars. Ask for ID and a written fine, and never hand over your passport.
- 'Virtual kidnapping' phone calls claiming a relative has been taken. Hang up and call the person directly.
- Taxi disputes near Cancún. Licensed drivers have blocked roads to stop Uber pick-ups, and some tourists have missed flights.
Driving and getting around
Toll roads (cuota) are faster and generally safer than free roads (libre). Avoid driving between cities at night. If you are touring the Yucatán by hire car, the main toll roads between Cancún, Valladolid and Mérida are well used. Fuel up in towns rather than at isolated stations.
Before you go
- Use authorised 'sitio' taxis, hotel cars or pre-paid airport taxis.
- Take cash out from ATMs inside shops or malls in daylight.
- Keep your passport in the hotel safe and carry a photocopy.
- Save 911 as the emergency number.
Official advice: FCDO travel advice for Mexico
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