Puerat Vallarta... wow

[kien]

Originally Posted by jorjef

I blame the media, they have a way of sucking the life out of everything...

and the internets

[riceboy]

i wish i saw all the fish your describing of lol i was just there about a week ago, but couldn't see any fish since i can't swim lol

[Gripenfelter]

Originally Posted by unclesalty

I picked Cuba for my trip as I didn't have the balls to go to Mexico these days!

I have two clients who had horrible experiences in Mexico.

One couple was picked up by the Federalis and basically mugged. They let the husband walk back to the resort but 3 officers raped his wife before they let her go.

Another couple's daughter was kidnapped out of her hotel room and never seen again.

[ScubaSteve]

PV blew me away as well for diving. I went snorkeling around Los Arcos and came across a manta the was 16ft across. The manta actually swam with me for about 15-20 minutes, just playing in the water and even let me touch. Definitely one of THE coolest diving experiences I've had. There are some reefs just south of Playa de Los Animas that were completely untouched. Los Animas is a beach that is a 20-30 min boat ride from Boca de Tomatlan (just ask a fisherman to take you there... I think I paid him 30 pesos). I even camped out on the beach! Bloody awesome!

Now, as for the safety of Mexico, some areas are sketchy but Mexicans for the most part are some of the nicest people I've met. If you go in there with a warm attitude and make attempts to respect the language and customs, they'll treat you like one of their own. When I backpacked through Mexico, more often than not I stayed with random people I met than at hotels because everyone was so nice and wanted to learn as much about me as I did about them. But if you are the typical tourist who goes in there waving cash, disrespecting the culture, expecting them to speak YOUR language and generally looking down on people you're are asking for trouble.

That being said, bad things can and do happen when traveling. Having traveled worldwide, I've come across some crazy stuff. I've had friends kidnapped; I've been shot at, almost blown up, woken up in the middle of a border skirmish, held up and scammed (but that's half the fun). Oddly enough, most of the horror stories I've heard from other travelers (when I was abroad) about being mugged, robbed or otherwise abused happened right here in Vancouver and Whistler (Vietnam was a close second). As soon as you are out of your element, you're at risk.

[spawn]

What???
I've never been to the pacific yet & don't have the desire to go there, as I grew up on the west coast. That being said, I've been to the Mayan several times stayed on 8 ave in playa, That's 3 blocks north of the strip in a house. One night we heard the federally s beating up some crook outside. I stayed all over playa for a month & drank my face off walked every where without issue.
I've stayed in the middle of havana in casa particulars & walked allover downtown drinking every night. Same in Dominican, same in jamaica, even went to beach reggae party way far from the resort, lots of "stuff" goes on every where, & the best jerk chicken ever, "Street meat is king" but like other said if your smart you should be alright. We're going to the Dominican again in march or april for 2-3 weeks & just staying @ a buddy's in sosua.

Originally Posted by Gripenfelter

I have two clients who had horrible experiences in Mexico.

One couple was picked up by the Federalis and basically mugged. They let the husband walk back to the resort but 3 officers raped his wife before they let her go.

Another couple's daughter was kidnapped out of her hotel room and never seen again.