Safest route through Mexico

[ohmydarlingcharlie]

Hello Horizon Unlimited,

First post. I'm from Northern Canada and starting my overland trip to South America in March 2015 in an 82 Westy. The Westfalia is currently in California.
Any advice for Mexico. I plan on going down the Baja and crossing over to Mazatlan and heading to Sayulita before continuing south.
What is the safest route through Mexico? Any areas to avoid?

Thanks

[Sjoerd Bakker]

MEXICO is safe enough pretty well all over if you keep your VW on paved roads and stay informed with the news as to possible demonstrations and road blockages. There may be localized flare ups of drug related violence but they are fleeting events , watch the news reports, and steer around such areas if they are in your travel window. After a time such areas settle back to normal.
No matter where you go you will travel through parts which were in the news at some time. But that is old news.

Trying to map out a " safe" route is futile . " Safe"'is a highly subjective assessment . If you are a worry wart then you might consider all of MEXICO and the USA as " unsafe".
Areas to avoid are bars, booze halls , drug vendors and the dark back corners of big cities after 9 pm .
Do not go hiking off road into "farm fields" in regions known for drug cultivation.
If you drive through such areas mind your own business and wave friendly
at the " farm workers" , don't need to get chummy but neither come across
as some undercover drug buyer or DEA agent.

[Tiffany]

I've crossed through Baja twice solo by bike and never had any problems, I've also crossed south from Nogales via Ciudad Obregon (I was meeting someone there) again without problem but later found out it was a dodgy area.
I really like Baja and so would choose that route - has anyone had problems in Baja?

Further south, I'd been told to be careful in Chiapas, but it was fine, though I have to admit there was an armed gunman guarding my tent one night (the locals insisted )

So often it seems to be down to timing and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[MikeMike]

The situation in Mexico, from one who actually lives here full time, is that it is extremely fluid these days.
Michoacan is heating up, again.
Oaxaca is heating up, again.
Chiapas is heating up, again.
What does this mean to someone traveling overland in a VW van?
Absolutely nothing.
What does it mean to the average overland traveler?
Absolutely nothing, as you likely don't understand what is happening and who the players are, anyways.
Unless you plan on taking your VW van off road on brechas and into remote areas, you will be absolutely fine. Practice the same precautions you would in Detroit or Ferguson. See a demonstration? Don't allow yourself to get involved. Go wandering around lost in an urban area late at night? Expect to be noticed.
Keep the van dirty, lock it up, enjoy a country that is in the throes of trying to make itself a better place. Since you're dropping down via the Pacific side, the usual cautions about Tamaulipas and northern Veracruz don't apply.
Some new German friends of mine have been staying at Overland Oasis in Oaxaca, look it up and maybe you'll find a good fit and enjoy a stay there.

[Tofel]

I stayed in Acapulco for one month this November, my girlfriend stayed there 3 months (we rented a house in La Caleta) and neither of us had any worrying/unplesent situations, no cut off heads on the pavement. Take the normal precautions and you'll be fine.

As for the route, we're leaving California this Friday and aiming at driving through Mexico in 4-6 months. We'll start @ Baja, then probably take a ferry to Mazatlan and continue along the shore until Acapulco, then head North to Mexico City and Pico de Orizaba only to come back later to Oaxaca (Puerto Escondido), then continue to Chiapas, Yucatan and eventually to Guatemala or Belize.

If you wanna have any news from that very road (or whatever other we'll decide to take) I can post something here from time to time or just pm me for a news batch.

Cheers!

[ohmydarlingcharlie]

Thanks guys for your input.
@Tofel Ill make sure to contact you since we are doing the same route. Thanks for breaking trail.

[juanvaldez650]

I did about 5,000 miles in Mexico in the last month. Probably safest routes are cuotas. I didn't have any problems at all. I even had to ride a little at night . . . wouldn't recommend it.

[Surfy]

Dont forget to feed the iOverlander Database:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...hone-app-78384



Surfy

[Hemuli]

Currently in Tulum, Mexico.
Crossed from Nogales, then Hermosillo, Creel etc via Guadalajara, Teotihuacan, Oaxaca to Yucatan.

No problems anywhere. Riding only during the daytime.
Copper Canyon area could have some armed guards here and there, but just wave and smile to them, they are not interested of tourists.

[VicMitch]

I rode all over Mexico including Michoacan on a big yellow bike with a very loud exhaust. Never went on a Cuota road and never had any trouble. Whenever a place looked dicey, I kept going. Mexico will be the highlight of the first half of your trip, immerse yourself in it. you will be rewarded.


Mitch
Off to Meet the Jews in LA then Mexico - ADVrider

[Timferret]

Hi,

My girlfriend and I are trundling through Mexico on 250's.

We crossed from La Paz to Mazatlan in November and have followed a route down through Sayulita, Puerta Vallarta, Guadalajuara, Guanajuato, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Palenque and we're currently in Campeche.

We've followed the usual precautions and it's all been fine so far.

Tim.