Mexico for the wary: A guide to safe, popular travel spots – USATODAY.com
Scared of narco-terrorists? So are we.
But that doesn’t mean we’ve written off all of Mexico, where the ramped-up war against and between violent drug cartels has spooked many would-be visitors.
Border areas notwithstanding, “most of the country has a pretty low crime rate,” and tourists usually aren’t targets, notes international security expert Bruce McIndoe of iJET Travel Intelligence. “Yes, there’s room for collateral damage, but you can get struck by lightning, too.”
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Even the U.S. State Department, whose recently expanded warning cautions against non-essential travelto parts or all of 14 (out of 31) Mexican states, exempts most of the country’s marquee tourist spots — including this:
Riviera Nayarit
Stretching 100 miles along Mexico’s Pacific coast from Nuevo Vallarta north to San Blas, this region packs a lot of stylistic variety. Prefer all-inclusive chain hotels? Try Nuevo Vallarta. If money’s no object, slip inside the gated enclaves of Punta Mita. If you like water sports by day and watering holes by night, the town of Sayulita is your spot. If you’re seeking peace and quiet in an artsy village, check into one of San Francisco’s (aka San Pancho’s) small hotels. Beach options range from secluded, rocky coves to palm-fringed expanses flanked by the Sierra Madres.
