Baja Mexico Suggestions

[W5CI]

Have you not heard about all of the Kidnappings and Murders of tourist going into Mexico. If you do decide to go please make your final arrangements ahead of time, OH and Texas has a warning for NO One to enter Mexico

[Cthecountry]

Take a gun and learn Spanish
HAPPY Trails

[PeterFTH]

I wouldn’t go into Mexico on a bicycle let alone a very expensive motorhome that would make you a target for just about anybody in a lawless nation like Mexico. There are plenty of places in the United States. There’s even Canada, but you can’t bring a gun in there.

[Mr Ted]

Originally Posted by Globeflyer2

9-1-1 works in Mexico too.

Yes, And police are only Minutes away... But, You only have seconds.....:(

[laprez]

Originally Posted by Bobby F

How does the January weather down there compare to the SW AZ desert? I'm feeling the need for more warmth next year.

Baja is a popular snow bird destination. Especially Canadians. San Felipe, Mulege, Loreto, La Paz and Los Barriles all have RV parks. There are also boondocking opportunities along beaches to check out.

Don't forget the whales - awesome experience.

[laprez]

Originally Posted by troberts23

Unless one is willing to lose EVERYTHING you take in (like in a high stakes poker game), don't go. It's too risky nowadays and there are lots of great places to travel in the US and Canada. Good luck!

Sorry, but there is nothing in the US or Canada that compares to the Baja experience. Yes, there is a risk, which is why a lot of folks go in groups.

[Bobby F]

Originally Posted by PeterFTH

. . .a lawless nation like Mexico.

From a quick Google:

Murders per 100,000 residents from recent data:

Mexico - 26.6
St. Louis, MO - 88.1
New Orleans - 51.0
Detroit, MI - 49.7
Trenton, NJ - 48.2
Baton Rouge, LA - 46.5
Chicago, IL - 28.6
Washington DC - 27.8

These are just a few random examples. Looks like there are 36-40 large American cities with worse murder rates than Mexico.

[laprez]

Originally Posted by dougsmith51

We are thinking of traveling the Baja peninsula next January. Seeking suggestions on good guidebooks or sites about RVing there. Also looking for suggestions on joining a caravan there - things are a bit uncertain with Mexican crime at the moment. Thanks in advance for your help!

We went 4 years ago and LOVED it. Where else can you pet a whale - seriously. And the scenery and people were fabulous. You have been given a lot of info, but can also just google RV Baja. We went with Baja Winter tour group, and would again, but not sure if they are still touring. Another group tour to look into would be Baja Amigos - popular Canadian group. If you don't want to spend the money, you can join a private group - someone already gave the details. As first timers, I would recommend going in some kind of group.

One thing about safety - Highway 1 is extremely busy. It will not be like you are on some vacant road all by yourself. There are trucks, buses and lots of other gringos heading south and north. In fact, the traffic is sort of a negative - since everyone wanted to pass us. Our tourmaster would let us know if the road was clear ahead, and we would put our left blinker on, to let the folks behind us pass. One amazing thing was that we saw zero accidents.

Anyways, good luck

[SergioP]

Originally Posted by Cthecountry

Take a gun and learn Spanish
HAPPY Trails

To legally bring a gun into Mexico you need to apply for a permit from the secretary of national defense. Unless you want to risk up to 5 years in Mexican prison for illegal firearms possession.

Even if you get the permit, what happens if you have to shoot someone in self defense? Welcome to the Mexican judicial system.

[Cthecountry]

Originally Posted by SergioP

To legally bring a gun into Mexico you need to apply for a permit from the secretary of national defense. Unless you want to risk up to 5 years in Mexican prison for illegal firearms possession.

Even if you get the permit, what happens if you have to shoot someone in self defense? Welcome to the Mexican judicial system.

Lol I was just thinking out loud about bring a gun.
Anyone thinking about bring a gun to Mexico I would think they would check in to the laws rules ect.
Heck if you run over a chicken and get caught you go to jail .
AT THE LEAST LEARN SPAINISH
Happy Trails

[ikoolu]

yea take your shinny rv that just spits out money to a criminal state and wonder why you had issues! TJ is in Baja as well as Cobo, San Felipe and other areas that have had issues.
No way i would go down there - i would rather spend my money here in the US.

[Telephonebil]

I stopped going years ago. Good luck on calling cops for help. They are the ones to look out for. Their motto is pay the fine here in cash or go to jail. The amount of the fine is the amount in your wallet. Keep small amount of $$ in your pocket and hide the rest. My advice is DONT GO TO MEX.

[radar]

Take the time to grab the latest guide books for the Baja. There is a ton of stuff to see and the small towns are fun. Consider making your first longer stay in mulege as there is some interesting history there. After that there are a ton of good beach camping spots. All are well serviced by the locals in regards to fresh water delivery, groceries. Fill up on propane every time you have the opportunity as there are stretches where it’s tougher to find. It’s hard to get lost on that route but the police are helpful in getting you back on track. If you don’t speak Spanish then pay exact amounts in cash for gas as it removes any possibility of confusion. Credit cards work in bigger centres. You will see mostly Canadians along the way as Americans seem to have some sort of phobia about Mexico. Security is fine. Just use your head for more than a hat rack. Generally speaking we are always nervous transiting the US but once we are 50 kilometers south of the American border we relax somewhat.

This one is important. WATCH FOR LIVESTOCK ON THE ROAD. This is a common problem in the Baja as fences are not always a thing. This is especially a problem at night. Careful.

Enjoy your trip. Beautiful country, super nice family oriented culture and very interesting history. Go build some memories.

[Monkey Run]

Originally Posted by outlawten5

But they said they were sorry.

As did Beetlejuice