When the U.S. State Department issued its travel warning this week to places in Mexico we hadn’t heard of, we started thinking about everyone headed down to there to enjoy Spring Break.

At the time, we were unaware of that the White House officialluy recognizes Spring Break — but have since learned that it was proposed as a national holiday in 1996 under the Clinton Administration. Hillary Clinton, however, put the kibosh on that particular proposal.

Perhaps, now that Hillary Clinton is the head of the U.S. State Department that there are now so many warnings about Mexico coming out on a daily basis.

There’s even an official Spring Break warning page created by the State Department. Here are a few highlights (our comments are in italics).

SPRING BREAK IN MEXICO

Over 100,000 American teenagers and young adults travel to resort areas throughout Mexico over Spring Break each year.  While the vast majority enjoys their vacation without incident, several may die, hundreds will be arrested, and still more will make mistakes that could affect them for the rest of their lives.

We encourage all U.S. citizens to phone home periodically to assure family members of your safety and inform them of your whereabouts.  Call your parents, so they won’t call us.

Entry Requirements

Please see Mexico’s Country Specific Information for complete entry requirements.

Mexican Law

While traveling in Mexico, American citizens are subject to Mexican law.  Mexico is not Texas. If U.S. citizens find themselves in legal trouble, they should contact the closest U.S. Consulate, U.S. Consular Agency, or the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. U.S. Consular officials cannot arrange for Mexican officials to release detained American citizens.

Alcohol and Drugs

Excessive alcohol consumption and unruly behavior can lead to serious problems with Mexican authorities.  Alcohol is involved in the vast majority of arrests, accidents, violent crimes, rapes, and deaths suffered by American students on Spring Break. The fact that there is no drinking age in Mexico is why Spring Break takes place there. Don’t be a douche and drink too much.

Safety and Security

Standards of security, safety, and supervision may not reach the levels expected in the United States. This has contributed to the deaths of U.S. citizens in automobile accidents, after falls from balconies or into unmarked ditches, by drowning in the ocean as well as in hotel pools, and in water-sports mishaps, among others. We didn’t know that unmarked ditches was such a problem.

Warning flags on beaches should be taken seriously.  If black or red flags are up, do not enter the water.  Strong undertow and rough surf are common along beaches throughout Mexico, especially on the Pacific coast, and drownings have occurred when swimmers have been overwhelmed by conditions.  Swimming pool drain systems may not comply with U.S. safety standards and swimmers should exercise caution.  Do not swim in pools or at beaches without lifeguards.  Do not dive into unknown bodies of water, because hidden rocks or shallow depths can cause serious injury or death.  If you choose to swim, always exercise extreme caution.

Firearms and Knives

Really? You need to tell people to leave the guns at home?

Driving in Mexico

American citizens planning on driving to Mexico should carry a valid driver’s license at all times.  U.S. driver’s licenses are valid in Mexico.  Please be aware that if you are involved in an automobile accident, you will be taken into police custody until it is determined you are at fault and whether you have the ability to pay “any penalty,” which is also known in Mexico as a bribe.

Know Before You Go or Vacation and die

The following cities and areas are some traditional destinations in Mexico for travelers on Spring Break.  While other resort areas may not be as well-known for this type of travel, the advice contained here still applies:

Acapulco: Drug-related violence has been increasing in Acapulco.  Although this violence is not targeted at foreign residents or tourists, U.S. citizens in these areas should be vigilant in their personal safety.

Avoid swimming outside the bay area.  Several American citizens have died while swimming in rough surf at the Revolcadero Beach near Acapulco.

Cabo San Lucas: Beaches on the Pacific side of the Baja California Peninsula at Cabo San Lucas are dangerous due to rip tides and rogue waves; hazardous beaches in this area are clearly marked in English and Spanish.

Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel: Cancun is a fairly large city, approaching 500,000 inhabitants, with increasing reports of crime.  Crimes against the person, such as rape, commonly but not exclusively occur at night or in the early morning hours, and often involve alcohol and the nightclub environment.  Therefore, it is important to travel in pairs or groups, be aware of surroundings, and take general precautions.  To protect against property crimes, valuables should be left in a safe place or not brought at all.  If you are a victim of a crime, immediately notify the U.S. Consular Agency in Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Cozumel or the U.S. Consulate in Merida at the telephone numbers provided below.

If you rent a moped or other vehicle in Cancun, it is advisable to purchase third-party insurance, as the insurance offered on some credit cards will not cover you in Mexico.  Should you have an accident or cause damage to the vehicle, you may be required to pay the full amount of any repairs, in cash, as determined by the rental agency, or face arrest.

In Cancun, there is often a very strong undertow along the beach from the Hyatt Regency all the way south to Club Med.  Already this season, several U.S. citizens have drowned when overwhelmed by ocean conditions.    In Cozumel, several drownings and near-drownings have been reported on the east coast, particularly in the Playa San Martin-Chen Rio area.

Matamoros/South Padre Island: The Mexican border cities of Matamoros and Nuevo Progresso are located 30 to 45 minutes south of the major Spring Break destination of South Padre Island, Texas.  Travelers to the Mexican border should be especially aware of safety and security concerns due to increased violence in recent years between rival drug trafficking gangs competing for control of narcotics smuggling routes.

Mazatlan: While the beach town of Mazatlan is a relatively safe place to visit, travelers should use common sense and exercise normal precautions when visiting an unfamiliar location.  Avoid walking the streets alone after dark, when petty crimes are much more common.  Beaches can have very strong undertows and rogue waves.  Rogue waves?

Nogales/Sonora: Puerto Peñasco, a.k.a. “Rocky Point,” is located in northern Sonora, 60 miles from the U.S. border, and is accessible by car.  The majority of accidents that occur at this Spring Break destination are caused by individuals driving under the influence of alcohol.

Oaxaca City: There have been ongoing demonstrations and protests in Oaxaca City due to civil unrest since June 2006.  Several groups have engaged in violent demonstrations in Oaxaca City, which resulted in the death of an American citizen in October 2006.

Oaxaca (coastal): There have been a number of drownings along the beaches of the southern coast of Oaxaca, namely Zipolite Beach.  Professional lifeguard training has contributed to a drop in fatalities, but swimmers are advised that currents can quickly become treacherous, even for accomplished swimmers.

Tijuana: Tijuana has one of the busiest land border crossings in the world.  The beach towns of Rosarito and Ensenada also attract a large number of tourists.  Drinking alcoholic beverages excessively on a public street is prohibited.

Tijuana boasts a large number of pharmacies; to buy any controlled medication (e.g. Valium, Vicodin, Placidyl, Morphine, Demorol, and Ativan, etc), a prescription from a Mexican federally registered physician is required. This law is loosely enforced.

Register with the Embassy or Consulates

You can register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site. We don’t know anyone who has ever done this.

Additional Information: Travelers going to Mexico over Spring Break should refer to the Department of State’s Country Specific Information for Mexico, the publication Tips for Student Travelers, and the publication Help for American Victims of Crime Overseas.

Contact Information: In case of a serious emergency, travelers should immediately contact the closest U.S. Consulate, U.S. Consular Agency, or the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.

The U.S. Embassy is located in Mexico City at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, telephone from the United States: 011-52-55-5080-2000; telephone within Mexico City: 5080-2000; telephone long distance within Mexico 01-55-5080-2000.  You may also contact the Embassy by e-mail at: ccs@usembassy.net.mx.  The Embassy’s Internet address is http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/.

Consulates General and Consulates:

• Ciudad Juarez : Ciudad Juarez: Paseo de la Victoria #3650, telephone (52) (656) 227-3000.
• Guadalajara: Progreso 175, telephone (52)(333) 268-2100.
• Monterrey: Avenida Constitucion 411 Poniente, telephone (52)(818) 047-3100.
• Tijuana: Tapachula 96, telephone (52)(664) 622-7400. During non-work hours, an American official may be reached at: 011-619-692-2154 (from Mexico) or 619-692-2154 (from the U.S.).
• Hermosillo: Avenida Monterrey 141, telephone (52)(662) 289-3500.
• Matamoros: Avenida Primera 2002, telephone (52)(868) 812-4402.
• Merida: 338-K Calle 60, Colonia Alcala Martin, telephone (52)(999) 942-5700.
• Nogales: Calle San Jose, Nogales, Sonora, telephone (52)(631) 311-8150.
• Nuevo Laredo: Calle Allende 3330, Col. Jardin, telephone (52)(867) 714-0512.

Consular Agencies:

• Acapulco: Hotel Continental Emporio, Costera Miguel Aleman 121 – Local 14, telephone (52)(744) 484-0300 or (52)(744) 469-0556.
• Cabo San Lucas: Blvd. Marina Local C-4, Plaza Nautica, Col. Centro, telephone (52)(624) 143-3566.
• Cancún: Plaza Caracol Two, Second Level, No. 320-323, Boulevard Kukulcan, Km. 8.5, Zona Hotelera, telephone (52)(998) 883-0272.
• Ciudad Acuña, Ocampo # 305, Col. Centro, telephone (52)(877) 772-8661
• Cozumel: Plaza Villa Mar en El Centro, Plaza Principal, (Parque Juárez between Melgar and 5th Ave.) 2nd floor, Locales #8 and 9, telephone (52)(987) 872-4574.
• Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo: Hotel Fontan, Blvd. Ixtapa, telephone (52)(755) 553-2100.
• Mazatlán: Hotel Playa Mazatlán, Playa Gaviotas #202, Zona Dorada, telephone (52)(669) 916-5889.
• Oaxaca: Macedonio Alcalá No. 407, Interior 20, telephone (52)(951) 514-3054 (52)(951) 516-2853.
• Piedras Negras: Prol. General Cepeda No. 1900, Fraccionamiento Privada Blanca, telephone (52) (878) 785-1986.
• Playa del Carmen: The Palapa, Calle 1 Sur, between Avenida 15 and Avenida 20.; telephone (52)(984) 873-0303.
• Puerto Vallarta: Paseo de Los Cocoteros #85 Sur, Paradise Plaza – Local L-7, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit C.P. 63732, telephone (52)(322) 222-0069.
• Reynosa: Calle Monterrey #390, Esq. Sinaloa, Colonia Rodríguez, telephone: (52)(899) 923 – 9331
• San Luis Potosí: Edificio “Las Terrazas”, Avenida Venustiano Carranza 2076-41, Col. Polanco, telephone: (52)(444) 811-7802/7803.
• San Miguel de Allende: Dr. Hernandez Macias #72, telephone (52)(415) 152-2357 or (52)(415) 152-0068.

Related posts:

1. Jamaica dangerous (again) warns US
2. Same as it ever was: Mexico dangerous again for Americans
3. Top 10 Spring Break Destinations
4. U.S. issues travel warnings for more “hot spots” in Mexico
5. Is Mexico Safe?

Tags: Mexico, rules, Spring Break, U.S. State Department, warnings