Written by Mexico Program Director Sam Mebane
As the Mexico Program Director here at Yellow Dog, one question I deal with on a regular basis is, “Is it safe to travel to Mexico?” This is a perfectly reasonable question to ask, as Mexico does seem to make headlines regularly for a variety of reasons. The reality, however, is that overall, Mexico is a very safe destination, especially if you are traveling to specific areas and behaving safely and reasonably as a visitor! If you are someone who may be “on the fence” when it comes to traveling in Mexico, I would encourage you to read on and learn more about the realities of visiting – and fishing – this amazing country.
Almost all of the fishing operations that we book in Mexico are found on the Yucatan Peninsula – a region in the far southern reaches of Mexico that comprises the Mexican states of Yucatan, Quintana Roo, and Campeche. According to the US State Department, this area sits at a Level 2 travel advisory – in the same level and category of more than 70 other countries including France, Costa Rica, the UK, Italy, and Germany. Mexico (like the US) is a massive country, and while there are indeed some parts of the country that are considered dangerous or unpredictable, the Yucatan Peninsula is a part of the country that we consider very safe and stable. Think of Mexico as you would the U.S. Would you avoid a summer trip to Montana or Wyoming because of the overall crime and violence situation in Chicago or Detroit? In that context, it seems silly to dismiss an “entire country,” and the same logic should be applied when considering a vacation to southern Mexico and the Yucatan.
A big part of my job as the Mexico program director here at Yellow Dog involves traveling to Mexico 2-to-3 times a year for visitations, research, or when hosting group trips. In my experience, I can confidently say that I have felt safer traveling around southern Mexico than I do when visiting most large cities in the United States. One big reason is I always have a plan in place when I travel to Mexico – the same thing we create for each and every one of our travelers who visit the country. Just like anywhere, you can find trouble in Mexico if you look for it, but, if you stick to your trip itinerary and focus on the fishing, you should never have an issue. A Yellow Dog client who recently returned from a fishing trip to Campeche told me, “We felt absolutely safe the whole trip and had zero concerns about staying in Campeche.” This group had a well-planned itinerary with Yellow Dog, and they had zero issues because they stuck to the program.
According to the CDC, there were 48,830 gun-related deaths in the US in 2021. That is an average of 135 shootings in the U.S. per day for the entire year. But while those numbers are incredibly high, no one really thinks about these statistics when traveling domestically. The media does an impressive job when it comes to portraying Mexico as a dangerous destination, but there’s a HUGE difference in safety depending on where in Mexico you’re talking about. The biggest areas of concern in the country (and the places you most often hear about in the news) are in the northern parts of the country. To put it in perspective, the distance from these border areas, to the areas we fish is the equivalent distance from Austin, Texas to Chicago. Dismissing an entire country and not wanting to travel to the Yucatan because of the situation in northern Mexico is just like saying “I’d rather not fish in Montana because the crime in Los Angeles is concerning …” Miguel Encalada, the owner and operator of Yellow Dog affiliate Fin Chasers (north of Cancun), said, “I grew up in Cancun and have spent my entire life in Mexico. I have raised my family here and wouldn’t want them to grow up anywhere else. Our part of Mexico is incredibly safe, and it is unfortunate how often the media blows things out of proportion.”
Yellow Dog sends close to 1000 anglers a year to Mexico, and we have been booking and working in these areas for more than 20 years. We would not represent, promote, or sell a destination unless we believed it to be safe, fun, secure, and productive, and we wholeheartedly believe that if you travel smart and make good decisions (no matter where in the world you are visiting!) that in the end you will be just fine. Mexico is a country that is alive with history, unique culture, and of course incredible saltwater fishing. And as the country in Latin America with the highest volume of tourism, it is still very safe in most parts of the country.
It is important to remember that travel – in general – opens your eyes and helps you to become a much more well-rounded person. Travel helps you learn who you are, and it gives you new perspectives on life that can only be found on the road - visiting (and fishing) new places. While we certainly would never downplay anyone’s fears or talk someone into visiting an area they’re uncomfortable with, we also believe that safety ultimately comes down to making smart decisions – no matter where in the world you are traveling. At the end of the day, the decision to travel to Mexico is yours to make, but if you are someone who appreciates high levels of service and hospitality, ease of access from the U.S., high-value price points, and incredible saltwater fishing opportunities for permit, tarpon, bonefish, and more, then Mexico may be the place for you!
