10 of the Most Dangerous Cities in Mexico to visit

Chivis Martinez Borderland Beat TYGus Source The travel

Mexico is a wonderful country to visit, but there are some areas of the country that aren't safe for visitors to take a trip to. It's always important to research your destination before you head out on a trip, but going to Mexico is a place that you really need to research.

To see 10 dangerous cities in Mexico you should avoid visiting, keep reading!

Ciudad Juárez is a city located in the northern part of Mexico, close to El Paso, Texas. This city is often simply referred to as Juárez and is definitely one of the first cities that many people think of when they think about Mexico.

The population in Juárez has grown pretty dramatically over the past couple decades but unfortunately, so has the crime rate. As Juárez becomes a bigger and bigger city, the crime rate in this city rises, too. The number of people whose lives have been taken in this city puts Juárez in the top 50 for the most dangerous and violent cities in the world.

Celaya is a city in Mexico that has been a fairly popular tourist destination in Mexico for quite some time. Unfortunately, crime has been on the rise in Celaya in recent years, causing this city to become less and less of a city that tourists should be putting on their travel bucket lists.

Although the more tourist-frequented areas in most cities in Mexico are relatively safe, there are still some cities that people should rethink visiting. Celaya is a city that has a lot of tourist destinations and hotels that draw in many visitors, but the crime rate in this city has been increasing lately and it makes it one many tourists choose to avoid.

For anyone that has traveled to Mexico or considered going there, including Acapulco on a list of cities in Mexico that are dangerous may seem unusual. Large parts of this city are incredibly safe and friendly to tourists! There are a lot of high-end resorts and hotels that make visiting this city a draw for people that want a luxurious vacation in Mexico.

But outside of those luxurious, tourist-oriented areas, Acapulco is a pretty dangerous city. Outside of the hotels and luxurious beaches, there's a lot of poverty and problems with the quality of life in this city, leading to an increase in crime. If you're visiting Acapulco, it's important not to wander too far from your resort.

Coatzacoalcos is a city on the coast of Mexico that is known for being the birthplace of actress Salma Hayek as well as a number of other notable people. This coastal city has a long history and a lot of unique places for people that want to experience the culture of Mexico to visit.

Despite the draws of the city, there are a lot of reasons that visitors should reconsider a visit to this port city. A large number of people who live in this city reported that they consider their city to be unsafe. Though this city may be good for a visit to see the coast and explore the city for a day, it's best not to stay too long.

Tepic is a historic Mexican city located in the western part of the country. Although this city may look like one that visitors from all over the world would want to visit in order to experience the rich history and see the colonial Spanish buildings, Tepic is one city to skip.

With a population of just over 500,000, there was enough dangerous crime happening that a warning was issued that people should avoid the area as much as possible. Although this was issued in 2017, crime is still a major concern in Tepic, causing many visitors to avoid this city at all costs.

Uruapan is a city in Mexico that was founded back in 1533. Because this city has been a part of Mexico for so long, there's definitely a lot of history here and it's an important part of the culture of Mexico. There are a lot of landmarks here that draw in people from all over the world.

Despite the fact that Uruapan is such an important historical and cultural part of Mexico's history, it's not necessarily one that visitors should be rushing to visit. Uruapan has been in the news in recent years because of a spike in cartel-related crime, causing tourists to be advised to steer clear of Uruapan.

Culiacán is a city located just inward from the Pacific coast of Mexico. This city draws in a lot of tourists because of the nearby beaches and hot springs and other tourist attractions like malls, parks, and water parks that are in the city. Even though there are a lot of things for tourists to do in Culiacán, it's still one that many visitors shy away from because of its reputation.

This city happens to be home to an incredibly powerful cartel and the crime related to this cartel calling Culiacán home has made people wary of the city. Although it's relatively safe to visit if you stay in the more tourist-friendly areas, it's not recommended to venture into the rest of the city.

Like Juárez, Tijuana is one of the first cities that many people think of when they think about Mexico. Tijuana is located right there at the border between the United States and Mexico and is a really busy border crossing.

Although Tijuana is definitely an interesting city and one that many people visit because of the fact that it's so close to US cities like San Diego, it's one that is still very dangerous. In 2019, OSAC gave Mexico a level 2 rating, meaning that visitors should exercise increased caution if they choose to visit this country and cited Tijuana as one of the cities that is the most dangerous.

Mazatlán is a coastal town in Mexico and is a really popular tourist destination. The fact that it's right on the beach and has aquariums, amusement parks, and tours around this historic city makes it one that many visitors put on their Mexico vacation bucket list.

Unfortunately, outside of the really popular tourist-friendly areas of the city, Mazatlán is a dangerous part of Mexico. There's been a spike in crime in the outer regions of this city recently and tourists are advised not to go out on the town at night because of it.

Irapuato is a city in Mexico that doesn't have quite as large of a population as some other cities in this country, but it's still one that has become known for being a relatively dangerous city. Many tourists are advised to be careful when visiting Irapuato because of the rise in crime in recent years.

Although the city had a fairly safe history, recent turf issues with rival cartel groups has made this city a fairly dangerous one, both for tourists and for locals. Even though there are a lot of tourist destinations in Irapuato like parks, zoos, and shopping centers, visitors are encouraged to be safe when visiting this city.

Chivis Note:

Whereas there may arguments about a city on the list or one that is not---it remains a list to add to other information and to do further research on places on the list that you may be considering visiting. 

The state department website warnings are a good place to begin.  Although the State Department tend to be conservative in determining which states to flag, by reading the reasons why the city is on the danger list is important.  Few cities have a blanket warning not to go, and will be rated for dangerous level.  These list are usually compiled by using data collected per capita.  And cities pertain to those most traveled by U.S. citizens.

In the  20 million visits by Americans each year,  less than 100 die by various  causes, mostly ODs and drownings.

Being informed or "know before you go" inducing the latest info about the area you are travelling. The State Department website is good, also fill out your itinerary for the consulate office closes to your travel.

The consulate is a good source of recent violence against Americans in the area you plan to travel. Avoid travel at night, and if you do travel at night stay within the resort area.

Always be aware of your surroundings, which includes don't get stupid drunk---stay in you hotel room if you want to just do that.

Use outside ATM’s with caution, a better bet is using one within a building or bank.

I also say if something looks 'off' react to it to be safe. That saved me, my best friend, her teen daughter and my assistant from being kidnapped in Nuevo Laredo.

Mexico is safe for Americans just be cautions. Resort areas and hotel zones  are the safest.

Another ting use toll roads----always.

There are certain states like Guerrero and cities check the state department website---that I would not travel to unless it is urgent or a city with  low level state department warning but also check surrounding cities.

Cancun has had a strong uptick in valence because or territorial warring, but almost all of the violence is away from the hotel zone and resort area.