Tourists shun crime-hit Mexico beaches

[Flashermac]

PLAYAS DE ROSARITO, Mexico - Assaults on American tourists have brought hard times to hotels and restaurants that dot Mexican beaches just south of the border from San Diego.

 

Surfers and kayakers are frightened to hit the waters of the northern stretch of Mexico's Baja California peninsula, long popular as a weekend destination for U.S. tourists. Weddings have been canceled. Lobster joints a few steps from the Pacific were almost empty on the usually busy New Year's weekend.

 

Americans have long tolerated shakedowns by police who boost salaries by pulling over motorists for alleged traffic violations, and tourists know parts of Baja are a hotbed of drug-related violence. But a handful of attacks since summer by masked, armed bandits â?? some of whom used flashing lights to appear like police â?? marks a new extreme that has spooked even longtime visitors.

 

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[cavanami]

I used to take the San Diego trolley to the border, then the bus to the Tijuana bus station and then the bus to Rosarita.

Made for a nice day out.

 

You could get beer and lobster for under $10 USD :grin:

 

Another sign of the times we live in!

[Steve]

I think tourism is the 3rd largest source of income to Mexico. A warning to any place that relies heavily on tourism. Get your sh*t in order or lose money.

 

NYC cleaned up Times Square and it now attracts a lot of tourists. Los Angeles did the same with Hollywood Blvd and it was always well known that if gangbangers came within sniffing distance of parts of Santa Monica they would be stopped, harrassed on sight and made to feel unwelcome.

 

With all the news of farang related assaults in Thailand one has to wonder if the trend increases if it will have any affect?

[Bangkoktraveler]

Surprise Mexico is so bad considering they have one of the toughtest gun controls i the world.

[Flashermac]

Knives were long the weapon of choice in Mexico and it was considered sort of cowardly to use a pistol. Where the American old west had its gunfights and gunfighters, Mexico had famous knife fighters. Looks like things have changed.