Mexico for the wary: A guide to safe,popular travel spots
Scared of narco-terrorists?
So are we. But that doesn’t mean we’ve written off all of Mexico, where the ramped-up war against and between violent drug cartels has spooked many would-be visitors.
Border areas notwithstanding, “most of the country has a pretty low crime rate,” and tourists usually aren’t targets, notes international security expert Bruce McIndoe of iJET Travel Intelligence. “Yes, there’s room for collateral damage, but you can get struck by lightning, too.” Even the U.S. State Department, whose recently expanded cautions against non-essential travel to parts or all of 14 (out of 31) Mexican states, exempts most of the country’s marquee tourist spots — including eight standout locations as well as Mérida. Of Mérida, the newspaper said —
Mérida
This colonial city on the Yucatán Peninsula is the ideal spot from which to explore important Maya archaeological sites like Chichen Itza and Uxmal. The city has one of the largest historical centers in the Americas (next to Mexico City and Havana), and many of the Spanish colonial buildings from its wealthy past remain. (Look for carved Maya stones that were used in the construction of some.) Check into one of many small, elegant hotels downtown near the central square, or stay in the countryside at one of several
fabulously restored haciendas.
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