State of Baja safety???

[Mike Morgan]

Hey Guys - Just a quick discussion i wanted to open up as i've seen some threads on here about guys doing recent trips to baja etc...

I myself have been traveling there for close to 10 years now and have camped all over the coast past Ensenada and its always been one of my most favorite get-away/surf trips. So I'm sure most or at least some of you are aware of the recent horror stories happening down there with robberies and car jackings etc against tourists, surfers etc. you get the jist. If you're not familiar you can catch up on a few articles on surfline.com (they've done a few pieces regarding this issue)

After reading many of these stories i myself have even been dismayed on the idea of traveling down there just for the plane reason i dont feel safe and out of all the places i've ever traveled (africa,asia, central america) I know how helpless you can be down there when put in a bad situation...

On the flip side however, I keep hearing about people going down there on fishing trips, trips to rosarito, and to various parts in baja norte. So i guess i am just wondering whats the deal? Theres nothing that i would like more than to have baja opened back up as an option for me to runaway too. But i'm still just so unsure of what to expect down there.

Now before everyone starts chiming in with the do's and dont's and how to operate. Save yourself the carpal-tunnel and dont give me a lecture.

I know that most of these crimes have occurred in tj and basically places before the start of the toll road and the more i've read into these stories it seems like there is a pattern of crossing the boarded between 12am and 5am while it was dark. Driving expensive trucks trailering ski's or having a bunch of boards on your roof. Basically just standing out. My philosophy has always been to blend in and keep a low profile.

Just wanted to see what some recent boarder hoppers have to say about their trip and how the state of baja was?

Thanks,

Mike

[kgdesmet]

My friend and I were discussing a possible Baja trip around Thanksgiving. He mentioned we should look into renting a car at the boarder and leave ours in the US. This way we would have Mexican license plates and if something happens to the car hey its not ours and of course we'd buy the extra insurance. Any opinions on this?

In response to safety, I'm sure there’s a lot of guys on here that have a lot more experience with driving in and around Baja but based on the few trips I've made I would have to say you've got the right idea. No late night crossing in nice trucks with expensive gear clearly visible, I wouldn't stop until you get to Ensenada. Don't be a target. Another idea is to spray paint the side of your truck "Drug Enforcement" as to intimidate and repel the local drug traffickers, make sure you have plenty of pesos to pay off the Federales when you get pulled over.

[ofer]

Originally Posted by kgdesmet

Another idea is to spray paint the side of your truck "Drug Enforcement" as to intimidate and repel the local drug traffickers, make sure you have plenty of pesos to pay off the Federales when you get pulled over.

This will get you killed instead of robbed.

[Ex Nihilo]

Originally Posted by kgdesmet

Don't be a target. Another idea is to spray paint the side of your truck "Drug Enforcement" as to intimidate and repel the local drug traffickers,

I think that plan might work against you, but I'm not sure.

I'm going down to Baja tomorrow so I'll let you know how it is first hand. That is of course assuming that I don't get robbed/killed or thrown in prison.

[MACKFISH]

Just open a big ol can of worms.It is safer down there than it is here.

[bajahunter]

Its very unsafe, full of great white sharks and no fish anyplace...

[spearboy321]

We drove to Loreto for spring break this year and down to BOLA at the end of June with no problems.

[AquaHunter]

Originally Posted by spearboy321

We drove to Loreto for spring break this year and down to BOLA at the end of June with no problems.

With that haircut in your avatar, no one would give you problems! You know I'm kidding right?

[spearboy321]

Originally Posted by AquaHunter

With that haircut in your avatar, no one would give you problems! You know I'm kidding right?

HAHA yep. That was a major mis-communication. I was told to clean up around the ears a little and the person cutting it thought I wanted to shave my head. I walked around with that for a while and couldn't hold a conversation with anyone because they couldn't help laughing.

Back on subject:
I know these are kinda old reports but I think they were having more problems then than they are now.

[metelin]

i just got back from a quick trip, i flew into san jose del cabo, rented a car and drove to ventana which is 35 miles south of la paz. the trip took less than 3 hours and i drove solo on the main road till san antonio at which point i took a short cut on a side road to the coast. at one point i had to drive about a quarter of a mile through a river bed because the road was washed out and the thought of somebody jumping out of the bushes did cross mind, i came across a guy on a bicycle going the other way and a truck full of locals, i smiled waved and they all smiled and waived back.

traveling in other countries for me is always exciting and challenging, sometimes frustrating but always rewarding, i try to blend in be respectful and careful. i'm sure bad things happen there but bad things happen here as well, a little common sense goes a long way.

go and enjoy, i love mexico.

steve

[pablo]

Our transport van broke down on that very same dry river bed on our way to Ventana last June. We were sitting ducks with all our gear for several hours as we waited for another vehicle to pick us up. EVERY SINGLE vehicle that drove by stopped to ask if they could help. I feel very safe down there - but that is in Baja Sur. Don't know about the border region. BTW i am fluent in Spanish - but the locals don't know it and I could understand their questions to our driver. Not a single malicious comment was uttered.

[IB Boyd]

Here is a link to a thread that might be aplicable http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=34704 Lot of bad stuff going on around the border, but it doesnt sound like its directed against tourists. Probably fine to pass through, as long as your not driving an SUV with blacked out windows. The website that link is on has some pretty good baja travel info.
Boyd

[stevencabo]

I've always felt the real baja started once you passed San Quintin. A friend of mine drove his boat down from San Diego to bahia de los muertos which is on the same road that goes to ventanas except you go right instead of left. I drove up from San Jose to meet him and couldn't believe how real baja it was. It doesn't get much safer than that place. Driving through Baja Norte has always stressed me out, except for the wine region, that area is pretty cool.
If you've ever watched the Mexican news, whenever they catch a crimanal they'll display him and his weapons and the drugs. Tonight I happened to be flipping through the channels on my mexican cable looking for the Phillies game (that's right go Phillies) and I stopped on the mexican news channel. It seems they busted some druglord guy by the name of El Rey Zambada. There must have been 20 of his henchman on display and the guns they had I've never seen before. They were automatic weapons but it looked like some were made of silver and others made of gold and all with detailed carving. Hopefully this doesn't mean more retaliation killings in el norte.

[Huntersmoon]

Baja is still one of the safest places to go south of san quintin, I've been going down there for over 30 years. My only issue is your rights and privileges as an American you leave once you cross the border. Nice car or not, you are most likely bringing toys and money with you and that makes you a target especially to their law enforcement. There is no U.S. embassy to help you out of a bad situation, only money can do that. Times are tough in Baja right now more than ever, diving Guadalupe Island or the Faralons might be safer than driving the gauntlet between TJ and San Quintin.

[Scott]

As long as you aren't fighting drug dealers (the spraypaint idea above will get you in a world of trouble genious) you will be fine, bunch of scaredy cats..