Mexico Destination Report
Mexico is bordered by the USA on the north; Pacific Ocean on the south and west; Guatemala, Belize Caribbean Sea on the southeast; Gulf of Mexico on the east.
Venice
Get to know our slice of Paradise - located on the SW Coast of Fl.
Attractions
Beaches
Canoe/Kayak
Boat Launches
Boat Charters
Fishing Charter
Fishing Piers
Historical Sites
Golf
Parks
Hotels
Relocate
Venice Map
Western Caribbean and Mexico Ports
Western Caribbean
Belize
Cozumel
Costa Maya
Falmouth
Grand Cayman
Mexico
Montego Bay
Ocho Rios
Playa del Carmen
Progreso/Merida
Roatan
Roseau
San Tomas
Mexican Riviera
Acapulco
Cabo San Lucas
Cancun
Ensenada
Mazatlan
Manzanillo
Puerto Vallarta
Good to know
Mexico Daylight Savings Time (Horario de Verano) begins April 1 and runs through October 28th.
Hurricanes
Mexico is situated in an area prone to hurricanes. From June to November, the country may experience strong winds and rains as a result of hurricanes in the Gulf or along the Pacific Coast.
In the event of a tropical storm or hurricane alert, Shipdetective will post NWS updates and information on our Tropical Storm Update page
Getting around
Taxis
Taxi fares are regulated but make sure to negotiate your
rate before you leave. Taxi vans are more expensive.
If you drive in Mexico, please remember the following:
If you are involved in an automobile accident, you will be taken into police custody until it can be determined who is liable and whether you have the ability to pay any penalty. If you do not have Mexican liability insurance, you may be prevented from departing the country even if you require life-saving medical care, and you are almost certain to spend some time in jail until all parties are satisfied that responsibility has been assigned and adequate financial satisfaction received. Drivers may face criminal charges if injuries or damages are serious.
Water Sports
The U.S. Embassy recommends avoiding operators who do not provide a helmet with the rental. Some operators have been known to demand fees many times in excess of damages caused to the vehicles, even if renters have purchased insurance in advance. Vacationers at other beach resorts have encountered similar problems after accidents involving rented jet-skis. There have been cases of mobs gathering to prevent tourists from departing the scene and to intimidate them into paying exorbitant damage claims.
ports > destinations > Mexico
Mexico
Mexico is bordered by the USA on the north; Pacific Ocean on the south and west; Guatemala, Belize Caribbean Sea on the southeast; Gulf of Mexico on the east.
History
Highly developed cultures, including those of the Olmecs, Mayas, Toltecs, and Aztecs, existed long before the Spanish conquest.
Hernando Cortes conquered Mexico during the period 1519-21 and founded a Spanish colony that lasted nearly 300 years.
Independence from Spain was proclaimed by Father Miguel Hidalgo on September 16, 1810. Father Hidalgo's declaration of national independence, known in Mexico as the "Grito de Dolores," launched a decade-long struggle for independence from Spain.
An 1821 treaty recognized Mexican independence from Spain and called for a constitutional monarchy. The planned monarchy failed; a republic was proclaimed in December 1822 and established in 1824.
Throughout the rest of the 19th century, Mexico's government and economy were shaped by contentious debates among liberals and conservatives, republicans and monarchists, federalists and those who favored centralized government.
During the two presidential terms of Benito Juarez (1858-71), Mexico experimented with modern democratic and economic reforms.
President Juarez' terms of office and Mexico's early experience with democracy were interrupted by the invasion in 1863 of French forces who imposed a monarchy on the country in the form of Hapsburg archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria, who ruled as emperor.
Liberal forces succeeded in overthrowing, and executing, the emperor in 1867 after which Juarez returned to office until his death in 1872. Following several weak governments, the authoritarian Gen. Porfirio Diaz assumed office and was president during most of the period between 1877 and 1911.
Mexico's severe social and economic problems erupted in a revolution that lasted from 1910-20 and gave rise to the 1917 constitution.
The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), formed in 1929 under a different name, emerged from the chaos of revolution as a vehicle for keeping political competition among a coalition of interests in peaceful channels.
For 71 years, Mexico's national government was controlled by the PRI, which won every presidential race and most gubernatorial races until the July 2000 presidential election of Vicente Fox Quesada of the National Action Party (PAN), in what were widely considered at the time the freest and fairest elections in Mexico's history.
President Fox completed his term on December 1, 2006, when Felipe Calderon assumed the presidency.
Personal Safety
Drinking Water Quality
In many areas in Mexico, tap water is unsafe and should be avoided. Bottled water and beverages are safe although visitors should be aware that many restaurants and hotels serve tap water unless bottled water is specifically requested. Ice may also come from tap water and should be used with caution. Visitors should exercise caution when buying food or beverages from street vendors.
Security
Although the majority of visitors to Mexico thoroughly enjoy their stay, a small number experience difficulties and serious inconveniences.
Standards of security, safety, and supervision may not reach those expected in the United States. This has contributed to deaths of U.S. citizens in automobile accidents, after falls from balconies or into open ditches, by drowning in the ocean as well as in hotel pools, and in water-sports mishaps, among others. Full Crime Report
Medical Care
Adequate medical care can be found in major cities. Excellent health facilities are available in Mexico City, but training and availability of emergency responders may be below U.S. standards. Care in more remote areas is limited. Standards of medical training, patient care and business practices vary greatly among medical facilities in beach resorts throughout Mexico.
