Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding areas such as Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerias, or Sayulita have become some of the most popular travel destinations in Mexico. If you’re planning a trip here, you might wonder: Is Bucerias, Mexico safe? Is there a high crime rate? Are there health and hygiene protocols in place?
Those are all perfectly valid things to ask!
Below we’ll cover some important safety and travel topics, and hopefully this information will help put your mind at ease if you are considering traveling safely to Bucerias, Mexico.
Is Bucerias, Mexico safe?
You’ve read the headlines, you’ve watched the news, you’ve seen the movies, but we’re here to tell you the truth: Is it a good idea to visit Mexico? Is Bucerias safe to travel to?
While the perception is that Mexico is a dangerous place to visit, it’s a massive country with vastly different regions. The cartel violence that makes headlines is concentrated far away from our little beach town. Bucerias is a very safe destination for international travelers, although tourists should obviously exercise caution, just as they would in their own countries.
The crime and violence rates referenced in the travel advisory are for broad regions while the incidence of this activity tends to be highly concentrated in areas which are not frequented by travelers. Visitors who use common sense and travel in areas frequented by other tourists are safe and have enjoyable visits.
General Safety
Bucerias is a small and quiet town with a low crime rate. You rarely hear about violent crimes around here. You will occasionally hear about petty theft or home robberies, but travelers have very little to worry about as long as they use common sense and follow a few simple safety guidelines:
Before your Travels
- Leave your travel itinerary and contact information with friends and family.
- Check medical insurance to ensure you are covered during your trip, or get travel insurance.
- Make a list of relevant hospitals and U.S. Embassies in the area.
- Register your travels with the U.S. Department of State here.
- Have emergency numbers and maps already downloaded on your phone.
While Visiting Bucerias
- Try to keep a low profile. Do not flash cash around and do not wear fancy jewelry. Don’t make yourself an easy target for theft.
- Just to be safe, don’t carry around large amounts of cash. Leave excess money back at your place.
- When pulling out cash at an ATM, be mindful of anything that may look suspicious near the vicinity of the cash machine. If anything looks fishy, simply find another ATM. Use common sense, just as you would back home.
- Keep your valuables locked up in a safe (if possible).
- When driving outside the city, avoid isolated roads and use toll road highways when possible.
Common Travel Scams
- We’re hearing more and more about the mustard scam. Someone squirts mustard or some awful goop on you and then points it out and offers to help you clean it off. While you’re distracted they’ll grab your wallet and take off before you even notice it is gone.
- Don’t pay with dollars at stores or restaurants since they’ll probably be giving you a bad exchange rate.
- There have been reports of fraudulent rental listings and classified ads on places like Facebook or Craigslist. Make sure you are booking from one of the popular booking platforms (with buyer protection rights), or from a professional host that has proven history and guest reviews.
- To avoid bank card cloning or skimming, never allow your cards out of your sight. If your card has a “chip & pin” method, ask your waiter to bring the payment terminal to your table and cover your hand as you enter your PIN. If the terminal is not portable take your card to the cashier to pay. This is very normal.
The Cartel & Drugs
Violent crimes in Mexico started to increase back in 2006 when the government decided to crack down on the cartels. Fighting over trafficking routes comprises a lot of Mexico’s crime and murder, but the cartels started to realize that tourists are a big market for the consumption of drugs, which makes them high revenue generators. This is what drove up the violence in tourist destinations such as Cancun, Mazatlan, or Los Cabos. Acapulco was once a world-renowned tourist hotspot but it turned into one of the most dangerous cities in the world. That being said, the Bucerias crime rate is very low and the Puerto Vallarta area has remained safe over the years.
Just to be clear, drugs are highly illegal in Mexico. Even if someone offers to sell you some on the beach or on the street, just say NO. If you purchase any, you are supporting the cartels financially with your own money. Please support our community and do not help fund violent crime in our country. Plus, foreigners charged with drug possession can be kept in a Mexican prison for months before their cases finally go to court.
Travel Warnings & Advisories
Make sure to check the Mexico Travel Advisory page of the U.S. State Department to check for the latest news and travel safety information, as it changes frequently.
The Government of Canada is another great source. Whereas the U.S. Department of State provides travel warnings for every specific region of Mexico, the Government of Canada offers more general warnings with advice on areas to avoid.
Health & Hygiene Protocols
Since we are locals and have lived in Bucerias throughout the entire pandemic, we can help provide some additional information regarding the health protocols that have been put in place. There is a lot of misinformation out there and really it’s about making sure you have all the information so that you can make the right decision for yourself and your family.
Tourists have been filtering in and out, soaking up the sun, and enjoying all their favorite restaurants throughout the summer and fall. Puerto Vallarta took the health and hygiene protocols very seriously from the very start to ensure the safety of its citizens and visitors.
The state of Nayarit actually made the use of masks mandatory for the service industry. Staff at restaurants around town will always be wearing masks, and hotels are operating at a limited capacity. Every restaurant is required to administer hand sanitizer and to take the temperature of every customer before entering.
At most hotels, pool chairs are disinfected between each use, public areas are frequently sanitized, and plastic barriers are set up at counters where guests and employees interact.
All the major grocery chains are all checking temperatures as you enter the shopping centers and they make sure everyone has a mask on.
It is pretty easy to follow all the health and hygiene protocols. Wear masks whenever you are indoors without good airflow. Carry hand sanitizer around with you, but most businesses will require a temperature check and will dispense hand sanitizer.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is great for covering things like:
- Medical emergency insurance: Your health plan back home may provide zero or very little coverage in Mexico. This type of insurance may reimburse you for medical expenses you incur because of an illness or accident that occurs during your trip.
- Trip cancellation insurance: This covers non-refundable expenses such as tours, excursions, hotels, etc. For example, if a storm hits your vacation destination and forces you to cancel the trip, this insurance can cover 100% of the non-refundable trip expenses that you prepaid. It also covers cancellation due to diagnosed illness before traveling.
- Quarantine accommodations: Get coverage for accomodations if you have to quarantine at your destination.
- Trip interruption coverage: This is in case you need to cut your trip short and return home sooner than expected. These benefits apply if you or a traveling companion become ill or injured during a trip, for example.
We personally use InsureMyTrip since they are the largest unbiased travel insurance site that allows you to compare prices across dozens of providers and filter for only the specific coverage options you want. Every program is different and it’s important to review the terms of the insurance policy to determine if the plan is right for your needs. To get a quick estimate, click the button below:
Emergency Information
Though no one wants to think that they will have an emergency while traveling abroad, it happens. We highly recommend registering your travel dates with your consulate. This is easy to do and can be done online. US citizens can go to the Smart Traveler Enrollment website and Canadians can go to the Registration of Canadians Abroad. British Nationals traveling to Mexico can find important information on the Mexico Foreign Travel Advice website.
Creating an Emergency Card
In the case of an emergency, it makes everything much easier if you have all your important information compiled in one place. We suggest creating an emergency card with all the following information and share it with your family and friends (and maybe even have a copy of it in your wallet or purse):
- Medication allergies and a list of medications you take.
- Blood type.
- Emergency contact information (preferably a blood relative). Include name, relationship, phone number, address, and email address.
- Your insurance information.
Contact Information
- Dial 911 in case of an emergency
- Nearby Hospitals
- Hospital CMQ Riviera Nayarit (Bucerias): +52 329 298 0717
- Hospital Joya Riviera (Nuevo Vallarta): +52 322 226 8181
- Hospital Joya Marina Vallarta: +52 322 226 1010
- U.S. Consular Agency
- +52 333 268 2100
- Paseo de los Cocoteros #85, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit
- Consular Agency of Canada
- +52 322 293 0098
- Plaza Peninsula, Blvrd Francisco Medina Ascencio 2485, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco
- Vallarta Tourism Center
- +52 322 221 2676
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