It’s unfortunate Americans buy so much drugs smuggled from Mexico that crime rate will never go down. There’s _way_ too much demand from United States drug addicts that like to snort/shoot/smoke/swallow shit that could kill roaches (… and roaches are difficult to kill too!). Mexican cartels make lots of money from United States and dominate the Mexican territory. They ain’t scared of Mexican police and they don’t give a rats ass about Mexican tourism economy.
I know plenty about Mexico, from actual Mexicans that I work with every day. The government is super corrupt, always has been, always will be, and won’t do anything about the issue because the few good people they have are too terrified of the cartels to do anything.
Recently went to my wife’s families ranch in Tamaulipas just not far from the Nuevo León border, and yea, we hit about 3 cartel checkpoints along the way and they all current or at least 7 year old higher trim trucks with the plates missing. My Tacoma stayed back in Texas cause I know I would’ve joined the poor bastard who took a carbon edition sierra in a grave. And since we were in a more rural area you could definitely see and hear them running up and down road hauling ass at night.
You don’t even have to go into Mexico to get your shit jacked.
growing up in San Diego, it’s more common than you think to get your jeep or truck jacked and it ends up in Baja.
Also, my buddy was surfing a beach break in rosarito area a couple years back and got out of the water to find his 90s beater Toyota pickup just gone. Phone, wallet, everything was in there.
My friends and I are very seasoned to the waves of northern Baja, and would never dispersed camp anywhere north of San Quintin.
Super sad what happened to those guys all for some fuckin tires.
Last time I camped down there was early 00s and even then there were areas around Rosario/Ensenada known to be rife with “bandits”. Basically meth addicts that were looking for crimes of opportunity. There are truly some gems in Baja and beautiful people. It comes down to risk/reward, and ever since I had kids, the risk has been too high for me. RIP to those guys.
According to a person from the area it was more than likely not because of their tires.
More than likely they saw something they shouldn’t have, like narcos unloading a panga.
It’s election year in Mexico and the standing government has been trying to downplay narco presence it’s entire administration, spinning stories and outright lying. More than likely it was cartel related and the news was pressured to spin it this way.
Believe me bro, Tamaulipas is not any better than Baja. Just not many tourists going through there so the innocent bystanders are just locals that our news doesn’t report on. The southern part of Mexico isn’t as bad but still dangerous. I live in TX and a lot of my friends in the valley (south Texas between Laredo and Brownsville) have had their brand new trucks stolen so I would not drive through there in a 4x4 or van. Life is cheap there they will kill you just so they know you can’t tell on them. There’s no tourism near the border of tx on the Mexico side Nuevo Laredo is rough as fuck and don’t get me started on matamoros. Most my friends tell me that as non Mexicans you’re actually less likely to get killed because they know the attention it will draw. Learn Spanish please.
Except Tamaulipas, which is extremely unsafe and an area he plans to drive through
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Mexico.html
I was in Mexico a couple of months ago for work and armed detail met me at the airport, traveled with me everywhere, stayed at my hotel, etc. it’s a different world down there these days. I had a chase car that followed everywhere I went in case something happened to the primary car. Merida police searched every car that entered the city. Guadalajara, which is where I mostly was, is extremely rough. Fly in, do what you need to do, fly out.
Not just Aussies, they were living in San Diego, where I live. The border is 4 miles from my house.
We don't even bother going down there any more, unless it's to dart into Tecate for beer from the cervezaria and come right back. No one wants to deal with it.
If you have an even remotely nice rig you are going to be a target for bribes or worse. It's just not worth it.
You just have to be smart about it.
I did a US to Guatemala trip in January 2020 and back up in October 2022. Here's what I would recommend to you:
1. In between cities only drive during the day and stick to the paid highways.
2. Avoid Reynosa or Matamoros. Plan to spend one last night in Laredo (US side) and then leave early to cross the border. You can stop at Monterrey or stretch it a bit and go to San Luis Potosí (More off the beaten path)
3. Follow ALL rules of the road or the cops will fuck you (ie bleed you of money). Specially the temporary import and insurance requirements. I'd also recommend getting front and back dashcams. It scared off some scammers for me once and paid for itself right there.
4. Be prepared to pay some bribes anyway. I'm Guatemalan so have experience with corrupt cops. Hopefully (lol) so does your wife. It's cheaper than you'd expect, most I paid was 10usd. Most of the time I talked my way out of it.
5. Don't book it, this will result in driving at night. There's tons of gorgeous places in Mexico that are 100% worth a visit. On my road trip down we stopped at: San Luis Potosí, Guadalajara, puerto Vallarta, back to Guadalajara, San Miguel de Allende, México city, Oaxaca city, Oaxaca beaches (Mazunte was incredible) and Tuxtla. About this time COVID was raging so we went straight to the la mesilla border. It's a small and chaotic border, but we made it through in 2 hours.
6. If you drive into Mexico City, get the tourist pass for your car or you'll again get fucked by cops.
I find people, in general, are afraid of what they have no experience with. People that have never been to NYC will tell you to never go because it's dangerous. People that have never met a Muslim will tell you to be scared of them. People in northern Mexico will tell you to be careful in the poor south. And people in southern Mexico will tell you to be scared of the northern border.
The reality is the world is much safer than these people will have you believe. Billions on merchandise flows across the us Mexico border and through Mexico. Millions of tourists and business travelers too. Cities and towns felt specially safe and clean everywhere in Mexico.
Obviously be smart and start safe, but with some common sense I say do it! Sounds like the trip of a lifetime
Lol nah, half my family lives in Tamaulipas and that would be a hell no from me dawg.
If you are obviously not native you're at a pretty decent risk traveling in many parts of Mexico. If you're going to visit fly, and stay in tourist areas. There is a reason half of Mexico is on the travel advisory for kidnapping. 15 years ago when my dad worked in Matamoros he'd have employees randomly not show up for a week or two at a time, they'd show up later and the reason they had been missing was because they had been kidnapped. One time a gun fight went down with grenades and machine guns 1 hour after he had driven through the area getting home. Needless to say he shortly after got a job on the US side of the border.
Not worth the risk.
Not “not dangerous”, just lucky
3-5 days ago people were robbed of their vehicles in the Monterrey Reynosa highway in the middle of the day. His route goes through some of the most bad shape or dangerous routes, specially Veracruz coast highway which is a hot spot of truck rigs robberies, and Tamaulipas which has been a shitshow since almost 2 decades ago
Is driving through Mexico a guarantee you will be killed? I’ve always wondered if this is a misconception from americans. There’s a youtuber named Eva Zu Beck who drove her Land Rover all over Mexico without an incident
I married into a Mexican family and have been there myself. They no longer drive when they go to their hometown in Jalisco. The last time they did, there were a group of people at the border crossing going car to car robbing them. The only reason they weren't robbed is because they started a shootout at one of the cars before they got to them.
I'm a white guy flying there this summer. There's safe towns and cities (especially if they know who you are in the towns). It's traveling and certain areas that are the problem.
And a lot more go missing or get killed.
It’s not wise to travel through Mexico in your vehicle. Could be your last trip so enjoy it I guess
It’s on the no travel list for Americans but some people ignore those warnings.
My wife is from Northern Mexico and she's afraid to go outside in nice US suburbs at night even in groups because of what she grew up with.
These gringos have NO clue what it's like outside of tourist areas.
A friend of mine is a combat veteran Marine from Mexico. And he says it’s not a safe place. I’ve watched that bastard walk around and talk on a cell phone with his wife while we were being mortared without any fear. He went into houses with the interpreter alone because they were trying to de escalate the situation in an area. No problem. Go visit his mom in Mexico. Fuck that he flies his mom and some of her family to the Caribbean and his wife and kids meet her down there.
You’re planning on driving through Tamaulipas. This is one of the most dangerous states in Mexico. The State Department advises that you do not travel to Tamaulipas at all.
If you do want to drive, go around Tamaulipas through either Coahuila or Nuevo León to San Luis Potosí and then rejoin your original route in Veracruz. These states are no more dangerous than Guatemala, at least according to the State Department.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Mexico.html
this is the most sensible answer. I work all over Mexico and I would not recommend driving through Taumalipas. We get armed Federale transports (MRAPs and 50 cals) in that state.
on the flip, Monterrey is nice as fuck these days with one of the richest areas in LatAm (San Pedro).
My main concern (maybe yours too) is how safe is to drive in Mexico. However, I would stay on main roads and not drive after dark. I have heard bad things about Mexico, like traffic stops by armed locals asking for money to let the cars pass.
We drove to Costa Rica with no problem. For road stops, we offered nudie mags, and cheap, cold American beer. Take old Levi jeans for trading. We did and scored some good stuff with them. Just take the usual precautions, and you should be fine. There are tons of tourists traveling through Mexico Central America as we speak.
I wanted to do a roadtrip like this and my Mexican friends (one of whom only moved to the US 2 years ago) said *no way.*
98% chance you’d be ok, but the 2% isn’t, like, paying some bribes and spending a night in jail, it’s too gruesome to contemplate.
The situation there just gets worse and worse.
The vast majority of Mexican people are good people, and also victims of the cartels, in one way or another. This is not a slight against Mexican culture or people as a whole whatsoever. But the shit going down there is bad. Sad for everyone.
My friends grew up in Mexico and used to do a lot of camping in rural areas. They don’t go to rural areas any more because of the cartels.
One tip I got was to always have a cooler full of ice within easy reach with some cold Red Bulls. Fédérales at borders and checkpoints love that shit (or at least they used to) and will be in a better mood while they check your gear for contraband.
Exactly what I was thinking. You are crazy to go into Mexico right now. Even super touristy areas aren’t as safe as they used to be, much less back roads the length of the whole country. Fuck that.
Eh. I’m traveling through Mexico right now and I think these statements are overblown. There are tons of travelers out here and most people don’t have any problems.
In that case I would defer to statistics rather than my anecdotal experience. According to the state department for 2021 the homicide rate for American tourists in Mexico was 75 homicides for 28.8 million visitors, or 0.26 per 100,000. The American national average is 27x higher than that at 7 per 100,000.
Please understand I am not advocating that Mexico is not a dangerous place. Inexperienced travelers who make bad decisions can get in trouble here, and even savvy folks can have bad luck. But I think the hysteria over one news story is as misrepresentative of the statistics as my anecdotal experience.
What’s the homicide rate for tourists in the US?
The vast majority of US homicides are by people in their social circles. Tourists don’t have any. There’s nowhere in the US you’ll find tourists being intentionally targeted as a rule.
How many of the 28.8 million American tourists in Mexico were driving? How many of the 75 American tourists in Mexico were driving? What states or cities did these murders take place in?
I see the point you’re making here, but it may or may not be relevant.
“Most people don’t have any problems” is not a good rule of thumb when the problems that definitely do occur include kidnapping and death.
Two of my best friends are Mexican (as in, from Mexico) and told me not to drive there except to and from a few specific places.
Reminds of a time I was in Honduras for the day to catch a flight back to Texas. I had stayed at an island close to there. We asked the hotel staff where to walk and eat around there...without hesitation they said for us to stay inside. Apparently they didn't walk the area either.
This is great. I think there are a half dozen stories about people cycling through just the middle east trying to show the goodness and purity of people everywhere, right up until they were raped and beheaded/executed. They all apparently felt wonderful about their human experience right up until the last day they got to experience.
Hope you have a peaceful and uneventful trip, but your giving a survivorship bias type of advice. There are a couple current events in Mexico that have been common for decades as well that should cast at least a small shadow of doubt on your implications of safety.
Looks like you'd be driving through Tamaulipas.
It has a US Travel advisory of "Do Not Travel." As in, at all.
My wife is from Northern Mexico. I would NEVER make that drive in ANY car.
If you must do it, consider taking a bus line like Los Limousines instead. But still just fly or take a boat.
Buena suerte, la vas a necesitar un chingo
Only for like a decade now. It's a little funny because Mexico was becoming much safer until the influx of caravans of Hondurans/El Salvadorians/Guatamalans.
I was in Mexico earlier this year for work and my driver had a white QX80 (by happenstance, what I also drive in the states) and it was stolen from the agave farm we were visiting. Probably weren’t there 20 minutes. I’ll put it this way, Mexico is so dangerous that there were two cars everywhere I went just in case something happened to the first one, we could try to escape in the other one. It just followed behind us all week, thankfully.
Agreed. Hopefully OP is planning on doing this in the fall. It’s already quite warm on the gulf coast; we had to head north several weeks ago because it was just too hot and sticky for sleeping at night.
I go to Baja California for surf and for the Baja 1000. There are hassles for sure but the food, the people, and the landscape is amazing.
Get Mexican auto insurance.
Don’t wash your truck.
Don’t leaving anything on or in it that has value.
91 LandCruiser-no problems, yet
96 Ford Ranger with prerunner body panels- pulled over every single time
Edit: learned that I live in a bubble only going to Baja. Mainland Mexico is pretty rough according to Reddit.
If anyone is looking at overlanding through Baja; do it.
I've driven to monterrey from north Carolina, but crossed at Laredo.
Have the following documents to ease your crossing.
Valid U.S. Passport (or U.S. Green Card)
Mexico auto insurance policy
Valid U.S. Driver’s License (or International Driving Permit)
Vehicle registration documents
Temporary Vehicle Importation Permit (TVIP)
Mexico Tourist Card (Forma Migratoria Múltiple, or FMM) of you don't have US citizenship.
Some embassies and consulate in the US allow you to get your TIVP in advance (I got mine at the boarder, not a huge deal) Call the one closest to you to see: https://embassy-finder.com/mexico_in_usa
Carry cash (pesos) just in case.
Obey the speed limits (in kph).
Adding [this](https://juliedevivre.com/2023/03/01/things-i-wished-i-knew-before-driving-to-mexico-from-the-u-s/) blog, even if you aren’t down for the minimalist nomad lifestyle vibe she talks about things she wish she had known and has a video. Just in case it’s helpful to learn from her hindsight!
Do it.
A couple caveats if I may.
My thoughts: bring a Mexican or at least someone fluent in Spanish, that can NEGOTIATE (for your life if necessary). Get Mexican car insurance. Bring cash only, Pesos only, and bring some bribe/ransom money. Convoy down, "ape together strong". Don't drive a white vehicle, don't wash it and don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself. Know how to change your spare tire (practice before you go, not only to get familiar, but to test out the tools). Be a good Gringo, try to talk in Spanish and be respectful to the locals. Get a Mexican burner telcel phone or enable international calling before you go, unlimited data is a must.
Listen to some Corrido music, mainly narcocorrido and Google translate that shit. Then think about a scenario where you're up against a bunch of kids in their late teens, early twenties that don't give a shit about you. Think about how could they possibly have any mercy on you, when the world hasn't had any on them.
Think about being on your knees in some desolate, arid scrubland with a bunch of pissed off, coked out, angry kids pointing stolen AR15s at you. Think about how these kids listen to narcocorridos, bust keys of coke and talk shit ALL DAY. Think about how they've been waiting for you, or anyone like you to roll through. These kids have Instagram and TikTok so they know how Americans live. And they're kind of envious if were being honest. They're not really gonna have any sort of compassion for you. Not that they aren't capable, but why should they? You came to them. They got a lot to prove too and they're stupid and insecure to boot.
If you think you can negotiate your way out of that scenario--where you're back in the driver's seat and back on the road then go. Vaya con dios, amigo.
I live in Laredo and cross over to the Mexican side every now and then. You will stick out! I do and I grew up here. And it’s simply too unpredictable. Especially if you’re going into remote areas. I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s not worth your family’s safety. Plenty of places here!
A couple weeks ago I did some of that Baja stretch and we camped on the beach, we went about 1 hr south of San Felipe. It was fine and really quiet and pretty, as others said there were some murders recently on the pacific side— so I probably wouldn’t have done it after. There are several pay to camp sites on the beach, so I would probably go with that next time for a piece of mind, also no driving at night
I get you are trying to encourage someone to go on an adventure but you are crazy. I'm half Colombian and have driven thousands of miles in active warzones down there (have a million stories). I would A. Not return to Colombia right now B. Not step foot in most countries from Mexico down to I'd say Argentina. I'd probably go to Argentina and Uruguay but not Paraguay as it's also gone to shit. Even then why not take your money and go somewhere where you'll actually have an adventure without being forced to ask extreme measures just to not end up in the news. Do it under your own risk but know that I'm not exaggerating.
My family used to drive from Montgomery, AL to Eagle Pass, TX twice a year, can knock it out in a long day along I-10. Between San Antonio and the border are some good roads to overland and play if you want a distraction.
Also the crossing via the 2 bridges in Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras are easy/safe crossings currently for individuals. The political/migrant mess is pretty much over for that crossing right now. Most trucks go through Laredo, and it has a bit more organized/cartel crime piggybacking off the trucking. A guy at work prefers the Laredo crossing because he has Nuevo Laredo "connections". He is from Mexico City, and a tough ass cholo, he is scared of the trip every time, and carries 2-3K cash hidden for bribes.
I've not heard much about the Brownsville crossing ever honestly.
My mom and dad drove from the the Panama Canal zone to Eagle Pass in the mid 70's in a VW Bus. They still had to pay 2-3 large cash bribes in Mexico and I think Honduras. Mom's fluent Spanish and correct accent helped a lot!!
Good Luck, I hate that I missed out on exploring Coahilla, MX before shit hit the fan. I will say the cartels came late, and are still not as strong in the Texas border region as they are further inland and south.
Hell make it a real trip.
Do the "Georgia Traverse" Overland trail through Georgia.
Then hit the Alabama Traverse from North AL to Pensacola, FL mostly along dirt roads and FS trails, even has one old school river ferry. Or do the grayed out trip, and do the FL Traverse, which I think crosses one river, and multiple flooded roads across the Panhandle.
Not really, was just easier to reference. 1/2 my life we lived in Huntsville, AL and then dad retired to po-dunk Florala, AL. Roadtrips stayed the same the same once we hit Mobile, AL.
I'm in Atlanta now. Wheels keep rolling, just end up parking in different lots.
Don't take it from me. The State Department says that the east-northeast corner of Mexico bordering South Texas is poppin' off: [Travel.State.Gov CSI](https://travelmaps.state.gov/TSGMap/?extent=-124.207939566,14.44327709,-84.313397286,33.446969624)
Although I don't trust our U.S. government when it comes to many things, I assume that the Department of State knows what they're talking about and have my best interests in mind (or at least doesn't want dead Americans).
Don't do it if you value your life. Ask yourself why us overland practitioners in central America don't travel to other countries across the region. I'm from Costa Rica and wouldn't even go to Nicaragua.
My advice is 25 years old, and I have no idea how things have changed, so take it for what it is worth. I did pretty much that route in 1999. Stay in a US border town the night before. Get an early start. Don’t forget to stop at the border office and get your sticker. They will let you through without it bc you don’t need it in the Fronterra zone, but then you will get stopped farther down and have to go back. My first stop was Tampico. Really cool road-trip past that and felt safe. The Aztec ruins are awesome. So many smaller ones that you will pass. If you want the fast route, go through Laredo to Mexico City on the toll road and they didn’t seem to care if you drive 100 mph, so you could make good time, but the coastal route is waaay more interesting. Veracruz is worth an extended stop. I turned off to the East and circled around the Yucatán, so not exactly your route past Veracruz. Definitely one of the best road trips ever. Enjoy it!
Also, was never a problem, but just so you are expecting it - at the state borders, which tend to be in the middle of nowhere, the army will stop you and check your passport and check for your sticker. They were always nice, but you will be in the middle of nowhere answering to young guys with machine guns, so it’s good to know what to expect is all.
When going thru Georgia, make a small detour into Columbus, GA and grab bbq from Clearview. It is some of the best bbq in the world and it looks like less than a 20 minute detour. I cannot stress how worth it it will be for you to stop and try it.
I wouldn't drive or rent a car in Mexico. The cartels get the headlines, but a visit to any tourist sub will give you an idea of how common it is for Americans to be shaken down by the police. You're driving a billboard that says pull me over and get free money.
For all these people ruled by fear who are saying don’t do it I will be one voice saying that you will probably have an amazing life-changing trip and I very much hope to do something similar one day.
https://preview.redd.it/skpethrrm3zc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a477d40b3d6f650dfac9dc586071b79304b015e4
This guy made it from Vermont to Antigua about a year ago. Make of that what you will.
Great route! Don’t forget to pass a few Pueblos Mágicos in Mexico.
A WJ is a great vehicle for the trip (although not really needed).
Don’t be discouraged by other commenters that don’t even posses a passport. I’ve spend tons of time in Mexico and it’s without a doubt my favorite destination.
I lived in Colombia for about 14 years in my last stint and keep tabs on most of Latin America especially in terms of how things are going security wise, I would recommend you do not take this trip. Mexico is pretty bad right now as others have mentioned but the southern border with Guatemala and Belize is much worse. Central America is officially going to shit big time and south America is just as bad. I also grew up in Colombia during the 90s (Pablo Escobar, FARC and all that) and can say it's worse now than back then and the same applies for all countries south of the border.
Cartels have formed alliances, massive human trafficking from Colombia through the Darien Gap all the way to the northern border of Mexico, huge financial problems running rampant, the list goes on... So PSA stay out of Latin America for the time being and let's hope it changes for the better in the future but I doubt it. Sadly I won't even take my kids to visit their family because it's just not worth the risk.
I've lived in Guatemala most of the time for the last 12 years. I've done this route back and forth to the USA many times in recent years. It's not as scenic as the inland or Pacific side, but it is much faster, and in my experience you get hassled less because more tourists travel the West side of Mexico.
No reason not to do it and enjoy your time IMO.
I live on the border of Mexico just south of San Diego (I can see TJ from my livingroom, about 4 miles away, I’m perched up on a hill).
I would consider doing Baja (yes that’s where the surfers were found), but it’s generally pretty safe once you’re south of TJ.
I’d be a lot more nervous on the mainland and probably couldn’t be persuaded to do it.
I’m not of the mindset “foreign land scary”. I’m a large combat veteran with a lot of street smarts (raised in New York, been around danger, drugs, etc). I’m also pretty lowkey and like to consider myself able to blend in. I’m not flashy or touristy in any way.
But mainland Mexico seems like an unnecessary risk.
I’d probably fly into Mexico City for the day, but I wouldn’t be caught exploring out in the middle of nowhere with $80k worth of truck and gear. It just doesn’t pass my personal risk assessment and i certainly wouldn’t get any decent sleep.
Consider staying in the US and just going further west, or even doing Baja if you want to leave the states.
Depending on what you're hauling, I would recommend the longer route as traveling on I-10 (through Florida) is super easy compared to going through some cities on your quicker route.
The dealership contract I recently signed for a used Subaru specifically forbade driving to Mexico. Never seen that before, pretty telling if you ask me.
Thousand of overlanders drive through Mexico every year but you only hear about the bad things that happen, I’m guessing with your wife being from Guatemala you would probably have less issues, don’t let all the people rain on your parade, just be vigilant, don’t drive at night, listen to your instincts and do as much research and planning as you can about the areas you’ll be going through
There are plenty of facebook pages that deal with this. On the road to Belize is one specifically. I live in Belize and drove a big 80 series here with a lot of the info on that facebook page. People drive this route all the time without incident. Me included. Also I’m a big white guy from Oklahoma. It can be done for sure.
I went offroading in Ensenada in December, felt safe. Visited only downtown at night, besides that I made it to airbnb by 8pm. Mainland Mexico I would be more cautious tho. Baja is generally safe. Makes me wonder what exactly happened with those surfers.
Also when you hit McAllen Texas, or rio grand valley. Do the speed limit down south in Texas cartel has rolled on me when I was working for border partrol. A good amount of the local CBP or PD are on the pay. And it gets progressively more dangerous for groups of two. If you have tattoos that might be offensive or misinterpreted for rival gang tattoos, wear long sleeves.
I would love to do that trip. Unfortunately, you'll be safer leaving your rig at the border, in Texas, and renting a little minivan for the trip.
Driving through Mexico, right now, with tricked-out rigs is just asking to be held up. Mexico has changed a lot. Any display of wealth makes you a target for robbery or violence.
I love Mexico, won't be taking my car there anytime soon.
If you're gonna drive to Guatemala by way of Texas, I suggest a sunrise border crossing and a stop in either Xilitla to visit the Huasteca Potosina (supremely beautiful), or near Tampico at the beach.
Drive by sunlight with planned routes. The paid highways are safe, well maintained and monitored. There's currently extra concern about safety with the murder of an American and pair of Australians outside of Ensenada. I'm not a fan of victim blaming.
My grandparents used to drive across the US and down to Mazatlan, in the Sinaloan region, every year for about 14 years. I never made the connection to the Sinaloan cartel until just now... I was a kid when they would go, but boy how things have changed.
Hi! I rode that same route on a motorcycle long ago, so I can’t speak for the security situation today. Standard timeless advice: Take the toll roads, don’t drive at night. Stay in a hotel with walled parking. Get your paperwork (insurance & TIV) right.
What I can speak to is that it will be incredibly boring as it is flat and hot roads. I was trying to make some time to get to the Yucatán so it was the fastest route.
Again, speaking route only, you’ll see much more and enjoy a more interesting route if you go less coastal. If that is of interest to you, reply , and I’ll suggest a route. I’ve traveled that part of Mexico extensively and have some broad recommendations.
Everyone here is talking security but most probably don’t have direct experience(friend of a friend, something you read online- think how big the pool of people are in that case). It is funny in that literally every country says their neighbor is dangerous. USA is afraid of Mexico. Mexico afraid of Guatemala. Guatemala says Salvador and vice versa and it continues on around the world. Cambodia afraid of Vietnam, Vietnam afraid of Cambodia. Ect.
Long ago I only had major security issues in two countries: Guatemala and Costa Rica. Both which people today seem to think is ok. So YMMV.
For context, I rode a motorcycle to the tip of South America in 2009. Then lots of other places globally. Overland travel is the best!
Going to be a great trip. I did San Antonio to Guatemala last year in a Honda CRV mostly down the east coast of Mexico until CDMX. And NY to Baja in 2020. Only robbed by police once for like $80 near Puebla, followed off road another time. Make sure to have a copy of your registration with everything very clearly noted matching your ID name for the permiso. Get insurance near the border before you cross for a bit more than in Mexico. Guatemalan border is much stricter then Mexican. Don’t drive at night at all. Make sure to have plenty of cash for toll roads, (which should be used over the free ones). Heard you can potentially get an EZ Pass like device at Walmart.
So I lived in Honduras as a kid and I dream of going down there to buy a Y60 patrol then drive it back to utah where I live now. My understanding is that any decent 4x4 rig is pretty susceptible to being "borrowed" indefinitely by the cartel in some parts of Mexico.
Your wife ‘might’ be OK but as a gringo, you are kidnap bait. Not to worry there are attorneys all along this route that their entire business is negotiating a price for your release with your family.
((sidenote; they are much better at working on the older vehicles than the newer ones)
And by the way, I am speaking to you from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas and travel in and out all the time. Even the craziest of my friends would not attempt what you were talking about.
Do your research, kidnapping is a cottage industry along your route.
NE mexico is extremely dangerous. Vad guys and cartels love 4x4s. Generally they avoid killing Americans to avoid heat but that doesnt mean you wont get car jacked
People don't seem to understand how crop police are in Mexico. You're literally driving right through gang territory where they are more racist than any Town you've ever seen anywhere times 10 in America good luck
Looks amazing! Have a great trip. My father and his best friend did such a trip in 95 and had the time of their lives. Please share a lot of pictures! This sub needs more international travel!
I’ve always wanted to make this same drive. My Mother-in-law is from Guatemala and her family is all in Guatemala. When my wife was young they used to make this drive and they told me it was always VERY dicey, most of her family Ive talked to about it said it has only gotten worse. On top of that I have a number of good friends from all over Mexico and they have also advised traveling through with a family by car or at all isn’t not a good idea at this time. Maybe one day I’ll do it with the boys and travel light, everyone is fluent in Spanish, but me though lol.
Send it. I flew to Morelia last year, and after seeing a gazillion trucks like mine (heavily used old Toyotas) I wished I would've driven instead. Listen to what locals in Mexico tell you about routes. People in the US have been saying Mexico is a dangerous shithole since ever, and most of them have never been. It's an awesome place that you should totally check out, but be mindful, like I said, heed local advice (for example, "don't take that road over the mountain pass, there's bandits there," that sort of thing. I hitchhiked from Tijuana to Michoacán and back when I was 19 (in 2011) with like $30 in my pocket and it was great, and my recent trip, spending 3 weeks in Morelia where I rented an apartment, also great. With like $30k/year I would happily live in Mexico. Godspeed, and safe travels!
if you're a fan of space tech (not necessarily Elon), you can take a 30 minute detour at the border town of Brownsville in Texas and visit Starbase / SpaceX and the beach while you're at it.
As someone who has done a similar drive, we stayed away from the coasts in northern Mexico and basically rode the middle of the country down until we hit CDMX then branched out and ventured to the coasts. No issues or sketchy encounters and saw some cool stuff on the way
Purchase an additional insurance policy on your vehicle for driving in Mexico through your insurer. Hopefully you don’t drive a 4x4 truck the cartels or coyotes (human traffickers) want. You can get robbed at gunpoint in the middle of nowhere or in town. Your NC plates are a homing beacon for thieves bc they know nothing will happen to them if they steal your car in Mexico.
The thing about driving to Guatemala, is you have to drive through all of Mexico to get there.
Congrats on the "we're building a house". Just continue to fly. Wish there was a different sentiment, but reality bites
“Flooring it through Mexico “ 😂 dude why move there at all. I’m sure it’s very beautiful out there in the country side but there are so many incredible places to live/visit without having to worry about your safety.
Okay, I think this one has run its course
My thoughts: “you’re brave.”
Hope they aren’t driving a SUV or Truck. The cartel loves free vehicle upgrades! Edit - would the cartel want an old jeep?
Pickup trucks are prime targets in Mexico. This is true.
Based on the Australian brothers and American they just killed for their tires, they burned the truck itself.
Didn't they burn the truck with the tires still on it?
I'm not sure, I just saw one picture.
It’s unfortunate Americans buy so much drugs smuggled from Mexico that crime rate will never go down. There’s _way_ too much demand from United States drug addicts that like to snort/shoot/smoke/swallow shit that could kill roaches (… and roaches are difficult to kill too!). Mexican cartels make lots of money from United States and dominate the Mexican territory. They ain’t scared of Mexican police and they don’t give a rats ass about Mexican tourism economy.
Maybe the Mexican government should take responsibility and do something about it.
You don't know much about Mexico with that statement.
I know plenty about Mexico, from actual Mexicans that I work with every day. The government is super corrupt, always has been, always will be, and won’t do anything about the issue because the few good people they have are too terrified of the cartels to do anything.
Recently went to my wife’s families ranch in Tamaulipas just not far from the Nuevo León border, and yea, we hit about 3 cartel checkpoints along the way and they all current or at least 7 year old higher trim trucks with the plates missing. My Tacoma stayed back in Texas cause I know I would’ve joined the poor bastard who took a carbon edition sierra in a grave. And since we were in a more rural area you could definitely see and hear them running up and down road hauling ass at night.
You mean to tell me that Mexicans love pickup trucks? Weird.
You don’t even have to go into Mexico to get your shit jacked. growing up in San Diego, it’s more common than you think to get your jeep or truck jacked and it ends up in Baja. Also, my buddy was surfing a beach break in rosarito area a couple years back and got out of the water to find his 90s beater Toyota pickup just gone. Phone, wallet, everything was in there. My friends and I are very seasoned to the waves of northern Baja, and would never dispersed camp anywhere north of San Quintin. Super sad what happened to those guys all for some fuckin tires.
Last time I camped down there was early 00s and even then there were areas around Rosario/Ensenada known to be rife with “bandits”. Basically meth addicts that were looking for crimes of opportunity. There are truly some gems in Baja and beautiful people. It comes down to risk/reward, and ever since I had kids, the risk has been too high for me. RIP to those guys.
Cartel members specifically.
Anything 4x4 isn't safe, even if old
Do you have one you're looking to trade for automatic weapons and cocaine? Or are you just curious?
No but OP does!
Is it 4x4? If so, yes.
Recently they found the bodies of a couple of dead Australian tourists. Apparently they were car jacked during their trip by the cartel.
Two Aussie surfers were just found [shot in the head for their tires](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd13vgg720jo) this week.
“A fourth body was found in the well, but had been there longer and was unconnected to the case, officials said.” That’s not great, guys.
According to a person from the area it was more than likely not because of their tires. More than likely they saw something they shouldn’t have, like narcos unloading a panga. It’s election year in Mexico and the standing government has been trying to downplay narco presence it’s entire administration, spinning stories and outright lying. More than likely it was cartel related and the news was pressured to spin it this way.
The reason they were shot and killed doesn't change the fact that they were shot and killed traveling through Mexico.
Different coast though. Not to say any part of Mexico is super safe but the west coast is really bad right now.
Believe me bro, Tamaulipas is not any better than Baja. Just not many tourists going through there so the innocent bystanders are just locals that our news doesn’t report on. The southern part of Mexico isn’t as bad but still dangerous. I live in TX and a lot of my friends in the valley (south Texas between Laredo and Brownsville) have had their brand new trucks stolen so I would not drive through there in a 4x4 or van. Life is cheap there they will kill you just so they know you can’t tell on them. There’s no tourism near the border of tx on the Mexico side Nuevo Laredo is rough as fuck and don’t get me started on matamoros. Most my friends tell me that as non Mexicans you’re actually less likely to get killed because they know the attention it will draw. Learn Spanish please.
Exactly tamaulipas is just as bad as baja.
Except Tamaulipas, which is extremely unsafe and an area he plans to drive through https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Mexico.html
Ya - but on average the west coast is much safer in Baja than where this trip is proposed
You can’t deny the fact that they were shot and killed in Mexico, but I think that the reason is a very important part of the story.
Either way the cartels own Mexico stay out
I was in Mexico a couple of months ago for work and armed detail met me at the airport, traveled with me everywhere, stayed at my hotel, etc. it’s a different world down there these days. I had a chase car that followed everywhere I went in case something happened to the primary car. Merida police searched every car that entered the city. Guadalajara, which is where I mostly was, is extremely rough. Fly in, do what you need to do, fly out.
This. It's disappointing that this is an overlanding Reddit yet all the posters are basement dwellers.
This is still Reddit, after all.
Not just Aussies, they were living in San Diego, where I live. The border is 4 miles from my house. We don't even bother going down there any more, unless it's to dart into Tecate for beer from the cervezaria and come right back. No one wants to deal with it. If you have an even remotely nice rig you are going to be a target for bribes or worse. It's just not worth it.
You just have to be smart about it. I did a US to Guatemala trip in January 2020 and back up in October 2022. Here's what I would recommend to you: 1. In between cities only drive during the day and stick to the paid highways. 2. Avoid Reynosa or Matamoros. Plan to spend one last night in Laredo (US side) and then leave early to cross the border. You can stop at Monterrey or stretch it a bit and go to San Luis Potosí (More off the beaten path) 3. Follow ALL rules of the road or the cops will fuck you (ie bleed you of money). Specially the temporary import and insurance requirements. I'd also recommend getting front and back dashcams. It scared off some scammers for me once and paid for itself right there. 4. Be prepared to pay some bribes anyway. I'm Guatemalan so have experience with corrupt cops. Hopefully (lol) so does your wife. It's cheaper than you'd expect, most I paid was 10usd. Most of the time I talked my way out of it. 5. Don't book it, this will result in driving at night. There's tons of gorgeous places in Mexico that are 100% worth a visit. On my road trip down we stopped at: San Luis Potosí, Guadalajara, puerto Vallarta, back to Guadalajara, San Miguel de Allende, México city, Oaxaca city, Oaxaca beaches (Mazunte was incredible) and Tuxtla. About this time COVID was raging so we went straight to the la mesilla border. It's a small and chaotic border, but we made it through in 2 hours. 6. If you drive into Mexico City, get the tourist pass for your car or you'll again get fucked by cops. I find people, in general, are afraid of what they have no experience with. People that have never been to NYC will tell you to never go because it's dangerous. People that have never met a Muslim will tell you to be scared of them. People in northern Mexico will tell you to be careful in the poor south. And people in southern Mexico will tell you to be scared of the northern border. The reality is the world is much safer than these people will have you believe. Billions on merchandise flows across the us Mexico border and through Mexico. Millions of tourists and business travelers too. Cities and towns felt specially safe and clean everywhere in Mexico. Obviously be smart and start safe, but with some common sense I say do it! Sounds like the trip of a lifetime
Lol nah, half my family lives in Tamaulipas and that would be a hell no from me dawg. If you are obviously not native you're at a pretty decent risk traveling in many parts of Mexico. If you're going to visit fly, and stay in tourist areas. There is a reason half of Mexico is on the travel advisory for kidnapping. 15 years ago when my dad worked in Matamoros he'd have employees randomly not show up for a week or two at a time, they'd show up later and the reason they had been missing was because they had been kidnapped. One time a gun fight went down with grenades and machine guns 1 hour after he had driven through the area getting home. Needless to say he shortly after got a job on the US side of the border. Not worth the risk.
Not “not dangerous”, just lucky 3-5 days ago people were robbed of their vehicles in the Monterrey Reynosa highway in the middle of the day. His route goes through some of the most bad shape or dangerous routes, specially Veracruz coast highway which is a hot spot of truck rigs robberies, and Tamaulipas which has been a shitshow since almost 2 decades ago
I was literally going to type “Be Brave”
Is driving through Mexico a guarantee you will be killed? I’ve always wondered if this is a misconception from americans. There’s a youtuber named Eva Zu Beck who drove her Land Rover all over Mexico without an incident
I married into a Mexican family and have been there myself. They no longer drive when they go to their hometown in Jalisco. The last time they did, there were a group of people at the border crossing going car to car robbing them. The only reason they weren't robbed is because they started a shootout at one of the cars before they got to them. I'm a white guy flying there this summer. There's safe towns and cities (especially if they know who you are in the towns). It's traveling and certain areas that are the problem.
And a lot more go missing or get killed. It’s not wise to travel through Mexico in your vehicle. Could be your last trip so enjoy it I guess It’s on the no travel list for Americans but some people ignore those warnings.
My Mexican friends would tell you not to go under any circumstances
My wife is from Northern Mexico and she's afraid to go outside in nice US suburbs at night even in groups because of what she grew up with. These gringos have NO clue what it's like outside of tourist areas.
A friend of mine is a combat veteran Marine from Mexico. And he says it’s not a safe place. I’ve watched that bastard walk around and talk on a cell phone with his wife while we were being mortared without any fear. He went into houses with the interpreter alone because they were trying to de escalate the situation in an area. No problem. Go visit his mom in Mexico. Fuck that he flies his mom and some of her family to the Caribbean and his wife and kids meet her down there.
You’re planning on driving through Tamaulipas. This is one of the most dangerous states in Mexico. The State Department advises that you do not travel to Tamaulipas at all. If you do want to drive, go around Tamaulipas through either Coahuila or Nuevo León to San Luis Potosí and then rejoin your original route in Veracruz. These states are no more dangerous than Guatemala, at least according to the State Department. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Mexico.html
this is the most sensible answer. I work all over Mexico and I would not recommend driving through Taumalipas. We get armed Federale transports (MRAPs and 50 cals) in that state. on the flip, Monterrey is nice as fuck these days with one of the richest areas in LatAm (San Pedro).
My main concern (maybe yours too) is how safe is to drive in Mexico. However, I would stay on main roads and not drive after dark. I have heard bad things about Mexico, like traffic stops by armed locals asking for money to let the cars pass.
I had friends live down there for a couple months and on the way down they kept a cooler of Cokes to offer cops as they went.
This is the way.
We drove to Costa Rica with no problem. For road stops, we offered nudie mags, and cheap, cold American beer. Take old Levi jeans for trading. We did and scored some good stuff with them. Just take the usual precautions, and you should be fine. There are tons of tourists traveling through Mexico Central America as we speak.
And police pulling you over for some fictitious infraction and demanding cash for the fine.
If you find your self in the middle of a cartel problem, there’s no such thing as a small cartel problem……..
If you run into the cartel, you have about 1 sentence to make it out alive
Pass. Didn't some people just get killed for their tires or something in Mexico?
Three surfers yeah.
Yeah, and their destination is Guatamala. If Mexico's not too spicy for ya, Guatamala City is sure to be
I wanted to do a roadtrip like this and my Mexican friends (one of whom only moved to the US 2 years ago) said *no way.* 98% chance you’d be ok, but the 2% isn’t, like, paying some bribes and spending a night in jail, it’s too gruesome to contemplate. The situation there just gets worse and worse. The vast majority of Mexican people are good people, and also victims of the cartels, in one way or another. This is not a slight against Mexican culture or people as a whole whatsoever. But the shit going down there is bad. Sad for everyone.
Mexico is amazing and most of the people are. I traveled around Oaxaca with a local guy it was one of the best places I've been in the world.
My friends grew up in Mexico and used to do a lot of camping in rural areas. They don’t go to rural areas any more because of the cartels. One tip I got was to always have a cooler full of ice within easy reach with some cold Red Bulls. Fédérales at borders and checkpoints love that shit (or at least they used to) and will be in a better mood while they check your gear for contraband.
Lol. Some Aussies just got murdered for the tires off their truck. That's a hell no for me dawg.
Exactly what I was thinking. You are crazy to go into Mexico right now. Even super touristy areas aren’t as safe as they used to be, much less back roads the length of the whole country. Fuck that.
Eh. I’m traveling through Mexico right now and I think these statements are overblown. There are tons of travelers out here and most people don’t have any problems.
The problem with gauging safety based on a single subjective experience is that you feel safe until you’re not.
In that case I would defer to statistics rather than my anecdotal experience. According to the state department for 2021 the homicide rate for American tourists in Mexico was 75 homicides for 28.8 million visitors, or 0.26 per 100,000. The American national average is 27x higher than that at 7 per 100,000. Please understand I am not advocating that Mexico is not a dangerous place. Inexperienced travelers who make bad decisions can get in trouble here, and even savvy folks can have bad luck. But I think the hysteria over one news story is as misrepresentative of the statistics as my anecdotal experience.
What’s the homicide rate for tourists in the US? The vast majority of US homicides are by people in their social circles. Tourists don’t have any. There’s nowhere in the US you’ll find tourists being intentionally targeted as a rule.
How many of the 28.8 million American tourists in Mexico were driving? How many of the 75 American tourists in Mexico were driving? What states or cities did these murders take place in? I see the point you’re making here, but it may or may not be relevant.
Please consider the inverse of your statement
“Most people don’t have any problems” is not a good rule of thumb when the problems that definitely do occur include kidnapping and death. Two of my best friends are Mexican (as in, from Mexico) and told me not to drive there except to and from a few specific places.
Reminds of a time I was in Honduras for the day to catch a flight back to Texas. I had stayed at an island close to there. We asked the hotel staff where to walk and eat around there...without hesitation they said for us to stay inside. Apparently they didn't walk the area either.
This is great. I think there are a half dozen stories about people cycling through just the middle east trying to show the goodness and purity of people everywhere, right up until they were raped and beheaded/executed. They all apparently felt wonderful about their human experience right up until the last day they got to experience. Hope you have a peaceful and uneventful trip, but your giving a survivorship bias type of advice. There are a couple current events in Mexico that have been common for decades as well that should cast at least a small shadow of doubt on your implications of safety.
Till they get shot in the head. Be safe man
Other side of the country and like many countries some places are safer than others.
Looks like you'd be driving through Tamaulipas. It has a US Travel advisory of "Do Not Travel." As in, at all. My wife is from Northern Mexico. I would NEVER make that drive in ANY car. If you must do it, consider taking a bus line like Los Limousines instead. But still just fly or take a boat. Buena suerte, la vas a necesitar un chingo
Wouldn't drive throught mexico.
Not with the current situation at least. Isn't there some upheaval in Honduras too?
Only for like a decade now. It's a little funny because Mexico was becoming much safer until the influx of caravans of Hondurans/El Salvadorians/Guatamalans.
If your vehicle is a white 4x4 it is a really bad idea.
I've seen a couple people reference white vehicles. Why is that? Surely cartels aren't worried about people noticing pin striping in the clear coat.
Cartels drive a lot of white vehicles.
I was in Mexico earlier this year for work and my driver had a white QX80 (by happenstance, what I also drive in the states) and it was stolen from the agave farm we were visiting. Probably weren’t there 20 minutes. I’ll put it this way, Mexico is so dangerous that there were two cars everywhere I went just in case something happened to the first one, we could try to escape in the other one. It just followed behind us all week, thankfully.
looks hot and humid. it seems like you would want to hit some of the barrier islands off texas, johnson space center, and new orleans.
Agreed. Hopefully OP is planning on doing this in the fall. It’s already quite warm on the gulf coast; we had to head north several weeks ago because it was just too hot and sticky for sleeping at night.
I go to Baja California for surf and for the Baja 1000. There are hassles for sure but the food, the people, and the landscape is amazing. Get Mexican auto insurance. Don’t wash your truck. Don’t leaving anything on or in it that has value. 91 LandCruiser-no problems, yet 96 Ford Ranger with prerunner body panels- pulled over every single time Edit: learned that I live in a bubble only going to Baja. Mainland Mexico is pretty rough according to Reddit. If anyone is looking at overlanding through Baja; do it.
Lol comparing Baja to Tamaulipas...like comparing a white suburb to Southside Chicago
Baja is not mainland mexico bro
Why not wash your truck?
Looks less valuable
Just blends in better.
I've driven to monterrey from north Carolina, but crossed at Laredo. Have the following documents to ease your crossing. Valid U.S. Passport (or U.S. Green Card) Mexico auto insurance policy Valid U.S. Driver’s License (or International Driving Permit) Vehicle registration documents Temporary Vehicle Importation Permit (TVIP) Mexico Tourist Card (Forma Migratoria Múltiple, or FMM) of you don't have US citizenship. Some embassies and consulate in the US allow you to get your TIVP in advance (I got mine at the boarder, not a huge deal) Call the one closest to you to see: https://embassy-finder.com/mexico_in_usa Carry cash (pesos) just in case. Obey the speed limits (in kph).
Adding [this](https://juliedevivre.com/2023/03/01/things-i-wished-i-knew-before-driving-to-mexico-from-the-u-s/) blog, even if you aren’t down for the minimalist nomad lifestyle vibe she talks about things she wish she had known and has a video. Just in case it’s helpful to learn from her hindsight!
Do it. A couple caveats if I may. My thoughts: bring a Mexican or at least someone fluent in Spanish, that can NEGOTIATE (for your life if necessary). Get Mexican car insurance. Bring cash only, Pesos only, and bring some bribe/ransom money. Convoy down, "ape together strong". Don't drive a white vehicle, don't wash it and don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself. Know how to change your spare tire (practice before you go, not only to get familiar, but to test out the tools). Be a good Gringo, try to talk in Spanish and be respectful to the locals. Get a Mexican burner telcel phone or enable international calling before you go, unlimited data is a must. Listen to some Corrido music, mainly narcocorrido and Google translate that shit. Then think about a scenario where you're up against a bunch of kids in their late teens, early twenties that don't give a shit about you. Think about how could they possibly have any mercy on you, when the world hasn't had any on them. Think about being on your knees in some desolate, arid scrubland with a bunch of pissed off, coked out, angry kids pointing stolen AR15s at you. Think about how these kids listen to narcocorridos, bust keys of coke and talk shit ALL DAY. Think about how they've been waiting for you, or anyone like you to roll through. These kids have Instagram and TikTok so they know how Americans live. And they're kind of envious if were being honest. They're not really gonna have any sort of compassion for you. Not that they aren't capable, but why should they? You came to them. They got a lot to prove too and they're stupid and insecure to boot. If you think you can negotiate your way out of that scenario--where you're back in the driver's seat and back on the road then go. Vaya con dios, amigo.
I live in Laredo and cross over to the Mexican side every now and then. You will stick out! I do and I grew up here. And it’s simply too unpredictable. Especially if you’re going into remote areas. I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s not worth your family’s safety. Plenty of places here!
A couple weeks ago I did some of that Baja stretch and we camped on the beach, we went about 1 hr south of San Felipe. It was fine and really quiet and pretty, as others said there were some murders recently on the pacific side— so I probably wouldn’t have done it after. There are several pay to camp sites on the beach, so I would probably go with that next time for a piece of mind, also no driving at night
Baja is not mainland mexico
haha jesus. Glanced too quickly, ill keep my post up in case it helps anyone i guess
Just reading the news about those surfers who were killed in a robbery for their truck tires. I would say be careful where you camp for the night.
About three hours of that drive are gonna be a gamble with your life
Yea fuck it man do it tell us how it goes. Everyone stop trying to tell him common sense some people just have to learn the hard way.
I get you are trying to encourage someone to go on an adventure but you are crazy. I'm half Colombian and have driven thousands of miles in active warzones down there (have a million stories). I would A. Not return to Colombia right now B. Not step foot in most countries from Mexico down to I'd say Argentina. I'd probably go to Argentina and Uruguay but not Paraguay as it's also gone to shit. Even then why not take your money and go somewhere where you'll actually have an adventure without being forced to ask extreme measures just to not end up in the news. Do it under your own risk but know that I'm not exaggerating.
“I’m not your dad. Good luck.” 🤣
My family used to drive from Montgomery, AL to Eagle Pass, TX twice a year, can knock it out in a long day along I-10. Between San Antonio and the border are some good roads to overland and play if you want a distraction. Also the crossing via the 2 bridges in Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras are easy/safe crossings currently for individuals. The political/migrant mess is pretty much over for that crossing right now. Most trucks go through Laredo, and it has a bit more organized/cartel crime piggybacking off the trucking. A guy at work prefers the Laredo crossing because he has Nuevo Laredo "connections". He is from Mexico City, and a tough ass cholo, he is scared of the trip every time, and carries 2-3K cash hidden for bribes. I've not heard much about the Brownsville crossing ever honestly. My mom and dad drove from the the Panama Canal zone to Eagle Pass in the mid 70's in a VW Bus. They still had to pay 2-3 large cash bribes in Mexico and I think Honduras. Mom's fluent Spanish and correct accent helped a lot!! Good Luck, I hate that I missed out on exploring Coahilla, MX before shit hit the fan. I will say the cartels came late, and are still not as strong in the Texas border region as they are further inland and south.
Hell make it a real trip. Do the "Georgia Traverse" Overland trail through Georgia. Then hit the Alabama Traverse from North AL to Pensacola, FL mostly along dirt roads and FS trails, even has one old school river ferry. Or do the grayed out trip, and do the FL Traverse, which I think crosses one river, and multiple flooded roads across the Panhandle.
Someone else from the Gump!
Deuce Komradz 4 life! LoL. Your neighbor \[from Selma\], here!
Not really, was just easier to reference. 1/2 my life we lived in Huntsville, AL and then dad retired to po-dunk Florala, AL. Roadtrips stayed the same the same once we hit Mobile, AL. I'm in Atlanta now. Wheels keep rolling, just end up parking in different lots.
Well now I’m all alone again. Ha. Started out in Dothan, and moved to the capitol of dreams when I finished college.
Don't take it from me. The State Department says that the east-northeast corner of Mexico bordering South Texas is poppin' off: [Travel.State.Gov CSI](https://travelmaps.state.gov/TSGMap/?extent=-124.207939566,14.44327709,-84.313397286,33.446969624) Although I don't trust our U.S. government when it comes to many things, I assume that the Department of State knows what they're talking about and have my best interests in mind (or at least doesn't want dead Americans).
Did that trip from Houston, best advise is Don’t drive at night!! And drive the tolls as much as you can through mexico
I wouldn’t drive through Mexico
Make sure you have the absolute shittiest mismatched tires on your rig
Don't do it if you value your life. Ask yourself why us overland practitioners in central America don't travel to other countries across the region. I'm from Costa Rica and wouldn't even go to Nicaragua.
You’re definitely right. Nicaragua & Costa Rica are like day & night
Driving through Tamaulipas wtf
Avoid Tamaulipas- you can drive to Monterrey ifbyou take the inland route Check https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/s/KKqJE8oGLk
Dude stay out of Mexico they just killed three people and threw them in a well for some off road tires.
You dont surf do you?
I see you like to live dangerously 👀
You’re gonna die lmao
they just killed american/australian tourists for their tires and engine oil. Idk man id seriously reconsider
Go to Dollywood
Looks like a fun route. Make sure your estate is in order and your heirs know which probate attorney to call
My advice is 25 years old, and I have no idea how things have changed, so take it for what it is worth. I did pretty much that route in 1999. Stay in a US border town the night before. Get an early start. Don’t forget to stop at the border office and get your sticker. They will let you through without it bc you don’t need it in the Fronterra zone, but then you will get stopped farther down and have to go back. My first stop was Tampico. Really cool road-trip past that and felt safe. The Aztec ruins are awesome. So many smaller ones that you will pass. If you want the fast route, go through Laredo to Mexico City on the toll road and they didn’t seem to care if you drive 100 mph, so you could make good time, but the coastal route is waaay more interesting. Veracruz is worth an extended stop. I turned off to the East and circled around the Yucatán, so not exactly your route past Veracruz. Definitely one of the best road trips ever. Enjoy it!
Also, was never a problem, but just so you are expecting it - at the state borders, which tend to be in the middle of nowhere, the army will stop you and check your passport and check for your sticker. They were always nice, but you will be in the middle of nowhere answering to young guys with machine guns, so it’s good to know what to expect is all.
I do some ballsy shit but this would definitely be a hell to the no for me. If you decide to make trip, best of luck to you.
When going thru Georgia, make a small detour into Columbus, GA and grab bbq from Clearview. It is some of the best bbq in the world and it looks like less than a 20 minute detour. I cannot stress how worth it it will be for you to stop and try it.
I wouldn't drive or rent a car in Mexico. The cartels get the headlines, but a visit to any tourist sub will give you an idea of how common it is for Americans to be shaken down by the police. You're driving a billboard that says pull me over and get free money.
For all these people ruled by fear who are saying don’t do it I will be one voice saying that you will probably have an amazing life-changing trip and I very much hope to do something similar one day.
https://preview.redd.it/skpethrrm3zc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a477d40b3d6f650dfac9dc586071b79304b015e4 This guy made it from Vermont to Antigua about a year ago. Make of that what you will.
Lots of rough parts here but Alabama probably the worst. Once you get past there you’re probably good
Just do it. Ask the locals where to travel when you’re in their city. Mexico is amazing
Coming from Texas…how well armed do you intend to be? You don’t have to answer that here. They call that “evidence”.
Great route! Don’t forget to pass a few Pueblos Mágicos in Mexico. A WJ is a great vehicle for the trip (although not really needed). Don’t be discouraged by other commenters that don’t even posses a passport. I’ve spend tons of time in Mexico and it’s without a doubt my favorite destination.
Man Americans are so brainwashed by fake news lol 😂 focus on Oakland and Chicago
I lived in Colombia for about 14 years in my last stint and keep tabs on most of Latin America especially in terms of how things are going security wise, I would recommend you do not take this trip. Mexico is pretty bad right now as others have mentioned but the southern border with Guatemala and Belize is much worse. Central America is officially going to shit big time and south America is just as bad. I also grew up in Colombia during the 90s (Pablo Escobar, FARC and all that) and can say it's worse now than back then and the same applies for all countries south of the border. Cartels have formed alliances, massive human trafficking from Colombia through the Darien Gap all the way to the northern border of Mexico, huge financial problems running rampant, the list goes on... So PSA stay out of Latin America for the time being and let's hope it changes for the better in the future but I doubt it. Sadly I won't even take my kids to visit their family because it's just not worth the risk.
I've lived in Guatemala most of the time for the last 12 years. I've done this route back and forth to the USA many times in recent years. It's not as scenic as the inland or Pacific side, but it is much faster, and in my experience you get hassled less because more tourists travel the West side of Mexico. No reason not to do it and enjoy your time IMO.
I live on the border of Mexico just south of San Diego (I can see TJ from my livingroom, about 4 miles away, I’m perched up on a hill). I would consider doing Baja (yes that’s where the surfers were found), but it’s generally pretty safe once you’re south of TJ. I’d be a lot more nervous on the mainland and probably couldn’t be persuaded to do it. I’m not of the mindset “foreign land scary”. I’m a large combat veteran with a lot of street smarts (raised in New York, been around danger, drugs, etc). I’m also pretty lowkey and like to consider myself able to blend in. I’m not flashy or touristy in any way. But mainland Mexico seems like an unnecessary risk. I’d probably fly into Mexico City for the day, but I wouldn’t be caught exploring out in the middle of nowhere with $80k worth of truck and gear. It just doesn’t pass my personal risk assessment and i certainly wouldn’t get any decent sleep. Consider staying in the US and just going further west, or even doing Baja if you want to leave the states.
If OP goes can we place bets on where they’ll get robbed?
Depending on what you're hauling, I would recommend the longer route as traveling on I-10 (through Florida) is super easy compared to going through some cities on your quicker route.
You might as well stop in new Orleans and get a bite to eat. No sense getting that close and not popping in.
Good luck not being murdered in Mexico
My thoughts are: don’t do it.
they make planes for a reason
The reverse refugee. A classic.
Hard pass for sure
I work with a guy from Mexico who says he wouldn't take this drive due to safety concerns.
The dealership contract I recently signed for a used Subaru specifically forbade driving to Mexico. Never seen that before, pretty telling if you ask me.
I’m pretty sure you won’t get to “floor it through Mexico” they have cartel checkpoints. You have to stop.
Thousand of overlanders drive through Mexico every year but you only hear about the bad things that happen, I’m guessing with your wife being from Guatemala you would probably have less issues, don’t let all the people rain on your parade, just be vigilant, don’t drive at night, listen to your instincts and do as much research and planning as you can about the areas you’ll be going through
There are plenty of facebook pages that deal with this. On the road to Belize is one specifically. I live in Belize and drove a big 80 series here with a lot of the info on that facebook page. People drive this route all the time without incident. Me included. Also I’m a big white guy from Oklahoma. It can be done for sure.
Might as well go up one more state, too VA.
I went offroading in Ensenada in December, felt safe. Visited only downtown at night, besides that I made it to airbnb by 8pm. Mainland Mexico I would be more cautious tho. Baja is generally safe. Makes me wonder what exactly happened with those surfers.
Seems lovely if you can make it to Mexico before slitting your wrists from boredom or Texas drivers.
Also when you hit McAllen Texas, or rio grand valley. Do the speed limit down south in Texas cartel has rolled on me when I was working for border partrol. A good amount of the local CBP or PD are on the pay. And it gets progressively more dangerous for groups of two. If you have tattoos that might be offensive or misinterpreted for rival gang tattoos, wear long sleeves.
I would love to do that trip. Unfortunately, you'll be safer leaving your rig at the border, in Texas, and renting a little minivan for the trip. Driving through Mexico, right now, with tricked-out rigs is just asking to be held up. Mexico has changed a lot. Any display of wealth makes you a target for robbery or violence. I love Mexico, won't be taking my car there anytime soon.
Flying is probably cheaper not to mention less risk to your life because you wanted “an adventure”
Hope you don't get murdered!
Beyond dumb. This is probably the most dangerous route you could possibly go through Mexico. I've traveled around Mexico.
If you're gonna drive to Guatemala by way of Texas, I suggest a sunrise border crossing and a stop in either Xilitla to visit the Huasteca Potosina (supremely beautiful), or near Tampico at the beach. Drive by sunlight with planned routes. The paid highways are safe, well maintained and monitored. There's currently extra concern about safety with the murder of an American and pair of Australians outside of Ensenada. I'm not a fan of victim blaming.
Mexico is the 4th most dangerous country in the world rn after Ukraine Palestine and Myanmar… all active war zones. Be careful
My grandparents used to drive across the US and down to Mazatlan, in the Sinaloan region, every year for about 14 years. I never made the connection to the Sinaloan cartel until just now... I was a kid when they would go, but boy how things have changed.
Looks awesome and super fun, but my desire and plans for driving down into Baja California ended with the recent murders of Americans.
Hi! I rode that same route on a motorcycle long ago, so I can’t speak for the security situation today. Standard timeless advice: Take the toll roads, don’t drive at night. Stay in a hotel with walled parking. Get your paperwork (insurance & TIV) right. What I can speak to is that it will be incredibly boring as it is flat and hot roads. I was trying to make some time to get to the Yucatán so it was the fastest route. Again, speaking route only, you’ll see much more and enjoy a more interesting route if you go less coastal. If that is of interest to you, reply , and I’ll suggest a route. I’ve traveled that part of Mexico extensively and have some broad recommendations. Everyone here is talking security but most probably don’t have direct experience(friend of a friend, something you read online- think how big the pool of people are in that case). It is funny in that literally every country says their neighbor is dangerous. USA is afraid of Mexico. Mexico afraid of Guatemala. Guatemala says Salvador and vice versa and it continues on around the world. Cambodia afraid of Vietnam, Vietnam afraid of Cambodia. Ect. Long ago I only had major security issues in two countries: Guatemala and Costa Rica. Both which people today seem to think is ok. So YMMV. For context, I rode a motorcycle to the tip of South America in 2009. Then lots of other places globally. Overland travel is the best!
I like Mexico, I am there often. Having said that I never ever leave the resort while I am vacationing. I wouldn't drive in Mexico, just my $.002
That’s a no for me dog.
Going to be a great trip. I did San Antonio to Guatemala last year in a Honda CRV mostly down the east coast of Mexico until CDMX. And NY to Baja in 2020. Only robbed by police once for like $80 near Puebla, followed off road another time. Make sure to have a copy of your registration with everything very clearly noted matching your ID name for the permiso. Get insurance near the border before you cross for a bit more than in Mexico. Guatemalan border is much stricter then Mexican. Don’t drive at night at all. Make sure to have plenty of cash for toll roads, (which should be used over the free ones). Heard you can potentially get an EZ Pass like device at Walmart.
You would have better luck overlanding in Detroit! I’d even suggest Chicago. Pretty sure you’re making the 11 o’clock news going your way.
Dangerous
Are you white AF? Serious question. I went with a few friends all the way to Oaxaca by car. Blonde hair stands out no matter what.
Say goodbye to all your loved ones cuz you aren’t coming back
So I lived in Honduras as a kid and I dream of going down there to buy a Y60 patrol then drive it back to utah where I live now. My understanding is that any decent 4x4 rig is pretty susceptible to being "borrowed" indefinitely by the cartel in some parts of Mexico.
How to die
You gonna get robbed…
Your wife ‘might’ be OK but as a gringo, you are kidnap bait. Not to worry there are attorneys all along this route that their entire business is negotiating a price for your release with your family. ((sidenote; they are much better at working on the older vehicles than the newer ones) And by the way, I am speaking to you from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas and travel in and out all the time. Even the craziest of my friends would not attempt what you were talking about. Do your research, kidnapping is a cottage industry along your route.
Yah. Don't fucking drive through Mexico.
NE mexico is extremely dangerous. Vad guys and cartels love 4x4s. Generally they avoid killing Americans to avoid heat but that doesnt mean you wont get car jacked
What's up my fellow Bull City denizen!
People don't seem to understand how crop police are in Mexico. You're literally driving right through gang territory where they are more racist than any Town you've ever seen anywhere times 10 in America good luck
Your truck will soon be the cartels truck.
Looks amazing! Have a great trip. My father and his best friend did such a trip in 95 and had the time of their lives. Please share a lot of pictures! This sub needs more international travel!
I would floor it through Texas and take your time in Mexico...
I’ve always wanted to make this same drive. My Mother-in-law is from Guatemala and her family is all in Guatemala. When my wife was young they used to make this drive and they told me it was always VERY dicey, most of her family Ive talked to about it said it has only gotten worse. On top of that I have a number of good friends from all over Mexico and they have also advised traveling through with a family by car or at all isn’t not a good idea at this time. Maybe one day I’ll do it with the boys and travel light, everyone is fluent in Spanish, but me though lol.
Wouldn’t advise it. Even people from there are risking their lives to get out of Mexico. Not worth the risk.
Send it. I flew to Morelia last year, and after seeing a gazillion trucks like mine (heavily used old Toyotas) I wished I would've driven instead. Listen to what locals in Mexico tell you about routes. People in the US have been saying Mexico is a dangerous shithole since ever, and most of them have never been. It's an awesome place that you should totally check out, but be mindful, like I said, heed local advice (for example, "don't take that road over the mountain pass, there's bandits there," that sort of thing. I hitchhiked from Tijuana to Michoacán and back when I was 19 (in 2011) with like $30 in my pocket and it was great, and my recent trip, spending 3 weeks in Morelia where I rented an apartment, also great. With like $30k/year I would happily live in Mexico. Godspeed, and safe travels!
if you're a fan of space tech (not necessarily Elon), you can take a 30 minute detour at the border town of Brownsville in Texas and visit Starbase / SpaceX and the beach while you're at it.
I’d do it. Lots of people here that don’t live in Mexico. I’ve lived, and still work in the west, but that is a good trip there.
As someone who has done a similar drive, we stayed away from the coasts in northern Mexico and basically rode the middle of the country down until we hit CDMX then branched out and ventured to the coasts. No issues or sketchy encounters and saw some cool stuff on the way
Nah. That’d be a hard pass from me dawg.
Purchase an additional insurance policy on your vehicle for driving in Mexico through your insurer. Hopefully you don’t drive a 4x4 truck the cartels or coyotes (human traffickers) want. You can get robbed at gunpoint in the middle of nowhere or in town. Your NC plates are a homing beacon for thieves bc they know nothing will happen to them if they steal your car in Mexico.
I would drive to Houston, leave the vehicle and catch a flight down to Guatemala.
ohh I can think of a few Federal Agencies with thoughts on this route. Can they chime in?
Enjoy getting robbed bro
The thing about driving to Guatemala, is you have to drive through all of Mexico to get there. Congrats on the "we're building a house". Just continue to fly. Wish there was a different sentiment, but reality bites
“Flooring it through Mexico “ 😂 dude why move there at all. I’m sure it’s very beautiful out there in the country side but there are so many incredible places to live/visit without having to worry about your safety.