Puerto Vallarta Forum (PV Bulletin Board)

What do you think about this piece of "news": http://puntodigital.com/puerto-vallarta ... ia/224898/

I remember reading somewhere that Florida Tourism was financing scary news releases for Mexico so people would stay in the US...

Greetings

M.

What else is new.. I am constantly asked how come I still go to Puerto Vallarta.... There is crime everywhere. We have had nasty things happen in our little town here... I guess if I want to be safe I won't leave the house...

Puerto Vallarta has always been safe for us... we have never had any problem or concerns when bringing ourselves, our families, and even our grandchildren there for a holiday.

We're careful about where we go, but we do the same in any community here in Canada. I believe there might be some level of concern if you are someone who has no problem joining into certain lifestyles that are illegal in our own countries, but being the right wing prick that I am known to be, I kinda feel that if that happens then it's the equivalent of just desserts.

Sure, you can get in to trouble even in Island... but what about the US media actually trying to find an excuse to bash Vallarta... who's paying them or is it just easy to publish bad news on Mexico?

M.

I would think its because they want to make sure any holiday money is spent in their own country.

Correct, but it is not ethical and we all know US media is very ethical...

Hey it worked with the Flu scare!

Hey it worked with the Flu scare!

It could have been much worse, and in any event it was a good dry run for some future scenario when it will be extremely obvious and serious.

I'm sure there is something new coming in the future. I hear some nuclear scientist in Iran had trouble with his car today. [/quote]

I am beginning to think that PV is safer than Portland. Every night, drive by gang shootings. People attacked on the transit system(and nobody there steps up to help the attackee). My ONLY concern with PV is that soneday(i know it will happen)there will be a drug related shootout between druggies, and some(or several)inocent tourist bystanders will catch stray bullets. No, please don't flame me about this, 'cause it is just my opinion, and not an indictment of PV. Chuck...

My ONLY concern with PV is that soneday(i know it will happen)there will be a drug related shootout between druggies, and some(or several)inocent tourist bystanders will catch stray bullets. No, please don't flame me about this, 'cause it is just my opinion, and not an indictment of PV. Chuck...

Chuck,
I agree with you 100% but it has already happened many years ago when two rival cartels did the big shoot out at Christines. I have no doubt that there were tourists in there that night but I have always said the drug cartels seem to be much better shots than the gang members who think it looks cool to hold a gun sideways when they shoot it. I remember coming in the taxi from the airport and driving by Christines only to see all the windows boarded up with plywood, it had just happened the night before I got there.

Mogens,
As far as the US media goes, part of it is because we are on the border with Mexico and when headless bodies get hung off of bridges at the border it makes it rather hard not to see or talk about. For the past week in my yahoo alerts every day I get reports from the Canadian newspapers about the Canadian guy who was killed "south of Puerto Vallarta" in a home invasion robbery. For one thing, they too painted Mexico with a broad brush, he was killed in Melaque which is quite a ways south of PV. They stated in a couple of articles that Canadians were re-thinking their trips to Mexico. So it isn't only the US media that likes to sensationalize happenings in Mexico. The guy was not a tourist and was staying at a friend's home. They returned home late after attending a concert and ran right into a home invasion situation, something that happens everywhere, not just "south" of PV.

Until I no longer feel safe in PV I will continue to go there but once things start getting questionable, you won't find me going down there several times a year like I do now.

My father believed and always said; "When your time is up, it is up, and it doesn't matter where you are; whether you are crossing a street or sitting home in your recliner". I never purposely put myself in a situation that I feel I am in danger but I refuse to live life afraid to "Live Life".

Great post Kat!

well put kat, I hope that PV is not going to change for worse, as you mentioned there is a lot of bad publicity about safety in Mexico.
I think that just like anywhere else in the world you have to be aware when traveling.

I had unpleasant incident with front desk person in Hotel I am not going to name, but it did not change my view about PV.

I still love it, I probably won't go back to the same hotel any more but I still love PV.

I think some people on the boards feel there's some kind of conspiracy to defame Mexico. As a former member of the US media, the thought the media could organize such a thing gives them too much credit. With fewer working reporters every day, the remaining outlets take what they can get. If an American dies in any foreign country, it's considered big news. As with US participation in the Olympics, nobody else matters. We routinely have friends tell us about a shooting somewhere in Mexico and ask us if we're still going. We say Mexico is a big country. We shouldn't go to New Hampshire because somebody got shot in New York City? For that matter, we shouldn't go to New York City? We of course report our one incident in PV (a purse snatch) but we're not walking in that neighborhood anymore. In sum, inadequate media, general ignorance of geography and inverse perception of risk are all just normal.

I also think people are diversifying their sources when it comes to news, so it's not easy at all to conspire any more...

Greetings

M.

I have been to PV numerous times and have never had even the slightest hint of trouble. I don't like the aggressive selling along the waterfront, but that is about my only beef with the place. The post 911 world is sad and fear filled. Get out and live your lives or else the bad guys will always win!

I agree 100%. This coming Fall will be the 29th year in a row to PV. We love it as much as we did when we first went in 1984.

I also agree. We, too, have been coming to PV since 1983, when the Posada Vallarta was the hot hotel, and Mismaloya was just an isolated beach. We've never had a safety issue. Some of the small town charm has been lost, but that is the price of popularity. On the other hand, the variety of activities is greater, as are the choices of excellent restaurants. Still love it after all these years.

The Posada Vallarta was the place we stayed the first 2 years (84 & 85) Loved walking across the street and down a block or 2 to the old Tango Restaurant and the Japanese Restaurant, Kamakura. We seem to always like one side of the Marina or the other. 13 years at the Marina de Oro and then since 99 the Velas Vallarta.

Lots of changes , but still the feel of Mexico as it was back in the 80s.

I have been going to PV since 1994 and still will
my friends will no longer be going ...

Robbery Near Melacon by Police Officer
This March my friends were vacationing for a couple of weeks in PV,
like the do every year and staying in a hotel a couple blocks from the Malecon,
One night my friends when back to their hotel and thier 20 year old son was
later heading back to the hotel, He was one block from the Malecon when a armed police officier in uniform, stopped him and indicated the Cigarette he was smoking was majurana and is illegal , ( He was smoking a comerically bought Normal Ciggarette ) The officier ordered him to empty out his pockets ( Which he complied, by setting his contents down , Ipod, Cigarette package and pesos he had in his pockets ) The Officier took all the contents and left, Bascially robbing him, My friends were shocked and called the Consulate to report it and had to fly out the next day.
ANY advice on who else this could be reported to ?

Thanks for information,
it is very good for me,

Regards,

katnsocal wrote:

My ONLY concern with PV is that soneday(i know it will happen)there will be a drug related shootout between druggies, and some(or several)inocent tourist bystanders will catch stray bullets. No, please don't flame me about this, 'cause it is just my opinion, and not an indictment of PV. Chuck...

Chuck,
I agree with you 100% but it has already happened many years ago when two rival cartels did the big shoot out at Christines. I have no doubt that there were tourists in there that night but I have always said the drug cartels seem to be much better shots than the gang members who think it looks cool to hold a gun sideways when they shoot it. I remember coming in the taxi from the airport and driving by Christines only to see all the windows boarded up with plywood, it had just happened the night before I got there.

Mogens,
As far as the US media goes, part of it is because we are on the border with Mexico and when headless bodies get hung off of bridges at the border it makes it rather hard not to see or talk about. For the past week in my yahoo alerts every day I get reports from the Canadian newspapers about the Canadian guy who was killed "south of Puerto Vallarta" in a home invasion robbery. For one thing, they too painted Mexico with a broad brush, he was killed in Melaque which is quite a ways south of PV. They stated in a couple of articles that Canadians were re-thinking their trips to Mexico. So it isn't only the US media that likes to sensationalize happenings in Mexico. The guy was not a tourist and was staying at a friend's home. They returned home late after attending a concert and ran right into a home invasion situation, something that happens everywhere, not just "south" of PV.

Until I no longer feel safe in PV I will continue to go there but once things start getting questionable, you won't find me going down there several times a year like I do now.

My father believed and always said; "When your time is up, it is up, and it doesn't matter where you are; whether you are crossing a street or sitting home in your recliner". I never purposely put myself in a situation that I feel I am in danger but I refuse to live life afraid to "Live Life".