The Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping
RV's Can Explore Mexico Safely
RV'ing In Mexico Is A Great Experience - But Is It Safe?
RV safety in Mexico versus RV thefts in Canada and the USA. OK, let's be honest.
By November 2011, there have been no verified reports of RV's encountering trouble on Mexican highways. What RV'ers should remember is that - if there are any reports of trouble - they will be far more likely to be attempted carjackings for in-demand vehicles.
2011 started off with a sad story of the shooting death of a missionary woman. She and her missionary husband were driving a big, tricked-out $50,000 Chevy pickup (a prime candidate for theft) back to McAllen from their part-time home in San Fernando, Tamaulipas. That was an awful tragedy yes, but I had driven through San Fernando a few weeks prior in a 2006 Ford Escape with no problems. I send RV'ers past there with no problems. I have driven past through San Fernando since. You bypass the town, there is no reason to stop and visit (although I did that so I could honestly report on it). The place has bad Karma with a capital K.
So, when you read the news, please try to get the whole story, not just the sensational generalizations. Those missionaries lived in San Fernando part-time and had made enemies of the cartels there. They were good people. In later interviews, the husband admitted that they had been warned to get out of town and people had tried to steal their truck before. So their profile is unlikely to resemble yours. Go to one of the RV discussion boards to listen to others who have driven in Mexico recently. Those are your peers, not missionaries.
As an aside, I no longer recommend driving though Tampico to get anywhere. There is an alternative route in my maps / road logs or personal consultations section. You still pass by San Fernando, but avoid the likelihood of getting shaken down by bad transito cops in Altamira for a bribe.
In 2010, I personally knew of 3 verified incidents in Mexico involving RV's. One was a car/RV-jacking on the road between Cd. Victoria and Nuevo Padilla. One of the drivers of the car/RV-jacking wrote me to correct the location of the incident, which just goes to show that stories get changed in the telling. It also shows that even I make mistakes and appreciate corrections. He eventually got his RV back and has no hard feelings towards Mexico. In fact, he still goes.
BTW, while you may have to drive past that area, I stopped recommending stopping in that area a few years ago. My feeling is that the fishing lodges nearby are cartel vacation spots. The area just felt like bad karma to me when I was there last a few years ago. But in the past two years there have been no incidents in that area. That is rather typical - except for some trouble spots, you cannot point to one area and say it is unsafe. Unsafe when? Today? Tomorrow? Unsafe how? I know hundreds of people who have driven that route in the past few years with no incidents. I have done so myself five times in the past three years.
One was an attempted break-in and car theft (Mazatlan). The object there was the theft of the couple's Cadillac SUV. I talked to a lady who actually met the folks involved. The would-be thieves were not cartel guys, just hoodlums. It did not happen on the highway, but in an RV park. Folks there are bad people everywhere. BTW, the lady who told me the story was on her way to Mexico when she met the gentleman from the Mazatlan incident. It did not deter her from coming down.
The third was a theft of an RV.
How many RV's were broken into, stolen or otherwise bothered in the USA in that time? I guarantee you it was more than 3. Let's say that I only hear of half the things. Let's say there were 6 incidents. I still say you are safe in Mexico.
But I do not guarantee you are any safer than you are in the USA - or Canada. Why do we think we are so immune from reality when we travel? Stuff happens everywhere. Don't condemn an entire country or cancel a trip because of some isolated incidents or rumors.
There is a newish bulletin board for RV'ers that I really like. The discussions are lively and often the contributors know what they are talking about. But, just like any board (including the one I keep planning on creating for this site), there are some negative Nellies who spread disinformation. After reading my breathless prose, take a gander at this RV forum.
RVhotlineCanada.com said this: The RCMP in BC has created a new section to combat what it calls an epidemic of RV, campers, boat, snowmobile, and all-terrain vehicle thefts.
Uh, are you afraid to drive your RV to Canada? I doubt it.
Oh dear! Don't go to Pennsylvania either: See story.
Oh Gosh! In Myrtle Beach. SC, there is another epidemic: See story.
A string of RV and camper break-ins in Horry County, S.C., has topped 100 incidents and left thousands of dollars in damage in its wake. Now, some businesses in Horry County fear the crimes are too much for local law enforcement to handle, according to WMBF-TV, Myrtle Beach.
RVing or 5th-wheeling in Mexico is a wonderful experience. With diesel and gas prices often below US prices, RVing in Mexico can be a bargain. But an RV or trailer trip to Mexico is not just about saving money. RV Mexico and you will get to meet the real Mexican people who are as friendly and warm as any in the world. Sure, you will see some spectacular sites, but the people are the greatest part of your trip. This page is a short introduction to driving your RV or trailer in Mexico.
RV camping in in Mexico is safe and driving on the toll roads is easy. Thousands of people drive RV's (motorhomes and trailers) to Mexico every year and it is a far more pleasant place to spend the winter than staring out at snow in the USA or Canada. There are enough RV parks in Mexico for both temporary and permanent RV parking. The Pacific coast and Baja have the most RV parks. The Gulf Coast has just enough RV parks. Yucatan RV parks are dwindling, due to high real estate prices, but you will get by. Boondocking can be safe, if you park near a restaurant or house. You must have Mexican insurance for your RV. For Mexico insurance, click "Car, RV insurance" above.
You will find several different products relating to driving your RV in Mexico (maps, road logs, travelogues or roadlogs) with RV parks and specific RV routes on my shopping cart, as well as a description of my trip-planning services to help you get the most out of an RV driving trip to Mexico.
RV-related Updates
The Hotel Valles in Cd. Valles no longer has an RV Park, though El Bañito, south of town still has a few spaces. Get The Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping for up-to-date listings. RV'ers can now get a 10-year driving permit. My map has recommendations for good RV routes through Northeastern Mexico.
For up-to-date information on dealing with less-than-straightforward permit issues related to RV's see the Church's site.
There are new RV parks in Michoacan and Jalisco.
The Mocambo in Veracruz does not accept RV's, but there is a great one in Anton Lizardo.
Drive The Mexican Toll Roads, But ...
Driving through Mexico by using the Mexican toll roads is your safest bet, BUT it will cost you (a fairly realistic average is one peso per kilometer). Toll roads are privately owned, so the rate you will be charged for driving an RV on a Mexican toll road will vary. At some, you are charged by the number of wheels on the ground, not by the number of axles as the signs at the Mexican toll booths suggest. At others, you pay according to axles. In general, your rate is 50% more than for a car.
Driving Mexico is an adventure, but not as much as you think. Mexican toll roads are safe, fast and similar to first-class highways anywhere in the world. Driving your RV in Mexico doesn't require any more skills than driving your RV in the United States or Canada, other than using common sense.
Bring extra long extension cords to hook up to outlets in RV parks in Mexico.
Most Mexican RV parks have 110 volt plugs, but every once in awhile, you'll be shocked to find that innocent outlet is putting out 220. Have a disposable electric appliance to plug in first to check out the plug.
Voltage in Mexican RV parks fluctuates greatly. A surge protector is mandatory and a voltage regulator is a darn good idea.
Mexican diesel fuel used to be a lot dirtier than US diesel fuel. Mexican diesel is much better now than it was ten years ago, and sometimes it is even the low sulfur diesel. However, I would still carry several fuel filters and drain water from your catch valve every morning.
Please use the toll roads. Yes, they are expensive, but the damage to your vehicle on regular highways from topes, chuckholes and potential accidents is costlier. The toll road signs say that you are charged by the axle. It depends. Often, you are charged for each tire. Thus, if you have two tires per axle, you MAY get charged a higher rate. You should not be charged for the tow vehicle, but probably will be. See note above.
Mike and Terri Church's book, Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping, is a darn good book. I have been recommending their book The Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping since it first came out and they keep improving it. It is well-researched and they are meticulous about updating it (although i think they are on a three-year schedule). Every time I give a seminar about traveling in Mexico, all I have to do is mention it and dozens of people will show their copies. That's the best form of advertising there is. They sell their book via Amazon, as do I, so you might as well buy it here. Either way, we both make a few bucks.
