Mexico Anyone???

[bob n pam]

We're considering spending some time in Mexico next winter and would love to hear from anyone who has experience and information. Thanks!!

Pam

[HamRad]

Pam,

We have very limited experience with camping/RVing in Mexico.

A couple of years ago we spent 4 nights in Puerto Penasco. It is only about an hour's drive south of the US. You crossover at a place called Lukeville, AZ. We had a great time but we stayed in a regular CG.

Just west of town a few miles is another CG and also a beach where you can boondock. I think it costs about $5 per night. Very nice beach. Our friends Dave and Kelly Anderson have stayed at the beach boondocking. They loved it. This year a group from Quartzsite may make it's way down that way again. We would probably be a group of 5 to 10 rigs.

There are others who have expansive camping experience in Mexico and I'm sure they'll show up and pass on some important info.

Good luck and have fun.

Dennis

[Bill-N-Donna]

Have you heard of The adventures of Tioga and George? He is in Mexico and usually post something every day. He is planning on full timing in Mexico. Check it out..

[Charlie]

Don't drink the water......

[HamRad]

Charlie,

Things have improved a lot over the years. We drank the water while we were there to no ill effect. Of course we were in a fairly large town that caters to a lot of Americanos del Norte. The food was great and the people friendly.

Left my camera out on my handicap cart all night and it was still there in the morning. Thought for sure I'd lost a $1000! Our friends across from us left out there cooler and it walked off a couple of spaces. The joke was on the perps though since there was no beer in the cooler..... Just dog food! I'm sure the kids or whoever took it assumed it was full of beer or drinks of some sort.

Also left my truck parked downtown near the pier and walked around for several hours. Didn't lock up my 2 gas cans or anything else and guess what...... it was all still there when we returned.

All in all a good trip. We would like to return someday.

HamRad

[bob n pam]

Hey, guys! Thanks for the info. We'll keep you posted on what we come up with and what we learn along the way. We'd love to hear from anyone else who's "been there, done that".
Pam

[TLightning]

NO...to answer your question...not in this day and age.

[Joe-n-Doe]

In April 2006, ago we took our TT South from Nogales, AZ to Guaymas, MX. DW lived there for 3 years and when we lived in Nogales we spent many long weekends and short vacations there and in nearby San Carlos. This was the first time we had visited the area since 1985. (FYI: This is where “CATCH-22” was filmed.)

Road conditions from the border to Guaymas is much better than it was and now consists of a toll road. We have driven on many roads and interstates here in the USA that are in poorer condition than that road. Gas is readily available and in 2006 cost about the same as it did per gallon in the U.S. Diesel was much, much cheaper. Even though I have read that Ultra-low sulfur fuel (known in Mexico as Pemex Diesel Bajo Azufr) is now the standard diesel fuel in Mexico, it is something I would research before heading South.

We stayed at the Hotel Playa de Cortez’ RV Park. When we were frequent visitors to Guaymas, this hotel was the “Gem” of hotels and the place to stay. Fast forward to 2006, sadly the hotel has fallen into hard times and no longer enjoys its’ former status. The RV park is dilapidated and not well maintained. Guaymas has become a S*** hole (if your there following one of their torrent rain storms this is literally true!)

However, drive over to San Carlos and it is a different world. San Carlos is a Gringo enclave and has 2 or 3 very nice RV parks. There is (was) a police checkpoint at the entrance to San Carlos. This has turned San Carlos into an artificial gated community, and is the source of some resentment with the local Mexican citizenry who feel they are being denied access to beaches and fishing areas that belong to them and not for exclusive use by foreigners.

We cut our visit to Guaymas/San Carlos short and moved up the coast to Bahia Keno. Bahia Keno is favorite get-away spot for the people living in the nearby city of Hermosillo. We were there on Easter week and witnessed the sleepy village turn into a big fiesta. There weren’t many gringos there at that time of year. I understand during the winter it is a favorite spot for American and Canadian snowbirds.

We returned to the U.S. on Good Friday. Because our next stop was Phoenix, we used the commercial gate at Nogales. Clearing Customs was quick and painless. Had our next stop been San Diego, we would have used the Lukeville Port-of-Entry.

I know that crime in the Tijuana area has reached the point that many people living in the greater San Diego area no longer make cross-border trips for shopping, eating, or partying. I have also read that RV’ers traveling well South of the border have been targeted by gangs of bandits. This is something to consider and research before heading South.

[bob n pam]

Joe, thank you so much for that information. We will take your advice and do a little more research before we make a decision.

Pam