US Travel Advisories Ease - Nayarit and Jalisco
September 10, 2020
US Travel Advisories to Mexico are easing. Only five states are on the "Do Not Travel" list. That said, there are parts of Nayarit and Jalisco that the US advises that travel should be avoided in these areas. We need to be very careful in all our travels throughout Mexico.Following are exerpts from the September 8 US Travel Advisory:
- Baja California Sur - "There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Baja California Sur, which includes tourist areas in: Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo, and La Paz."
- Guerrero - "U.S. government employees may not travel to the entire state of Guerrero, including Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa, and Taxco."
- Jalisco - "There are no restrictions on travel for U.S government employees to: Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, Riviera Nayarit (including Puerto Vallarta), Chapala, and Ajijic."
- Nayarit - "There are no restrictions on travel for U.S government employees to: Riviera Nayarit (including Nuevo Vallarta, Punta Mita, and Bahia de Banderas), and Santa Maria del Oro."
- Quintana Roo - "There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Quintana Roo state, which include tourist areas in: Cancun, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and the Riviera Maya."
- Sonora State - "U.S. government employees may travel to Puerto Peñasco via the Lukeville/Sonoyta crossing during daylight hours on Federal Highway 8. U.S. government employees may also travel directly from the nearest U.S. Ports of Entry to San Luis Rio Colorado, Cananea, and Agua Prieta but may not go beyond the city limits without official Consulate Nogales clearance."
Tepic and San Blas in Nayarit are the state's trouble spots. The beach areas, pools and expansive property at Vidanta Nayarit and Riviera Maya recently received high praise from guests. Looks like we may visit Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta in November.
US eases Mexico travel advisory to level 3 ‘Reconsider travel’
'Do not travel' advisory continues to be in effect for five states
The United States has eased its travel advisory for Mexico from level 4 “Do Not Travel” level 3 “Reconsider Travel.”
Issued Tuesday, the advisory reads, “Reconsider travel to Mexico due to Covid-19. Exercise increased caution in Mexico due to crime and kidnapping. Some areas have increased risk.”
However, the U.S. advises its citizens not to travel to five Mexican states and reconsider travel to another 11 due to crime.
Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Tamaulipas and Sinaloa should be avoided by U.S. travelers, according to the State Department, and citizens should reconsider plans to travel to Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Jalisco, México state, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sonora and Zacatecas.
Travelers are advised to exercise increased caution in the rest of the country.
The State Department said homicide, kidnapping, carjacking and robbery are widespread in Mexico and cited piracy of ships and oil platforms in the Bay of Campeche as a risk factor.
It said the U.S. government has limited ability to aid its citizens in certain regions of Mexico, and has restricted or prohibited travel by government employees to several areas.
They may not travel between any city in Mexico after dark, and cannot hail taxis. They are required to use Uber or order a taxi from a taxi stand.
Driving from the border region to the interior of Mexico is also prohibited for federal workers, except for travel in Baja California and federal Highway 15D between Nogales and Hermosillo, Sonora. Government workers need to seek prior consular approval to drive between Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and Monterrey, Nuevo León, on Highway 85D.
Government employees are not permitted to visit the Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, the area south of and including Highway 45D, Celaya, Salamanca, and Irapuato in Guanajuato, and the entire state of Guerrero, including Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Taxco.
They are also forbidden from visiting Tepic and San Blas in Nayarit, the Isthmus region of Oaxaca, the border of Sonora and Chihuahua, or anywhere in Tamaulipas apart from Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros. In those cities they must remain only in areas near their homes and the U.S. consulate, while respecting a curfew between midnight and 6 a.m.
Tourists are encouraged to monitor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website for information on the coronavirus before making travel plans. The State Department also suggests that U.S. tourists keep friends apprised of travel plans, enroll in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Program, use toll roads whenever possible, avoid wearing expensive watches or jewelry and prepare a contingency plan for emergencies, among other tips.
Mexico News Daily