Walking around town in Cozumel safe?

We're cruising on the Triumph in November and my boyfriend is wanting to walk from the pier to local restaurants/shopping. Is it safe? Any recommendations.

It is safe. Use the same caution you would use exploring any new city. I carry a small crossbody purse and keep the purse to the front. Men, carry wallets in front pocket if possible. Carry only enough cash for taxi's or street vendors. I always keep one credit card back in the safe "just in case".

If you are looking for a good all-inclusive beach club...look no further than Mr. Sanchos.

Very safe. The shop people will be constantly trying to get you to come into their shops. Just say no thanks and keep walking

We have walked many areas, day and night with no problems.

On Triumph you will probably dock at Puerta Maya several miles south of town. It is perfectly safe to walk but whether you would want to there and back, in the heat is up to you. I have walked most of it but in the evening.

In town if you want to avoid the vendors, walk ocean side on the main Street, or go inland a couple of streets.

It is very safe on the main streets.

You'll see lots of tourists out and about.

I wouldn't go too far up the side streets but a few blocks is certainly fine.

Keith

my recommendation is you dont need your paranoia

my recommendation is you dont need your paranoia

Correct. Like anywhere be aware of your surroundings. Cozumel makes their money from tourist

It is very safe on the main streets.

 

You'll see lots of tourists out and about.

 

I wouldn't go too far up the side streets but a few blocks is certainly fine.

 

Keith

3 million American tourist visit Mexico every year and 1 million expats live in Mexico so yes you can Venture down the side street and there's a fair chance you're going to live through it again check your paranoia at the door

Scarified Americans are so . . . scarified.

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I'd be a lot more worried about getting around New Orleans, since it's been rated as the 34th most dangerous city on the planet:

http://www.businessinsider.com/most-violent-cities-in-the-world-2017-4/#38-teresina-brazil-had-4284-homicides-per-100000-residents-13

Statistically you're safer in such garden spots as Juarez and Chihuahua than you are in New Orleans, so be careful getting to the ship. That almost certainly will be the most dangerous part of your cruise.

Wait a minute. You're from St. Louis and you want to know if Cozumel is safe? Really? Check that list. I think you'll find your hometown is the 14th most dangerous city in the world. You'd actually be safer in Tijuana or Guatemala City than in St. Louis.

We were safe when we walked around last April. But like in any unfamiliar place, we were just cautious and alert.

Get out of your port area and take the $8 taxi up into the shopping area. Very safe, lots of tourists, and fun shopping and restaurants. Of course, stay in populated areas.

No need to dogpile someone for asking a reasonable question. Some of the common cruise ports do have unsavory reputations outside the "walled garden" areas, do they not?

Also, just because you live in a dangerous US city doesn't mean you shouldn't be prepared and informed in other cities, sheesh. (I actually had someone call me out on that (my hometown's crime rate) when I was trying to get a feel for the NOLA crime situation. It's a specious and lazy debate tactic at best. Crime in my high-crime town is most likely to be gang-on-gang. In NOLA tourists are at a certain level of risk just for walking down the wrong street a few blocks in the wrong direction, very close to the tourist areas. So the comparison to my hometown is useless.)

To the OP: The Cozumel cruise port area is going to be more annoying than dangerous, mostly because lots of people want you to buy lots of things. Just smile and keep moving. They won't follow you.

If you walk up the waterfront (downtown San Miguel), do be aware you might see dudes with rifles standing guard in front of the shops. It can be a little unsettling if you don't normally see that kind of thing in your day to day life (I don't).

We spent 4 nights in Cozumel on a land vacation and we, literally, explored the entire island, including the other side which has parts so secluded that there's no electricity or cellphone signal. Not once did we feel unsafe, even meandering through the residential area of the town of San Miguel and away from the tourist areas. We have friends who live in Cozumel and they reassured us that it's very safe. We went places where most tourists never go, and although some of those areas looked run down, we never felt threatened.

With all of that said, always use the same common sense that you would use anywhere, including any town in the US.

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No need to dogpile someone for asking a reasonable question. Some of the common cruise ports do have unsavory reputations outside the "walled garden" areas, do they not?

 

Also, just because you live in a dangerous US city doesn't mean you shouldn't be prepared and informed in other cities, sheesh. (I actually had someone call me out on that (my hometown's crime rate) when I was trying to get a feel for the NOLA crime situation. It's a specious and lazy debate tactic at best. Crime in my high-crime town is most likely to be gang-on-gang. In NOLA tourists are at a certain level of risk just for walking down the wrong street a few blocks in the wrong direction, very close to the tourist areas. So the comparison to my hometown is useless.)

 

To the OP: The Cozumel cruise port area is going to be more annoying than dangerous, mostly because lots of people want you to buy lots of things. Just smile and keep moving. They won't follow you.

 

If you walk up the waterfront (downtown San Miguel), do be aware you might see dudes with rifles standing guard in front of the shops. It can be a little unsettling if you don't normally see that kind of thing in your day to day life (I don't).

This - 100%

It's not like the OP is suggesting that they are going to cower in a dark corner of the ship until they pull out of Cozumel :rolleyes:

Plus, even if the OP lives in a city with a high crime rate, they likely know where NOT to go in that city. My city has had 59 homicides this year - many were domestic/arguments among people who knew each other, few were legitimately random crimes, many occurred in the same area of the city. Knowing where NOT to go in a city that is strange to you is just good information to have!

Some people on this site are really f'ing a$$holes! Oh nice, you are so carefree and not "scarified." Good for you! These are all reasonable questions for someone visiting another COUNTRY. I love the "Just use caution and you will be fine." OK, because I am sure someone, from ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, that is about to rob someone, is like, "Hey, they are really checking their surroundings, I think I will let that one go." Get over yourselves and come down from your high horses. And as far as the comment about St. Louis, there is a BIG difference between St. Louis COUNTY and St. Louis CITY. Most people that live in St. Louis have NEVER even been to the areas that make up the statistics, nor should they ever. So get over yourselves, and if you have no useful information to share, why post? Trolls!

Was just there one week ago today.

As well as many tourist walking the Police presence was quite evident.

They were on every street corner and walking about with us.

Now that is either a good sign, or a bad sign, like something is about to happen or they are making sure it stays safe.

Yes the vendors try to verbally invite you into their shops, but no one went over board and tried to grab you.

DH had his wallet in his pocket and I carried a sling.

No problems.

I love the "Just use caution and you will be fine." OK, because I am sure someone, from ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, that is about to rob someone, is like, "Hey, they are really checking their surroundings, I think I will let that one go."

With all due respect, it does pay off to be aware of your surroundings and not make yourself a target. Crooks do profile their victims and they look for the ones that look most vulnerable and clueless. Sometimes something as simple as staring directly at the "would be thief" is all it takes for them to move on to another victim.

If you've ever been to any type of anti-crime or personal defense training, they'll teach you these basic concepts.

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I reckon somebody's from the St. Louis area . . .

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Some people on this site are really f'ing a$$holes! Oh nice, you are so carefree and not "scarified." Good for you! These are all reasonable questions for someone visiting another COUNTRY. I love the "Just use caution and you will be fine." OK, because I am sure someone, from ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, that is about to rob someone, is like, "Hey, they are really checking their surroundings, I think I will let that one go." Get over yourselves and come down from your high horses. And as far as the comment about St. Louis, there is a BIG difference between St. Louis COUNTY and St. Louis CITY. Most people that live in St. Louis have NEVER even been to the areas that make up the statistics, nor should they ever. So get over yourselves, and if you have no useful information to share, why post? Trolls!

Amen! From a cruiser from the st.louis area!

Get out of your port area and take the $8 taxi up into the shopping area. Very safe, lots of tourists, and fun shopping and restaurants. Of course, stay in populated areas.

In Nov we went to Paradise Beach then had the taxi drop us off about 7 blocks from the port. We shopped along with lots of others, I don't remember seeing any police with guns but maybe that changed? We felt safe and enjoyed ourselves. Walked back to port after that.

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Assuming you are docked at the normal Carnival pier I'd recommend taking a cab downtown because it's a pretty long walk. Cabs are cheap!

In Nov we went to Paradise Beach then had the taxi drop us off about 7 blocks from the port. We shopped along with lots of others, I don't remember seeing any police with guns but maybe that changed? We felt safe and enjoyed ourselves. Walked back to port after that.

 

 

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This may be in reference to something I said -- I've seen occasionally seen what looks like a security guard with a long gun of some kind (sorry, I don't know guns, just 'not a handgun') outside one of the 'diamond' stores the main strip on the waterfront. Most recently in April of this year. Not a lot, mind you, and I only remember seeing one dude clearly. Might have even just been for show.

That said, there were law enforcement of some kind at the Port of Miami when I got back from that trip who also had rifles of some sort brandished. (Maybe Aquahound will see this and know what I'm talking about. I can't remember if it was some sort of local Miami law enforcement, or Federal border security stuff. It was the first time I saw that outside PoM.)

I am sure the OP is also referring to the newly issued travel advisory for the Yucatán region. I have been to Cozumel 15 times, and have always felt fairly safe, as long as I stayed in a tourist area. But the new advisory has me more concerned. I have looked into it, and still feel safe, as long as we stay in tourist areas. I am not sure why others feel the need to say mean things to others on these threads. Perhaps you should work on being happier in your own life rather than trying to make others miserable.

"DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY" :)

There is no need to stay in the tourist area the entirety of the Yucca time is occupied by many thousands of us and Canadian expats so it is at least as safe as anywhere else