# Visiting Tampico



## JvJ71 (Jul 27, 2015)

I would like to visit a Girlfriend in Tampico,Mexico, and would like any information on safety issues,where to stay,and where not to go etc... I appreciate any help..


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

Since the Girlfriend lives in Tampico, she would no doubt know more about this and would be able to give you the information you are looking for than any of Us.


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

I'm sure you are aware that it is a large city in probably the most violent state in Mexico, Tamaulipas. That doesn't mean you can't visit, just that extra caution is probably in order. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.


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## medi (Jul 16, 2015)

Is Mazatlan better city to live than Tampico or Ensenada?


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

medi said:


> Is Mazatlan better city to live than Tampico or Ensenada?


Better in what way? What are you looking for?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

medi said:


> Is Mazatlan better city to live than Tampico or Ensenada?


I don't know Tampico but I have spent time in both Ensenada and Mazatlan. They are two very different cities. I spent about 3 days in Ensenada during a flu crisis when none of the cruise ships were stopping there. It was pretty dead. All of the restaurants were empty.

I have been in Mazatlan a couple of times for two days each, both during the Pacifico festival in December. Maybe it is a difference in the times that I was there, but Mazatlan seemed to have a lot more activity. In fact I just looked at the population figures and was surprised to learn that Ensenada is more populated. I would have guessed the opposite.

Mazatlan is probably hotter and more humid in the summer. The port/boat harbor in Ensenada was fun with all the sea lions hanging out on the piers. I am sure the operators didn't like them. They are big and break down the piers, but it was fun to see them. The beaches in Mazatlan seem more appealing to me but I don't spend much time on beaches anywhere so who am I to judge.


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## medi (Jul 16, 2015)

> Better in what way? What are you looking for?


More safe, modern, with better services: electricity, water, internet. with more English.
And near coast. 

TundraGreen,
I think I don't want to live in Ensenada anymore. On Google maps it doesnt looks like a modern city. But I like pictures of coasts. And has no airport. I can only get there through Tijuana airport.


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

My guess is Mazatlán.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

medi said:


> More safe, modern, with better services: electricity, water, internet. with more English.
> And near coast.
> 
> TundraGreen,
> I think I don't want to live in Ensenada anymore. On Google maps it doesnt looks like a modern city. But I like pictures of coasts. And has no airport. I can only get there through Tijuana airport.



I would think Ensenada would be much safer than Mazatlan, and more English speakers..
I am also sure they both have services,electricity, water and internet...

I do not understand when you say "I think I don't want to live in Ensenada anymore. "
and then you say " On Google maps it doesnt looks like a modern city."
Wouldn't you know if it was a modern city by living there before?

Today Aug.1st the temps were:
Mazatlan= 94 F--75 F ---with 91% humidity.....
Ensenada=74 F--65 F ---with 83% humidity...... if weather matters.


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## medi (Jul 16, 2015)

I mean I don't want to move there anymore. Ensenada has almost same population but no airport, no Telmex, only few small banks branches. And I've found only one Wallmart.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

chicois8 said:


> I would think Ensenada would be much safer than Mazatlan, and more English speakers..
> I am also sure they both have services,electricity, water and internet...
> 
> I do not understand when you say "I think I don't want to live in Ensenada anymore. "
> ...


I suppose you are inferring the safety of Mazatlan from its location in Sinaloa, and maybe the fact that that was where Chapo Guzman was captured. Is there any other evidence that suggests it is not safe? Mazatlan has a huge population of foreigners both resident, in the condos along the beach north of the Zona Dorado, and tourists, in the hotels in the Zona Dorado. There are also about 400,000 others who live there, swim in the ocean, walk the malecon, and hang out in the plaza in the old part of town.

When I was there last December, a guy did fall out of an upper bunk and crack his head on the tile requiring nine stitches, so I guess it is not perfectly safe there. But then, where is it perfectly safe.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

medi said:


> I mean I don't want to move there anymore. Ensenada has almost same population but no airport, no Telmex, only few small banks branches. And I've found only one Wallmart.


LOL, How many Walmarts do you need? 

Besides the Walmart it has a Sam's Club....

The 6 story Telmex Building is one of the tallest buildings in town.
There is also 1 Mega, 10 Soriana's, 1 Costco, 1 Home Depot and Office Max........


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

TG asks, " Is there any other evidence that suggests it is not safe? "

When cruse ship companies announces it will stop coming or cut the number of ships visiting to a port it kind of tells you something...For instance this month there will be :
17 cruise ships visiting Ensenada &
3 visiting Mazatlan.........................

Plus I have been visiting Mazatlan by car twice a year since 1957 so I do know how it has changed and gone downhill and as the economy gets worse the crime goes up.......


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

chicois8 said:


> TG asks, " Is there any other evidence that suggests it is not safe? "
> 
> When cruse ship companies announces it will stop coming or cut the number of ships visiting to a port it kind of tells you something...For instance this month there will be :
> 17 cruise ships visiting Ensenada &
> ...


Cruise ships stop visiting ports when people stop going there. So if people think someplace is unsafe, the cruise traffic will decline. If the cruise line thought it was unsafe, they would not have any cruises stopping there. Actually, on further thought, the cruise ships would probably go anywhere that their customers will buy tickets, independent of the danger. So really all the number of cruise ship visits tells you is what people are booking these days. And it doesn't surprise me that the fact that Mazatlan in is Sinaloa is a turnoff.

From my perspective, the fewer cruise ships visit a port, the more attractive it is so that particular cloud has a silver lining.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

The cruise ships stopped going to Mazatlan ( and they stated that) when the Canadian man waiting for his wife in front of a Mega store was shot in the leg, all ships stopped visiting Maz and are just now beginning to return...
I have a friend who owns a hotel and another that has a golden zone restaurant and both tell me what is going on with the drug trade,extortion and cartel business. Making statements like this:

"From my perspective, the fewer cruise ships visit a port, the more attractive it is so that particular cloud has a silver lining."

shows me you do not mind Mexicans in the tourist trade loosing their jobs and the Mexican economy getting worse...


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

chicois8 said:


> Plus I have been visiting Mazatlan by car twice a year since 1957 so I do know how it has changed and gone downhill and as the economy gets worse the crime goes up.......


Hasn't gone downhill enough for you to stop going twice a year by car, has it?


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

I do not stay in mazatlan, maybe a day or 2 to visit friends then on to Guayabitos,Nayarit...

Just passin through you might say, too much drug and gang activity for this old fart, LOL


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## angel22 (Aug 9, 2015)

Mazatlan has been hot lately but winter temperatures and humidity are temperate.


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## BajaRick16 (Aug 3, 2015)

*Mazatlan vs. Ensenada*

I looked into Mazatlan before deciding on Ensenada. Everyone's situation is different. For me, I wanted to have my car, and since I live in the San Jose, CA area, it is easy for me to drive to Ensenada, and an easy occasional drive to San Diego if I need to go to the states for whatever reason.

I always had fun in Mazatlan back in the day,and I enjoyed the beaches and the Zona Dorada restaurants and shopping. However, I could not find any acceptable housing for under $800 a month or so for a 1 BR Condo. (Really wanted an ocean view or at least proximity). I have found Ensenada to have many more choices in my price range of $500 - $700/mo. I say this without the benefit of personal inspection.

I guess for me, Mazatlan was a fun place to visit, but for a couple of reasons already cited here, I wouldn't want to live there.

Plus - the idea of having a world class wine country in Guadalupe Valley very close to Ensenada is appealing to me.


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