# Crime/Safety - Living in Puerto Vallarta?



## Tonydavid

HI! My wife, two kids (12 and 7) and I are seriously researching moving to Puerto Vallarta for a year or two. We currently live an hour outside Los Angeles. 

We are wondering about crime and safety. What is your recent experience? What precautions would you take living in Vallarta?

We appreciate your thoughts, advice and experience.

Thanks, Tony


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## sparks

Pick a good area, don't party late and don't drive at night any more than necessary


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## conklinwh

What Sparks has said is very true but the most important thing that you can do is spend time there in both summer & winter before moving with a family for multiple years. You will get a much better view of options as well as 1st hand discussion.


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## TundraGreen

sparks said:


> Pick a good area, don't party late and don't drive at night any more than necessary


Is Vallarta more dangerous that Guadalajara? I live in Guadalajara and routinely violate two of those three prescriptions. I live in a middle class area with a typical city center mix of residences and commercial, not a gated compound. I often go to late night movies and walk home after midnight. I feel pretty safe walking around late at night. And I see single women walking alone at night as well so even the locals are not too concerned about safety. I don't have a vehicle at the moment, so I can't comment on driving at night. 

I am not advocating completely ignoring safety. Just that it strikes me that some posts give a sense of imminent danger all the time that I don't feel.

Memo


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## RVGRINGO

The poster lives in the Los Angeles area! I think they'll be moving to a much safer place.


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## NORM123

*safety*

I've lived in PV since April, but moving to Rosarito (so much for worrrying about crime!), can't stand the summer humidty. Americans here laugh at Americans back home who think it's dangerous here. I, and the single woman I know, walk around at night with no worries. I think this is one of the safest places I've been to, you have a better chance of violence in L.A. I'm quite sure there are areas here that could be dangerous at nite, but I have no business in those areas. Whether you can take the summer weather is a bigger concern than your safety! If the summers don't bother you, you'll love it here!


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## telcoman

Unless you are planning to get into the drug trade business or hang around in bars with people who are, you will be perfectly safe.


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## simplyvallarta

*Puerto Vallarta Safety Video*

We actually just made a (satire) video about the safety of Puerto Vallarta simplyvallarta dot com slash safety-of-mexico - Hope you enjoy!


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## telcoman

Great video, I linked it on a couple of other forums


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## telcoman

Well, rv.net deleted it right away. I guess they like the scare mongering.


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## RVGRINGO

It is straight to the point and worth a look. Here it is:

http://www.simplyvallarta.com/safety-of-mexico/

It is strange that so many fear news of a five minute cartel incident, that may have happened on a highway months ago, but will happily drive that same highway without a thought to the number of fatal accidents on an almost daily basis.


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## telcoman

Never thought of it that way.


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## kcowan

We walk and drive everywhere in town at all hours. On the highways, we avoid nights after midnight.

We are careful during Semana Santa because the place attracts pick pockets owing to all the Mexican tourists. We take a credit card and just enough cash during those times.


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## cuylers5746

*Safety in PV*



simplyvallarta said:


> We actually just made a (satire) video about the safety of Puerto Vallarta simplyvallarta dot com slash safety-of-mexico - Hope you enjoy!


Hi;

Really liked your little video.

It's sporadic, but extortion of business owners does occur in PV. I know that from a good friend of over 20 years that has a business there.

So, if you don't have a bussiness but just live there and follow simply vallarta's guide lines you should be safe. Safer that parts of Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, NYC, Philadelphia, LA and a whole host of other USA Cities and don't leave out Washington D.C. too. 

Oh, and last time I heard, I've heard of no Alqida looking to blow up your favorite street taco stand either? Mexico's Foreign Policy is nuetral - they don't go around trying to piss off half the world either. No, they're all to excited about coming and partying in Mexico. Mexico does it right.

Cuyler


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