So…just how safe is Guadalajara for gringos?
I’m glad you asked that question…some of my friends questioned my decision to visit Guadalajara this past October.
You’re going to Guadalajara? Isn’t that dangerous? Aren’t their drug cartels down there?
Those were the most common questions I got when I traveled to Guadalajara.
The short answer is YES, the city is very safe for Gringos. There was only really one time during my stay where I felt a little uncomfortable.
Other than the city is incredibly friendly and safe for American tourists.
What’s The Crime Rate In Guadalajara?
Obviously, the one thing you probably want to know first is the crime and murder rate in Guadalajara, Mexico.
According to the U.S. OSAC, the most common crimes in Guadalajara are homicides, assaults, robberies, and car theft.
There are multiple reports of homicides, assaults, robberies, and car theft. Robbery, auto-part theft, and telephonic extortion are the most frequently reported non-violent crimes in the consular district.
During my trip, I didn’t actually notice any of the above crimes there. And I even rented a car with no problems at all.
In fact, the only person that “robbed” me was the rental company who tried to charge me an extra $80 bucks claiming I was “late” with returning the car (when I wasn’t).
Further, in many of the tourist spots, there are a lot of police patrolling the streets.
I never heard any gunshots during my time in Guadalajara and never encountered anyone from the cartels and I traveled to some seemingly “sketchy” areas.
And come to think of it, I never ran into any pickpockets too (even in the really busy tourist zones).
The funny thing is I actually ran into a girl that was trying to steal something in my back pack in the summer when I went to Paris, but I had no issues in Mexico.
Go figure haha.
My One Uncomfortable Experience
Now, throughout my trip (I traveled solo), I only felt uncomfortable once.
And it was the day I wanted to hike the Barranca de Huentitan.
Little did I know that there are two entrances to the park. The first is near the Guadalajara Zoo and the second is near a police station.
Anyways, I started hiking down in hopes of reaching the Grade de Santiago River.
Along the way down, I noticed a taller older man (probably in his 50’s).
I don’t speak much Spanish, so we only exchanged basic pleasantries. He was walking pretty fast moved ahead of me on the trail.
I didn’t see him until about 30 minutes later when he was coming back up.
Anyways, he was trying to tell me something, but I couldn’t understand. So I busted out my phone and we communicated through Google Translate.
Anyways, he told me that the trail is a lot more dangerous going down and that I couldn’t reach the river going down this path.
I was pretty bummed out, but he mentioned that there is another entrance I could use that would allow me to go all the way down to the river.
And he said he could take me there. At this point, it was just us on the trail and he didn’t seem threatening at all.
I figured it wasn’t too far away back to the entrance, so I followed him up.
We talked for a bit using what little Spanish I knew and what little English he knew.
Anyways, we get back up to the parking lot and I ask him where the other entrance is.
He kept telling me to follow him until we reach his car. It was a cab!
The guy was a cab driver. He was hustling to give me a ride to the other entrance! Gotta respect that!
He quoted me 80 pesos (about $4 dollars).
So I jumped into a cab with him….a complete stranger (probably not the best idea in retrospect haha).
But in my defense I knew I could take him if it came to a physical confrontation (at least I thought I could).
And he took me to the other entrance. But throughout the car ride, I kept monitoring my phone in case he was taking me to some other location.
I saw the other entrance on my map this time and followed it on my phone to make sure we were going in the right direction.
The guy never deviated from the main road and took me right to the other entrance and walked me down past the fruit and juice vendors.
So that’s it. That was the most “dangerous” part of my trip….riding in a taxi with a complete stranger that I just met.
Getting Around Guadalajara
So one of the great things about Guadalajara is the cost of transport is cheap.
You can ride public transport, hail a cab, or get an Uber.
I never used public transport there and only used a cab three times.
The buses in the city looked VERY crapped. There was always a HUGE line of 20+ people lining up at the bus stop. Doesn’t look very fun at all.
If you’re at the airport, you need to get a cab to get to your hotel. Most Uber drivers won’t go to the airport (in fact, I don’t think they are allowed).
Other than that, I relied almost exclusively on Uber to get around. There are a ton of Uber drivers in the city even late at night (2 AM or later).
And the cost of transport is very cheap. You can get almost anywhere in the city for 100 pesos or less ($5 bucks).
That being said, I did notice something weird about a few of my Uber drivers.
For some of my drivers their pictures and names did not match the person who picked me up.
I had several people with Russian names pick me up and they were obviously not Russian.
A little sketchy if you ask me, but I had no issues getting into the car with them. They just drove me to my destination and left.
Driving Around Guadalajara
Alright, if you want to visit Chapala or Tequila or even the beach in Mexico, you’re probably going to want to rent a car.
I rented my car from the airport and it was an easy process. They always have someone there that speaks English.
That being said, driving in Guadalajara is a little dangerous. If you’ve ever been in Latin America, you know what I’m talking about!
Some of the roads in Guadalajara don’t have visible lane markers so it’s sort of a free for all.
Also, the streets are confusing because they have a lot of diagonal roads. And worst of all, they have those pesky roundabouts!
I personally find the roundabouts confusing because there are often red lights in the middle.
But despite all of this, I still had fun driving around in Guadalajara. It turns out that I fit in well with many of the crazy drivers in the city!
Also, the streets are pretty dark at night. So drive carefully 🙂
The one complaint is parking in the city is a nightmare. I have no idea what the rules are for parking on the street.
It seems like anyone just parks wherever they want. But I didn’t want to risk it.
I parked my car in a gated underground Wal-Mart near my hotel.
I had no issues with car theft or anyone damaging the rental car (luckily).
Safety In The Bars
If you’re a big fan of nightlife activities, you’re probably wondering about safety in the bars
After all, most gringos imagine they might run into a drug kingpin in the bars and end up dead in the dumpster out back by morning.
First of all, unless you’re dealing with drugs, you’ll often never come across someone in the cartel. They don’t target tourists like hat.
Second, the clubs all have bouncers in the front that check you for weapons – they pat you down before you enter and check all of your pockets.
And that’s actually a lot more than what bars are doing in America – in fact, they’re not even checking for weapons.
So overall, I felt pretty safe in the clubs in Guadalajara even while I got pretty tipsy.
Now that being said, one of the big complaints I have about Guadalajara is that there are very few lights on the street, especially in the historic district.
So at night, you’re pretty much in the dark if you’re walking home after a night out at the bars.
But, I never felt unsafe even in those situations.
In the tourist areas, there are a lot of cops patrolling the area (even late at night).
And unlike a lot of other Latin American areas, the cops actually protect gringos and other tourists from crime.
So…How Safe Is Guadalajara For Gringos?
Overall, I would say Guadalajara is very safe for tourists.
There are a ton of police in the main tourist spots. Plus, there actually isn’t a big cartel presence in the city (compared to other Mexican cities).
As long as you mind your business and don’t start anything, you’ll be safe.