Generally speaking, Guadalajara is a safe area to visit during your stay in Mexico. Provided that you are mindful of your surroundings, that you avoid some notable areas that are known to be dangerous, and that you do your research about where you want to go before you arrive, you should be able to enjoy all the beauty and culture of this area with as few of the potential downsides as possible.
Dangerous Areas of Guadalajara to Be Aware Of
The good news is that, by and large, violent crime in particular isn’t necessarily prominent in Guadalajara. Having said that, as is true with all international travel, you still need to be mindful of your surroundings and there are certain areas that you would do well to avoid.
These areas include ones like Colonia Jalisco and Santa Fe. They are on the east side of Guadalajara. They have experienced significant gang activity in the past, so you wouldn’t necessarily want to add them to your list of places to visit during your trip.
Safety Best Practices to Follow in Guadalajara
To stay as safe as possible in Guadalajara, consider best practices like the following:
- Do not leave any valuable items unattended. This means not only luggage and purses, but also electronics like laptop computers. This will make you less vulnerable to scams in particular.
- Try to look like a local whenever possible as opposed to a tourist. Don’t ask for directions, for example – always know where you’re headed and how to get there and avoid using maps or phones with navigational apps in plain sight.
- Be aware of many of the common scams that are used in Guadalajara to target tourists. Many involve what at first appears to be a “kind stranger” who appears out of the blue and offers to assist you with something. Often, these people are simply distracting you from thieves that are located elsewhere.
- Only use safe, registered transportation. Taxis, for example, are clearly labeled. Reconsider using ride-sharing apps as this could lead to getting significantly overcharged for your trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I have an emergency while visiting Guadalajara, what should I do?
In the event that you are the victim of a crime while in Guadalajara, the first thing you should do is contact your consulate. There are places that you can contact from the United States and Canada, for example, but dozens of other countries also have representatives there as well. They can help you with crime-related matters, if you need to take care of healthcare-related concerns during your stay, if you need legal assistance and more.
Is crime as bad as they say in Guadalajara?
Ultimately, the answer to this question comes down to a matter of perspective. While Guadalajara itself isn’t necessarily unsafe to travel to, there are certain areas that do have more crime than others. Recently, the United States government has issued a travel advisory recommending that people “reconsider” their travel to these areas due to issues like crime and kidnappings.
Likewise, in Guadalajara, certain territorial battles that are taking place among the various criminal groups have bled into tourist areas on occasion. These include incidents on the Jalisco-Michoacan border and Federal Highway 110, Federal Highway 80, and State Highway 544, among others. Employees of the United States government are actually prohibited from traveling on certain portions of the aforementioned two highways.
Where is it safe to visit while in Guadalajara?
By far, many of the areas in the historical center are among the safest to visit while traveling to Guadalajara. These include but are certainly not limited to areas like Puerto de Hierro, Chapalita, and Providence, among others. They are known for not only great museums and excellent dining opportunities but also renowned architecture as well.
