Unfortunately, with the party often comes the consumption of narcotics, and like the old saying “there’s no smoke without fire”, in Quintana Roo there is rarely an organized crime presence without the consumption of narcotics by visitors. Music festivals, bars, lively nightlife, and a bohemian image pulls huge numbers to the area. But once travelers discovered this certifiable slice of paradise, it became one of the world’s trendiest destinations. Tulum until just a couple of decades ago was a tiny fishing village, home to just a few families who have lived there since before anyone can remember. But with the popularity of Quintana Roo exploding out of these areas and spreading out all along the coast, the problems of the big city have followed. Previously, organized crime was mostly contained in the larger population centers such as Cancun and Playa del Carmen. The answer to this depends entirely on what part of this 235-mile-long destination travelers choose.

So, if the security situation has deteriorated, why does this Caribbean corner of Mexico continue to smash records within the tourism industry? Are These Issues New? The security situation of Quintana Roo post-pandemic can be best described as inconsistent - with flare-ups of incidents becoming a regular occurrence in this once super peaceful destination.įor example, the chic destination of Tulum, where Instagram influencers are flocking to from the world over, has been the focus of more than its fair share of grizzly incidents.Īnd the situation all the way up the coast of the Riviera Maya is a similar one, with Playa del Carmen, Cancun, and even the quieter Puerto Morelos also wrestling with organized crime.

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