BajaNomad - Bad News in Cabo

Bad News in Cabo

Nancy Drew - 11-1-2010 at 08:30 PM

found this on the fishing board:
http://www.ifish.net/board/archive/index.php/t-310314.html

Nancy Drew - 11-1-2010 at 09:31 PM

There are definitely planes being stolen in Mexico.
http://www.acpi.org/

dtbushpilot - 11-1-2010 at 09:45 PM

This is a pretty sad story, I wonder why we're just now hearing about it. It happened 4-1/2 months ago....

Nancy Drew - 11-1-2010 at 09:52 PM

I was doing some fishing on the message boards and stumbled across it.
Obviously reading the postings there is mention of gangs moving in there and even the locals are taking percaustions when it comes to wearing any bling.

Carrie Duncan did a write up in the Gazette prior to this incident citing a number of problems regarding pickpocketing waiters, padded bills and corrupt police but nothing on this incident.

I did a search on stolen planes and sure enough there was one stolen near the time this incident took place.

By the way, plane theft is way up in Mexico , came across this link.
http://www.ofainc.com/newsletters/1998/ofapg3.html

mcfez - 11-1-2010 at 10:18 PM

As in any city....there are issues. Mexico is not some La la Land where innocence and peace exist 100% of the time. It has the same issues as in any country.

See the link below and get SHOCKED at the crime map of Sacramento Ca ...its for one month. You cant see the city streets on this map due to too many crime clip art marks!!!!

http://spotcrime.com/ca/sacramento

Yes...its too bad about the person...and the planes.....but let's stop drama queening every event that happens in Baja!

you have non current info - that link is OLD news

capt. mike - 11-2-2010 at 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nancy Drew
I was doing some fishing on the message boards and stumbled across it.
Obviously reading the postings there is mention of gangs moving in there and even the locals are taking percaustions when it comes to wearing any bling.

Carrie Duncan did a write up in the Gazette prior to this incident citing a number of problems regarding pickpocketing waiters, padded bills and corrupt police but nothing on this incident.

I did a search on stolen planes and sure enough there was one stolen near the time this incident took place.

By the way, plane theft is way up in Mexico , came across this link.
http://www.ofainc.com/newsletters/1998/ofapg3.html

Unser's plane was stolen years ago. nothing in that link is current.

Bajahowodd - 11-2-2010 at 12:44 PM

That thread was an interesting read. I know that Carrie Duncan has been ranting lately about petty crime; not necessarily physical assaults. As noted, one poster called Carrie's second in command, who denied the frequency of crime cited by the original poster.

Here's the thing: tens of thousands vacation in Cabo every year. A few fools may tend to stay out late at the clubs, get all liquored up and become easy prey.

That said, the Marina area is usually heavily trafficked, well- lit and in the area of this incident, is fronted by one open air restaurant after another. Not saying it didn't happen, but it also should not become a reason for lots of folks to change vacation plans.

Nancy Drew - 11-2-2010 at 12:49 PM

The thread is not old, it was posted this last June in 2010.

Common sense applies, if tourism is down, where do people get their money.
Do they raise all the prices so the tourist ends up paying for who is not there.
Most people in the service sector rely on tips so how do they make up for lost revenue lost tourists.

mcfez - 11-2-2010 at 01:10 PM

Bet ya it economics, not drug wars...keeping the majority away.

June News? :lol:

Bajahowodd - 11-2-2010 at 02:13 PM

I have no access to specific details, but, my understanding, and first hand observation leads me to conclude that Cabo is holding up pretty well as far as visitors go. The streets are certainly not teeming with pedestrians as they once were. But I ascribe a certain amount of that to the fact that not only do most of the resort hotels have multiple on-site restaurants, but the proliferation of all-inclusives serves to keep people at their resorts and not slinking around town.

That said, Tesoro does not exactly rank high in the pantheon of resort hotels in the area.

surfer jim - 11-2-2010 at 03:22 PM

mcfez....I like that crime site!

Lee - 11-2-2010 at 03:52 PM

I question the legitimacy of the story.

Even if it were true, stuff like this happens. For tourists who think this kind of violence is common, or that it could happen to them, moving on, or staying away is what's right.

If you're a gringo wearing jewelry, carrying a ''designer purse,'' you're a target.

Tourist's visiting San Jose, Costa Rica, are warned not to carry a purse or camera on their shoulder, and leave the fancy watches and jewelry at home.

Cabo tourists might follow suit.

oxxo - 11-2-2010 at 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nancy Drew
Carrie Duncan did a write up in the Gazette prior to this incident citing a number of problems regarding pickpocketing waiters, padded bills and corrupt police but nothing on this incident.

I live in Los Cabos full time. I know a lot of local Mexicans who are in the know. I have heard nothing about this incident. Say what you want about Carrie, but she is pretty consistent about reporting this kind of incident. She has on several other occassions. I know a gringa who has a business in Tesoro. I will ask her and report back.

If this occured in front of the outdoor restaurants at the marina observed by hundreds, the chat lists would have been alive with the chatter. Generally, local Mexicans don't patronize the marina restaurants, it is all tourists.

Business in Cabo has been spotty this summer. Some tourist businesses have reported their best summer in years, while others have reported a repeat of last summer. I can tell you that as soon as one restaurant closes another one takes its place. I don't see any vagrancy on the streets. Local Mexicans are optimistic about the coming season.

Nancy Drew - 11-2-2010 at 04:42 PM

Did Carrie write up this story?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39795975/ns/local_news-san_diego...

This happened two weeks back where the fellow was robbed and shot.

No offense to Carrie , but her last report was nothing new. Corrupt police shaking down the tourists in Cabo has been going on for years as well as waiters who short change and pad the bills, nothing new there.
The incidents of waiters running a pick pocket scam out of a popular bar is new.

Given that it is a resort town that is entirely dependent on tourists I wouldn't expect to find much info on this story. The woman wasn't shot , just punched and robbed. She was just a tourist going out for dinner , not leaving a bar drunk, hence easy prey.

I would be curious how many rapes go unreported down there.

[Edited on 11-3-2010 by Nancy Drew]

slimshady - 11-2-2010 at 05:13 PM

I was at the Bisbee's a couple of weeks ago. I was not not impressed with the whole atmosphere. I figured a 3 million dollar tournament could have at least had a better MC and do without the spring break drunkeness. That's another subject. As I walked around the Marina I was offered "cuban cigars" by no less than twenty people. Half of those then proceeded to try and sell me "Mota" "Weed". If I was in charge of law enforcement I would put a special vice unit just to work that section. If the Cabo Municipal Police had any sense of duty they would hammer that place and get rid of all the undesirables and predators.

Nappo - 11-2-2010 at 09:25 PM

My wife and I go to SJD for a vacation - I don't go to the dregs of Sacramento, or some areas of San Diego where I live. Mexico needs to step up tourist protection or lose more tourists. I continue to travel in Baja, (just returned from Asuncion) but people who turn a blind eye to crime in Baja need a little sand in their eye. Mexico police could stop this immediately but choose not to. I can only imagine the response here in the states if these "alleged" incidents took place at tourist spots such as the Gaslamp area of SD. Police would smother the place to make sure tourists still come. What does Baja tourism do - Mexicalli border, corrupt cop - fees for bringing medical supplies, - Yep I understand it's the Baja but we're not in 1970 anymore Dorothy. These problems in tourist areas are easily solved. As someone who was charged with security for most of my career it is not hard to fix!

mcfez - 11-2-2010 at 10:23 PM

In charge of security for what ? JC Pennys?

I am .....well....more that a visitor once a year to Mexico. Having investments there....a little pad....friends. Spent years on the Mexican Rivera (east coast). Just dont see all this "end of the world" junk .....guys like you ...are trying to shove in our faces.

Well Dorothy....Mexico needs to step up tourist protection or lose more
tourists. Same could be said for California. Moscow. Fresno. San
Francisco. San Felipe. Chula Vista. How bout them Germans that got
whacked a few years back in Fl? Fl has issues sort like Baja. Drugs.
Gangs. More drugs. Gangs. Murder. Tourist mugging. Check out the stats
about that.The tourist keep coming.

I was in the Navy. USS Samual Gompers AD37 FPO SF
Boot in SD. I remember that 5th and Broadway .....where that park off 5th was....
Barney's used to be. Hooooweeee! How bout lower Broadway...hookers, photo
rooms, topless joints. All high crime. Oh...did I say this is in San
Diego? How come the cops never clean it up? Bribes. That new Mall off 5th maybe
helped clean it up? Answer. Nope...all the naughty business went down the
street. I was in business in San Francisco. Brides - finder fees-hurry up fees-Policeman's Ball fees....is what we call crooked business practice by officials....same as in Mexico...

".... Police would smother the place to make sure tourists still come". What planet are you from? Cops have tried that a hundred times before. So...if there is 100 bad guys in the gas lamp area...the cops run them out of there...the bad guys become Priests and Nuns? Join Green Peace? Get jobs? O...okay! No way are you connected to security.

And all the tourist still came...as in any town of the world.
Baja...has far less incidence that your town of San Diego.

Plain fact Dorothy. Plain fact.
Let's stop drama queening Baja and get real.

surfer jim ...crazy hun? txs.

[Edited on 11-3-2010 by mcfez]

[Edited on 11-3-2010 by mcfez]

[Edited on 11-3-2010 by mcfez]

Nancy Drew - 11-2-2010 at 11:43 PM

Well my guess is that stats for Cabo would be hard to acquire, whatever is taking place in the barrios is left unsaid. What we hear about is what happens to touristas, and how many of them post on message boards.

My apologies to Carrie she did offer new information regarding hospitals, doctors ]

Quote:

The police in downtown Cabo San Lucas constantly prey on foreigners, picking them up late at night and threatening to plant drugs on them if they don’t give them money. The city police also are known to force tourists to go to an ATM and draw out hundreds of dollars to give to them. Many of the gas stations, especially those close to the airport, short change the tourists who drive rental cars. Many times doctors and clinics extort large amounts of money from our visitors, and if they resist, the police are
hired by the hospitals to scare the money out of the foreigners. Many doctors will not sign the documents necessary by insurance companies to air evacuate a foreigner out of the country until they are paid thousands of dollars in extortion. And where can these foreigners turn to? The law? The law is the problem. One foreigner, a Realtor in Cabo San Lucas, went to the Ministerio Publico for help and the Ministerio Publico told him he could make the problem would go away if he were given $40,000 pesos! Extortion by what we would call the district attorney’s office!

taken from the baja forum http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=45080&pag...

thread schmead....................................

capt. mike - 11-3-2010 at 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nancy Drew
The thread is not old, it was posted this last June in 2010.

Common sense applies, if tourism is down, where do people get their money.
Do they raise all the prices so the tourist ends up paying for who is not there.
Most people in the service sector rely on tips so how do they make up for lost revenue lost tourists.

you missed my point "Nancy" - Unser's plane was stolen YEARS ago. My friends in San Carlos are personaly friends of Bobby's.

monoloco - 11-3-2010 at 07:02 AM

Cabo is getting more dangerous, and not just for tourists, the son of a Mexican contractor that I know was recently robbed and knifed there while walking down the street minding his own business, resulting in serious life threatening injuries.

Cypress - 11-3-2010 at 07:16 AM

The violence on the Mexican mainland and along the border has everyone spooked. Most of Baja has been spared. For how long? :?:

More to the story

tripledigitken - 11-3-2010 at 11:05 AM

Here is a link regarding the story, from the participant!

http://www.ifish.net/board/archive/index.php/t-310314.html

oxxo - 11-3-2010 at 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oxxo
I know a gringa who has a business in Tesoro. I will ask her and report back.

Okay, here is an email from my friend this morning. She has owned a business for years, just feet away from Solomon's.

I haven't heard about this or any other incidents nor anything about a plane.

I've never seen a Seaplane here ... considering the whole customs thing, not sure how one would land in the bay without dealing with immigration ... I want to call BS on at least the 2nd part of his post.

As for the first, not sure but it's hard to call a victim a liar. Could be true but I have a hard time believing it.

It is hard to track these Internet rumors down - no police report, no witnesses other than the victim, no corroboration. Sometimes, a visitor feels that he has been ripped off by a local vendor, or his favorite fishing spot is getting too crowded, or he is trying to drive down the price of a fishing charter by driving away tourists. He decides to get even by trashing the whole area on the Internet. Quien sabe?

Subject to additional information, I choose to believe this incident didn't happen.

[Edited on 11-3-2010 by oxxo]

Bajahowodd - 11-3-2010 at 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by monoloco
Cabo is getting more dangerous, and not just for tourists, the son of a Mexican contractor that I know was recently robbed and knifed there while walking down the street minding his own business, resulting in serious life threatening injuries.

Let's put that into perspective. Last census data is five years old, and showed a population in the municipality of 164,000. Very likely more than that today.

This isn't a sleepy fishing village with a tuna cannery and one paved road anymore. As population grows, a certain percentage of undesirables will join in.

If anything, foolish and drunken behavior or partying tourists help create an environment that encourages crime.

As for people selling cigars and weed. Is that not legal?

oxxo - 11-3-2010 at 02:47 PM

Quote:

I know about that incident. The victim was out late at night stone drunk. He got in a drunken brawl with some locals (also drunk) who knifed him and then took his money for good measure. That's the rest of the story. I generally don't prowl the streets of San Lucas at 3am, dead drunk. So I don't worry about those incidents.

Yes, Cabo is getting more dangerous as well as Pescadero, Todos Santos, La Paz, Loreto, Mulege, El Rosario, etc. But they have a long way to go to match San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Phoenix, etc.

sanquintinsince73 - 11-3-2010 at 02:51 PM

Thanks for setting the story straight, oxxo.

Hook - 11-3-2010 at 03:40 PM

Quote:

Yes, Cabo is getting more dangerous..............But they have a long way to go to match San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Phoenix, etc.

How anyone can actually claim this with any level of certainty is a mystery to me? We see this all the time, as a supposed "defense" of crime in Mexico.

Yet, many of us know from personal experience and from talking to our Mexican friends down here that A SMALL FRACTION OF CRIME IN MEXICO is actually reported. No one wants to encourge further grief from the police, attorney general or any other part of the court system in Mexico, by reporting it. And even if reported to the authorities, there is tremendous incentive to sweep many occurrences under the rug, in the interest of maintaining some semblance of a tourist industry. The Gringo Gazette or any other media outlet can't know about every instance. It's not like the police blotter is an open book in a town like Cabo.

Then, there's the problem of comparing REPORTED crime rates on a per capita basis, especially when there are (or were) presumably large numbers of transient tourists in an area. Yes, there may be less crime in a relatively small town like Cabo than in these towns in the US with populations of 500,000-1 million+. There are more car accidents, too. More emergency room visits. More of just about everything. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE THAN ANOTHER!!!

So, let's get real here. Comparing crime rates in Mexico to the US is a farce, even though "official" organizations within the Mexican government DO publish them. That's why everyone uses unofficial estimates by other sources within the country on drug cartel related deaths, rather than the government's.

And shall we talk about the possibility of being extorted by the police in these towns in the US??? Yeah, I didn't think so. It's rarer than a virgin prostitute. And when it's discovered, it's dealt with so severely and publicized so widely that it's almost non-existent.

My favorite stories from over here in Sonora involve items stolen from houses. In two cases I am familiar with, the police actually caught the perpetrators of household break-ins and recovered much of the "loot". At the police station, the owners identified their own stolen goods, in some cases with photos from their insurance files. Yet, the police insisted that the owners produce sales receipts with serial numbers. In both cases, some of these documents were north of the border and needed time to recover.

And when they DID finally produce the required documents..........the goods were long gone.

The police claimed that other persons had already shown up with the "correct" documentation......................

The serial numbers must have been in denominations of 100 pesos, I guess. :rolleyes:

Or maybe a police commander's son has a new stereo and flat screen.

So, let's dispense with these comparative statements about crime, and how it's dealth with, in the US and Mexico. No comparison is credible.

Lee - 11-3-2010 at 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook

Quote:

Yes, Cabo is getting more dangerous..............But they have a long way to go to match San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Phoenix, etc.

How anyone can actually claim this with any level of certainty is a mystery to me? We see this all the time, as a supposed "defense" of crime in Mexico.
.......
So, let's dispense with these comparative statements about crime, and how it's dealth with, in the US and Mexico. No comparison is credible.

Maybe it's a feeling that's subjective and not debatable philosophically. I ''feel'' more unsafe, and more threatened, on some streets in New Orleans, L.A., Oakland, et al., than I do in Pescadero, Todos Santos, La Paz, San Jose, and Cabo.

Don't think anyone is ''defending crime'' in MX. Relatively speaking, I believe there is more petty crime in Baja, and less serious crime, and less petty crime in the US, and more serious crime.

Don't know why I feel safe in the BCS towns I've mentioned, but I do.

Results may vary.

Bajahowodd - 11-3-2010 at 04:24 PM

Been going to Cabo for thirty years. As I noted in a recent post, one thing that is evident is that the the pedestrian traffic downtown Cabo is down from the old days. One reason maybe as simple as there are more folks renting cars at the airport. I already noted the proliferation of all-inclusive resorts. That said, the biggest nightmare in my 30 plus years of being there is having been once pulled over by a traffic cop for supposedly going the wrong way on a one way street. Even then, it was a situation where they had changed traffic flow, but had yet to post new signs.

Many folks may mourn the Cabo of old times. But, fact is that tens of thousands of tourists visit annually. Since I spend time there several times a year, my opinion is that it is clearly not unsafe. Anyone choosing to change vacation plans is missing out.

Lastly, for anyone living there, has that new cultural center opened yet? Weird looking structure, and built on what was perhaps the last free parking lot in town.

Hook - 11-3-2010 at 04:36 PM

I know what you are saying. Everyone makes subjective observations about their surroundings. It's only human nature. I do it, too. The only murders in the 2.5 years I've lived here in San Carlos, Sonora, were crimes of passion. Husbands shooting cheating wives; in one case, in flagrante delicto, where the novio got it, too.

But whenever anyone says "I feel safer in Mexico than I did where I lived in the US", I always have to wonder where in hades they lived and why it took them so long to leave? This is especially true of the Phoenix and Tucson areas, as there are alot of retirees from those cities down here. I couldn't believe they would say that..............until I went to the FBI site and perused the violent crime stats for those cities. Those are some pretty violent cities, with respect to the rest of the US.

Still, it's difficult to draw empirical (philosophical??) conclusions between the two countries. I cant say I feel safer down here, probably because I lived in South Orange County, one of the safest areas in the US. But I do feel safe here,

Well, except for the petty crime/house breakins and the shakedowns by the police. I've had a car stereo stolen in Guaymas, a pocket cam stolen in Hermosillo and been shaken down twice in four attempts. It's the price you pay for living expenses under 500/month here.

Nancy Drew - 11-3-2010 at 05:03 PM

The wiki has a great article on the impact of the all inclusives.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_the_Caribbean

Many tourists who visit Cabo will not experience violent crime, other than their hotel room being pilfered because many who book into the all inclusives seldom leave their hotels.

oxxo - 11-3-2010 at 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook
Yet, many of us know from personal experience and from talking to our Mexican friends down here that A SMALL FRACTION OF CRIME IN MEXICO is actually reported.

That is not my experience. We talk about this every once in a while with Mexican and gringo friends. It is not a frequent conversation because it is not a significant issue. All the people I know in the Los Cabos area (and I am a full timer in Los Cabos for 4 years) just don't experience any kind of crime here. I know plenty of Mexicans from braceros to management types who have come here from all over Mexico. Everyone I have talked to says how safe it is here compared to where they came from. However, these people usually aren't on the streets at 3am.

I agree with Lee. It is a matter of perception as well as anecdotal experience through friends and acquaintances. I do not know anyone who has been the victim of a crime here, of any type, except the occassional policeman who is looking for a handout and that is very rare.

I feel very safe here.

karenintx - 11-3-2010 at 05:28 PM

Crime in Cabo...yes there is crime but like others have said "it happens all over the world." That includes The Baja, The Mainland of Mexico, Caribbean Islands, France, Italy, Argentina, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Ecuador and the USA. These are a few of the places I have had the opportunity to travel to...so far.

We live in CSL 8 -9 months of the year. I too have been asked if I want to buy "mota, weed and other things". It is called "demand"...allot of tourist want to buy and smoke a little something while on vacation. Something they may or may not do back home but "hey they are on vacation" and since some of them "leave their brains at the border" they can't understand it when "sh*t happens" to them. Some of these so called crimes are "drug deals gone bad". Locals are not the ones that are buying the stuff...it is the tourist!

We live close to the mall...one morning around 3:30 am I was making my way to the "bano". I heard voices of some very drunk American females. I watched them from our fourth floor condo...they could barely stand up much less walk. A four door car with four local guys pulled up beside them and started talking to them in their broken English...the drunk girls shot them the finger and yell at them "F*** You"...several times.

I am thinking...don't make me stick my head out this window and start yelling to try and help you because there is not a whole lot I could do from here. The young girls were very lucky that night...the young men laughed at them and drove off. We have helped "stoned/drunk" tourist by getting them a cab, asking the cost of the ride then have the tourist get the correct amount out of their pocket and then send them on their way. We witnessed two drunk fishermen get out of a taxi then urinate on the street. The police saw what happened and if it had not been for the taxi driver the men would have gone to jail. Then the two jerks tried to leave without paying the taxi driver. These stories could go on all night. Again, these are tourist not locals.

Then there is the "Good Cabo"...why is it that no one wants to talk about? There are many good Americans/Retires that have helped set up and still raise money for many charities which benefits many locals...both two and four legged. They have started businesses which employ many locals. These stories could go on all day...but no one wants to talk about the good, only the bad.

As far as the Cabo Municipal Police...yes, rumor is they turn their head while holding out their hand. It happens all over Mexico not just Cabo.

Cabo is not for everyone...but then neither is NYC, MIA, IAH or SFO (airport codes) and many other places. I may not return to some of these cities but I will not continuously look for the negative things either.

One person's paradise could be an other person's hell- hole. If you don't like Cabo, don't come...we won't miss you! However if you decide to come to Cabo why not contact one of your fellow Nomads that live here...we would be happy to show you the reason we love and enjoy Cabo.

As far as "all inclusives"...there is only one that I know of in Cabo and the is the "RUI". SJD has a few more but I would guess in the Los Cabos area there aren't more than six or seven so it is not the "all inclusives" that is keeping the planes full. The new taxi way that was built at Terminal 1 within the last year...that is because there are more planes arriving each year.

[Edited on 11-4-2010 by karenintx]

Mexicorn - 11-3-2010 at 05:42 PM

I have been living in Mexico for years. Why dont any of these terrible things happen to me?
The wost thing that has ever happened was that my home was broken into while I was out of town. I believe that was an inside job. I have had my homes boken into in California twice.
I just dont put myself in situations where I am going to have a problem.
I have seen tourists visiting Mexico acting as though there are no laws down here.

oxxo - 11-3-2010 at 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nancy Drew
Many tourists who visit Cabo will not experience violent crime, other than their hotel room being pilfered because many who book into the all inclusives seldom leave their hotels.

I forget the actual statistic, but fewer than 10% of the rooms in San Lucas/San Jose are AI.

All tourists who visit Cabo will not experience violent crime because it is virtually non-existent. The only ones who put themselves in harms way is by over imbibing, trying to score drugs, or looking to buy love.....especially at 3am.

Nancy Drew - 11-3-2010 at 10:07 PM

I just ran a search on last mnute vacations and you can pick up nearly all inclusive to all inclusive from $660 to 1100 for a week at the high end resorts on the Mayan Riveria, how does Cabo compete with that`
PV has a package this for $735. that by the includes air and transporation to and from the hotels in all cases.

capt. mike - 11-4-2010 at 06:14 AM

Mayan Riveria - ?

does this refer to yucatan and quintana roo?

having been all over those areas - i would say for fun, ambiance, recreation, cost, weather and a whole bunch of other reasons that area beats the pants off of baja for travel.

karenintx - 11-4-2010 at 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nancy Drew
I just ran a search on last mnute vacations and you can pick up nearly all inclusive to all inclusive from $660 to 1100 for a week at the high end resorts on the Mayan Riveria, how does Cabo compete with that`
PV has a package this for $735. that by the includes air and transporation to and from the hotels in all cases.

Simple, we like people with deep pockets..so maybe you need to go to PVR!

.

Reeljob - 11-4-2010 at 07:53 AM

We have two condos in Cabo, one right on the Marina.

Although I have witnessed a purse snatching (some fisherman caught the guy hiding in the abandoned construction project) and returned the lady's purse, in more than 30 years of going to Cabo I have never had or seen a problem with crime.

I'm with Karen's analysis.

oxxo - 11-4-2010 at 08:10 AM

Quote:

Cabo generally doesn't compete with that.

Rafa, who operates the front desk at one of the local resorts, came from a resort on the Mayan Riviera. He said he couldn't get out of there fast enough. He says life is good compared to the Cancun area. Low crime, better weather, nicer people, inexpensive if you know where to go, and very rural once you get out of downtown San Lucas.

The Mayan Riviera can have the $600 per week tourists. We'll take the $600 per day tourists. :yes:

[Edited on 11-4-2010 by oxxo]

Nancy Drew - 11-4-2010 at 12:13 PM

Quote:

Simple, we like people with deep pockets..so maybe you need to go to PVRSimple, we like people with deep pockets..so maybe you need to go to PVR

In the statemenet above lies the Cabo San Lucas experience.
We want your money and lots of it.

The most common complaint that tourist make about the resort is that it is overpriced, that is it doesn't offer value when compared to other options.

Mexicorn - 11-4-2010 at 12:24 PM

I just got back from Cabo last week. I had a great time.
Nope didnt get robbed or falling down drunk weather was great hung out at Solomans landing watching tourists. Also I did see a few "Cabo Angeles" walking around its a great town and no chicken little the sky is not falling.

mcfez - 11-4-2010 at 02:09 PM

I'm just glad that many BN's here are speaking up...to the fact that Baja is not in a state of "end of the world". Go home drama Queens

Bajahowodd - 11-4-2010 at 02:10 PM

The price/ value thing. The two most expensive Mexican resorts are Los Cabos and Cancun. Mayan Riviera, South of Cancun is probably responsible for pressuring prices downward in Cancun just because there are so many rooms available. However, Cancun became popular to East coast vacationers, as did Cabo to West coast vacationers because of travel rime and distance. A two hour flight from LA is less than half the time one would spend traveling to Hawaii, for instance. That said, if one so chooses, they can still get reasonably priced accommodations and food, if they are willing to sacrifice certain amenities.

As for the all-inclusives, I don't have all the data, but there are at least three in the San Jose area. As for Riu, there are two side by side. The original has 642 rooms. The newer Santa Fe has 902 rooms. That adds up to 1544 available rooms. Given that one wouldn't expect much in the way of single occupancy, and that families travel, just consider that using double occupancy, there are over three thousand guests per week, potentially. That's 3000 a week who may well not venture out to dine off-property, because they already paid for their food and booze.

Then consider most other resort hotels in the area that have multiple restaurants to choose from.

Also consider that most of these people arrive by plane, and take a shuttle to their resort. So, basically the briskness or lack of same in restaurant business in town, or the seeming low volume of pedestrian traffic in town does not reflect the fact that the resort can be quite full.

I was told recently, by someone in the know at Hacienda Del Mar, that up until last year, their occupancy rate was slightly over 100%. Yep. they'd overbook anticipating cancellations. If they had more guests than rooms, they would put people in the Sheraton Hotel. This same person told me that occupancy has been running at 95% this year. Not bad, considering.

Lee - 11-4-2010 at 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nancy Drew
The most common complaint that tourist make about the resort is that it is overpriced, that is it doesn't offer value when compared to other options.

Other options? Like what? Every option has it's price whether it's Cancun, PV, Matzalan -- but then these places aren't Cabo and aren't in Baja. Every place is unique and Cabo stands alone in what it offers. It's touristy and the economy is dependent on tourist dollars. Nothing wrong with that. Cabo is a high-end destination for those wanting high-end. It's everything in between too. Tourists coming to Cabo find bargains if they look around.

Check out The Rancho http://www.ranchopescadero.com/ 45 minutes away from Cabo. Spend a little, get a lot. It doesn't get any better.

Pescadero is paradise, and so is Cabo.

Bajahowodd - 11-4-2010 at 02:31 PM

And Lisa gives you a spiff for the post? :lol:

oxxo - 11-4-2010 at 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nancy Drew
The most common complaint that tourist make about the resort is that it is overpriced, that is it doesn't offer value when compared to other options.

Two things.

There is much more to Los Cabos than Cabo San Lucas. Within 30 minutes, you can find whatever experience you wish from isolated desert and sleepy pueblos to Costco and sin city. We tend to hang out in the low key places which are convenient, numerous, and easy to find. I frankly avoid the tourist scene, so other than my Mexican friends having a job, I could care less what tourists think about Cabo.

I do not live here as a tourist. Yo soy un choyero! (Credit BajaJudy for teaching me that) This is my home, thank god. Yes, there are probably less expensive places to live in Mexico, but we can afford it, and we are willing to pay for some of the best weather in the world and warm and loving locals. So if tourists want to come here and spend $600 per day to enjoy that same ambiance that I enjoy......good for them. If you like PV or Cancun better that's okay. It's all good. I've been to both of those places, and although okay, just didn't measure up to Los Cabos in my book as a place to retire.

May each BN find their favorite spot in Mexico, there's lots of them.

Nancy Drew - 11-4-2010 at 02:48 PM

Lee other options, where have you been.

This article doesn't take into account European travel but if the Cabo is wondering where the Canadians have gone to.

http://www.thestar.com/travel/beachsun/article/736663--cuba-...

In all fairness to Mexico, I have been researching Crime in Cuba and have found muggings and robberies are up, however these are cities such as Havana and other cities. A majority of tourists who visit cuba make daytrips to Havana, As far as pimps, hustlers, dope dealers , Havana has many.

Castro refers to his tourist business as factorties without smoke.
Another link:http://www.travelhotnews.com/archives/index.php?cmdAction=view&id=508

[Edited on 11-4-2010 by Nancy Drew]

oxxo - 11-4-2010 at 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nancy Drew
I have been researching Crime in Cuba

Wait, wait, don't tell me. Castro can invite the Mob from Miami to set up some gambling casinos for smokeless industry. The Mob can set up a despot dictator to run the country and they can make tons of money. Then a revolutionary can incite the masses. Then.........

This has already been done? Darn, and I thought I had a brilliant idea.

Nancy Drew - 11-4-2010 at 03:47 PM

P.S. here is the latest tourist hungry cuba to build 10 golf coarses and marina and they have changed their property laws to 99 year arrangements to accomadate foreign ownership.

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/6627653-cuba-golf-...

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/BreakingNews/View/32546
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64364J20100504?pageNum...

[Edited on 11-4-2010 by Nancy Drew]

Nancy Drew - 11-4-2010 at 04:43 PM

I thought I would add this

The Real Cuba another Canadian tourist who got duped: gohttp://www.realcubablog.com/post/2010/08/05/Another-Canadian-tourist-who-got-duped-in-Cuba.aspx

sanquintinsince73 - 11-4-2010 at 05:31 PM

Many folks may mourn the Cabo of old times. But, fact is that tens of thousands of tourists visit annually. Since I spend time there several times a year, my opinion is that it is clearly not unsafe. Anyone choosing to change vacation plans is missing out.

You can probably pin some of the blame for that on Sammy Haggar and his Cabo Wabo. :lol:

Nancy Drew - 11-4-2010 at 09:29 PM

Bahahowodd in regards to the someone in the know

Quote:

I was told recently, by someone in the know at Hacienda Del Mar, that up until last year, their occupancy rate was slightly over 100%. Yep. they'd overbook anticipating cancellations. If they had more guests than rooms, they would put people in the Sheraton Hotel. This same person told me that occupancy has been running at 95% this year. Not bad, considering.

I was amazed, 95 percent .

Whenever I research a hotel , I go for the keywords on google , I will type in the Hotel name its location and keywords to see if there are any issues with a particular property.

Well I did just that with the Hacienda del Mar Cabo and the keywords I use are
Scams, Fraud, Rooms Robbed, Robberies , Terrible Food, Overpriced and overated , room smells and sick. This gets me past the usual hype found on the travel pages.
my suggestion to you is to do the same and start at scams and read what comes up.

[Edited on 11-5-2010 by Nancy Drew]

monoloco - 11-5-2010 at 07:01 AM

I don't know why anyone would trust a timeshare salesperson. Imo the whole timeshare thing makes no sense, if you invested the money that you spent on the timeshare and used the interest to go on vacation you would be money ahead.

Nancy Drew - 11-5-2010 at 12:57 PM

Oxxo , Castro is not inviting the Maifia back in , Cuba gets its backing from Canadian and European investors.

Quote:

Investors in Canada, Europe and Asia have been waiting to crack the market for long-term tourism in Cuba, built on drawing well-heeled visitors who could live part-time on the island instead of just hitting the beach for a few days.

http://www.pressherald.com/business/cuba-makes-play-for-fore...

http://www.propertywire.com/news/south-america/-cuba-real-es...

their even wooing the Saudis
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&...

[Edited on 11-5-2010 by Nancy Drew]

Bajahowodd - 11-5-2010 at 01:06 PM

There are actually a few hotels in the Playa del Carmen area that advertise packages that include flight and hotel stay in Cuba along with your stay in Playa. In theory US citizens embark not from the US, and the Cuban authorities do not stamp passports.

What Exactly is Your Point?

Bajahowodd - 11-5-2010 at 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nancy Drew
Bahahowodd in regards to the someone in the know

Quote:

I'm certainly not pushing time shares. They are not for everyone. Some are better than others. There will always be people who get buyer's remorse. Most folks who own time shares knew up front that owing one is not an investment.

That said, I'm not alone in my opinion that as time shares go, Hacienda Del Mar is among the better ones.

tripledigitken - 11-5-2010 at 02:06 PM

95% occupancy in Cabo..............????

I find that very hard to believe, unless it was in the middle of the Bisbee Tournament. That too will shrink participants after the incident this year.

Bajahowodd - 11-5-2010 at 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tripledigitken
95% occupancy in Cabo..............????

I find that very hard to believe, unless it was in the middle of the Bisbee Tournament. That too will shrink participants after the incident this year.

Bear in mind, Ken, that this place is a time share. Folks paid for the right to be there. I'd bet that non-time share places had lower occupancy rates. Get this: I bought week at this place pre-construction in the early 90's. This August, I called to book my week for later in the year. I figured as many do, that vacancies would abound due to the economy and the drug thing. I was told flat out, that there were no suites available after the first week in October through year end. Go figure.

oxxo - 11-5-2010 at 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nancy Drew
I was amazed, 95 percent .

Yes, as I said in an earlier post, occupancy in Los Cabos has been spotty this last summer. Some resorts posted 20% occupancy, while others (usually the higher end resorts) posted occupancy rates between 70% and 100%. This is unheard of even in a good year. Those resorts who could offer a luxury package seemed to do best.

Quote:

Well I did just that with the Hacienda del Mar Cabo and the keywords I use are
Scams, Fraud, Rooms Robbed, Robberies , Terrible Food, Overpriced and overated , room smells and sick. This gets me past the usual hype found on the travel pages.
my suggestion to you is to do the same and start at scams and read what comes up.

No resort will ever get a 100% positive rating. There will always be someone who is POed about something and will write on onion. Let me give you an example of which I have personal knowledge. I guest at one of the high end resorts claimed they had a digital, point and shoot camera. They said they left it on a lounge out by the pool and when they came back the camera was gone....duh!!!!! They said the hotel staff stole it. They had no proof they even owned a camera! The Hotel, wanting to keep a happy customer offered the guest a $500 hotel credit. The guest wanted $1000 cash and threatened to ruin them if they didn't pay (extortion?). The hotel manager is not stupid. There are few if any $1000 point and shoot cameras (my Canon cost $120). There was an impasse. The guest returned home and wrote a scathing review on Trip Advisor. You know the usual - scam artists, dishonest, ripoff, robbed, room smells, terrible food, ad nauseum.

Don't always believe what you read. That goes for crime in Cabo, too.

[Edited on 11-5-2010 by oxxo]

Nancy Drew - 11-5-2010 at 04:09 PM

The point is to be check out the onions and see if there is an ongoing pattern at the hotel, people complaining of diarrhea could mean the buffet is in question, people getting home and finding credit card has been run up from a possible inside job, rooms being broken into, if it is loud and noisy, dirty and unkept, hidden charges appearing on your bill. I do key word searches such as beware and dont stay there.

No resort is 100 percent, a rave review is as suspect as a bad one.

If something is going down in a hotel then it usually appears under a scam, fraud, beware, don't stay search on the property.

It is common sense and tips you off to possible problems.

osoflojo - 11-7-2010 at 12:42 AM

A. There has not been 95 0/0 occupancy in San Lucas for a long time. Time share or not.
B. It used to take 8 years to be a Choyero in Cabo, I guess everyone is on the fast track now.
C. Crime in Cabo. Everyone has their own experiances and opinions. I have wandered the streets of Cabo drunker than 400 indians(no offense) since 1981 3am, 4.am whatever. I have known every bartender and half the workers in every "sin city" local in Cabo from the opening night of Toro Bravo to El Tenampa, El Faro, etc and never ever had a problem. If you look for a problem anywhere you will likely find one. Give me the streets of Cabo anytime...........

Nancy Drew - 11-7-2010 at 02:58 PM

Walking around drunker than a skunk at any time is not recommended, at any hour, especially an a.m. hour for any visitor to any resort. To me that is inviting trouble.

However maybe that you live there you are not considered prey.

Most of my research shows cabos crime is around rooms being robbed, credit card numbers being run without the owners knowledge, police shakedowns, and timeshare fraud , the last could easily be avoided by a google search on timeshare fraud in mexico , everything one needs to know. Smart tourists know not to wear jewelery, carry a purse, or to use their credit cards for purchases, as well as not to be out on the streets at night alone to avoid problems of theft . Well as far as the police shakedowns I have no recommendations there. It pays to be cautious.

Petty crime is up all over the world everywhere the tourists go , I googled up what were considered some safe places to travel a few years back and noticed the number of cautions on muggings and thefts increasing.

What was interesting about the report I posted was that it was a reported mugging that occurred in a fairly public place with people around.

There are worse things that await than you think: p.s keep scrolling past the ads for the entire story
http://www.havana-guide.com/the-cuban-matriarch.html

[Edited on 11-7-2010 by Nancy Drew]

[Edited on 11-7-2010 by Nancy Drew]

oxxo - 11-7-2010 at 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by osoflojo
A. There has not been 95 0/0 occupancy in San Lucas for a long time. Time share or not.

Average? No. In certain hotels for an extended period of time? Yes.

Quote:

B. It used to take 8 years to be a Choyero in Cabo,

I qualify by your definition.

Quote:

I have wandered the streets of Cabo drunker than 400 indians(no offense) since 1981 3am, 4.am whatever.

Not recommended, but to each his own.

oxxo - 11-7-2010 at 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nancy Drew
What was interesting about the report I posted was that it was a reported mugging that occurred in a fairly public place with people around.

Check my earler post. I asked a person who owns a business right at the scene. She has heard nothing about it. I'm calling this unreported (to the police), unsubstantiated by any witnesses, BS. The stolen float plane is BS too. The person who reported this event might have had more credibility if they did not add on the story about the float plane.

Nancy Drew - 11-8-2010 at 01:29 PM

Far more dangerious I would say.
The Dominican republic tourist deaths:
http://tinyurl.com/2chn2sy

http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/michele_mandel/201...

Bajahowodd - 11-8-2010 at 01:44 PM

Anyone recall another "Cabo incident" that was posted here many months ago? As I recall, some people were mugged while walking around, were so upset, they didn't go the the police; didn't even return to their hotel for their stuff, but just headed to the airport, which as I recall would not have been open at that time of night. I dunno. Pages were written on that. But similar to this tale, nothing but speculation.