La Ceiba Violence

[DandyDon]

Clarified

 

[dmoore19]

This entire thread has an irrelevant premise to begin with, much as the other recent thread about the "drug war". To associate this incident with a SCUBA forum really stretches the definition. Possibly relevant, but only if understood in context.

I would agree with you on this. My first thought was what is this doing in the Bay Islands Forum.

 

[hopefulist]

Isn't Roatán just 45 miles from La Ceiba? What a tragic event to see - I'm sorry to hear it. That said, I've spent months on the Honduran mainland and absolutely love it, usually split my trips 50/50, a month or so per summer total. There were murders last fall in my little, safe town in Oregon - a sad reality but it happens. Here's a link to my photos and travelogues on Flickr. Happy trails, all!

 

[jlevine]

On March 08, 2010, we had a brush with violence near La Ceiba while in transit to the Bay Islands.

We were staying in an isolated location on the Rio Cangrejal a few KM south of La Ceiba. We were having breakfast when a volley of popping sounds rang out VERY close to our cabin, lasting about 30-seconds. We considered the possibility of automatic weapon fire, but dismissed it as firecrackers. After eating, we loaded our luggage into the truck and departed our rental. As we pulled out of the driveway onto the street, we came across a man lying at the side of the road. To describe the remains as bullet-riddled is a gross understatement. A distraught woman sat next to him. We drove by very slowly, totally numb and uncomprehending.

Honduras has seen a steep increase in violence since the coup d'état in June last year. Divers may wish to exercise heightened awareness.

There was no "coup d'etat." Honduras enforced its own constituation and averted what could have been an even bigger problem. Roatan was almost completely unaffected by the political situation. Nevertheless, the dive shops on the island were nearly dead from the reduction in tourism caused by the travel warnings. The only difference I noticed on my arrival in Roatan were a few extra soldiers in the airport.

 

[Bill Parker]

I'm looking at a drive from Playa del Carmen to Chichen Itza this summer, thinking about how close it is to Merida, telling myself that the war isn't that close yet.

I traveled by ferry from Cozumel to PDC. Then by bus from PDC, to
Tulum, to Chichen Itza, and finally Cancun in late December and
early January. All that stuff you see on the news was happening
somewhere else in Mexico, not the Yucatan. It was very peaceful
and no one seemed concerned about it. The roads were good
quality and light traffic. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Bill Parker]

I think this thread is relevant in context of the bay islands
because it can be so much cheaper to fly into SAP, bus
to La Ceiba, and ferry to Roatan. I just bought a ticket to
SAP and it would cost me US$500 more to fly directly to
RTB. I just can't stand the thought of being ripped off by
Continental like that and chose to keep my $500 in my
pocket instead of handing it over to that legacy airline
that should just be allowed to shut down. In any case
anyone who is coming into SAP (to save money or lack of
airline schedule options) can still take TACA/Islena from
SAP to RTB and doesn't have to spend any time in the
interior of Honduras (other than SAP) if the thought
bothers them. I'm not worried about this incident affecting
me I'm still doing it.

 

[DandyDon]

I traveled by ferry from Cozumel to PDC. Then by bus from PDC, to
Tulum, to Chichen Itza, and finally Cancun in late December and
early January. All that stuff you see on the news was happening
somewhere else in Mexico, not the Yucatan. It was very peaceful
and no one seemed concerned about it. The roads were good
quality and light traffic. I wouldn't worry about it.

Hehe, that's just not quite correct, other than good roads and light traffic. Most of the problems are happening on the US border, and tourists are generally safe in the Yucatan peninsula, but there have been increasing exceptions to both in recent years. Traveling by bus to where you went is about as safe as you can get overall, but to be naive of the problems that are happening is not good preparation for avoiding the problems that are in the area.

Glad you had a good trip.

 

[Bill Parker]

Hehe, that's just not quite correct, other than good roads and light traffic. Most of the problems are happening on the US border, and tourists are generally safe in the Yucatan peninsula, but there have been increasing exceptions to both in recent years. Traveling by bus to where you went is about as safe as you can get overall, but to be naive of the problems that are happening is not good preparation for avoiding the problems that are in the area.

Glad you had a good trip.

Hey, thanks, it was an epic trip. You know I just realized most things
I thought knew about Mexico were from the NY news and information
from that source is usually garbage anyway. My understanding also is
most of the violence in Mexico is associated with drug trade in border
areas but that is what I learned from TV and it may be all wrong.
Assuming the violence is from drug trade I don't think it would be
difficult for drug gangs to recognize gringos in a rented car are
probably on vacation and simply ignore them. And maybe you could
get carjacked but the routes I saw pretty much only had stops in
cities and small towns with ALOT of people around. Perhaps I'm naive
but I think very few criminals would be so bold to try jacking a car
with people around in broad daylight in the middle of a city.

 

[Robertcrockett]

You know I just realized most things
I thought knew about Mexico were from the NY news and information
from that source is usually garbage anyway.

Nothing like first hand experience to show the media spin for what it really is.

 

[DandyDon]

...most of the violence in Mexico is associated with drug trade in border
areas but that is what I learned from TV and it may be all wrong.
Assuming the violence is from drug trade I don't think it would be
difficult for drug gangs to recognize gringos in a rented car are
probably on vacation and simply ignore them. And maybe you could
get carjacked but the routes I saw pretty much only had stops in
cities and small towns with ALOT of people around. Perhaps I'm naive
but I think very few criminals would be so bold to try jacking a car
with people around in broad daylight in the middle of a city.

Ok, now that's a reasonable view, a little different from "All that stuff you see on the news was happening somewhere else in Mexico, not the Yucatan." There certainly are related problems in the Merida area, Cancun has plenty of other risks, and even Cozumel had 4 drug cartel members murdered last year, but yeah it's easy enough to stay out of all that usually.