Are you thinking of taking a vacation to Cabo San Lucas? It’s important to be aware of the safety risks before you go, such as whether it is safe to walk around the resort and surrounding areas at night.
Cabo San Lucas consists of resort towns predominantly filled with tourists, celebrities, and vacationers. Because of this, it is a high-traffic region that is regularly patrolled by police and experiences low levels of crime other than petty thefts and pickpocketing, making it safe to travel by foot.
In this article, we will discuss the predominant risks of walking around Cabo San Lucas, so you know what to look out for during your stay. We will also detail the region’s criminal records to help put your mind at ease and provide relevant safety tips to help you avoid any potential dangers.
Misconceptions About Cabo San Lucas and Crime
The first thing to consider when wondering if it is safe to walk around Cabo San Lucas is the crime rate. With a population of over 202,000 people, the town experiences its share of crime, but nothing serious enough to warrant avoiding walking altogether.
Statistically, the region experiences what is deemed a “moderate” level of overall crime, ranking a 54.65 on the Numbeo safety index, a 73.26 in “safety walking alone during daylight” and 52.91 in “safety walking alone during night” according to visitors.
You might have heard some grizzly facts and statistics, such as Los Cabos being the “murder capital of the world” with 138.26 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
While it is true that many of the cities deemed “most dangerous in the world” by World Atlas are located in Mexico, some fairly close to Cabo San Lucas, it’s important to note that the vast majority of violent crimes associated with this tourist city, such as murder, robbery, and aggravated assault, are actually misinterpreted and originate from the overarching region of Los Cabos, which includes the city of San Jose del Cabo, not in Cabo San Lucas alone.
Furthermore, these violent crimes predominantly involve citizens of the region, particularly those involved in drug trading in cartels and other illegal activities. When it comes to tourists and other individuals in Cabo San Lucas very few to none experience what is considered a violent crime.
Safety Risks and Tips for Visitors Walking Around Cabo San Lucas
Hopefully, we’ve put your mind at ease about the minimal chance that you’ll experience a violent crime while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas. However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take precautions when walking around this unfamiliar location.
As we briefly mentioned previously, it is still possible for people to fall victim to a crime in Cabo San Lucas, namely petty thefts, pickpocketing, and scamming, but these can be easily avoided with the proper knowledge, tools, and skills.
Below, we have provided tips for each of these common risks to help ensure you’re prepared when you arrive.
Pickpocketing and Petty Theft
Crimes like pickpocketing and petty theft are usually opportunistic in nature and occur when tourists or visitors let their guard down. To avoid becoming a victim of these crimes, it is important to always be aware of your surroundings and keep your valuables close to your body.
Adding simple locks to your baggage and luggage is a great deterrent, and keeping your most valuable items, like your wallet and passport, either in your front pants pocket, around your neck, or stored in a hard-to-reach location in your travel bug, such as an internal pocket, will ensure they aren’t easily accessible to steal.
Travelling By Foot
Most people who visit Cabo San Lucas don’t report having any issues or discomfort when walking around the area.
While there are plenty of safe areas to walk around in the city, it is always best to exercise caution and travel in groups or pairs. If you do find yourself walking alone, make sure to stay in well-lit and populated areas.
It is also wise to research the area ahead of time and map out a route before setting out on foot. This way, you can avoid any areas that may be unsafe or unfamiliar and reduce your chances of getting lost.
Scams
Common scams in Cabo San Lucas include tourist traps, like overpriced restaurants and souvenir shops, shady individuals selling drugs and fake or stolen goods, and ATM skimming.
To avoid being scammed, only use ATMs that are located inside of a bank and be aware of your surroundings when using one.
It’s also best to research restaurants and souvenir shops ahead of time so you know what a fair price is and can choose the safest locations possible.
Another tip travelers tend to have regarding Cabo San Lucas is to avoid purchasing drugs altogether, even those in pharmacies. The overarching region of Los Cabos and other regions of Mexico have been known to sell fake pharmaceutical products and harbor high activity in drug-trading, so it is best to bring any drugs you might need from home.
Final Thoughts
As a travel destination, Cabo San Lucas is generally safe for visitors to explore by foot with limited risks to their safety. Most of these risks can be avoided altogether by following the tips listed above as well as your instincts and using no small degree of common sense. With the right precautions in place, your trip to Cabo San Lucas will undoubtedly meet and exceed your expectations.
