You can get a free quote on your insurance by clicking the button below or read our full coverage review. The Gateway International Bridge between Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and Brownsville, Texas, was blocked on Thursday by as many as 400 migrants waiting for asylum hearings in the United . Hours of Operation: 6 am to midnight. Human trafficking is on the rise in Mexico, and you should not be afraid to fall prey to it. Bicycles and pedestrians US$0.75 ($12 MXN). In comparison to four of the most popular and populous American cities, Cancun is safer. If you are driving outside the Mexico Free Zone you will need a vehicle import permit. About the only peril we encountered was not being able to hear one another talk because the lounge act was warming up for that evenings performance, something our waiter was able to remedy by shuttling us off to the dining room. There we ordered another round of margaritas, a las rocas, and our meals. Meet at 5:00pm, cross at 5:30. In the midst of drug-related violence, security forces and drug militias frequently clash. You can get a $10 discount by using the discount code brOKEBACKPACKER. And I kind of feel like the Texas side towns are kind of an idealized version of what we would like the Mexican side to be. 3)Intl Bridge Mexico. How Crossing the Bridge to Matamoros Got Complicated, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/07/travel/brownsville-matamoros-border.html. February 24, 2023 11:57 AM ET. The dismembered bodies of a gay couple from Texas were discovered near Ciudad Jurez. Matamoros is where in 2010, the Mexican Navy killed Antonio Crdenas Guilln, the Gulf Cartel leader more widely known as Tony Tormenta, hailing down bullets and grenades in a squall of violence that lasted over eight hours. The most affected states by drug cartels are the states of Michoacn, Colima, and Tamaulipas, as well as Sinaloa. You will need a Temporary Importation Permit (TIP) if you travel 13 miles beyond the U.S./Mexico border with New Mexico. It is located directly across the border from the city of Brownsville, Texas, in the United States. It is also possible to take guided day trips from there to visit the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza or Tulum, which are also safe. If you were attacked because you were robbed, it is best to give everything you have in exchange for your life and health. There is also a short walk to Playas Fifth Avenue shopping district. Until 2015, she was president of the University of Texas at Brownsville, now renamed the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, which stands close enough to the river that police once found a stray bullet that had been fired in Matamoros and lodged itself into the exterior of a campus building. Some areas of Mexico have increased risk of crime and kidnapping. Juarez Market, a pedestrian area, is full of hats, shoes, traditional candies, and handicrafts. Mexico, according to a Level 3 Travel Health Notice issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is experiencing high levels of Covid. Some travelers come here to visit Bagdad Beach which is located not so far from the city. McAllen has one of the lowest crime rates in the country, making it a fantastic place to live, work, and raise a family. When it comes to beach days, the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos is an excellent choice for families. Both cities are linked by the Matamoros-Brownsville Bridge, which spans the Rio Grande. The State Department advises American citizens to exercise caution when traveling to Mexico and to avoid traveling to areas that are known to be dangerous. Border Crossing Wait Times. Brownsville Bridges Border Crossing Wait Times & FAQ's Brownsville is located at the very tip of the map of Texas and is the southernmost town in the US to border with Mexico. It is critical to read travel advisories and reviews before booking your trip, as recent crime increases in certain parts of the country may make it difficult to make the necessary reservations. It is not a good idea to travel at night outside of major cities. According to the agencies involved, an initial . Keeping an eye on your money or business affairs is not a good idea. Oaxaca, as one of the most fascinating places in Mexico, reveals the countrys history in all of its forms. If you can only do it in summer, many thousands of people do and survive. Los Indios, Texas - Matamoros, Tamaulipas Border Crossing. Women who travel alone are vulnerable to becoming extremely vulnerable to unpleasant situations because they have no way of fighting back. The Matamoros-Brownsville metropolitan area is also a major crossing point for . Most Americans Are Critical of Government's Handling of Situation at U.S.-Mexico Border Declining Republican support for allowing undocumented immigrants to remain legally in the U.S. Migrants wait to cross the border at the Gateway International Bridge from Matamoros, Mexico, to Brownsville, Texas, on March 15, 2021. It also provides a complaint line, a safety hotline, and Coronavirus information through its Guest Assist app. I think you may find that the environment has deteriorated since, in terms of being attractive to tourists, cleanliness, fewer shops and a general downslide. And the Lodge's few rooms books up many months ahead, up to two years ahead for popular times, which the spring is. Feb. 24, 2023 Updated 2:20 PM PT. Because it is so packed with people, Metro is chaotic and frequently jam-packed. Located on the southern tip of Texas, this area is known for its beautiful beaches, friendly people, and delicious food. Note your government's information on entering Mexico: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mexico/entry-requirements. I get what youre saying, Im well aware of their nasty reputation and how things have deteriorated in recent years. The camp recently emptied out after the Biden administration ended the. Or they came from Germany in the mid-1800's to escape prison and execution on account of their opposition of totalitarian government. When I crossed it was to see something I couldnt find in Brownsville, maybe it was the restaurants and bars, but maybe also because when you grow up here, on the border, at least part of your life and memories exist on that other side. The newest border crossing in the area. However, some cities that may be considered relatively safe include Cuernavaca, Merida and San Miguel de Allende. Guadalajara is located in Guadalajara, Mexico. Mexico is more dangerous than Switzerland or Japan, which are less dangerous. The four border crossings in the region allow the movement of privately owned vehicles, pedestrians, buses, commercial trucks, and rail cars. Homicide in Mexico is not just up, not just the most ever, but there were more murders in the first six months of this year than in any entire year before. In this blog we will share the experience of driving from Brownsville, (United States), to Matamoros, (Mexico), by car. Agua Prieta / Douglas. Mexican law enforcement on Jan. 17, 2020, patrol a migrant refugee camp in Matamoros, Mexico, across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Texas. As a child, I experienced the boundary between Texas and Mexico as its own distinct place. You have already see that it is a full day from San Antonio. So you have to decide what you can live with if the worst happens, which it will on some day, maybe or maybe not on your day. Afterward the government announced the official death toll at six, while the media reported it at 47, but people living in the city, like the woman in my back seat, figured there had to be over 100 dead. The shelter-in-place alert for government employees in Tijuana was issued after an earlier shelter-in-place alert. (Use ONLY the reservation link in the official park web site. The three most important border crossings between Matamoros, Mexico, and Brownsville, Texas, are the B and M bridges, as well as the Gateway and Veterans Memorial bridges. The United States State Department changes its national warnings to address an increase in criminal activity in specific states. The city itself was, for a time, relatively safer, but only because a strong drug cartel leader was in charge and completely dominant. In addition find border crossings where you can buy a temporary vehicle importation permit for travel outside the Mexico Free Zone. In 2012, an American missionary was abducted and killed, and his body was found mutilated. Matamoros is located in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas on the south bank of the Rio Grande, while Brownsville is located in the United States state of Texas, directly across the Rio Grande from Matamoros. Her arrival, together with 26 other asylum seekers, signaled the beginning of the end of the migrant camp in Matamoros, in northern Mexico. Driving South on Highway 69E and drive to customs. Two weeks later I asked my sister to help me contact the woman Id taken to the bridge. There are a lot of drug smugglers and illegal immigrants who try to cross the border there, so the security is really tight. The safest city along the Texas-Mexico border was found to be Brownsville, Texas, followed by Laredo, Texas. Adults and children with U.S. passport cards can save time at the border by using designated Ready Lanes that read the passport card . There are still those brave souls, like my passenger, who make the trip for work or to visit family, to save money on a dentist appointment, on a prescription, maybe even for lunch, so long as they stay on the main drags and clear out before dark. But the reason she thought we shouldnt go across was the very reason I had come home to the border, to write about how going across to Matamoros had changed from my childhood in the 60s and 70s, my partying days in the 80s and early 90s, to today when its difficult to find anyone in my hometown of Brownsville willing to risk crossing over. It is much easier for RV's to negotiate parking to pick up paperwork and documents. Nonetheless, due to increased drug cartel violence, the State Department has advised travelers to reconsider visiting certain parts of Mexico. WASHINGTON . (Border Report File Photo/Sandra Sanchez) Eight Sonoran cities made the list of the 121 Mexican municipalities with the most violence per capita: Visitors to the border region, including cities such as Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales, Reynosa, and Matamoros should remain alert and be aware of their surroundings at all times. Crossing the U.S. - Mexico Border by Land. The area is not particularly safe to travel due to gang battles and poor police control. This bridge is primarily used for local traffic, maquiladora employees, tourists and pedestrian traffic. Youll have a fantastic trip if you make the right decisions about where to stay. The simple answer is the easiest way is to walk across the bridge and there is no safe way anymore. This white sand beach is the ideal location for adults looking for a refined beach vacation with numerous amenities. Mid-size crossing: Pedestrians and motor vehicles including trucks permitted. There are plenty of attractions to keep visitors coming back, and the city is home to a diverse range of restaurants, bars, and nightlife. Matamoros is the administrative center of the municipality of the same name in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Bird's Eye coverage extends well into the town of Matamoros as well. The warning comes amid an increase in violence in the country, which has seen a rise in drug-related violence and crime. Because of the ease of access, the town of Brownsville has earned a reputation as one of the top border towns in the United States. Hotels in Aguascalientes are only permitted to serve visitors who are in the middle of a critical task. See the following on how to use the Ready Lanes with a U.S. passport card: Proceed to a U.S . You will have come all this way and missed Texas as we know it and you likely think of it. The United States and Mexico on Tuesday opened their first new rail link in more than a century as part of plans to update infrastructure carrying nearly $600bn a year in . This is what you miss. I have heard that the wait to get through the border can be really long, too. My sister, Sylvia, happened to be back in town teaching a cooking class at one of the local museums where the woman cleaned and today had stayed later than usual to help her pack up. Along with the restaurants and smaller taquerias have come wealthy Mexican families with the means to relocate out of choice or necessity. Brownsville / Los Indios Commercial Lanes. Crossing the border from Brownsville, TX into Matamoros, Mexico.Always know your surroundings when heading south to Mexico, especially by car. Cancun and any other part of the Mexican Riviera are among the safest places to visit in Mexico. Some parts of Mexico are dangerous to LGBTQ+ members, while others may be extremely dangerous. I glanced into the rearview and mentioned that later I was meeting my sister and brother-in-law and wed also be walking across the bridge. And it is isolated, a longish drive from anywhere else and a longish drive even once you are inside the park. One involved a high-speed running gunfight through the city streets. Matamoros is situated on the United States-Mexico border across the Rio Grande River. Most of these require you to cross an International bridge that spans the Rio Grande river. Your car is all packed, you've purchased your Mexican auto insurance online, and now you are ready to head to Mexico for a much needed beach vacation. My main reason for wanting to visit Matamoros was so my girlfriend could tick another country off the list, and to simply gain a better perspective of what the border region was like. You are connected to the rest of the world. Someone at the next table had ordered the steak Diane and the waiter flambed the meal before the table. The real problem is Texas is that its just too damn big, and weve only got two weeks to get from Florida to Texas and back again, all the while trying to see every amazing state park, city, and beach along the way. Drive the north end of Brownsville, near the country club and other upscale neighborhoods, and youll see a minimalist look favored by many Mexican nationals, the box-shaped homes, the symmetrical gardens and ponds, the tiled driveways and queen palms. The Rio Grande River separates the American city of Brownsville from Matamoros in Mexico, and there are three separate border crossings connecting the two locations. The FBI recently released its most recent crime report, which found that communities along the U.S.-Mexico border are among the safest in the country. It is not a good idea to drive yourself to this area if you are only using a rental car. The closest is at the Puente Flore's customs office in the crossing of Nuevo Progreso. 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