Acapulco was a wildly popular tourist destination from the late 1920s and peaking in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The warm, beautiful waters, inviting temperatures and interesting sightseeing remains a draw for tourists today.
Yet today, Acapulco tourists risk the high crime rates of the city, which are nearly 30 times higher than the average in American cities. In 2013, the murder rate was 142 in 100,000; in January and February of that year, there were 200 murders. Also in 2013, six Spanish female tourists staying in a vacation home together were raped when masked gunmen broke into the property and tied up the men present.
The United States Department of State’s Mexico travel warning is strict, and the U.S. government will only allow its employees to stay in two Acapulco hotels, and bans people from leaving them after dark. How sad it is that such a beautiful place is so fraught with risk.
Read about other dangerous tourist destinations here.
Image: Wikipedia