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March, 2024

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Ensenada Mexico Tips

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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Hey NS, I am looking for a little travel advice. My roommate and I are planning on taking a pretty big road trip for spring break and as part of that we will be driving to Ensenada. Neither of us has ever been to Mexico before and right now our only source of info is the internet and my mom who went there in college. We are planning on getting a hotel for two nights and spending about two and a half days there. We will be doing everything on the cheap so basically we are looking for any rad things to do that are exciting but not too sketchy, we would like to make it home with all of our gear after all. Have any of you been there? Any recommendations on beaches? Cliff Jumping? Hikes? cool naturey stuff? any recommendations on traveling in Mexico in general? Any and all advice would be much appreciated.Thanks!

TL;DR going to be in Ensenada for a couple of days and want to know what not to miss while we're there.

Thanks!
Mar 4 2014 9:40PM
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iFlip
Posts: 4541 - Karma: 19,088
Don't do it.
Mar 4 2014 9:45PM
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uyghur
Posts: 993 - Karma: 2,028
yeah ensenada is a pretty big shithole once you go 5 mins out of the tourist town. all the restaurants are tourists traps and theres a high likelihood of you getting robbed. excellent taco shacks though.
Mar 4 2014 9:54PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Dang, ok, not what I wanted to hear, haha, is there anywhere else approximately the same distance away from the border that is better? Basically we will be driving down to So-Cal anyway so we figured we might as well go to Mexico while we were at it since we haven't really traveled that much.
Mar 4 2014 9:59PM
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elinde
Posts: 1459 - Karma: 2,934
Surf. Surf more. Find cliffs. Go in the ocean. Done.
Mar 4 2014 10:05PM
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uyghur
Posts: 993 - Karma: 2,028
mexico isnt really a safe place to visit right now, and ive heard horror stories of 10+ hour waits to cross the border, it would better to just tour around socal, we have so much to do around here that i doubt you will get bored.
just eat every meal in LA. the amount of incredible restaurants is unreal and your tastebuds will never be the same.
Mar 4 2014 10:10PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Ok, yeah, hmm, I realize LA is pretty incredible but that kind of awesome is not exactly what we are after. It's not like we are the kind of people who really appreciate food or big cities. We're looking more for beautiful beaches and cool nature stuff, haha, like forests, or jungles or cliffs. I am looking for stuff to take pictures of and my buddy is looking for places to lay in the sun. We aren't really adults going on vacation, we spend our summers hiking and cliff jumping and camping and exploring so that kind of "adventuring" I guess is what we are looking for. We have been down to the LA area before but we aren't really looking for the big city experience, as cool as it is. Is there that kind of "naturey" stuff in the LA area?
Mar 4 2014 10:17PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
This is the plan, just looking for any info to facilitate the finding of cliffs, and not getting robbed.
Mar 4 2014 10:18PM
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uyghur
Posts: 993 - Karma: 2,028
oh i thought you were going for a more touristy trip. in that case ensenada is awesome and extremely beautiful once you get out of the main city, its all wrapped around a massive (and extremely polluted) bay, but there is some seriously awesome shacks and cliffs further out, and definitely some hidden beaches around. the danger of being robbed/kidnapped actually does increase exponentially once you leave the city though, so be careful what stores you go in and keep your hands in your pockets so you dont get pick pocketed.
Mar 4 2014 10:24PM
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uyghur
Posts: 993 - Karma: 2,028
oh and seriously, get all your passports and shit ready for the border. get prepared to wait for what some would say is a long ass time.
Mar 4 2014 10:26PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Yeah, this is the opposite of touristy, haha, this is two guys living in a subaru for a week, driving from Northern Idaho to Mexico trying to see as much as possible. I'm almost looking for a ski bums guide to Mexico, haha. Obviously we will be super careful about getting robbed and smaller scale, in town stuff is not as much of a worry since we are pretty used to being careful and we aren't to much of an attractive target (two reasonably big, scruffy guys as opposed to a group of rich looking girls) Obviously we will take every precaution possible but we don't want to shy away from a cool place if it is reasonably safe. We are more worried about bigger crime/safety issues. Someone said Ensenada would be full of American kids on break, is that true? Thanks for all the advice, we will plan on cautiously exploring.
Mar 4 2014 10:32PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Oh, shoot, We have passports, I think that is all we are supposed to need? And I have heard some border horror stories. My dad thinks that is pretty hilarious since last time he went to Mexico border security was pretty much non existent.
Mar 4 2014 10:34PM
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uyghur
Posts: 993 - Karma: 2,028
yeah, break is for most is the last week of march or first week of april. I'm pretty sure all you need is a passport, but that would be worth a google. honestly, the further you drive away from ensenada and into the boonies, the more cool stuff you will find
Mar 4 2014 10:40PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Sweet! As long as cool stuff doesn't involve machete wielding bandits it sounds great
Mar 4 2014 10:42PM
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jeremy.g
Posts: 4931 - Karma: 459
thats sort of a bullshit blanket statement. yea parts might not be the safest place for two dudes to blaze around looking like they rolled fresh over the border true. but to say its not safe is just not true. granted northern mexico is probably a bit sketchier than other parts but i just spent three months in mexico and did not feel unsafe or threatened once. you just gotta be really smart about where you go and what you do. keep it low key. be polite, dont carry your passports and credit cards and a bunch of cash around and try not to be super polite. cruise around like you know what the fuck you are doing, with purpose. i was in mexico city for over a month which is about the second biggest city in the world, over 22 million. i rolled all over that place photographing and besides seeing some weird shit in the subway everything was cool.

seriously its an awesome place and people can be so incredibly nice. dudes would drop what they were doing and walk me like 5 blocks to show me where to go when i asked for directions sometimes. if you speak spanish that will help a lot people are very appreciative when you can or even make an effort and dont just assume they speak english. odds are they will but rolling up and just talking in english is pretty rude. at least learn how to say hello, how are you, do you speak english? shit like that.

have a rad time dudes

Mar 4 2014 10:47PM
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iFlip
Posts: 4541 - Karma: 19,088
Head down to the high desert. Spend some time exploring the backcountry of Joshua Tree National Park. Then go to San Diego. Go surfing, snorkel in the Cove in La Jolla. Take the ferry out to Catalina Island while you're in the LA area for a day and see the bison, experience the amazing snorkeling and probably some cliff jumping. When you're down in the Joshua Tree area, if you get bored of the high desert take a quick trip up to the mountains in Idyllwild and hike a short section of the Pacific Crest Trail. You could also head to Death Valley for a day or two. SoCal has so much to offer without the sketchiness of Mexico.
Mar 4 2014 10:57PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Thanks man, planing on being polite, and safe, This isn't like a drinking trip we're planing, so hoping to just see a new place and explore. We're pretty weak on the spanish front but hopefully we can pick up a little in the next week, Right now I think we are limited to saying we don't know spanish and asking where the bathroom is, haha. Low key is the name of the game, also it seems like you're saying it is good to appear confident?
Mar 4 2014 10:57PM
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Beepboop123
Posts: 691 - Karma: 90
.
Mar 4 2014 11:20PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Ok, thanks! We will be in the LA area for a couple of days as well before making our way back up the coast so we will be sure to check some of this stuff out! Basically we figured if we are going to drive this far we might as well go into Mexico since it is right there and we have never been.
Mar 4 2014 11:25PM
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jeremy.g
Posts: 4931 - Karma: 459
just dont walk around gaping and looking lost. and loudly speaking english. if you are in an area you doubt keep your mouth shut and your head down. dont give people a reason to notice you if you are in a questionable spot
Mar 4 2014 11:31PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Sounds like a plan, Thanks!
Mar 5 2014 11:58AM
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COskier
Posts: 1066 - Karma: 131
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings/mexico-travel-warning.html

Take a good look at this before you do anything.
Mar 5 2014 12:45PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7808 - Karma: 1,414
Kind of bummed that you didn't know California has all of those great things you listed off up above, minus the jungle. The borders of California contain more different biomes than anywhere else in the world. California is also much safer and there's no border crossing to deal with. However, Ensenada would be sweet as well, but can be dangerous. Enjoy your trip, man!
Mar 5 2014 1:08PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Nah, I realize California has a lot of great stuff, My grandparents live there and I have spent quite a bit of time there, California is incredible and has more neat things then I will ever have time to experience. We are planing on spending the majority of break in California but we do want to go to Mexico since we have never been and it seems like an interesting experience.
Mar 5 2014 1:25PM
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elinde
Posts: 1459 - Karma: 2,934
How far are you willing to drive into Mexico. Because there are safer parts of it with more jungle and natural coast which seems to be what you're into.
Mar 5 2014 5:01PM
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speedin
Posts: 731 - Karma: 131
Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point) is your best bet. I went to college at ASU, and my roommates and I would drive down almost every weekend. Its not a far drive from SOCAL. I have driven there over 50 times and I have never ever had a problem.
Rocky Point is safe, just use common sense. Most of the crime is cartel vs cartel, and rarely targeted at tourists.

Rocky point is awesome. It really has come a long way in the past 5 years, lots of resorts. You can rent amazing houses right on the ocean, or stay at a resort. Great night life. If you want to really party go during ASU spring break..

Great cliff jumping.
Rent a sand rail or atv
Party at the reef on Sandy Beach

PM if you want more details.


Mar 5 2014 6:23PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Thanks! I am definitely interested, unfortunately I am super busy right now but I will try to pm you tomorrow. Thanks!
Mar 5 2014 8:51PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Well, we leave in a few hours, if you see something in the news about three Idahoans getting beheaded you'll know who it is
Mar 14 2014 11:40AM
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Ejollo
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Have fun and good luck!
Mar 14 2014 11:51AM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Thanks, we're hashtagging #tpt14 if anyone cares, haha.
Mar 14 2014 3:55PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Got back friday. Everything went well and we didn't get robbed or have any issues. Ended up traveling almost 3500 miles in my subaru which now smells terrible. Thanks for all the comments, Ensenada was really different then we expected but was still a really neat and interesting experience.
Mar 23 2014 8:30PM
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volvotom
Posts: 2045 - Karma: 712
Was just about to post about taking the toll road once over the border and being sure you purchased Mexican auto insurance (US insurance is useless there and a minor accident without insurance can land you in Mexican jail). Although there are travel warnings for the country http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings/mexico-travel-warning.html

Ensenada is generally a safe place (my dad's coworker has a house there and I have been several times).

Glad you had a great trip.
Mar 23 2014 9:18PM
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Abu_Hajaar
Posts: 2747 - Karma: 3,890
You gonna get raped
Mar 24 2014 12:11AM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Thanks, yeah, took the toll road and was lucky enough not to get in an accident so it was all good.
Mar 24 2014 12:05PM
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