If you head on over to my hiking site, you’ll find my trip report hiking Tecolote Beach, Baja.

Looks a paradise, don’t you think?

Even seagulls holiday on Tecolote.

The weather and beaches are excellent. But for several years now I’ve been recommending against travel to Mexico. I’d definitely not be here this year … if Canadian dentists weren’t so over-priced.

Why?

Cost is high. Most things in Baja now cost more than they do in Canada or the States. But not much of that money goes to wages. The rich are getting richer on your tourist dollar.

Quality is low. This beach looks nice. But it’s full of starving dogs.

When they die, nobody here bothers to bury the corpse.

The litter problem is actually better than when I first started coming to Mexico. But locals still litter frequently.

Mexico is right now in a rotten stage of development. It’s certainly not a developing nation, where you might forgive some injustice and growing pains.

But it’s not enough of a developed nation that you can trust food, water or services. (Happily I’ve yet to be shortchanged this trip, though. Nor hassled by cops.)

I recommend Guatamala and Nicaragua as excellent alternatives.