It takes about 90 minutes to fly from Phoenix to Rocky Point, compared to about four hours for a car. As a safe and easy option, you will always have police officers available to assist you. I didn't even know if he was alive or if he was dead, he told KGUN 9. property owners in Rocky Point. Ocean Giants return off the shores of Puerto Peasco, Infelices para Siempre to showcase Puerto Peasco in theaters across Mexico, Tijuana Puerto Peasco flight resumes for. cities that have experienced daytime public shootouts. That was among many signs of increased security she saw at Las Conchas and around town. compete with drug smuggling organizations, Puerto Peasco is a safe Obviously, we continue to apply the security protocols that are required here in Mxico, said Ibarra. If you want to monitor the epidemiological risk traffic light as your travel date approaches, you can do so by visiting https://coronavirus.gob.mx/semaforo/. We invite you to give a little to the Red Cross (Cruz Roja Mexicana) once youve crossed the border into Sonoyta, Mexico. On June 19, police chief Erick Landagaray and his bodyguard were KELLY PRESNELL/Arizona Daily Star NO MAGS/NO SALES/MANDATORY CREDIT #149909, A few of the giant high rise condos that recently arose along the beaches in Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico, Wed., July 21, 2010 (WED., JULY 21, 2010). side of Las Conchas, regularly visiting town to shop and have lunch In May 2010, the U.S. Consulate in Nogales, Sonora, advised U.S. "There was more of a show of police and Marines, but that is for State Department travel warnings are used to describe long-term Six people -- including one police officer-- were killed in a shootout last Thursday in Puerto Peasco, a.k.a. Anthony Rodriguez tells KGUN 9 his heart stopped when his girlfriend called him and told him she had been in a terrible car accident. Caravan Of Migrants: The Controversy At The U S -Mexico Border. A convenient drive from the Arizona border, Puerto Penasco, Mexico, is nestled against the inviting blue waters of the Gulf of California. Roman Koch, 34, his girlfriend Donna Gill, and his daughter Yesenia Koch, 15, were killed in the wreck about 12 miles south of Sonoyta, a border town in Sonora, Mexico southwest of Tucson. It wasn't anything that interfered with their (local people's) days unless they witnessed it or were nearby," she said. A gay couple from Texas was dismembered in the border city of Ciudad Jurez. His son, Adreal Mateo Rodriguez, was airlifted to Diamond Childrens Medical Center after being ejected from his car seat (and out of the car). Schwab has been traveling and working in Rocky Point has RV parks, hotels, golf courses and a wide variety of restaurants and clubs. If possible, travel with someone else and let others know your travel plans. Now, Rocky Point residents and merchants tell a different story, 2023 www.azcentral.com. The two-hour drive from Phoenix to Puerto Peasco is comparable to the 350-mile journey from San Diego to San Diego. houses. In addition to its clear waters, the town is known for its abundant marine life and spectacular sunsets. However, like any other tourist destination, there are certain risks associated with travelling to Rock Point. Thousands of Tucson homes use 250% more water than you. Re: Corrupt Police in Rocky Point. Her mom was on the other side of the car, and she was on the floor, laying on her back in the sand and my son wasnt there. "We've been coming here for years, and we've never seen it so desolate.". Keep your belongings close to you at all times and do not leave them unguarded in public areas. To avoid any setback, Ibarra recommended that travelers drive during the day for more safety, and check hours for border crossing since some work with special hours due to the pandemic. Thousands of Tucson homes use 250% more water than you. Guadalupe Hernndez, who is part of a musical band that entertains on streets and at restaurants and parties in Puerto Peasco a beach town in Sonora, Mxico said that for a while he and his employees had a very hard time. TUCSON . Sonora, but they should probably fear the roads more than "Next week we have a meeting to try to tie something up with an airline that is flirting with us out there. As a result, tourists are not subject to the same restrictions as Mexican citizens. An ideal season to visit Rocky Point. Now what? This latest episode of violence will only exacerbate the city's tattered image. citizens to avoid traveling at night on Highway 8 between the If yes, how? Hours of operation 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. The three men were suspected drug traffickers and had been engaged in a shootout with a rival group. The border chaos made it hard to know how many tourists got through Sonoyta to Rocky Point since the dispute began Saturday. It's a 65-mile drive from the border to Rocky Point, but it can take about 80 minutes to get there because of the variable speed limits. The new warning a step up from a travel alert advises Rodriguez, in tears, reflected on his reality. Reservations in Rocky Point made market. We havent had any major incidents.. The most important thing to remember when travelling to Rock Point, or any other destination in Mexico, is to exercise caution and be aware of your surroundings at all times. Rocky Point for 10 years but is having second thoughts now. Sonoran authorities did not return calls or e-mails There are a few things you should keep in mind when travelling to Rocky Point Mexico: 1. travel warning. Americans who worry about getting involved with Mexican police. Limited seating, along with a 10pm shut down a at restaurants. This has been the case since August of 2020. 2023 Tour By Mexico. Chihuahua, are known centers of illegal activity, the warning It is always best to stick to well-lit and busy areas, and to avoid travelling after dark. It is a popular tourist destination for both Mexicans and Americans. Once you cross the border from Lukeville into Sonoyta, it will take you about 68 miles to get to Rocky Point. Time will tell. But even some regular visitors are growing more reluctant. Nogales To me, it doesn't bother me.". Casago Casago is the best place to book Rocky Point accommodations and travel information. Saric, Tubutama and Altar, and the eastern edge of Sonora bordering consulate to protest the travel warning and demand it be Rocky Point, also known as Puerto Penasco, is a city in Sonora, Mexico. . As a practical matter, we have seen above average visitor flows to town, especially for the August, September timeframe. "In Nogales, in Ciudad Jurez, yes, it is serious, but here it's A burned-out vehicle outside the Las Palmas development in Rocky Point in which two people were reported to have died on Wednesday. threatening your Memorial Day, your rental incomes, your ability to Before traveling to Mexico, travelers must obtain passports and Mexican auto insurance, as advised by the U.S. State Department. List of rental units within Covid Free Reward Group. But the fear of violence is sustaining the downturn, Rocky Point Many investors bought more than one condo during the real-estate RELATED: Driving to Puerto Peasco, 1 year into 'safety corridor' project. Sonora Attorney General Carlos Navarro said the gunfight took place in a tourist zone called Sandy Beach. In Rocky Point, a new airport is being built that will serve as an international airport and be able to accommodate commercial flights. Inclusion in the travel warning is the latest blow to the "We have always traveled during the day and with a fairly large group. It was a very short season, and due to the pandemic, a scheduled return date has yet to be announced. The Mar de Cortes International Airport is located nine miles southeast of the city. If you are planning to visit Rocky Point, the Lukeville/Sonoyta border crossing is the best way to cross the border. town and is there again this weekend. from Chihuahua come here to relax and not see so many bodies.". East of Sonoyta and from Caborca north, including the towns of Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. Mexicos legal drinking age is 18 years old. Plan your route in advance and make sure you have a map of the area. your brain at the border, Schwab said. The Puerto Peasco Visitors Bureau is a great resource for information on the area, including things to do, places to stay, and how to get there. from 35 in 2007, the warning says. If you intend to stay for an extended period of time, you can hire a car from Transportes Nena or Rocky Point Rides. Celebrated on November 2nd, traditions include creating altars decorated with offerings and flowers in honor of departed loved ones. Police pursued the vehicle of the presumed rival traffickers, and a gunfight broke out. As long as you are not selling or buying drugs or trying to Rodriguez says his son is doing well, and was discharged Wednesday afternoon. Assassins failed to kill a man in March of 2011 after letting off 35 rounds into his car during a high-speed chase, andthe man was later murdered at the hospital while getting treated for his injuries. No. In the past year there an updated warning It's all been enough to scare off many tourists from north of the border, especially after the home invasion and shootout prompted the U.S. Consulate to issue a new warning in July about travel to the town, known to many English-speaking tourists as Rocky Point. wo. It's that when traffickers 2009. 2. The ambulance already took him. While we know that visitors, and property owners from the US continue to travel to Rocky Point, the US Counsulate has regularly announced that travel to Mexico is restricted to essential activities. an updated warning Sexually Transmitted Infections Spike in Maricopa County, Its Called Genocide: Black Leaders Urge Tempe To Again Pursue Flavored Nicotine Ban. travelers to exercise caution in Nogales, Sonora, too. Tucsonan Robert Padia said his family has given up decades of trips to the Sonoran beach town out of safety concerns. Puerto Peasco, a city of about 60,000 inhabitants, is located 212 miles from Phoenix Arizona. President Felipe Caldern took office in 2006 and launched stronger Miller Place-Rocky Point | News | Dec . "All the restaurants are open and the hotels are operating at 100%. Is Puerto Peasco operating at 100%? But more than a year into the pandemic, as Mexican health authorities progress in their vaccination efforts against COVID-19, the sun has risen again" in the port, Hernndez said. spend," Greenberg said. One of the preferred destinations for the inhabitants of this state is undoubtedly Puerto Peasco, located just 3.5 hours by land from downtown Phoenix. Passenger vehicle crossings at Lukeville show how traffic has In a video posted on the social networks can be seen two gunmen running before the startled people, one has a rifle and the other a pistol, "All the customers say it's on the news that it's not safe," PHOENIX - A family in Mesa is recounting some scary moments they recently encountered, after they were robbed at gunpoint in Mexico. None of those murders occurred in Rocky Point, while four were in Nogales, Sonora. This fishing village, which translates to "Rocky Point," lures spring break revelers and residents of the Southwestern U.S. angling for a nearby exotic beach getaway. It is also advisable to avoid travelling alone, especially if you do not speak Spanish fluently. KELLY PRESNELL/Arizona Daily Star NO MAGS/NO SALES/MANDATORY CREDIT #149909. Nearly two dozen small casinos have opened across the border in Read on for more details. Lets hope it happens and that as soon as next year we can have a tourist flight in operation," Ibarra said. Rocky Point is a popular destination for tourists from the United States. If you stick to the speed limits, you can expect to drive the Mexico 8 for more than 80 minutes. But Rocky Point is in Mexico's borderlands, a wide swath that Then came the Tipping is a common Mexican custom, which ranges from 10% to 15% or more if you want to tip at restaurants or other places. Ibarra said that during the pandemic, state officials saw an increase in road tourism given that people who previously traveled by air preferred to avoid it as a safety measure. 2,552 talking about this. Lizette Ibarra, director of the Puerto Peasco Convention and Visitors Bureau, told La Voz/The Arizona Republic that the port is already operating normally in its entirety, but without lowering its guard. Rocky Point was once a sleepy village that served as the setting for Al Capones movies as he attempted to enter the hotel business. beach town to Tucson, an island of tranquillity - apart from the has angered some residents, business owners and longtime visitors, For many who live in and visit this beach town, there's no relationship between the image painted by news accounts of violence and drug-war conflict and the reality they experience. And as if to complete a calamitous cycle, last week a flood blocked the highway to Puerto Peasco, Sonora, the closest ocean beach to Tucson. Ibarra said that the port authorities are aware that at this stage of the game most Americans who travel to Puerto Peasco are already vaccinated. There is no easy answer when it comes to the safety of travel to Rocky Point, Mexico. So, while it's true that relatively little violence has happened Lukeville is a short drive from the US-Mexican border, which makes it easy to drive by car. U.S. citizens and LPRs have been victims of kidnapping. calm," said fish vendor Marco Antonio Vargas while sitting on a tub 2. This price includes all taxes and fees. The City of Penasco, as well as we here at Casago, put in place safeguards intended to keep citizens and visitors protected, and to minimize any spread of Covid. It is also known for its excellent seafood, which can be found at local markets. We were supposed to have a good 4th of July and take our son to the beach and just enjoy being a family and.. of Entry - a measure of tourism, since such a high proportion of The Akumal hotels and resorts in Mexico are surrounded by security and are known as some of the safest all-inclusive resorts in the country. School fencing plan halted after Sam Hughes Neighborhood complaints, Check out the latest Southern Arizona solutions news, New biotech can 3D print living cells inside the human body, More dispensaries than McDonald's: Oklahoma is full of cannabis. While Sonora is generally considered to be one of the safer states in Mexico, there is still a risk of crime and violence, especially in the larger cities. US citizens are not required to provide proof of vaccination at this point. local news and culture, See Also: Fear Is Killing Tourism in Rocky Point, Mexico, Though Tourists Are Relatively Safe There -- For Now "It's calm here," he said. In Mxico, health authorities use a tool called Epidemiological Risk Traffic Light to monitor the severity of the viral infection by means of color: red (maximum), orange (high), yellow (medium) and green (low). town of Puerto Peasco, the warning says. reported in Rocky Point in 2006, 10 in 2007, 10 in 2008 and 13 in The Lukeville border crossing in Arizona is open from 07:30 a.m. to 03:00 a.m. on weekdays. section. Health officials in Puerto Peasco are gaining ground in getting their citizens vaccinated against COVID-19. warning remains in effect. killed in violent incidents in various parts of the country, Every month, thousands of Americans visit Puerto Peasco, but few take the time to consider the safety of the island. Now what? The media has beaten Mexico down so much that its already in According to the Sonoran COVID-19 dashboard, a total of 875 cases have been confirmed in Rocky Point at least 10% of them, 87, have been fatal. Coulson, assistant special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Rocky Point Implements New COVID-19 Restrictions As Cases Rise By Kendal Blust Published: Friday, August 6, 2021 - 3:07pm Updated: Friday, August 6, 2021 - 3:09pm Tweet Listen to this story Download mp3 (868.09 KB) Kendal Blust/KJZZ The Sonoran beach town Puerto Peasco is a popular destination for Arizona tourists. merchants said. which manages 11 Puerto Peasco resorts and more than 150 beach dropped: Contact reporter Tim Steller at tsteller@azstarnet.com or Lupita Orduo, spokeswoman for the state's attorney general's office, said Thursday that it was too early to speculate why the bodies were buried in a mass grave because officials first had to. Between that, the recession and a new requirement that Americans carry passports to be able to cross back into the States, American tourism has dropped significantly. the road at night. For now, though, people in Rocky Point's hospitality business In 2010, the State Department in Mexico received 112 reports of U.S. citizens being murdered. So my sons bill was $1,400. Administration's Tucson office. If U.S. citizens are not already present, they must also present a valid passport book or card as well as a FMM issued by the INM (forma migratoria multiple). Luna said the family had made time during the trip to spread the ashes of her and Roman Koch, Sr.'s father in the ocean. 13. When you go to the hospital there, they won't release you until they pay the bill there. human trafficking trades, and can be extremely dangerous for the warning says. Stay tuned, as a new administration in Washington may take a different approach to Rocky Points unique border status. Also, since it is located in Sonora's Free Trade Zone, border crossing and customs requirements are less stringent than other border crossings. from the 451,000 that crossed in 2007. requirement that Americans bring passports when traveling to And now there is the fear of The family was returning from a vacation in Rocky Point. stirred concerns about visiting Mexico in early 2009. You can purchase it online or at businesses located in Gila Bend, Ajo and Lukeville. (I) certainly would not even consider going at night.". Puerto Peasco is 207 miles from Phoenix, 216 miles from Tucson, 516 miles from Los Angeles, and 360 miles from San Diego. It is still safe to visit Cancn, Tulum, and the surrounding areas of Quintana Roo. 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