Safety & Health Concerns

Safety & Health Concerns

Though considerably less dangerous than Mexico City, Guadalajara still has plenty of crime. If possible, avoid ATMs at night and be watchful of anyone following you from a bank, though the frequency of muggings by so-called conejeros (rabbit hunters) has diminished in recent years. In mall parking lots, watch out for scam artists claiming to have broken down cars or no money for rent or a bus ticket home.

At an altitude of one mile, Guadalajara escapes the dengue fever outbreaks that occasionally slap Jalisco's tropical coast (e.g., Puerto Vallarta) in the rainy season. Despite having only a quarter of the capital's traffic, Guadalajara regularly gives it a run for its money as Mexico's most polluted city. Air quality readings reach unsatisfactory levels during the winter months, starting in October and continuing until the winds pick up in February. The pollution can cause raw throats, sore eyes, and sinus irritation.