I recently took a trip down to Tijuana to see what all the fuss was about on this site. To my surprise most of what I read was true. Many good times are to be had here but if you are not careful plenty of bad things can happen too. What follows is an account of one such unpleasant adventure to Tijuana…
I went to TJ on consecutive nights. The first night was great where I just visited Hong Kong and Adetias (reviews posted). However, the second night would prove much more interesting. The night started with me trying to get more creative to save some money. I decided to rent a room at Dulce and Gobanna hotel across the street from Hong Kong. The room was absolutely terrible. Since it was a weekend they charged me $25 a night which is $10 more than a normal night. I was told it was the last room available and for good reason. Toilet had no flusher, water would come on an off, holes in the wall and a small one on the door, dirt marks on the wall and a odd smell. But it is TJ so I wasn’t picky. The only purpose of the room was to bring girls so I figured I was still coming out on top. I went downstairs to the associated bar and had a few drinks while watching the ladies. It was disappointing watching girls on stage not taking their clothes off. Its more of a brothel than a strip club. None of the girls sparked my interest so after a few beers went exploring.
I quickly found out that the girls that I found in the clubs (Hong Kong, Tropical Bar) were not allowed to leave to go to a rival hotel. This defeated the whole purpose of getting the room. So I decided instead to try my luck with the street girls. These girls were noticeably less attractive than the ones in the club. Not terrible but not as great. To my surprise, even most of the street girls had their alliances with certain hotels. Disappointed I decided to check out some of the less popular bars in the area. This was my first major mistake. If you are a tourist and don’t speak Spanish stick to the Hong Kong block. Things get sketchy when you leave this area. I left to check out a bar a block away from this area where I ran into a friendly guy that asked if I wanted help. I initially tried to get rid of him but he was persistent. Since he wouldn’t go away I asked him a few questions about TJ and he proceeded to school me on how everything works. We walked around the tourist part TJ and he showed me all the best clubs to go to, he introduced me to multiple club girls and street girls that fit my liking. He told me how to deal with police and people on the street. When I would negotiate prices with girls he would always get them to go lower for me. He seemed cool. I figured he was working for tips which I didn’t mind. He gave me a story how he is an American that moved to TJ and now helps guys like myself out. He followed me around for like 3 hours and introduced me to other tourist and guides in the area. Then things started to take a turn.
I was preparing to leave and I realized my phone was dead. The group I was with not put pressure on me not to leave without charging my phone a little. I said ok and went back to my hotel to charge the phone. I met everyone I had just met outside and we went to get tacos. Then the guide says he wants needs to go buy drugs and walks into the alley. I think nothing of it at first and enjoy my tacos and conversation. After I realize he was gone for a while I decided to check on my phone just in case. When I get back to the hotel I see him walking out with the hotel staff. I ask if he went in my room and he says no. I tell him lets go to the room so I can check if my phone is there. He refuses and walks off into the dangerous area of town. I decide to tail not knowing if he really took my phone or not. He leads me in circles and eventually he gets into a cab and gets away. Meanwhile Im left in the middle of nowhere not knowing where the tourist area is. Luckily I find my way back with no trouble and check my room to see that he indeed stole my phone. The hotel staff denied they led him to the room and let him in I knew they were lying. Couldn’t prove it though.
At this point I should have cut my loses and when home. But I wanted my phone back. I started interrogating the people her introduced me to in order to find the phone. The other guide was willing to help and gave me a whole spiel about him being a bad egg and not assuming all guides are like that. He agreed to help me find my phone but told me I would have to wait until morning. So I spent the rest of the night plotting, and planning the events which would take place the next day. In the morning the guide told me that when a phone is stolen it is taken to one of 4 pawn shops. We visited each but had no luck. Then he said he found people with information but they wouldn’t talk unless I paid them. 5 bucks here and 10 bucks there as I continued to trail the missing phone. After spending nearly $70 and wasting half the day I realized I was on a wild goose chase. Each person we brought in only wanted money with no results or lead me to dead ends. Eventually the guide that was helping realized I was catching on and disappeared. But another guy named Monster would not go away so easily. He kept demanding that I pay him for his service which I refused until he found my phone. He claimed to know were it was and asked me to get in a car to jump the person who had it. I declined and told him to bring it to me. Another tourist who wanted to help agreed to go with him. I told him it could be a trap but he didn’t listen. A few hours later Monster came back with blood on his shirt. I asked him where my phone and the tourist was but he didn’t answer asking for his payment. I refused which angered him. He told me a fight occurred and he stabbed the guy he stole my phone and the police were after him. I again refused to give him any money and he looked to attack me. I noticed a police officer and called to him which prompted the guy to run away. I didn’t see him after that.
About an hour later the tourist that went with him showed up to my hotel with bloody face and surrounded by cops. I went down to see what was happening and it turned out that Monster led the tourist into a trap where he was robbed and beaten. An innocent by-standard helped him out and Monster tried to stab the tourist in the scuffle. He missed and stabbed the man that helped the tourist. The looked at the man as he was bleeding out on the street. He asked for some money to get medical attention and I gave him some. It was at this point I realized it wasn’t safe for me there. Right when I was about to leave, one of the informants I paid earlier told me he found the phone and would take me to get it at the pawn shop. When I got there I was confronted by several men who all wanted money. One guy for leading me there, another for buying the phone earlier in the day and then returning it for a loss in order to pay his rent, and the pawnshop owner and his goons who wanted money before showing me the phone. I refused to pay until I saw the phone and he told me it doesn’t matter he will sell to someone else. When I left the pawnshop police were waiting and pulled me over. The searched me for drugs and told me tourist are not allowed in the area. They then told me they found drugs on me (which they didn’t) and handcuffed me and placed me in police car. They drove me around for a while but never took me to a prison. They then stopped, took off handcuffs, pulled me out of the car, took my all money and valuables from my wallet and drove off. I had to find my way back to the strip. To make things worse, my tourist friend got drugged by a bartender working with one of the girls in Hong Kong and they stole his motorcycle and beat him half to death. He went to the hospital and is now partially brain dead.
I now know nobody could be trusted here. The police rob American tourist in broad daylight in front of the public. The guides will harass you and extort you for stolen property. Some of the people on the street are violent and will attack also in broad daylight. The hotel staff work with the thieves on the street to help steal from tourist. The girls will distract tourist in order to help allow the guides and thieves to steal. It is all an intricate system. It pissed me off but I realize this is how they survive. They got me they don’t have to get you. Anyway I had to use a card to pull money out of an ATM and then I left to go back to San Diego. Crossing the border this time took 5 hours. I should have left earlier when I had the chance but I wanted the adventure. I knew every step of the way I was making a bad decision but I just wanted to see what would happen next. The adventure thrilled me. In the end I was robbed and almost stabbed, and had an entire day wasted. Lost my phone and about $140 in total. But at least I have a story to tell. Could have blown just as much in a Vegas club and had less of an adventure.
My take home advice to those who go to TJ:
- If you don’t speak Spanish stay on the tourist block. Things get sketchy when you leave this area
- Don’t talk to strangers on the streets or in the club. Especially males and especially Mexicans. No matter how nice they seem, everyone is involved in the con
- Never flash your wallet or phone out in public. Its what attracts thieves to you
- Be careful not to leave valuables in hotel rooms. The locks on doors are faulty and hotel staff may be involved in stealing belongings
- Watch yourself. The police are corrupt and will not help you. They are pretty much thugs with badges
Holy shit, man. Count yourself lucky to have made it home.
Definitely stay on the tourist block. My assumption is the businesses there pay the police to keep actual law and order to try to keep American Tourists coming.