Yeah I know what all of you Hong Kong lovers are going to say. "It's safe as long as you stay in the tourist sections of zona norte". But what fun is it to constantly have to watch your back? I remember the good old days when you could go anywhere and be reasonably safe. I once went into a Mexican whore house in Culiacan, the weed capital of Mexico and we were the only gringos there. Wouldn't do it today.
Just be aware at all times.
Yep, have to wonder what would happen to all that violence if the US would legalize ALL drugs immediately.
Consider the source.
“What fun is it to have to constantly watch your back?” Been in HK several times and the only thing I recall having to watch my back for is a sexy gal grabbing my ass or balls. Sure, you should careful outside of the club, but inside, it’s safer than most clubs I’ve been to in Detroit. Hop a cab at border and go straight to the club and do likewise when you leave and there is no issue. But if people want to live their lives in fear and avoid the Brown Menace, more power to you. Fewer customers means less competition for the hotties!
On one of my last visits to TJ, during the early afternoon I walked from the Zona Norte to the main street for some sight seeing, lunch, and shopping, I felt as safe as I do in Los Angeles.
When I stay in the Zona Notre I feel safe to travel alone even at night (I'm not recommending it though).
I've walked from the Boarder to the Zona Notre during the day and I feel safe (like walking in Los Angeles).
Yes Hong Kong is probably very safe. Its a tourist spot and major source of revenue so the police will be extra careful to keep it secure compared to the rest of Tijuana. Let's not act as if people who are worried about their safety in Mexico are just racist though. It does have one of the highest rates of violent crime in the world, there are legitimate reasons to be worried. Now if somebody was scared to go to Argentina or Costa Rica, then I would agree that it might just be ignorant stereotyping.
An even better solution to this problem: Legalize and regulate prostitution in the U.S., thus providing a legal and safe option for horny mongers who would be tempted to travel to Tijuana and also for patrons of illicit massage parlors.
Well that would be a solution for American tourists but its not going to help the Mexicans with their drug cartel problem.
Electroman, you need to run for congress !
I want to clear up a few misconceptions. Not because I want to be "right", but because I want the occasional visitor to TJ to be well aware of the risks to visiting Zona Norte. I'm hoping this information may keep one of you fuckers (I use that term jokingly) from catching a bullet in the ass or worse.
First of all, Zona Norte is not the tourist zone. It's the red light district where prostitution takes place and it's actually one of the most dangerous places in all of TJ.
Avenida Revolucion, where all the shops and restaurants are is the tourist zone, which is safer, and where you'll find families eating and shopping.
Now, inside Hong Kong and Cascadas and most of the other bars and hotels, you should be fine. And the area in front of Hong Kong is mostly fine. However, beyond that, you really need to be careful especially at night, unless you get away from Zona Norte and into a better area.
Most crime in Zona Norte against tourists will be theft. You'll encounter a lot of beggars and scammers looking to make a quick buck or to steal your phone. But don't be staggering around drunk or standing in one place too long or somebody may sneak up behind you, choke you out, and steal your shit. Happened to a friend of mine and have read other reports of this as well.
So, inside HK is fine and in front of HK is mostly fine. However, be careful on Constitucion and Nino's Heroes in Zona Norte, especially at night.
***Most importantly, be very fucking careful in the alley behind HK, especially at night. The alley is really hot and where shit goes down. It's where the cartel turf wars take place, where executions happen, and where the vast majority of killings in Zona Norte occur.
99% of all killings in Tijuana are targeted cartel hits. They are not targeting tourists. A ratero or thief will target a tourist to rob him for money, but the cartels are not looking to kill tourists. However, that doesn't mean you can't get caught in the crossfire, which is why you need to WATCH YOUR ASS in the alley.
Drug dealers are killed throughout the year in the alley. And stray bullets do fly. ***In the past year, the window in Azul has been shattered by a stray bullet. That's the restaurant in Cascadas, attached to HK. On a separate occasion in the past year, there was a shooting in the alley near the back entrance to Cascadas and one of the stairs was shattered. They put some spackle or putty on it, but the bullet hole was still visible recently. Not sure if they painted over it yet.
Anyway, just be careful. There are many nice parts in TJ that are safe and that aren't war zones. But they are far from Zona Norte, where the upper middle class Tijuanans live.
Have fun, but watch your ass in Zona Norte.
^^^ this is the kind of post we should all aspire to provide.
Informative, not sensational.
For the record, I'm probably just lucky, but I have walked all the way around the entire block encompassing HK and Adelita at least 100 times and never been mugged or worse. I've gone out the front and/or the back door of HK >200 times just for air and to look around without incident. I now consider myself fortunate.
There's been plenty of 2am reports w.r.t. US clubs - don't recall anyone reporting such incidents at a TJ brothel
Thanks pensionking. Yeah, I still walk around there quite a bit. I just keep my head on a swivel, don't linger too long in the alley, and don't go in the alley at night.
Papi, yes, fortunately I haven't heard of any tourists ever getting killed in TJ. The narco killings around the club take place all the time though. It just doesn't make the news in the U.S. It gets discussed more on the local TJ message boards and on Mexican news websites and sites reporting on cartel violence.
Killings in Tijuana and cartel hits take place in other bad neighborhoods as well, but Zona Norte is probably the only area that most U.S. residents would find themselves in.
There's actually barely any information that gets out of Mexico on cartel activities unless you narrow your search down to really local areas. Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries for journalists alongside Syria and Iraq so there's a lot of stuff going on that we don't know about.
I agree with JAp
i'm down in Zona Norte right now in Hong Kong club having a great time!
My point wasn't that there isn't violence in TJ, but that I had not read any reports of PLs being victims of crime when clubbing there given how much TJ clubbing is discussed/reviewed on TUSCL and has been for a good # of years.
A foreigner reading about crime in major US cities like LA, NY, Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore, DC, etc, would likely equally conclude it would not be worth it or too dangerous to club in those cities yet Americans/TUSCLers do it all the time.
Fox news is fake news. I go anywhere in Mexico amd will walk around anywhere in Tijuana.
Well to be fair, its not worth it to club in DC lol.
The hk alley is full of hot street girls, 24/7, it's only a 5 mins walk from end to end, FYI.
I wouldn't be shocked to find out that the cartels run zona norte, or at least have a major financial stake (i.e. - protection shakedowns). That would certainly explain the relative safety of that area.
Great info OldGringo. I actually feel safe when in that alley. But if the murders are an execution, then they want those where people will see them. I never really "hang out" anywhere outside anyway. That is one of the negatives about going to TJ is there isn't much to do other than the Mongering. I do like to go up to the outside deck of Azul and watch the alley. But I mostly do that during the day so I can sit in the sunshine.
@anislee, spot on about the street girls. There are a lot of YouTube videos showing them, some are on the heavy side, but some are rather hot, making you wonder why aren't they working in the clubs, where I assume they would make more money. Makes you wonder if they can't pass the medical tests, if there are any. I've been with three streets girls, for HJ only. @ATACdawg, interesting theory. I've wondered about this, too. I figured it was the cops that are shaking down these bars, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's the cartels or organized crime. Whatever it is, as long as they continue providing a safe and fun environment, I'm there!
Some of the really hot street girls do eventually wind up in Hong Kong. Hong Kong will recruit them. If a hot street girl isn't working in HK or another bar, it's usually for one of two reasons.
They have a pimp or a controlling boyfriend, who wants them outside and not in a bar. They can monitor and control them more outside. Once a girl works in a bar, the pimp loses control of her and it's easier for her to hide money from him and eventually leave him.
The other reason is that the bars have strict schedules. The girls have to work long hours every week. They are in a smoke filled room all day or night and have to get drunk every day. Some of the hot street girls don't like that environment, because it's grueling after a while.
The street girls actually get health card inspections frequently on the street. The ones who can't pass a health test to get their health card are usually walking around constantly to avoid the cops and not standing in one spot. HK is very strict about requiring up to date health cards, but some of the other bars are a little lax and will let a girl work without an up to date health card. It's easier for a bargirl to hide from the cops if they are doing health card checks than it is for a street girl who stands in the same spot all day.
Drug cartel activity in Mexico is getting completely out of control and yet we in the US are still arguing over whether marijuana should be legal when we should be arguing about all drugs. Meanwhile, the bloodbath continues.