Traveling in Mexico in a Bus Conversion

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

I am currently sitting on a beach at the Playa Bonita (a.k.a. Beautiful Beach) RV Park in Puerto Penasco, Mexico.  I am scouting out our next Escapees Mexican Connection trip which will commence in February. 

I am the Wagonmaster for a 45 RV, 70-person caravan.  After spending a week in Puerto Penasco now and in February, we will travel to San Felipe and spend a week there.  After that, about 90% of the group will venture off to other places in Mexico on their own.   Most people in our groups have never traveled in Mexico in an RV.

Have you traveled in your bus to Mexico?  Why or why not?  If you did, where did you travel to and what do you like best about "camping" in Mexico?

[dtcerrato]

Awesome travel activity Gary! Always thought of travel in Mexico.
Are there any security concerns? How's the price of fuel. Safe travels...

[lostagain]

We went on the Escapees Mexican Connection trip to Ensenada and San Felipe 3 or 4 years ago. Great way to do Mexico for the first time. The following year, we joined up with a friend who knows Mexico very well and stayed at Puerto Penasco, then down to San Carlos on the East shore of the sea of Cortez. Love Mexico. The people are such happy and hospitable. Great sea food. Never any trouble. Other than Gary Hatt getting a ticket for going down a one way street the wrong way... Ha ha! Returned home on a toll highway. 4 lane as good or better than US or Canadian interstates. Want to go again. Farther South this time.

The problem with a 40 or 45 foot bus is that not many camp grounds have sites big enough the farther south you go. A smaller class C or van would be better, especially for going off road like on the beach. And some of the small roads can be narrow and rough, like washed out from hurricanes, etc. 

[bobofthenorth]

Have you traveled in your bus to Mexico?  Why or why not?  If you did, where did you travel to and what do you like best about "camping" in Mexico?

We put a lot of miles on the frenchy-bus south of the Rio Grande, including a visit to Rocky Point. RP was without question the place we liked the least. We had great company while we were there and it is unquestionably easy to access but its also the only place we got mugged and its extreme gringolandia.

We went as far south along the west coast as Coiima/Manzanillo.  We've been on the east side but that was with a fifth wheel. I've driven in the Yucatan as well but we flew there.

I think the ideal RV for Mexican travel would be a converted van simply because its smaller. Mexicans have a relaxed attitude about what constitutes a highway and particularly about what is adequate for a shoulder.  The plus about taking a bus is that they are tough.  Over the years I've done some running gear repair on non-bus vehicles.  There's lots of buses so service shouldn't be a problem - we never needed that but there's bus garages everywhere.  2 stroke mechs must be everywhere too - there's less 2-strokes on the road now but they're still pretty common.

It depends on what kind of travel appeals to you. If you want to go pedestal to pedestal on 50 amp service then forget about it.  Power is consistently unreliable.  Maybe in the tourist traps you could do that but otherwise no chance. There's a lot of parks have closed in the last 15 years and there never was an oversupply.  I think on the Baja you can plan to boondock and have neighbours.  Not so much on the mainland. I can only think of a couple of places where we ever saw that happening on the mainland. 

In short I don't think your bus is the ideal Mexican travel vehicle. If your goal is to get to Mazatlan (0r Puerto Peñasco), sit for 2 months and then go back north it will work just fine. If your goal is to wander around the country exploring then use something smaller. 

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

Awesome travel activity Gary! Always thought of travel in Mexico.
Are there any security concerns? How's the price of fuel. Safe travels...

There are security concerns everywhere.  Buses get vandalized in many large cities in the U.S.  I feel safer in Mexico than in most cities in the U.S.  I have never had any problems in Mexico and I even walk around most cities at night alone here, something I would be afraid to do in some cities in the U.S.  The price of fuel in Mexico is about a buck cheaper than in the states right now, and many people cross the border just to buy fuel when it is high in the U.S.

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

We went on the Escapees Mexican Connection trip to Ensenada and San Felipe 3 or 4 years ago. Great way to do Mexico for the first time. The following year, we joined up with a friend who knows Mexico very well and stayed at Puerto Penasco, then down to San Carlos on the East shore of the sea of Cortez. Love Mexico. The people are such happy and hospitable. Great sea food. Never any trouble. Other than Gary Hatt getting a ticket for going down a one way street the wrong way... Ha ha! Returned home on a toll highway. 4 lane as good or better than US or Canadian interstates. Want to go again. Farther South this time.

The problem with a 40 or 45 foot bus is that not many camp grounds have sites big enough the farther south you go. A smaller class C or van would be better, especially for going off road like on the beach. And some of the small roads can be narrow and rough, like washed out from hurricanes, etc.

Yes, I got a ticket for going the wrong way on a one-way street because my Navigator JC wasn't paying attention.   

I also got a ticket for speeding too, when the speed limit went from 90 kmh to 20 kmh going into a city.   The good thing is, tickets here do not go on your record and you simply pay the fine and you are on your way.  The cops here are actually nicer then many in the U.S.

[Melbo]

We typically travel to Mexico twice a year and go to Rocky Point.  As BOTN noted it is a gringo tourist destination.  We have also traveled down to Kino Bay.  As has been noted the campgrounds do not readily accomodate the larger vehicles.  Ok to park and hang out but to move from space to space you need to have good plans.  Properly select your time to cross the border both north and south.  Waiting times can be more than you think.

Melbo

[luvrbus]

We did the Copper Canyon RV train ride in Mexico years ago it was fun,lol the train track was as rough as the roads there and the train broke down a few times .Traveling in a group to me has always been the safe way in Mexico.Gary those are not tickets lol those are welcome to Mexico vouchers, I never received one, but Sonja got several, one she refused to pay because a Mexican cop sent her on a 1 way street and the guy in charge didn't make her pay it       

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

We did the Copper Canyon RV train ride years in Mexico ago it was fun,lol the train track was as rough as the roads there ,traveling in a group to me has always been the safe way in Mexico.Gary those are not tickets lol those are welcome to Mexico vouchers, I never received one, but Sonja got several one she refused to pay because a Mexican cop sent her on a 1 way street and the guy in charge didn't make her pay it       

Tickets, Vouchers, or Donations.  It is the price you pay to enjoy Mexico.  :-)

I would have loved to travel on the Copper Canyon Train Tour.  Apparently too many people, 15 in 10 years (or 10 in 15 years) died on that tour.  They would sit in their RV on a flatbed car and get intoxicated and forget they were on a moving train and would step out of their door and end up dying on the side of the track.  Some people just don't get it.

[windtrader]

Is this you Gary?  https://mexicanconnection08.com/
Is the trip really filled up?

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

Is this you Gary?  https://mexicanconnection08.com/
Is the trip really filled up?

Yes.  Registration for this trip opened at 12:00 on September 1st, and it was sold out by 1:15 the same day.  There is a lot of demand for this trip.

[tr206]

I'll keep my @$# in the good ole U.S.A. plenty to see here. Been out of country no better place to visit.

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

I'll keep my @$# in the good ole U.S.A. plenty to see here. Been out of country no better place to visit.

That is exactly why I like to travel outside the country.  When you return, you appreciate all America has to offer, yet so many people complain about it.  More people need to get out so they can learn how lucky we are.

[luvrbus]

That is exactly why I like to travel outside the country.  When you return, you appreciate all America has to offer, yet so many people complain about it.  More people need to get out so they can learn how lucky we are.

I spent several years in Argentina I could live there as easy as the USA

[chessie4905]

I have a picture somewhere of dad's 4104 on a flat car on a Copper Canyon Caravan from the 80's.