Is El Arenal safe? Mexico travel risk
Is El Arenal safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
El Arenal scores 69/100 on our travel risk index (Elevated). The US State Department rates Mexico Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution, updated 29 May 2026); the UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country (updated 13 Oct 2026); Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories). The US State Department rates Jalisco, where El Arenal is, Level 3: Reconsider Travel, higher than Mexico overall (Level 2). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. CDC travel health notice: Level 1, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Mexico (23 Dec 2025). No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
El Arenal scores 69/100 (Elevated). The score combines security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards and current alerts measured for this location and Mexico (how it is calculated). The sections below are specific to El Arenal: nearest emergency and transport facilities, local climate normals, 5-year natural hazard history within 100 km, frequently asked questions.
Driven by: security (79/100) and crime and scams (79/100).
A score of 69 is higher than 89% of the cities we score.
Consult the Mexico travel risk page for nationwide security advisories, entry protocols, and consular warnings.
Territorial & Position Context
Geographically located in Jalisco (20.7000° N, 103.6167° W), El Arenal sits 489.0 km ESE from Mexico City at 1342 m elevation.
Jalisco
20.7000° N, 103.6167° W
1342 m
America/Mexico_City
19,900
Critical Services & Regional Transit
Adjacent Localities in Mexico
Climate by Month
Hottest: May (32 °C avg high); Wettest: July (209 mm).
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 24° | 26° | 29° | 31° | 32° | 30° | 27° | 26° | 26° | 26° | 25° | 24° |
| Low °C | 11° | 12° | 14° | 16° | 18° | 18° | 17° | 17° | 17° | 15° | 13° | 11° |
| Rain mm | 19 | 16 | 4 | 7 | 30 | 116 | 209 | 200 | 130 | 35 | 11 | 9 |
Normals: Guadalajara (28.1 km away).
Natural Hazard Calendar & History
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wildfires | — | — | — | 4 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tropical Cyclones | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Most wildfire events within 100 km of El Arenal happened in May (6 of 10 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
CDC Traveler Health Notices for Mexico
- Level 1 - Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Mexico (Level 1, 23 Dec 2025)
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Public Domain).
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Mexico travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Mexico entry requirements.
Regional Centers with Threat Ratings
Questions travellers ask about El Arenal
Is El Arenal safe?
El Arenal currently scores 69/100 on our composite travel risk index (elevated risk; lower is safer). It already includes the current US State Department advisory for Mexico (Level 2 of 4). Official advice can change quickly, so check it again shortly before you travel.
Sources: Travel Risk Calculator — El Arenal · Methodology
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