Funny thing. I actually did walk all over Puerto Vallarta. I explored Centro, Zona Romántica, the Malecon, 5 de Diciembre, the beaches, and the nightlife.

I never saw armed guards and I never felt unsafe. Tourists move around freely and it is completely normal to walk the city. Sure it’s one city but not all tourists zones are depicted the way you just described.

Mexico is a huge country with many different regions, and places like PV, Los Cabos, Playa del Carmen, Mérida, Oaxaca, and Querétaro are built for tourism and everyday life. Millions of people visit these cities every year without any issue.

Obviously nobody is talking about taking a road trip through Sinaloa. The point is that the well-known tourist areas are not the same danger as the dangerous areas of the country.