It’s Spring break season and money is tight, but we need our fun in the sun more than ever. Peso for peso, it’s hard to beat the many benefits that come with a Mexican vacation: some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, diverse landscapes that please the eye, rich historical sites and great nightlife. Mexico has long been the most popular foreign vacation destination for Americans, but now the growing drug crime and repeated travel alerts from the U.S. government have bumped Mexico off a lot of vacation lists.

So how do you weigh the risk? Should you shelve that trip to Chichen Itza and head to a Caribbean island instead? Are you thinking of replacing a weekend in Cabo with a trip to Costa Rica? Let’s take a step back for a minute and see how the recent violence affects that beach vacation you’ve been looking forward to all winter.

Mexico is an enormous country with 31 states, parts of which, like the Quintana Roo’s Riviera Maya and several of the frequently trafficked tourist areas are still relatively unaffected by the recent violence. Tourism is the third largest source of income for Mexico, which is an incentive for the government and private sources to try to protect tourists from the violence. Many U.S. investors have contributed deeply to Mexico’s infrastructure and tourist attractions like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas, as well, so there is added desire to create a safe and pleasant atmosphere for U.S. tourists.

The main areas of concern as of now are border areas with the U.S., as well as the entire state of Chiapas. Most of the usual tourist destinations are removed from this area, with the exception of Tijuana and northern Baja Mexico, which are specifically advised against for travelers. As with any vacation destination, using your common sense goes a long way. Following the recommendations of the U.S. government’s updated travel alert for Mexico is the first step. Here are a few easy safety precautions: