Holidaymakers warned against all but essential travel to Mexican resort Puerto Vallarta as hurricane Simon with 155 mph winds is set to make landfall

Published: 08:37 EDT, 11 October 2026 | Updated: 08:43 EDT, 11 October 2026 British holidaymakers should not travel to Mexican coastal resorts with a massive hurricane expected to rip through the country this week.Official Foreign Office advice has warned tourists that they are putting themselves at risk of drowning in floods and landslides if they visit. Hurricane Simon is expected to batter the coastal regions of Mexico with 155 mph winds this week. The popular resorts of Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara are anticipated to be hit particularly hard. The Foreign Office said: 'Hurricane Simon is bringing heavy rain to Mexico’s Pacific coast. 'It is forecast to intensify to a major hurricane, making landfall around Manzanillo on Sunday 11 October and progressing through Jalisco state, including to the regions surrounding Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara.'This could result in life-threatening flooding and landslides, very high winds and dangerous ocean conditions. A hurricane warning is in place.'Preparing themselves for the onslaught, locals in Puerto Vallarta have boarded up their shops with evacuations by the Mexican navy underway. The Foreign Office has warned against going to coastal regions of Mexico ahead of a hurricane October is the hurricane season in Mexico but despite the risk of being killed, it remains a popular tourist destination during autumn. The eye of hurricane Simon is just off the coast of Mexico and is expected to move inland later today as an extremely powerful storm. The hurricane could bring 10 to 20in of rain over parts of southwestern Mexico, with some areas in the states of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco receiving up to 30in.Jalisco state suspended school classes on Friday and will keep schools closed until after Monday in 22 coastal municipalities.As the schools closed the armed forces began evacuating dozens of people from at-risk areas.While American, Canadian as well as British tourists already in Mexico were warned to look for shelters.To ensure everyone's safety local businesses have been asked to make sure both workers and visitors are fully accommodated in shelters or safe zones.The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale recorded hurricane Simon as just below the threshold for becoming a Category Five storm. A boarded up shop in Puerto Vallarta with the message: 'Simon says: everything will be fine' A Mexican Navy member directs evacuees disembarking from a ferry at Puerto Vallarta'Let's hope it doesn't hit us, right? That it doesn't affect us,' Jesus Gomez said as he stood outside a shop and handed out free samples of candied peanuts to passersby.'We'll be working as usual throughout the day, but when Civil Protection officials come and tell us we need to close, then we'll close and take shelter until the storm passes.'Canadian tourist Ed Currie, who along with his wife still has five more days to enjoy Puerto Vallarta, said the hurricane had not yet affected his plans.'Just stay in the hotel and look out the window hopefully,' he said of what the couple would do. 'I just don't know what to expect.'