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As an enthusiastic solo traveller, I have visited many countries on my own. And Guatemala was the latest addition to the list of countries I have travelled to independently.
And if you are reading this blog post, then you might be thinking of travelling to Guatemala as a solo female traveller as well, but understandably safety might be a concern for you.
Before my trip to Guatemala, I also wasn’t sure how safe it would be or how safe I would feel being in Guatemala alone. While it wasn’t the first Latin American country, I travelled to alone, nor the first place in Central America, I still read through many blog posts and watched TikToks of other solo travellers in Guatemala. I wanted to hear their experiences as well.
Most videos I watched and blog posts I have read were quite reassuring, most people have had only positive experiences. Which made me feel a lot more confident starting my 2.5 week Guatemala and Belize itinerary.
And now that I am back from this trip, I also wanted to share my experience as a solo female traveller in Guatemala.
My experience as a solo female traveller in Guatemala
Surprisingly, I have felt much safer in Guatemala than I have felt in other Latin American countries. I felt safer than in Colombia or Costa Rica and while I loved Panama, and felt generally super safe, I experienced some cat-calling there, which didn’t happen once in Guatemala.
People in Guatemala are super welcoming and friendly, and I didn’t have any bad experiences at all.
On the hand, I wouldn’t say I always felt 100% safe, either. Arriving at 4am at the bus station in the city centre of Guatemala City wasn’t my favourite experience. I called an Uber to my accommodation right away and was quite relieved once I arrived there. I also spent one full day in Guatemala City, where I basically spent the whole day in the mall, because I didn’t feel comfortable walking around outside. But these were about the only times I didn’t feel comfortable!
I believe that Guatemala would be an excellent destination for first-time female solo travellers in Latin America. It is easy to travel around, the distances are not too long, the people are friendly, and you can see a lot in a relatively short amount of time. However, I would not recommend it as a general first-time solo travel experience, as you still need to be a little more careful than you would be in other countries.
First solo trip? Find out the best ways to make friends while travelling solo!
Safety Tips for Solo Female Travel in Guatemala
Wherever you travel to, there are some safety tips you should follow, but of course some countries can be more dangerous than others. While I felt generally safe in Guatemala, I took some safety precautions I would not take while travelling through Europe, for example.
For Solo Female Travel in Guatemala, I would just follow the same travel safety precautions I would recommend anyone to follow when visiting a Latin American country (at least the ones I have visited so far). So here is a quick summary!
1. Avoid public transportation
Travelling by public transportation of course is always the cheapest option, but not always a safe option in Guatemala. While, you can do your research to figure out which buses are safer than others, you’d be best off avoiding them all together. Luckily, there are plenty of shuttles throughout the country safely bringing you to all the main tourist destinations. And even if safety wasn’t a concern, taking a three-hour shuttle rather than 4 chicken buses and countless hours of waiting, does sound more convenient, especially if you have limited time available.
2. Avoid spending more time than necessary in Guatemala City
You might have heard before that Guatemala City isn’t the safest city in Central America, so try to limit your time spent in the capital city.
3. Take Ubers rather than taxis
Never get in a Taxi from the site of the road, but always wait for an Uber instead. You can check reviews in advance, and Uber drivers have gone through a lot more security checks beforehand and your route is being tracked.
4. Be careful with what you eat
While this might not be a safety concern in that sense, do not take this tip lightly! I’ve learned this the hard way. Try to stick with fruits and vegetables with a peal, e.g. bananas etc, as there might be some bacteria on fruits that you are not used to. You don’t want to end up with food poisoning that ruins your entire trip, because that is what happened to me. And while it’s always great to try out local foods, in some cases it is best to also stay with what you are familiar with. And keep in mind, that fruits are also washed with tab water.
5. Avoid the tab water
On that note, avoid drinking the tab water, and keep buying bottled water. Also use your bottled water when brushing your teeth, just to be sure. A lot of people I met have got sick from the tab water during their trip.
5. Keep credit cards and money in several different places
While you’re travelling from one place to the next and need to take all your valuables with you, make sure you have your credit cards in different places. So that you still have a way to access money in case one of your bags gets stolen. For example, keep one in a travel belt under your clothes, one in your backpack, some money in your shoe, etc.
6. Lock your valuables at your accommodation
Unless you are travelling to a new destination, make sure to leave your credit cards, passport, etc. at a safe spot at your accommodation. Only take the money that you need for the day, and have a copy of your passport on you.
7. Make sure you always have internet
Always make sure you have access to internet, so that you can look up directions, things to do and call an Uber when necessary. I usually always buy a sim card with an internet plan, when I am in a country outside the EU where I feel like it would be safer to not just rely on WIFI, but I recently discovered e-sims.
With these, you can just activate a sim card directly on your phone when you land, rather than having to find a store first. This was super handy, because by activating the e-sim, I was able to get an Uber from the airport in Guatemala City right away. Not sure what I would have done otherwise. I’ve used Airalo, which worked fine for me, so I would recommend it!
8. Trust your gut feeling and only go wherever you feel comfortable
Only stick to what makes you feel comfortable, if there is a place you might think you won’t feel safe in, don’t go and do something else instead. If you have a bad feeling, it is also okay to just stay at your accommodation the entire day. It’s good to go out of your comfort zone, but not when it comes to your own safety!
Where to travel to in Guatemala as a solo female traveller
Antigua: The beautiful city of Antigua is usually where people head straight away after landing in Guatemala City. It’s about an hour away from the capital. Here you can find beautiful architecture, colourful streets, great food, and much more. It is also the starting point for probably the most famous activity for travellers in Guatemala: The hike to the Acatenango volcano.
Where to stay? I loved loved loved Maya Papaya Hostel! One of my favourite hostels ever!
Lake Atitlán: Around the beautiful Lake Atitlán, you can find multiple little towns. And each of them have a completely different vibe to it! You can spend your time checking out the markets in Panajachel, taking boats across the lake, hopping from town to town, relaxing by the lake, taking Spanish classes, and much more. The lake is about a 3-hour shuttle away from Antigua.
Where to stay? I’ve stayed at Dreamboat Hostel in Panajachel and Free Cerveza in Santa Cruz La Laguna!
Flores: The island of Flores, located on a lake in the North of the country, is your getaway to the impressive archaeological site of Tikal, surrounded by beautiful nature and wildlife. It is also the perfect starting point if you want to cross over to Belize during your trip, as it is about one hour away from the border.
Where to stay? I really liked Los Amigos Hostel!
Interested in more solo female travel guides?
Well, while I have visited quite a few countries on my own, I did not write a blog post about my experiences for most of them. Only for some of my favourite countries! So check out these solo female travel guides as well:
Solo Female Travel in Thailand
Solo Female Travel in Panama
Solo Female Travel in Colombia
And this concludes my summary of my experience as a Solo Female Traveller in Guatemala, including some tips on how to stay safe while travelling solo in Guatemala. Let me know if you have any questions!
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Interested in more solo female travel guides?
