BootsnAll Travel Community

My younger brother is leaving for Guatemala very soon. This will be his first backpacking trip and first time out of the country alone. He's intelligent and capable, I'm just wondering if you guys could share your thoughts about a first time backpacker in Guatemala. How safe is it relative to other CA countries? Is it a good first spot? Some countries can be more overwhelming than others, how does this one rank? I'm propably just being a nervous older brother. Thanks for anything

You don't give the age of your brother. Most single travelers in Guatemala are at least college age.

For people we think need to be slowly exposed to extremely different cultures, we suggest Costa Rica.

If your brother is truly mature, open minded, and stays on the usual tourist path in Guatemala, he should have no problems. It will probably be one of the most enjoyable and educational experiences of his life.

My brother is 23, and I would consider him a mature adult. I guess my biggest question is how "good" a backpacker should a person be before going to Guatemala. The little things involved in this form of travel can be very important, depending on what country a person is in. I have no doubt he is capable, just wondering how experienced a person should be. Thanks

Does he speak Spanish? If he stays on the beaten path he should be fine either way, but it can be kind of intimidating with no Spanish, especially if things don't go as planned. There are lots of shuttles to get you from place to place and a wide range of lodging options in the main tourist places (which are pretty amazing) and Guatemala is incredibly beautiful and culturally fascinating.

He speaks a very small amount of Spanish. Pretty much just your basics.

If he just has 2 weeks, give or take, he'd be fine. It really is an incredible place to visit. If it's a more extended trip I'd have him save Guatemala for another time, not because it's unsafe but because he'd enjoy it so much more with more Spanish. I realize not everyone shares my opinion on this but I've visited both ways and the difference is amazing. Or he could consider starting the first week or 2 in a Spanish school and traveling around after that. I've visited Guatemala 5 times so far and the better my Spanish is, the more wonderful the visits.

Here are my concessions to safety when I travel in Central America.
:: I avoid the big cities as much as possible
:: Where recommended I take specific transportation (Hedman Alas in Honduras, for example, or avoiding chicken buses on he mountain runs in Guatemala)
:: I know where I am and where I'm headed
:: I don't wear jewelry (not even my wedding band) and try not to flash camera equipment or money around
:: Some trips I carry a “throw down wallet” with an expired card or 2 and the day’s cash in it
:: I keep important documents and cash under my clothes (except what I need for shopping, buses, etc. for that time period)
:: I ask locals about safety in an area - evenings, hiking, etc.
:: I travel really light so I don't feel vulnerable getting my bag off and on buses, shuttles, etc.
:: I continue to build skills in Spanish

As long as your brother stays on the broken trails, such as Lago atitlan, antiqua, todos santos, Tikal, etc, I don't see any problem just so the rule list above is followed.

PS. If he has 6 weeks, one or two weeks in antiqua learning beginning spanish will make all the difference in the trip. It opens a whole new world of interaction.

Definitely listen to locals about what is safe and what is not. If you don't look for trouble, and look out for what MIGHT be trouble, trouble will not find you.