My husband and I have been planning a trip to Guatemala for a few months now and knew that there are safety concerns (pretty much anywhere in Central America). We weren't too concerned and are really intrigued by the interesting combination of towns/nature/culture that can be found in Guatemala. However, after reading through the Lonely Planet guidebook, we are suddenly alarmed by the warnings of highway robbery (which I always thought meant getting ripped off, not getting robbed by masked men with large guns...)

We are fairly seasoned travelers and don't normally worry about these safety issues because we figure that living in Chicago is probably more dangerous. However, searching on the internet has left us quite scared of Guatemala and its reputation for violent crime. Any comments? What concerned us the most is the warning about taking tourist vans between Antigua and Panajachel (the road traveled by nearly everyone). Did you feel safe? Which company did you use (we do not want to take a tour but plan on arranging for transportation in advance).

I have no doubt that the Guatemalans are a warm and friendly people. I also doubt that we will really be the victims of some violent crime. But is traveling to Guatemala worth the worry?

Thanks in advance!

This question comes up a lot on Lonely Planet's Thorntree. There was also a huge article in the Globe & Mail (Canadian newspaper) about safety in Guatemala. I think if I had read the article before we went, we might have cancelled!

However, I can say that we were in Guatemala for 11 days in early December, and had absolutely no problems. We spent time in Antigua, around Lake Atitlan, Chichicastenango and Tikal. With the exception of flying to/from Tikal, we took shuttles the rest of the time. We usually took ATI. (We didn't take chicken buses - I know lots of people think it's part of the experience, but I didn't feel like I needed to experience it.) We didn't have any security concerns, although I admit I was a little worried before I left Toronto - I sometimes think that Lonely Planet does too good a job of warning people of potential problems! (Plus I usually get pre-trip jitters.) We travelled on our own, but rarely were we isolated and on our own, although we did go for an early morning hike at Tikal on our own.

We did meet 1 woman who had her wallet and passport stolen. She said that she had gotten too relaxed, and when she got on or off a chicken bus with her bag hanging off of her, someone went into the bag and took them. I am very careful about that kind of thing now (having had my wallet stolen not once but twice here in Toronto while on the streetcar - I guess I'm a slow learner). I've heard people say that you should never carry a purse - well, I do. I carry a shoulder bag with a very short strap that I wear across my body.

We also talked to a woman who had hiked up one of the volcanoes with her partner, a Guatemalan. It wasn't Pacaya, the volcano that everyone goes up, and they had been warned that it was dangerous before they went up there. But she wanted to go and they were robbed by men carrying weapons. But as I said, they were told that it was dangerous and still made the decision to go, so she said that she could only blame herself.

BTW, if you do post a question on the Thorntree about safety in Guatemala, you may find people will first flame you for not searching old posts first, then some of the regulars may tell you that they carry weapons such as knives whenever they travel. Personally I would be more scared of running into some of them than I would be of the Guatemalans you're likely to meet.

For us, Guatemala was totally worth it. My husband and I agree that it was one of our best trips ever, and I'd go back any time. As you said, it's a really interesting combination of towns/nature/culture.

I wrestled with this about a year ago as I was planning a long work-related trip to Guatemala. I had been to Guatemala many times before, but what I was reading on the Internet a year ago seemed a lot scarier than I remembered. By that point, backing out was not an option for me, although if my editor had said we're going to cancel the project, I'd have sighed a sigh of relief. Hmmm. I hope she is not reading this.

What bothered me was this: I always look at the U.S. State Department website for travel advisories, and then compare that to information for the same country on the coresponding sites that Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand provide for their citizens. The U.S. warnings are usually much stronger, but in the case of Guatemala, they were all pretty dire warnings about what could happen.

I spent a total of about 12 weeks there and it was wonderful. Guatemala seemed a lot safer to me than it had seemed in years. I talked to a lot of people during that 12 weeks and they said things are a lot better these days.

You still have to be careful, but I didn't feel on edge at all. There are things you just don't do. You don't walk alone up to the cross on the hill above Antigua. Go with a police escort. You don't hike the volcanoes alone. You don't wander too far off the paths at Tikal. You take taxis when you're out at night in big cities, and make sure they are licensed taxis that your hotel or your restaurant calls to be on the safe side.

I think the tourist shuttles are the way to go. They're convenient, safe and not too expensive. I like Atitrans:

www.atitrans.com

but there are many good companies. For several years, there was a problem with robberies on the old road between Antigua and Panajachel, and everyone stopped using the route in favor of the slightly longer Pan-American Highway. I noticed that the van took the old route again. I asked the driver about it, kind of saying, "Um, why are we going this way?" and he said things are fine again. And they were.

I'd recommend a trip to Guatemala to anyone, as I'm sure many others here will too.

Thanks for the responses. I didn't post on the Thorntree because there seems to be a different clientel posting there and I wanted to get the feel on this message board (the one I definitely use the most).

I'm glad to hear that with the normal precautions it shouldn't be much worse than say Buenos Aires. We aren't the types to go wandering off on our own and plan on staying in nice hotels and taking the shuttles. I think I will be OK missing out on the chicken bus experience!

Jabrew, I actually like the Thorntree a lot, but I also have to filter what info I get there. I think I am more of a budget traveller than some of the posters here, so Thorntree is pretty good for that.

In my honest opinion you bought the wrong guide. I'd consider buying the wonderful Rough Guide and reading that instead. I found it to be much more informed, readable, accurate, and balanced when I was reading up for my trip to Guatemala last August (my 4th). There's a new Moon Handbook out now, published in the fall so after my trip, that might be worth looking into also.

I'll try to remember to cut and paste my list of safety tips to this thread when I get home. As above, Guatemala is a beautiful, memory place to visit. I'd be more intimidated visiting your home town for sure! Check out my travelogues and photos if you're interested. Happy trails!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections

Amazon links, you might have to cut and paste because they're so long:

http://www.amazon.com/Moon-Guatemala...707&sr=8-2

http://www.amazon.com/Rough-Guide-Gu...762&sr=1-1

My wife, my father and I spent an AMAZING week in Guatemala last year, and I'd say it's definietly "worth the worry". We felt completely safe. As anywhere, things can happen - and do, in Guatemala but if you follow the usual travel precautions...being aware of your surroundings and what's going on around you, don't wander into remote areas alone, etc., and you should be fine.

My wife felt much the same as you seem to before we left...and she doesn't regreat one second of the trip. I'll be happy to to try to help answer any other questions you might have.

I spent three weeks in Guatemala this past summer with my wife and 6-year-old daughter. We were in three different areas (including Lake Atitlan) and had no problems whatsoever--didn't even hear stories of others who had been pickpocketed or anything. Honestly, I felt safer there than I do in my own home city in the U.S.

Here are the things I do to feel safe in Central America. I have traveled by myself, with my husband, with my family, and with another little middle-aged woman and have felt safe and loved every trip. I'm heading back for the 7th time this summer. Happy trails!

:: I avoid the big cities as much as possible
:: Where recommended I take specific transportation (Hedman Alas in Honduras, for example)
:: 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
:: 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

Hopefulist has some very good ideas on safety, although as I said before, I do carry a bag rather than keeping my money under my clothes. I also wear my wedding band (a plain band).

Another tip I have used in the past when I have traveled is to carry a "dummy" wallet. In this wallet I just keep my daily spending cash, a few canceled credit cards and that's it. The rest is in a money belt like this: http://www.1ststoptravelstore.com/AH...money_belt.htm or in a money pouch.

That way, in the unlikely event I did get robbed, the thieves can have my one day spending cash, a bunch of useless cards, and I'm on my way.

I carried a what I call a "throw down" wallet last August but (gratefully) didn't need it.