G'day all!

I am looking to travel in Guatemala, mostly to see the ruins and the culture, was also thinking Peru!

I prefer to travel alone but would not mind small tours, ect.

I understand the saftey aspect, but in Guatemala, would it be be ok to do the tourist *things* alone? I won't do anything where I can't take a taxi back ect.

Any suggestions would be great!

Barbara

Barbara: I'm not familiar with the places that you want to go, but as a solo traveler (who's also going to South America in October) I say, go for it. Just be sensible. Your plan sounds great. If you want to do a tour, see if they have half-day tours or full day tours.

Good Luck!

Heidi

Barbara,

You should be fine. Guatemala is very safe and there are numerous tourists that are traveling to the same places you would be going. So long as your not going to remote areas or odd hours.. you should be just fine.

Lived there for 9 yrs... amazing country

Have travelled a fair amount in Guatemala as a young, solo female, would say it's fine as long as you take normal precautions. Don't hike alone anywhere in Guatemala, and particularly not around Lake Atitlan. Don't walk alone after dark - taxis are cheap.

Do assume that fifty percent of Guatemalan men will take you to be a loose woman if you're anywhere under the age of fifty and travelling alone...percentage rising substantially if they are young and speak some English. Yes, I know that last bit sounds racist - not so, just...err, let's say I'm not very into cultural relativism after living in Guate for a while. Machismo culture sucks, imho. Not Guatemalan culture, absolutely not - just certain aspects of the way its male population reasons. Not a danger really, just a bit of an ongoing annoyance.

Robberies of vans/buses do occur, not much you can do to avoid that. They're not so frequent that I'd let them influence my way of travelling though.
Traffic culture is probably the greatest danger - majority of drivers seem to believe that speed limits are there to be ignored and there's nothing wrong with passing other cars in curves if you only honk so those entering the curve might hear it =)
Wouldn't do local buses in the highlands at night, as drivers are reckless and road standards varying.

...so, eh, all the negative sides mentioned: I love Guatemala and say go, go, go! Enjoy!

Have not been in Guatemala, the closest I have been is the Honduran side of the border. That was not "very safe." From the crime reports I have seen out of Guatemala City and the people I have spoken with in Hondruas there is a high level of crime in Guat generated by the extreme poverty. That said, I would think, like Honduras, with common sense and resonable precautions one could enjoy traveling there.