South American destinations for introverts?
 

I'm 23. I have been putting off travelling to South America for a while now because I am under the impression that South Americans are overly extroverted (from stereotype and interacting a number of South Americans in my country) and I'm introverted (in common definition).

Not that I'm anti-social, I just find places with lots of tourists or local touts "suffocating". I love interacting with locals and can strike up a conversation with pretty much anyone, as I did in Middle East and other places (which I went alone). But big groups going to the beach and partying getting drunk every day is just not my thing.

Would anywhere in South America fit me?

Have you considered just not staying in youth hostels?

I would generally recommend Peru for first-timers. If you go outside of busy season (holidays and mid June through early September). The most "touristy" area of course is around Machu Piccchu. There are other areas of Peru that get much less tourism but are still interesting. Ayacucho comes to mind (you can fly there from Lima or take a day bus over the Andes). There will be less than a dozen other Anglos in town unless you go during a major festival. You can also connect (during dry season) to some of the other tourist areas. If you are going to the Andes avoid approx September into mid=May (rainy season) Here is some info

http://wikitravel.org/en/Ayacucho

There isn't a big party beach culture in Peru as the water is too cold. Although in the north (Mancora, Huanchaco) you might find during their summer some beachy tourism.

Peruvians are friendly and kind, and I do hope you speak some Spanish if you are going off the beaten path.

I am not a beach party type either but loved our recent trip to Ecuador and Peru. You can click on my trip report, if you like. This was a trip I'll never forget; I find myself frequently daydreaming about the Galapagos Islands and the Amazon forest.

OP at 23 if you can afford a trip to the Galapagos, my hat is off to you.

I really don't think you will have too much trouble finding a place in South America that meets your needs. Mlgb is spot on in suggesting that you do not stay in youth hostels. We found ourselves in one in Ecuador by accident. After one night of being constantly woken up in the early hours by partying twentysomethings who had forgetter there keys.. we moved the next day!

For a first time visit, Peru is a great choice. It has a well developed traveller infrastructure so it is cheap and easy to get around and English is widely spoken in the more tourist orientated places like the sacred valley. Ayacucho is a great place off the grid for most tourists - we visited (at the suggestion of mlgb) a few years ago and were glad we did.

Ecuador is also easy to get around and lacks the party type tourism, except for a few places on the coast. If you managed ok in the Middle East then you will be fine in South America.

Northwest Argentina would also be a good bet for you.

I've been to Venezuela, Colombia, Chile & Peru, and can't see the extrovert stereotype. Mexico, where I live, is another story.
My experience, curiously, is that in many off-the-beaten path locales where tourists are rare, people can be MORE inclined to want to chat you up, since you'd stand out. In the more touristy areas, foreigners are not novelties and therefore no one much cares.

I think you are mixing up Introvert/Non Introvert with Social/Antisocial.

I am one of those people that would drive you crazy. I can talk to anyone, anywhere about anything .. sort of a No one is a stranger attitude and it has served me well. The trick is knowing when to just stand there and be quiet : )
I learned that too.

Wherever you go, whatever you do, you are going to meet all sorts of people.
If you stay in a posh expensive hotel, you will probably not meet overly friendly , happy to meet you kind of people .. if you stay in a hostel, you will probably meet people who are happy to meet you and will be friendly .. because that is sort of part of that experience .. traveling alone but meeting people along the way. I have always thought that part of the richness of travel is meeting people from a totally different environment than my own .. it allows you to learn and to go home and see your own life and ways of living in a different light.

I think you just need to pick a destination and forget about the intro/extrovert part of it.
How can you actually even think that way ? lol

People travel alone .. if you don't talk to people, they probably will not bother you .. if you get really desperate for alone time, stay home lol
no , I agree with baldone, off the beaten path trips usually contain people who are so happy to talk to other people that you won't be able to be all alone.
A lot of people think that meeting people all over the world, is a cool part of travel.