Is Guatemala Safe for Solo Female Travelers?
Safety rating
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How safe is Guatemala?
Safety at night:Unsafe
Public transportation:Unsafe
Street harassment:Moderate
Petty crimes:High
Is Guatemala worth visiting?
Overall rating
based on 50 experiences from female travelers
Things to do
Safety
Food
Budget-friendly
Antigua Guatemala, Family travel
It felt fairly safe, if you follow common sense. We didn't take the bus there as it was pretty much not advised by fellow travellers or locals. We took private shuttles or public shuttles for long transportation wish was pretty nice! Just, when they come get you at the rendezvous point wait for them to say for who it is and don't blatantly say "oh is it for me/us" followed by your name cause well it's easy afterwards to say "oh yes it's for you op". We stayed in a youth hostel and again it felt safe! We walked through the city by foot and it was nice! We also booked a guide to have the history of the buildings and it was worth it! People over there are so nice! No problem with the food too! Didn't get sick or anything! Do bring medication for the travelers flu in case, it can be useful! Overall very nice!
Posted: March 12, 2025Experienced: May, 2022
Laura
Germany
Acatenango, Solo travel
Really nice hiking trip that you can do in Guatemala! You start in the city of Antigua which is also a really nice town. It‘s cool for solo travellers cause you will probably hike with a nice group and meet nice people hiking
Posted: January 28, 2025Guatemala, Solo travel
I felt extremely safe in Guatemala! I solo travelled to Guatemala City, Antigua and Lake Atitlan and at no point did I feel unsafe or threatened. I was particularly surprised with my experience in the city when every single blog post I read advised me to stay away. However, I still decided to explore the city. I stayed only around zona 10, 4, and cayala
Posted: October 15, 2024
Franllely
Costa Rica
Antigua Guatemala, Solo travel
It was my first time solo traveling amazing experience It’s really affordable and local food is cheap and delicious the people amazing love the culture Be ready to walk a lot in September it’s really hot Take pictures everywhere those are nice memories
Posted: August 9, 2024
Ayla
Netherlands
Antigua Guatemala, Solo travel
When you visit Antigua please do the Acetenango Vulcano hike if you can! This was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done but also the most special and most fulfilling! We saw so many eruptions and lightning and it was definitely a core memory moment. Antigua is a beautiful city surrounded by vulcano’s and for me it felt like a magical place. All the cute restaurants are so pretty with their little courtyards. I stayed at Adra hostel and Ojala hostel which I would both definitely recommend!!
Posted: June 14, 2024
Zoe
United Kingdom
Lake Atitlán, Couple travel
My time on lake atitlan was amazing! Such an amazing experience and met so many great people. perfect place to meet other people especially at free cerveza everyone was so welcoming, and the food was amazing! There was a place that did falafel wraps(i can’t remember the name sorry) which was INSANE ! i’ve had a LOT of falafel in my life and that was one of, if not THE BEST
Posted: June 7, 2024Quetzaltenango, Solo travel
I loved Quetzaltenango. There are gangs that target buses to the capital but otherwise, it was a safe place when I traveled.
Posted: March 29, 2024Antigua Guatemala, Couple travel
Beautiful place full of history. Most of the structures are colonial in this city, you can easily get to other locations like Atitlan, there is also a street market nearby where you can find a lot of locals selling handicrafts.. :)
Posted: March 16, 2024Experienced: March, 2019Antigua Guatemala, Solo travel
Guatemala is a destination abundant with natural places to explore. Throughout my trip, I felt safe even though I was travelling alone. The best experience was climbing the Volcano of Fire and Acatenango. I highly recommend it!
Posted: March 5, 2024
Andressa
Brazil
Antigua Guatemala, Solo travel
The city is extremely pretty, all cute with colonial houses. To eat I highly recommend the street food in front of Iglesia de la Merced. Everything is delicious and really cheap. During the day is always super safe and people are really friendly. During the night I did not felt as safe to walk alone too far from my accommodation, but did not have any incident.
Posted: February 21, 2024Is Guatemala safe for women?
Safety index
Based on 3 local experiences
Crime index
Based on 3 local experiences
Sarah
Antigua Guatemala
I stayed in a neighborhood just a few blocks from the Santa Catalina Arch for a little under two weeks and felt incredibly safe the entire time. As a solo mom with two young kids, I had no issues walking around—day or night. The locals were so kind and welcoming; at one point, my kids even fell into a fountain near a street food market, and people immediately ran over to help! Antigua gets a lot of tourists, so street vendors can sometimes be a bit persistent, but a simple “no, gracias” and walking away is enough (they won’t follow you). Tuktuk drivers do tend to overcharge, but haggling felt totally fine and expected. One thing to note—there are a lot of dogs roaming around, and it can be hard to tell if they’re strays or belong to someone. None that we encountered were aggressive, but we played it safe and avoided petting them. Overall, such a friendly and walkable place!
Posted: March 17, 2025
Daniela
Mazatenango
Herencia is a small town where the people enjoy different activities like dancing, drawing, and music, and they are good people. Here in Mazatenango, we are warm people and good hosts! Near Irtra and the beaches, we offer a lot of adventure.
Posted: January 12, 2025Meet locals in Guatemala
Dayana
About Me
Hi! I’m a Guatemalan girl open to exchange my culture to your culture!
Speaking
Natalie
About Me
Hey I’m Nat, an Aussie girl in her late 30’s. I fell in love with travelling in my 20’s. I lived in London for a few years, then lived in my backpack for a couple of years hitchhiking and Couchsurfing across the USA and Canada. Currently backpacking through Central and South America!
Speaking
Stay with locals in Guatemala
Amanda
San Juan Comalapa
Can host for:
3 days
About me
Spent the last few years in Guatemala working with a local school in green building Open to connect with people and support how I can
Speaking
Cecilia
Guatemala City
Can host for:
3 days
About me
I'm a travel blogger from Guatemala. I like making friends and sharing experience
Upcoming visitors to Guatemala
Blaire
About Me
hi! i’m looking for a travel buddy for el paredon, guatemala.
Speaking
Maïwenn
About Me
I’m a big fan of sports, including running, handball, hiking, weightlifting, and yoga. I also enjoy cinema, social work, and education, which are areas I’m deeply passionate about. Outside of that, I love cooking and taking pleasure in sharing my dishes with others. Reading is also one of my passions, a time where I can escape and discover new perspectives. I have a deep love for travel and adventure, always seeking new experiences and exploring different cultures.
Speaking
Safety in Guatemala
